Andy & Susan’s RV Experience…the Prequel…(Part1)

Mid-August,2024

Labor Day weekend affords one last opportunity to sneak in a camping trip before Andy’s weekends become dedicated to the gridiron.

Andy:  “We should go camping this weekend.”

Susan: “If you’re serious about this RV thing, maybe this would be a good time to try it.  I have all weekend off and found someone to take my Monday shift.  I have to work Friday, but I get off at 2:00 pm and we can head out of town after work.”

Andy:  “Sounds great honey!  This will be a great learning experience for us!  (Words which would have been better left unspoken.) We might be a little late to find a camping spot and renting an RV, but I’ll see what I can do.”

After a three-day internet search for the AirBnB of RV rentals, Andy finds a Class C motor home with an owner willing to rent to a newbie for three nights.  Andy strikes gold (maybe bronze) by locating the LAST RV campsite (no utilities – those sites are long gone) in western Oregon and as a bonus, it’s within an hour of the RV pickup location.  Plans are coming together.  Never mind the cost is 3x what a perfectly good hotel would set us back….but the call of the great outdoors beckons.

Friday, August 30 – Camping Day arrives!

3:00-7:00 pm.  With the SUV packed to capacity, we depart the metro area (with 47% of the rest of the Portland population) and make the 4-hour, 115-mile drive down Interstate 5. About right for the Friday afternoon culmination of the summer camping/vacation season. 

7:00-8:15 pm – RV walk-through, inspection, instructions from owner, and rental paperwork complete. 

8:15—9:15 pm – We rumble down the road, Andy driving the 31-foot beast and Susan following in SUV. Soon the edge lines disappear, then the centerline, then the pavement as the now gravel 18-foot “road” nears the campground.  Darkness made its arrival at the lone vacant campsite long before we did. (Teaser for lesson #1)

Andy navigates the campground pavement.  Campsites 5-8 turn left.  The narrow roadway ascends slightly and Andy spies the small reflective “6” indicating we’ve arrived at the promised land (or at least the rented campsite.) A simple right turn into the level campsite.  Tree branches brush the roof.  The engine revs.  The RV stops.  The wheels spin…and spin…and spin.   The RV sinks deeper.  (Teaser for lesson #2)

As Susan shines the SUV lights on the situation, and Andy gathers wood to jam under the sunken, spinning tires, two friendly young women campers, likely destined for the nearby pit toilets call out, “You look like you could use a little help.” Uncharacteristic of Andy’s typical, “I got this” response, he replied, “Yeah, I think maybe we do.”…

To be continued.