Watching them back-in.

[ARD]

However, I do set G.O.A.L's (get out and look). Slow and a little sweat - much better than fast and broken stuff, not to mention shattered ego.

My uncle taught me GOAL when I first started RVing. BEST advice ever. Being blind in one eye, I may get out 2 or 3 times if there is no one around to help guide me back. I figure as long as I get it done, nothing scratched, nothing broken ... all is good. Enjoy the show, my friends. I know I always do when I watch others. ?

 

[Scooterfan]

The only reason why I was considering getting some sort of communication device was my thinking that my wife would not be in view...but you guys are making me feel kind of wimpy ?
Here...what do you think? Piece of cake ?

 

[AbdRahim]

The only reason why I was considering getting some sort of communication device was my thinking that my wife would not be in view...but you guys are making me feel kind of wimpy ?
Here...what do you think? Piece of cake ?

View attachment 6344

Looks perfectly doable. Might have to pull in the mirrors, just before they greet the trees. ?

 

[Scooterfan]

Actually, there's room for the mirrors out...problem is the "shute" is only about 20 feet from the road. Which means there's no straight back in. It's about a six point turn just getting lined up. That's the part I'm mentally planning? Once lined up it should be "doable" as you say. Just to be clear, I'm not really worried because I do take things slowly...but the purpose of bringing this up was to ask if anyone uses walkie talkies / or other communication device (never thought about phones when available) . Really don't want to kiss a (really) big redwood tree!

 

[NGC 613]

Actually, there's room for the mirrors out...problem is the "shute" is only about 20 feet from the road. Which means there's no straight back in. It's about a six point turn just getting lined up. That's the part I'm mentally planning? Once lined up it should be "doable" as you say. Just to be clear, I'm not really worried because I do take things slowly...but the purpose of bringing this up was to ask if anyone uses walkie talkies / or other communication device (never thought about phones when available) . Really don't want to kiss a (really) big redwood tree!

We have a set of Midlands we use with ear buds and mic so nobody else can listen in while I rant .

 

[Jim]

Actually, there's room for the mirrors out...problem is the "shute" is only about 20 feet from the road. Which means there's no straight back in. It's about a six point turn just getting lined up. That's the part I'm mentally planning? Once lined up it should be "doable" as you say. Just to be clear, I'm not really worried because I do take things slowly...but the purpose of bringing this up was to ask if anyone uses walkie talkies / or other communication device (never thought about phones when available) . Really don't want to kiss a (really) big redwood tree!

I did one like this over in GA last year. Had a long driveway to go down, then a turn to the left and then back into the slip. But at 40', it's not easy and there was a lot of jockeying to get moved around and backed in. Took about 30 minutes (or more) and to make matters worse, it was raining cats/dogs. In the process, I happened to look to the right and I was about 2" from a huge tree, which would have crunched the door and taken the passenger mirror off. Hit the brakes, saved the mirror, pulled up and finally got to where I could back in. Got out and acted like I knew what I was doing all along.

We were there for a week and I didn't enjoy my stay for worrying about how I was going to get out. I worked on the equation over and over and when the time came to leave, I hopped in the drivers seat, fired the coach up, and aced it! lol.

 

[RKins]

These are the ones we use https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07ZFH1GCB/?tag=rvf01-20

 

[RKins]

The only reason why I was considering getting some sort of communication device was my thinking that my wife would not be in view...but you guys are making me feel kind of wimpy ?
Here...what do you think? Piece of cake ?

View attachment 6344

Looks like it is doable - no different than pulling into my yard and intentionally missing the mailbox by 6" to line up on the pad while missing the eave of the house by a bit, oh and the oak tree from taking off my mirror.

 

[Scooterfan]

Thank you guys! Those comments are awesome. We all take this (driving an RV) seriously but with humor mixed in. I like the handsfree suggestions so I can white knuckle both hands. One last thing...I'll say a little prayer before I begin (for Grace - whatever happens?), and go slow. So it'll all be fine.

And Jim...I'm convinced your experience backing in came into play when you mentally thought out the initial layout of your RV park. We all learn from each and every day on the road. To be honest, I learned watching my Mom and Dad after a long day of travel trying to back in. It was exactly what you guys enjoy watching in the parks. What I learned was you are on your own. Your helper is there to alert you to immediate collision(s) ? only.

