First time out
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Forum Name: Introduce Yourself
Forum Discription: New Members - tell us about yourself and your r-pod
URL: http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=2176
Printed Date: 15 May 2024 at 3:58am
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Topic: First time out
Posted By: dsmiths
Subject: First time out
Date Posted: 16 Oct 2011 at 7:32pm
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Picked up the RP-172 last Thursday and set out Saturday morning for Hoosier Nat Forest, was better than expected, its pulls great, seems like it likes 55 to 60 mph (remember when u double the velocity the drag increases 4 times) really hilly in Southern Ind. I did not break anything, Wife and I are going to have to work on hand signals when I am backing into a spot. (folded arms tells me nothing) We had a Blast, cooked outside and in, I(yes the smoke detector went off for a good laugh) we walked about 3 miles in the hills (good for 62 year old bellies) Just like a couple of High School kids. The furnace is a little noisy in the middle of the night, time for a ceramic heater. making a too do list. Can't wait for the next trip, I think we can get in at least 1 to 3 more trips before having to winterize. Donna is alreay planning on next spring. thanks to all for the tips, it made our first trip out really a great memory with more in the Future. see ya on the road. Dane and Donna. ------------- Dane and Donna Smith 2011 RP-172 2008 Chevrolet Trailblazer 4X4 lift kit prodigy wireless brake controller |
Replies:
Posted By: sfish
Date Posted: 16 Oct 2011 at 7:47pm
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Congratulations on your maiden voyage. I hope you have many more Happy Camping trips in the future. ------------- sjf |
Posted By: psaman
Date Posted: 16 Oct 2011 at 8:09pm
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That's the thing about Podders, always looking forward to the next trip!! ------------- 2011 R-177 "Sponge-Pod" 2011 F-150 XLT "Texas Edition" |
Posted By: kymooses
Date Posted: 17 Oct 2011 at 8:43am
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Glad to hear your first trip out was a good one. A little ceramic heater is definently a wise purchase. We were in Souther Indiana this past weekend also and our little heater we take had us hot and opening windows in the middle of the night. Plus it's very quiet! Good luck on the hand signals. Let us know how those work out! ------------- https://calendar.google.com/calendar?cid=cnBvZC5zcG90dGVyQGdtYWlsLmNvbQ - RPod Rallies https://www.google.com/maps/d/embed?mid=1W1foQXGtrjf8aYly1uh0b-bHPfI&hl=en_US - RPod Owner Map |
Posted By: tpierce220
Date Posted: 17 Oct 2011 at 8:54am
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It looks like you had a wonderful time being out. It takes practice getting backed in...there are times when all I hear is a voice but no partner telling me where to go...yet in the great scheme of things, we're getting a lot better backing into a camping spot. Happy Podding! ------------- Adventures with ¡Podtástic!--Life in a Forest River RPod 182G with Tim and Louis and our two cats, Desi and Lucy. Check our website at http://podtastic.info for information on our journeys. |
Posted By: pmjensen
Date Posted: 17 Oct 2011 at 11:21am
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Happy you had a great time. We are in our 60's also and have enjoyed our 176 for a little over a year. Fortunately, we don't have to put ours away as we can camp here in So. TX year 'round. Happy Podding ------------- 2011 R-176 Nuestro Pod 2014 Silverado |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 17 Oct 2011 at 12:32pm
Congrats on a good trip. You'll get the hand signals down with practice. Things like "instead of waving your fingers, show me with two hands how much room I have left". My wife is still working on that one.  I also have some safety rules, like "everyone stays in the car (except Mom of course) while I'm backing up", and for my wife "I'm not moving until I can see you in my side mirror, if you later disappear I'm not moving until I can see you again".
On a related note, my wife knows some basic sign language because she uses it in her classroom. We were talking to another family this weekend who taught the alphabet to everyone in the family partly so they can communicate with each other from a distance. I thought that was a really great idea so I'm going to ask my wife to teach us. Might help with backing up, too! ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual 
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Posted By: furpod
Date Posted: 17 Oct 2011 at 2:32pm
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Backing.. uhoh. But glad you enjoyed your first camping trip. Hoosier is very nice, about 45 minutes north of us. Our backing "problem " stems from the fact that I learned how to back a trailer, or tank, in the Army, and they have a very easy to use set of signals...... that my wife doesn't know yet.. "pushing" her hands at me is (A) nearly impossible to discern in the rear view mirror, and means "personal foul" to me.. not "stop"...lol ------------- |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 17 Oct 2011 at 2:58pm
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LOL!
Well, if you keep backing up and put a dent in your rear bumper, that would count as a personal foul.  ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
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Posted By: Hodge-PODge
Date Posted: 17 Oct 2011 at 3:19pm
Gee, y'all are lucky. I have to keep getting in and out of my car to make sure I'm backed up in the right spot! No spotters for me . . . but then again, I'm not apt to run over anyone, am I? (Oh, and I do have a back-up camera - makes hitching up so-o-o-o-o much easier, so, on second though, maybe I do have my own kind of luck.)  Diane ------------- 2011 RP 177, the Hodge-PODge 2011 Mercedes ML350 "A man travels the world over in search of what he needs, and returns home to find it." |
Posted By: Keith-N-Dar
Date Posted: 17 Oct 2011 at 6:33pm
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Posted By: Hodge-PODge
Date Posted: 17 Oct 2011 at 8:50pm
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Keith-N-Dar, your post is invisible! ------------- 2011 RP 177, the Hodge-PODge 2011 Mercedes ML350 "A man travels the world over in search of what he needs, and returns home to find it." |
Posted By: Keith-N-Dar
Date Posted: 17 Oct 2011 at 9:16pm
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I had some kind of system reset and shot a blank. I was trying to say Dar has become quite good as a spotter. I did get a set of tools that's name escapes me with telescoping poles, magnets and yellow foam balls. One goes on the truck hitch and one goes on the trailer part, and when the balls touch things are lined up. It works perfectly and helps to avoid yelling. I also got a pair of FRS handi-talkies and Dar talks me into the site so I don't have to try and figure out hand signals that turn out to be swatting skeeters. Much more peaceful! ------------- Keith-N-Dar Boris & Betty (Boston Terriers) 2011 R-Pod 177 2010 Ford F-150 |
Posted By: dsmiths
Date Posted: 17 Oct 2011 at 9:17pm
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Where did you get the back up camera, I think that would really be a great feature. ------------- Dane and Donna Smith 2011 RP-172 2008 Chevrolet Trailblazer 4X4 lift kit prodigy wireless brake controller |
Posted By: tdrace
Date Posted: 17 Oct 2011 at 11:12pm
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I with you Hodge-Podge, I also have to back by myself. ------------- tdrace's 2018 180 2010 FORD F150 V-8 equalizer e-2 hitch Sisters on the Fly #1569 |