Question for the ladies on this board

[leslie]

Do you drive the tow vehicle and back it into the campsite? Do you hitch and unhitch, set the leveling blocks, chock the wheels, etc.?

I have been doing this by myself since we took delivery of our custom 21-BHS. My husband was supposed to be retired, but instead he kept working. I got in as much practice with him as possible, but I towed the camper by myself and camped in Florida for the month of January by myself, sending daily photos of me and the dogs in the sunshine while he was dealing with a blizzard, snow and ice. My tactic worked, and he will retire next month.

While on my own, men were astonished that I was doing this on my own. Some were very amused, some were very helpful, some tried to be too helpful. But mostly they were amazed. When I talked to women who were mostly my age or older, some occasionally drove.

So what are the ladies here doing?

[livinthegoodlife]

Leslie, When we had our popups and our AFrame, I would drive and attempt to back in.  I have never pulled our LL.  It is a bit intimidating to me.  I know I will have to jump in sometime, but for the time being I think that I will just let my husband do the driving and pulling. lol  So in awe of you though!!

[dh50]

I enjoy entertaining our new neighbors by standing at the back of the rig, flailing and yelling wildly at Hubby as he backs into our space.  In like manner, but from the truck cab, he yells and flails wildly back at me.  Neighbors' facial expressions - PRICELESS!  Once parked, I get back in the truck and if hot outside, I man the A/C ...maybe the radio and wait.  But if the weather is pleasant, I may let my Pitbull loose.  Afterall, she will have been couped up for sometime and needs to 'go'.  

But alas, all good things must come to an end, and so they did....once we acquired a set of walkie-talkies and a dog leash. 

[pinstriper]

[quote source="/post/8020/thread" timestamp="1426634059" author="@gwbushhog"]I enjoy entertaining our new neighbors by standing at the back of the rig, flailing and yelling wildly at Hubby as he backs into our space.  In like manner, but from the truck cab, he yells and flails wildly back at me.  Neighbors' facial expressions - PRICELESS!  Once parked, I get back in the truck and if hot outside, I man the A/C ...maybe the radio and wait.  But if the weather is pleasant, I may let my Pitbull loose.  Afterall, she will have been couped up for sometime and needs to 'go'.  

But alas, all good things must come to an end, and so they did....once we acquired a set of walkie-talkies and a dog leash.  [/quote]Sounds like almost as much fun as setting up a coupla beach chairs and a cooler of beer to watch the boat ramp.

[dh50]

[quote source="/post/8020/thread" author="@gwbushhog" timestamp="1426634059"]I enjoy entertaining our new neighbors by standing at the back of the rig, flailing and yelling wildly at Hubby as he backs into our space.  In like manner, but from the truck cab, he yells and flails wildly back at me.  Neighbors' facial expressions - PRICELESS!  Once parked, I get back in the truck and if hot outside, I man the A/C ...maybe the radio and wait.  But if the weather is pleasant, I may let my Pitbull loose.  Afterall, she will have been couped up for sometime and needs to 'go'.  

But alas, all good things must come to an end, and so they did....once we acquired a set of walkie-talkies and a dog leash. 

Sounds like almost as much fun as setting up a coupla beach chairs and a cooler of beer to watch the boat ramp.
[/quote]Is this something like you have in mind?  [video src="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CR4kTXalXb0"][/video]

[gnies]

When we had our popup camper we were returning from a trip and I was really sick so she had to drive and stop often on the side of the highway because I was sick. She had a really hard time to back it up in the driveway it was so funny she just finnaly left it in the driveway not parked correctly but it was in the driveway I guess. Good thing it wasn't the camplite lol. Now she want to learn in case I am sick again but haven't show it to her yet.

[dh50]

[quote timestamp="1426624419" author="@leslie" source="/post/8001/thread"]Do you drive the tow vehicle and back it into the campsite? Do you hitch and unhitch, set the leveling blocks, chock the wheels, etc.?

I have been doing this by myself since we took delivery of our custom 21-BHS. My husband was supposed to be retired, but instead he kept working. I got in as much practice with him as possible, but I towed the camper by myself and camped in Florida for the month of January by myself, sending daily photos of me and the dogs in the sunshine while he was dealing with a blizzard, snow and ice. My tactic worked, and he will retire next month.

While on my own, men were astonished that I was doing this on my own. Some were very amused, some were very helpful, some tried to be too helpful. But mostly they were amazed. When I talked to women who were mostly my age or older, some occasionally drove.

So what are the ladies here doing?[/quote]Well, Leslie, it appears that one thing we ladies aren't doing is posting much on this forum.  That's because if our heater anode needs replacing, we ladies seek immediate help from dealer for a simple fix.  Contrast that to the Men folk here who will first putz around, then chew-the-fat over how to solve the problem and ultimately find consensus with the brethren over advice like 'tip your trailer upside down and then stand on a tall ladder while on meds'!   Then when they succeed, they play in their minds the soundtracks to 'Rocky  I, II and III' altogether while they cyber-hi-five.   (You gotta love it, though, eh?) 

