Tuesday, August 19 we arrive at Nehalem State Park for a two night stay. It’s a very busy park with the “Campground Full” sign up, but we have reservations for our first….drum roll please….’back-in’ camp site. The roads in the campground are actually busy….a parade of trucks, cars, and campers of all sorts. What’s going to happen when it takes me 20 minutes to back into site A60??
I start out ok….for the first minute or so….but then I go south from there, and cars are already starting to pile up behind me. The task seems impossible as my anxiety rises, and mind you, it’s been about 3 minutes now.
Then this wonderful young man and his wife and dog are standing there beside JR. He offers to back the rig in for me -WOW- I fairly flew out of the truck, and he jumped in and was instantly covered with Joy kisses. In one smooth move he easily slips WS & JR into site A60. It turns out these are my neighbors in site A59. Ohhhh I LONG to be able to do that! I’m planning to practice when I visit my son, soon.
I set up camp and a little while later my dear friend Maureen, visiting the coast from Portland comes by with a great vegan burrito, chips, etc, and we chat and eat non stop till dark. The plan was to spend Wednesday together, but Mo got sick with flu like symptoms, so that didn’t happen. Sad indeed, as we’ve been planning this meet-up for a long time.
We changed our plans and I was going to swing by her cute little motel in Manzanita Thursday morning to say a quick good-bye. Wednesday Joy, Shiloh and I spent time walking the beach, walking the campground, and talking to lots of campers and meeting their dogs.
Thursday morning on my way out of the park I stop to dump. As I get the process underway I hear a horn honking and look up to see Mo. She’s feeling a bit better and has come to see me off! She gets to watch the exciting process of RV tank-dumping up close and personal. Strange place to say good-bye but it totally tickled my sense of humor, and hers too, I think.
So on I go, north on 101, beautiful day….up to Astoria, OR and over a HUGE bridge into Washington! Water, water everywhere, and green, green, GREEN! The green of Washington always brings a word to my mind….LUSH. Green relaxes the eyes and the mind and it’s everywhere here….along with the water. Well, they kinda go together, right? 🙂
We take a series of back roads to approach Bainbridge Island from the west, and with Google Maps I find my friend Elinor’s l-o-n-g driveway. Oh, it also helps that she drives out to the end of it to wait for me! I haven’t been here for 10 years.
Elinor and I had discussed her driveway at length (pun hehe) before I arrived. It’s about a quarter mile long, twisty, and has large trees on either side…really a close call for WS. The drive circles around so I can get out. Of bigger concern to me is the height of the carport. If I can’t fit WS under the car port I can’t circle and there is NO where to turn around and I could spend the rest of my life trying to back out. Elinor told me the car port is very high…the previous owner built it high because he had big trucks coming through. Ok, great….sounds good.
Except it wasn’t. I get all the way up this quarter mile driveway and see the carport and have visions of living out my life here. Don’t get me wrong, Elinor’s home is a little piece of paradise but I have places to go!
Elinor seems to have no concerns and has a solution: The guys that work on her cars can back the rig down the driveway, turn it around and back it back up the driveway.
I have my serious doubts about that!!!
Elinor contacts the guys and a few minutes later they arrive! Once again I hand over my keys willingly and Jason jumps in while his buddy guides him down the drive. I can’t watch. Elinor diverts my nervous attention in conversation. It takes a good 15-20 minutes before I hear voices, and soon see the back end of WS making her way through the trees. NOTHING SHORT OF A MIRACLE IN MY BOOK!!
If you need any automotive help while you are on Bainbridge Island, check out (oh dear, name of the place is unknown but it’s on Miller Road!) . Elinor vouches for their excellent automotive care and I bow to their driving skills!
Finally I can relax. It’s great visiting with Elinor. She prepares a yummy vegan stir fry for dinner. Joy and Shiloh love it here and can run free through Elinors ample forest and yard. Also they have the company of Elinor’s 3 dogs, Katie, Jack, and Mattie.
Pictures to follow!
Wandering Spirit 
You are so brave to choose towing. When I began FT I was scared to tow (I love Casitas & Scamps) and still am a little. My 1996 Roadtrek has served me well and I love it, though I often think as it gets older would I be brave enough now to tow. You are now my inspiration in getting over that fear.
I don’t know if ‘brave’ is the word, but I chose towing, and now I’m going to learn it. 🙂 I looked at Roadtrek too, and loved them! Two things held me back from that….the price and the limited storage space, but they are so convenient! Right now I”m using the whole bed of my truck (covered with a cap) for storage and I’m jamming things in there….I still have too much stuff!
Backing a trailer is SO HARD! Although men seem to be able to do it OK. Remember my ex, Phil? He could parallel park our 25′ RV with the 18′ trailer attached!!!! It was a fete to behold!!!
I am wondering about that for you here at my place too. Perhaps we will meet at the truck stop in Spangle and I can bring you and the dogs out in my car!!!
Darn it, I’m going to learn. Ok, I may never learn to back up a quarter mile of twists and turns (can bet money on that), and I will never learn to parallel park a 25’RV with a trailer attached….omg….but to back into a campsite….that I need to learn.
I just emailed you about our visit! 🙂
“It was a fete to behold!!!”
It was a festival?
Or, was it a “feat” to behold – an act or product of skill?
I found out the name of the place that backed up my rig. Island Center Auto. Great guys!
