I was just reading the thread on backing up and I realized that the hardest part of any trip we take with the PUP is getting it back into the driveway. We have a raised sidewalk with a ramp going into a 9 ft. wide driveway with a fire hydrant that you can't see on the side I have to back into and a large tree on the other. Then the driveway passes 2 ft. away from the side of our house with a railroad tie retaining wall on the other side. I also live on a three car wide street which makes me nearly have to jackknife the unit to clear the tree. And I usually get 2 tries max. before I have traffic backed up in both directions. Anyone else have a challenge like this to get home?
[img width=640 height=480]http://i549.photobucket.com/albums/ii397/Breadbox_photos/The%20Toybox/0109121408.jpg[/img]
Thankfully we live on a dead end street. But, Dad always said practice makes perfect. I can say that he was right. The more practice I get backing it in to campsites, the better I am. He has a boat, and that is a little more difficult to back in at the marina, so he has marked the railing on the upper deck where he drives from, to indicate where the dock posts are to line up. Just gotta get comfy with what you've got he says.
This is my 8 foot Columbia. I upgraded to a 10 foot Seneca and have put them both between my shed and the sound barrier.....probably 12 foot wide. It is in my backyard on the grass, up a slight incline and there is a bush a few feet in front of the table on the left site of the pic. You can see and follow the tire tracks in the grass as I started to loose traction. I had to hit it on a run and turn to get it around the bush. If I stopped I would spin out and would have 1, maybe 2 more tries before I seriously dug up the lawn. [Image Can Not Be Found]
Matt O 2006 Skyline Nomad 27' travel trailer. Previously owned 1986 Coleman Columbia / 1992 Coleman Senecca / 1989 Born Free Class C RV.
We're in a similar situation - three car wide road that goes up a hill, electrical box on one side, fire hydrant on the other, drive way goes up a hill, then we have to work with the electrical box and the garage, then the garage and the fence to get into the backyard. The driveway is too steep to leave the camper alone on comfortably. We decided that during the season, the camper will reside in the side yard to make things a bit easier.
[quote author=wapwap link=topic=1342.msg10224#msg10224 date=1326206113]
We're in a similar situation - three car wide road that goes up a hill, electrical box on one side, fire hydrant on the other, drive way goes up a hill, then we have to work with the electrical box and the garage, then the garage and the fence to get into the backyard. The driveway is too steep to leave the camper alone on comfortably. We decided that during the season, the camper will reside in the side yard to make things a bit easier.
Unfortunately, the driveway is the side yard. It goes back to a Model T Ford-sized garage in the back. There's 10 feet from the side of the house to the property line and only enough room for 1 car before the driveway goes past the end of the house.
Backing a trailer has been easy for me in that I'm an old farm boy and was backing up something with a tractor by the age of 12, so that part of camping, coming or going, is a day in the country.
As per the original title, "the hardest part of the trip" - for me would be the packing up and getting on the road for home.
Wow...you're good! I'd have to say for me the hardest part is emotional (closing her up), but unpacking after getting home is a close second. Our TV is filled with people and all the stuff has to go inside Ruby. So we have to open her to get stuff out once we get home. We don't have to open her all the way, though. Just enough for someone to crawl in and pull everything out that needs to come out.
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