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Old 10-26-2007, 08:35 PM   #1
P and B
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Default New TM Maiden Voyage Experiences

This is my first post. Thought I would relate our experiences in purchasing our TM and follow-up with some things that happened on our maiden voyage.

We had been looking at the TM for some time. We previously owned a 22' Rockwood class C, which we loved. It's been gone for over 10 years now and we just haven't been on any camping trips since. We first had our minds made up to go with the 2720 SL but didn't like the idea of one of us having to crawl over the other one (there are only two of us) to get out of bed. In the end, we purchased the 3124 KS. It was only marginally heavier and had a king sized bed. I should state now that, from the perspective of someone who had never towed anything before, 4 feet is a lot. I don't consider our choice a mistake but the extra size makes it that much more
difficult for me to get it into my driveway, which is steep and has a bit of a wind to it. I manage, with my wife's help, but it is more difficult than I'd like and I'd say a bit scary. Let's just say that putting the TM down our driveway is more difficult than putting it into any campsite you're likely going to want to get in. I'm chalking this one up to experience and consider this TM lesson #1- backing up is really hard.

We bought our TM and the dealer was very good. We were to leave on our maiden voyage the day we picked it up and spent quite a bit of time getting all briefed up on how things worked. It went a little easier since we'd owned an RV before. One thing I think they could have improved on was the whole towing and hitch part. I have no towing experience and certainly no hitch experience. I first realized this when I went to unhitch the TV first
time. I had to call the dealer to get it unhitched and I'm still not sure of how to really get the weight off of the ball to make it easier to flip up the ball release. I usually have to get a hammer out to pry it up. The second hitch mistake was in understanding exactly how the weight distribution bars work. I took them off to back down the driveway once, thinking it would be easier to unhitch, and realized that it wasn't a good idea when the propane tanks scraped the driveway. Did I mention how steep the driveway is? Anyway, don't take the bars off unless you're going to unhitch the car....TM lesson #2.

The plan after bringing the TM home from the dealer and grabbing our stuff was to drive about 2hrs to a campground, spend the night and then head
for Virginia (from Cape Cod) the following morning to attend a family reunion and celebrate both of our fathers turning 80. We arrived at the campground after dark. The guy at the campground looked at our arrangement and despite my telling him that I had just picked the thing up a couple of hours earlier and had zero experience, he put is in a spot about
the size of a shoebox. It was not a pullthrough. The neighbor lady, in a gigantic fifth wheel (in a pullthrough space), came to their door and was giving a blow by blow description of our feeble efforts to her husband
somewhere in their RV. I think at one point my wife asked her if she didn't have television...but fortunately, she appeared not to hear. They popped out to help about the time I got the TM in the site. Crooked but parked.

I didn't even unhitch that night. I think I just had a few drinks to calm down and then went to bed. The bed was very comfy by the way. We were off the next morning. It was a hike to Virginia and I won't bore you with the misadventures en route because I'm sure you've all had them. The big thing that happened was that the factory microwave pretty much jumped out of it's opening, destroying the shelf and cabinet brace in the front. The 1/4 inch shelf was no match for the MW so we replaced it with 1/2 " plywood. The contact-paper-wrapped-balsa-wood the factory uses for the cabinet braces we replaced with a piece of maple. We used threaded rod and a metal bar across the top of the MW to keep it in place. Had to take the stove top out to effect repairs. TM lesson #3- Despite your best
efforts, stuff really bounces around in there when you're towing it.

Other small problems include a stove that won't light with the built in ignition system, shower curtain track didn't meet so neither did the shower curtains - by about two feet.

We managed to fix everything before our next adventure. This was the drive from Virginia to Bar Harbor ME. We took two days and I made sure we had pullthroughs in both places we stopped. This brings me to TM lesson #4- Pullthroughs are usually not the best places to camp. It feels like camping at a drive-in movie.

While we were in Bar Harbor, we unhitched for the second time. That went pretty well really. Here we tried just about everything in the TM. I should report that our battered MW actually did work well. We played the radio...I'm thinking new speakers...and used the TV antenna. The television is just sitting on the TV cabinet for now. Maybe someday I'll get up enough nerve to drill a hole in the wall and mount some spiffy mount all of you have been writing in about. Not yet though.

We did some geocaching while at Acadia and did the usual sight seeing
and shopping, and lobster stew and popovers at the Jordan Pond House - three times! . I should mention that, during our stay in Maine, I
changed the hot water heater to electric....I'll be right back... TM Lesson #5- If you turn the HW heater to electric and bring it home and plug it in, don't forget to turn it back to LP like I just did ;-0

We drove back home with no real difficulties except for the drive through Boston. We got home before dark (smart huh?) and I backed the TM down the driveway. This time we were armed with newly purchased walkie
talkies which helped. I think my wife is getting to be a better spotter
and I'm getting better at following directions. I'm sure there are a couple of TM lessons in there too. Believe it or not, we had a great time.

Phil & Beth
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