It was time for us to pick up our ‘new’ 5th wheel and tow it for the first time across New Hampshire. Well, it was actually only 19 miles and 30 minutes down some classic New England roads. It seemed a lot longer because it was the first-time towing something this big, square, and with such a significant road blockage factor. Over time I’d learn what it means to move a small building around the roads and campgrounds of America. At this point, I only had experience with maneuvering small trailers with boats and tractors on them, while avoiding ruination of toys or causing irreparable embarrassment. I had also prepared by watching YouTube videos on driving, hitching, and backing 5th wheels. Of course, seeing and doing are two different things.
Fun fact to know and bore your friends with – The 5th Wheel, which is designed the same as tractor-trailers, got the nick name from when four-wheel wagons were developed from two-wheel carts. They attached a 5th wheel between the undercarriage and the front wheel structure so the front could turn.
We thought we’d be okay because as part of the sale, Camper’s Inn included two hours of introduction to the trailer. Having camped seasonally in trailers on the same site for 30 years, we only needed help with hitching the trailer to the truck. With all my towing experience being with bumper hitches, it would be good to have someone watch us go through the process and offer suggestions.
My expectations started to fade the moment the Greeter walked our guide out from behind the door and introduced us to Les. Expectations became wraiths in my ears the more Les talked as we took our short walk out to the trailer. It seems Les never towed a 5th wheel. He was just a retired camper that was working part time for some money. The expectations became a distant memory when Les opened the Command Panel door and started to read the labels to me. All expectations were gone like a fine dust blown away by the harsh winds of sales without support when Les admitted he had never used the very common Lippert Leveling System that was in the trailer.
This is when the line from my high school play came to mind:
“More or less. Considerably less of more than more of less.”
Thanks a lot Andy. I held on to the memory of that line of yours from the play for all these years , just to use it now. I suspect Linda would have preferred I used that memory space for something a little more useful, like what I was supposed to get at the store last night.
But all was not lost! When it became clear that Les was more of a waste and less of a source, Linda went in the building and came out with a couple of Techs to help with the actual hitching. Using the checklist I created from videos and talking with these two garage hounds, we were able to connect up with confidence. The key point was we were able to get out of there without hitting any other new trailers. Linda was very nervous. I was hyper-attentive. The videos were a huge help as long as I kept their points in mind while moving.
While the drive to our first campsite in Weare, New Hampshire was short, we realized quite of few things.
- I needed to install the review camera on the trailer before pulling the trailer anywhere else.
- Hand signals (mixed with a few gestures) can become ineffective communication tools between a driver and spotter.
- The communication over the walkie-talkie will take some work.
- Everyone needs to be clear on what supposed to be happening when backing into a site.
- Having the Unhitch checklist is as important and helpful as the Hitch checklist.
All in all, it was our first of many Travel Days, and it was a success.