 

[GypsyR]

I envy folks with a partner to direct. Mine's....well, awful. I'm down to just "Jump up and down and scream if I'm going to hit something." And "Don't wander off in the middle." She's just about got the first one down but half the time forgets that I can't see the jumping up and down except in my mirrors. To be fair we only camp a few times a year and usually beside other family members who might have a baby with them which is her Achilles heel of being distracted. She knows all this and will happily hand off directing duties to handy children, random passersby, or just anyone.

On the plus side, I accidently discovered my teen grandson to be an absolute natural at directing into campsites. I would happily hire him out to other campers needing a good second set of eyes. Of course now he's too grown and cool to go with us anymore. Mostly I just sigh and hop in and out as much as needed to get situated satisfactorily. Most places we've been so far haven't actually been very challenging. Before I got my line figured out (and trimmed back some tree limbs) getting in and out of the backyard and the coach's designated spot behind the garage was though.

Last time out I had the pleasure of seeing hubby back in a 40 foot as wife directed while wearing a headset with a boom mike and all. They couldn't have been more precise or professional and were set in minutes flat. Yes, I envied them a little.

 

[Scooterfan]

That was an entertaining post...thanks

 

[FL-JOE]

Setting up and tearing down are a part of RV'ing and I enjoy the work of it. Some days, I am the one taking 45 minutes to back my 40' into my site. Other times, I seem to do it with my eyes closed...never know which version I will be till I put it in reverse. I do like seeing the rigs come and go and usually that is a good time to introduce myself and offer to help. Gets that comradery going. I'm down in Louisiana so we visit parks that may have 20 pipeliners come or go in a day. Luvin it!

When we arrive at a site, or make the final preparations to pull out, we have a system. She has her responsibilities and I have mine. We do it the same every time and double check each other. We adopted this type of a system early on and have yet to damage any of our equipment or run over anyone or anything, so it is working pretty well.

If someone walks into our site to be sociable and wants to help we have a system for that also. First of all there is no way we are letting a stranger help us set up camp or tear down camp, it is both dangerous and to be honest stupid on our part. A stranger does not know our equipment nor the way we do everything. Of course we don't want to be rude and point this out to a newcomer who is bored and just wants to help. So the DW will engage them in a conversation to keep them out of our hair while I take over setting up. This has worked well numerous times over the years.

 

[FL-JOE]

Actually, there's room for the mirrors out...problem is the "shute" is only about 20 feet from the road. Which means there's no straight back in. It's about a six point turn just getting lined up. That's the part I'm mentally planning? Once lined up it should be "doable" as you say. Just to be clear, I'm not really worried because I do take things slowly...but the purpose of bringing this up was to ask if anyone uses walkie talkies / or other communication device (never thought about phones when available) . Really don't want to kiss a (really) big redwood tree!

We use our iphones. I put mine either on speaker or BT and she simply goes outside with her's up to her ear. She knows that even if she has to move around the site to get a better look at something she always needs to stay in view in one of my mirrors. If I can't see her in one of my mirrors I stop until I can see her again. So far since 2011 we have been lucky I guess because we have never been anywhere that we did not have good enough verizon phone reception to accomplish this.

 

[Kevin D Pem]

We have a set of Midlands we use with ear buds and mic so nobody else can listen in while I rant .

We have a set too. we don't use the ear buds though. I'm hard of hearing and Saundra just got tired of having me yell at her, and having to yell at me. I have to admit now that I think of it, by getting them we reduced the impact of the show.

On another note. I work camped at a members camp when we first started full timing. First thing we got told was to not offer to help. Yah you heard that right. Seems the insurance liability was to much to make that offer.

 

[sanda]

We are pretty good at backing in- lots of practice over the years. Last summer we were in a very congested and tight campground. Wife got out with the radio and we started in. Large crowd gathered to watch what they thought was going to be a good show. We backed in the first try which is un-usual when a crowd is watching. When I got out one lady said "how did you do that?" I told her I just go where my wife tells me to go, as long as its not vulgar.