Our last 5th wheel adventure

[mcouncil]

Much like the first time we ever took to the roads in a 5th wheel our last adventure was filled with excitement and awe.

 

I'll start at sorta the beginning, the Teton sold and the driver called from Florida saying he would pick it up on Sunday morning. After a straight through drive of about 1250 miles he arrived at about 4PM Super Bowl Sunday. Weather was about 30 deg wind out of the north at about 35 mph with 6 inches of new snow and none of the County roads or my uphill drive way having seen a plow! A slight pause is in order and we agree to try the hook for a trip south at 9 AM Monday.

 

Monday at 9 the driver says he is sitting in front of my house but it looks like a cattle operation! Never trust GPS addresses! Directions given over the phone and about 10 min later he shows up in a 1 ton dually which makes it about half way up my drive way before spinning out. Now this is after I got up at 6 to plow the drive so he could get in. Damn 4 wheel drive sure would've been nice. Since it's too slick to get up to the house he just decided to hook up to the 5th, it's on the flat. I call and suggest we parley before hitching up since the exit off the farm requires a usually easy back up and a sharp corner that introduces you to a ditch if you don't get it right. He decides that is a good idea and reconnoiters the road again and thinks we should have a wrecker on standby.

 

I called a neighbor and asked if he would mind coming over with his 90 hp 4wd tractor just in case.

 

I should mention the good news is that the snow has stopped and the wind is a gentle 10-15 but it's 3 above! The driver is in a light windbreaker, moccasins and no socks - damn those Floridians are tough!

 

So we go to hitch up, rear stabilizers are frozen to the ground and won't retract-toggle up & down and they break lose; extend the front jacks to get it on the truck and the lights go out on the hand held controller and nothing hydraulic works any more! 10 minutes later my neighbor finds the 80 amp circuit breaker for the pump and we are back in business. Hydraulics don't like 3 above temps, but then neither did we!

 

Hooked up and the driver says raise the front jacks up - I raise them about an inch off the ground and he says no-all the way. I say don't you want to pull test against the brakes and he says naaaaa I just want to get on the road. I believe him.

 

Pulls up the hill about 60-70 feet and that's all the traction he has so he tries to back up down the gravel (but snow covered lane) oops, got the trailer in the grass- frozen on top not so much an inch down.

 

Being experienced stuckees, the tractor is all ready and waiting up the hill so we chain 'em up and lull him up the hill. The second back up goes fine but his shoulders will be sore for awhile after cranking the wheel from stop to stop trying to back straight?

 

Now for the corner, an abundance of caution results in lost traction and a heart stopping decision to make. Chain up the truck incorrectly and we may introduce the whole thing to the ditch. Finally he makes it to the relatively better unplowed county road and with the tractor in the lead we take him to the clean highway!

 

So the good part! The Teton is going south when last seen to Florida where it will be shipped to Germany to be re-fitted to conform to European standards and then it will join the circus as the owners house! And no, there will be no pink elephants painted on its side!

 

Last 5th wheel adventure as good as the first. It just doesn't get any better.

 

73's Mike and Jo Ann

 

[dascom]

Great story Mike.

[rickeieio]

Great story, and a bittersweet ending. But, I guess we will all hang it up one day.......

[SuiteSuccess]

Mike,

 

Thanks for the opportunity to meet you and Jo Ann at the ECR. Wish we could have had more years of fellowship. You guys are classy people and hope going forward your lives will be satisfying and fulfilled.

[phoenix2013]

Mike, you have no heart.

That Teton of your was built in the state of lotus lovers and progressive politics, I don't know if it will be able to cope with standing at attention and saying JAWOHL!

 

We discuss weather here too, cold snap last week down to 62 but it came nicely to just above average at 81 today.

[lappir]

What a send off. Glad it got out with no more than the few issues. Get back in the house and stay warm.

 

Rod

[Bob86ZZ4]

Sounds like it would have been a good episode of "Shipping Wars." Another illegal commercial trucking operation shows us why they can ship your load cheap. He's darn lucky you didn't charge him for the tractor pull.

[RickW]

Sounds like it would have been a good episode of "Shipping Wars." Another illegal commercial trucking operation shows us why they can ship your load cheap. He's darn lucky you didn't charge him for the tractor pull.

 

Don't get me started. Currently building new office that includes indoor parking for truck and RV. Hot shot shows up with all the triim pieces (hired by factory not me) with a blown tire on the trailer that blew so many miles back that nothing that resembles a tire is left on the wheel. No DOT, no IFTA on the truck and he has manged to make it across 5 states so far. 2" of rain and so much mud off load was no go. He blows a gasket when told. With no tire can't back in straight line. Drives truck off road gets it stuck. After his boss tells him to call wrecker he stills refuses. After 4 hours he is finally unstuck but not before tearing up road and souroundings. Plus electric gate keypad and post. Hit the gate post. Also took out gate exit loop sensor and transmitter. Over $2500 in property damage. Repairs were approved but have not seen the check yet. Better be sitting on my desk when I get back in town tomorrow. At least this "professiomal" driver did not get pulled over with my steel on board and get it impounded with the truck. I was not suttle when I made it clear on the redelivery date it would be best that guy was not to be the driver.