05-05-2022, 07:43 AM
So right now we should be in Ohio camping for the next couple of weeks or so. But it is not to be. Left home Monday pulling our travel trailer with a state park in Tennessee as our first stop. About a half mile from the campground I stopped at a gas station to fill up. After filling up, there was a car in the next late fairly close, and I as I was pulling out and keeping an eye on that car on the right, I strayed too close to the left and the front tire of the travel trailer hit the steel gas pump protector and did some major damage. Bent the axle, destroyed the leaf spring and lots of cosmetic damage. Managed to limp on in to the campground riding basically on the brake drum. Spent all day Tuesday trying to find a rig capable of transporting my TT to a repair shop. Bottom line - trailer is at a repair shop in Knoxville, TN (5 hours away), the rest of the trip is cancelled (all campsites cancelled along with associated cancellation fees ![[Image: frown.gif]](https://www.guitarforums.com/images/smilies/frown.gif)
) and waiting to hear from the Insurance adjuster. Adjuster is supposed to go to the repair shop today to have a look. Also, it will probably be in the shop for months (parts hard to get these days), so this camping season is effed for sure. All it takes is one second of inattention.
The only photo I took, other than of the damage to the trailer, was a reflection in the lake with my cellphone. Didn't even take any of my other cameras out of the case. We had registered for the "Biggest Week in American Birding" in Ohio as well as had tickets to get on a boat to take photos on Lake Erie so I will check today to see if I can get refunds for those. If not then that is more $$ lost. Now I need to quit thinking about it because it is making me feel bad again. Monday night and most of the day Tuesday were very stressful. Took forever to get a company to tow the trailer so we had to spend an extra night in the campground, but were lucky enough to be able to book the same site we were in so didn't have to move. When the truck got there to transport my camper, I had to hook up the camper and back it on to the flat bed. That was fun (not). Here are a couple of photos. First one shows the bent axle and destroyed leaf spring. Next is where I blocked it up to try to get it a little bit more level because we spent 2 nights there. Next 2 is it loaded on the flat bed.
To make things more complex, we were packed for 3 weeks, with a full fridge, etc so we had to buy a cooler and ice to empty the fridge, plus find room for that plus all the other food, clothes, and anything else of any value that we needed to get out of the trailer.
Anyway, we got the trailer to the RV repair shop and drove on back home yesterday. Now we wait to hear from the insurance company. The repairs will probably take months due to availability of parts, unless the insurance company totals the camper. I don't really expect that to happen but you never know. So DW and I are not happy campers right now.
I hope everyone else had a better start to the week.
) and waiting to hear from the Insurance adjuster. Adjuster is supposed to go to the repair shop today to have a look. Also, it will probably be in the shop for months (parts hard to get these days), so this camping season is effed for sure. All it takes is one second of inattention. The only photo I took, other than of the damage to the trailer, was a reflection in the lake with my cellphone. Didn't even take any of my other cameras out of the case. We had registered for the "Biggest Week in American Birding" in Ohio as well as had tickets to get on a boat to take photos on Lake Erie so I will check today to see if I can get refunds for those. If not then that is more $$ lost. Now I need to quit thinking about it because it is making me feel bad again. Monday night and most of the day Tuesday were very stressful. Took forever to get a company to tow the trailer so we had to spend an extra night in the campground, but were lucky enough to be able to book the same site we were in so didn't have to move. When the truck got there to transport my camper, I had to hook up the camper and back it on to the flat bed. That was fun (not). Here are a couple of photos. First one shows the bent axle and destroyed leaf spring. Next is where I blocked it up to try to get it a little bit more level because we spent 2 nights there. Next 2 is it loaded on the flat bed.
To make things more complex, we were packed for 3 weeks, with a full fridge, etc so we had to buy a cooler and ice to empty the fridge, plus find room for that plus all the other food, clothes, and anything else of any value that we needed to get out of the trailer.
Anyway, we got the trailer to the RV repair shop and drove on back home yesterday. Now we wait to hear from the insurance company. The repairs will probably take months due to availability of parts, unless the insurance company totals the camper. I don't really expect that to happen but you never know. So DW and I are not happy campers right now.
I hope everyone else had a better start to the week.
"A moment in time
Immortalized forever
With silver and light"
Immortalized forever
With silver and light"