Now in all seriousness, Leslie, I don't do any of the things you've mentioned in your query.  I help guide Hubby into RV space, maybe 'chock' it up, and I'm a great 'gopher'.  That said, I do watch carefully all that he does, try to help where needed, and discern when I'm in the way.  Truth is, I have no plan to do any of the hitching/unhitching, because I have no desire to ever travel alone with the trailer...EVER!  If my Man ain't there...well, 'nuff said.

Now, I know you don't want to travel alone either, (who does?), but because of your Husband's differing priorities, you have learned and proven that not only are you capable of doing what you must, but you are very crafty!   Sending pics from sunny Florida to your Hubby in snowy IL?  Stoke of genius!!!  You go, Girl!  

[shovelhead]

Gwbushhog  
You forgot we will never ever stop for directions, we never stop at the next exit even if you got to go really bad.  However, I totally agree it's not as much fun traveling alone.

[jeeps]

[font size="3"]I am so impressed, Leslie!  I wish I had the courage to do it on my own, like you have, because I love camping in our trailer!  My husband is semi-retired, yet has many obligations and hobbies that take his time, so we don't camp as often as I'd like.  I, OTOH, have all the time in the world.  I've never really towed anything and can barely back up a car alone, w/o taking out shrubs or someone's bumper, much less with a 21 foot trailer behind me.  i hate the stereotype of a dumb female, but alas, on this subject, I'm her.

I do as much to help, when we take it out, as I can.  My jobs are prepping the interior -- latching cabinets, bringing in the slide, turning stuff on/off, etc.  Plus I'm out there with the rest of you, directing the parking process, entertaining the neighbors.

My learning started at the ground level, such as ....the difference between 120 and 12 amps, what runs on propane vs battery, what the heck is an anti-sway hitch, or electrical brakes, or ....I can't remember it all.  

So I frequent this forum, watch videos, read everything, ask questions, and listen to RVing podcasts galore.  I'm pretty much to the obsessive point.  And there has been progress....I know the difference between the gray and black tanks and which to drain first.  And just watch me plug in the power and TV cable, attach the water hose, and put out the wheel-block-thingies.    [/font]

[leslie]

Good for you, Brenda. However, something for ladies here to consider: If you don't know how to do everything around the camper, if the worst thing happens, and your partner dies, will that be the end of RVing for you?

Sorry to inject such a sad note to this board. I met some widows during my month in Florida who are now RVing solo, as well as a man whose wife had died who was RVing solo.

I had to confront the issue of what I would do if my husband dies when a few years ago my husband was in the emergency room with a serious heart problem. I was taken in to see him because he wasn't doing well when his heart stopped. He received excellent care, and we are looking forward to years of RVing. However, we have plans in place in the event that he or I die.

So, I set out to learn how to do everything concerning the RV. This board has been a major source of info for me. I have a long way to go before I can back up into a site smoothly. A new challenge for me is how to attach and remove that darn bayonet connection for the sewer hose. Small hands have a difficult time with this, and yup, I have small hands.

[jeeps]

[font size="3"]If I lost my husband, I wouldn't keep our trailer.  The big appeal of the lifestyle is being together, not the rig itself.  However, if I wanted to do it alone, I'd look into one of those smaller class Bs, like the Roadtrek.  I think I could handle the setup alone, and there'd be no towing anything.  Easy to drive.

Prior to getting our trailer, we tent camped.  I loved it.   Couldn't get enough! I could whip that tent up and down solo, no problem.  But for me, there's no appeal in camping alone.  [/font]

[mitch]

See now from the husband point of view, if my wife can do all the things needed to successfully go RVing, I could wind up accidentally getting hit by an axe while I sleep!






P.S. my wife would never do that, axes are too heavy, no really she's a lovely person. 

[dh50]

[quote source="/post/8118/thread" timestamp="1426771411" author="@leslie"]Good for you, Brenda. However, something for ladies here to consider: If you don't know how to do everything around the camper, if the worst thing happens, and your partner dies, will that be the end of RVing for you?   [font color="#e61a19" size="3"]YES.  I TOO HAVE GIVEN CONSIDERATION TO LOSING MY HUSBAND, THE FINEST HUMAN BEING I'VE EVER KNOWN, AND KNOW THAT I WOULD DOWNSIZE/DIVEST OF EVERYTHING, INCLUDING RV AND HOME.  THERE IS NO WAY I COULD DO ALL THAT HE DOES AND FREELY ACCEPT THAT MY LIFE WOULD CHANGE DRASTICALLY.  I PRAY TO GO FIRST...SELFISH, I KNOW.

[/font]Sorry to inject such a sad note to this board. I met some widows during my month in Florida who are now RVing solo, as well as a man whose wife had died who was RVing solo.  [font color="#f51514" size="3"]WE NEED TO START TAKING THESE WIDOWS' CONTACT INFORMATION FOR SHOVELHEAD.  THERE'S AN ABUNDANCE OF LOVELY WIDOWS HERE IN FLORIDA.  TAXES ARE LOW TOO.  WIDOWED LADIES IN ABUNDANCE, LOW TAXES....WHY SOUTH DAKOTA???  BUT I DIGRESS....
[/font]
I had to confront the issue of what I would do if my husband dies when a few years ago my husband was in the emergency room with a serious heart problem. I was taken in to see him because he wasn't doing well when his heart stopped. He received excellent care, and we are looking forward to years of RVing. However, we have plans in place in the event that he or I die.  [font color="#f53214" size="3"]IT IS A SOBERING THOUGHT TO BE WITHOUT OUR PARTNERS, BUT THERE IS HOPE KNOWING THAT THE SEPARATION AND DIFFICULTIES WILL BE TEMPORARY.  WE'LL HAVE ETERNITY TO LOOK FORWARD TO, TOGETHER WITH OUR CREATOR GOD AND LOVED ONES BECAUSE OF WHAT JESUS CHRIST DID SOME 2000 YEARS AGO FOR ALL OF US WHO DO BELIEVE IN HIM. (John 3:16) I BELIEVE IN HIM, I HOPE YOU DO TOO.
[/font]
So, I set out to learn how to do everything concerning the RV. This board has been a major source of info for me. I have a long way to go before I can back up into a site smoothly. A new challenge for me is how to attach and remove that darn bayonet connection for the sewer hose. Small hands have a difficult time with this, and yup, I have small hands.  [font color="#f53214" size="3"]I FORGOT TO INCLUDE THAT I HAVE EMPTIED THE BLACK/GREY TANKS AND FLUSHED THEM OUT REAL WELL BY RUNNING WATER THROUGH A HOSE INTO THE TOILET UNTIL ALL EXITING WATER RUNS CLEAR.  I'VE GOT A CONFESSION TO MAKE....I ACTUALLY ENJOY WATCHING ALL EXITING WATER FROM BOTH TANKS (TURDS AND ALL) PASS THROUGH THE SEPTIC HOSE'S 'SEE-THROUGH' ELBOW.  IS THAT WIERD?  I THINK SO, BUT FIND SATISFACTION THAT ALL SYSTEMS ARE FLUSHED AND CLEAN.  LAST TIME I DID THIS, I CALLED THE KIDS TO GRAB A CHAIR AND COME WATCH WITH ME....YEAH, I'M SURE IT'S WIERD. 

I APPRECIATE YOU OPENING UP THIS DISCUSSION, LESLIE.  IT'S GOOD FOR ALL OF US.  BLESSED BE!


[/font][/quote]

[shovelhead]

OK why are my ears itching about this thread?? LOL  Yes it's not a lot of fun without your soulmate.  Even when we would get mad at each other over backing a trailer in or some other silly reason.  Tina was my soulmate for over 46 years.  Our plan was to retire, sell the house and RV fulltime.  She had many many medical issues and of course didnt make to our retirement day.  But in her honor I bought the trailer and she camps with me everywhere I go.  I celebrate our time together when we travel, just wish she were here .

GW I love Florida, in fact I have a lot of family in Jax Beach,  I enjoy going to bike week when I can, and trips to  Key West at least once per year.  As far as those ladies, they would have to be a bit taller.  All I've seen are hat's behind steering wheels as they travel the highways ;-)

So as they say ladies... You go girl!

[daplumbr]

[quote timestamp="1426646915" source="/post/8036/thread" author="@pinstriper"][quote timestamp="1426634059" author="@gwbushhog" source="/post/8020/thread"]I enjoy entertaining our new neighbors by standing at the back of the rig, flailing and yelling wildly at Hubby as he backs into our space.  In like manner, but from the truck cab, he yells and flails wildly back at me.  Neighbors' facial expressions - PRICELESS!  Once parked, I get back in the truck and if hot outside, I man the A/C ...maybe the radio and wait.  But if the weather is pleasant, I may let my Pitbull loose.  Afterall, she will have been couped up for sometime and needs to 'go'.  

But alas, all good things must come to an end, and so they did....once we acquired a set of walkie-talkies and a dog leash.  [/quote]Sounds like almost as much fun as setting up a coupla beach chairs and a cooler of beer to watch the boat ramp.
[/quote]
In the summer, my wife and I bike out to the local lake's boat launch and entertain ourselves watching the launches and retrievals. The tables will be turned as we camp more with our LL and entertain our neighbors setting up camp.