Micky, I am LOVING your blog! Thank you for your excellent documentation skills (I can tell that you were in the medical field, lol)…….. I can visualize everything.
Stay safe and keep having fun! xoxo
Lynn
OMG, I LOVE that part about “I can tell that you WERE in the medical field…”
Whoo-hoo! I WAS. Now I’m not! Whoo-hoo! :-)))))
Not that there’s anything wrong with the medical field….it was great. Just so glad it’s part of my past. 🙂
I have faith in ya Mick that you will be able to back in. I have also found that almost all campers help one another at campsites. Wonderful peeps. We have a 33 foot diesel pusher that hauls another 10 foot trailer. I have to admit I have not even tried to drive it let alone back all that into a site. And I don’t want to learn!!
And I don’t blame you! Besides you don’t need to, you have a driver! :-))
One reason I wanted a small trailer is because….well, I’ll be hauling it around….and backing it up. I need to practice in a place with no traffic. I did practice before I left….not successfully, but it was different then. I didn’t HAVE to learn. Now I do! And I will!
If RVSue can YOU can. Maybe not the first week but by the time you get to Pine Knot you’ll be a pro! I highly recommend small deserted campgrounds as a good place to practice. Backing the Casita into the campsite is one of my goals for this fall. I want to learn even though Paul does most of the driving. In my opinion if you’re part of a couple, as I am, you should BOTH know how to do everything.
Where I’m staying next has a driveway on a pretty much unused street. I’m not sure of the layout or how long the drive is, but I’m hoping it will be a good place to practice. Also staying with another friend in about a week who lives on a deserted road and she said it would be a good place to practice.
Yes, Sue….she never made a big deal of it. Seemed easy for her! But maybe she just didn’t talk about it much. 🙂
Sue just didn’t talk about it much. I was there when she backed into her first campsite the day she picked up her Casita. Paul provided directions but Sue did the backing – about 30+ minutes of to and fro-ing in 100 degree weather! But her attitude was that this was something she was going to learn to do because it was part of her new life. You have the same attitude and you’ll master it before long. My guess is one of the reasons she enjoys boondocking is that she doesn’t have to be as precise about the placement of the BLT.
it’s helpful to know that…makes me know I’m not alone….if SHE had trouble, then I’m in good company!
Man! I broke out in a sweat just READING this! I think that is one of the biggest fears I have about RVing….getting stuck in some place that is impossible to get out of! Or getting stuck someplace where I can’t move and people are backed up behind me. You have mucho Angels watching out for you. No worries!🐸
You got it Mary! Both of those feelings are like bad dreams. I could NOT believe it when I arrived near the car port and saw the height. My stomach did flip flops and my mind was yelling NOW WHAT?? God bless all those talented guys who helped me the last few days!
What a great story, Micky! I am inspired by your dedication to master towing and am sure you will be an expert in no time. What an intimidating prospect: towing backward up a windy driveway for a quarter mile!
I was wondering…do you have any assisting devices to help you back up like a backup camera, or are you mastering this with just mirrors?
I have a back up camera on the back of the truck. It helps me latch the trailer to the truck. I have super mirrors on the truck, but I don’t know if they help at this point with backing up. I’m so mixed up when I back up!
I’m with you on that one. I love my backup camera and it helps a lot but I don’t think it would be as useful if I was towing. I do like the peace of mind I get of knowing I am not going to back into something. I wasn’t brave enough to tow…which is one of the reasons I opted for the overcab truck camper. 🙂
I look longingly at people who don’t have to back up right now! Lucky you!
Wow! What a great thriller you wrote! So great to be taking this trip with you 😉
So sad we didn’t have more time — looking forward to our time together got me throughout some really tough days with my Mom. I would never have forgiven myself if I got you sick. SO proud of you and HAPPY for you and the kids!
At least looking forward got you through Mo…plus you got some much needed rest. The stress you’ve had probably helped get you sick. Glad things are better now and you can start getting your life back together.
I felt the same as Rambler2b whilst reading about backing – Remember “”necessity is the mother of invention – “” and I am sure u will get the hang of it. Your photos are lovely and I am enjoying your descriptive blogs….cheers 4 now
Thank you Leslie, for the vote of confidence. Glad you are enjoying the pictures!
What a wonderful blog! Congratulations on your new adventure. Your talented writing is taking us all along for the ride! I love it.
We also have a 17 ft Casita that we tow with a pickup. My husband and I just automatically slide into out places, he driving and me riding, but I want to be able to haul it and park it as easily as he does. I’ve done some hauling but need a lot more practice at backing. Those back in campsites seem to shrink in direct proportion to the size of the audience!
Enjoy Washington!
Hi Kitt, welcome to the blog. Glad to have you along…I need company! Nice to hear from other Casitaians. Ok I made that word up. 🙂
You are sure right about that shrinking factor:-))) That spot at the state park in Oregon became matchbox size in a moments time!
Just found your blog when I read a comment you had made on RV Sue’s Blog. I really enjoy reading your blog and reading about your adventures.I have been towing a trailer now for about 10 years but it took time before i got really good at it. The key to backing a trailer is in the MIRRORS. .IF you want the trailer to turn to the left, turn the stering wheel to the right and vice versa .Start off slow and just take your time and if people are waiting, let them wait. Good Luck.
Welcome Able! Yes I’ve been enjoying RVSue’s blog almost since the beginning. She has been a huge inspiration for me.
It’s good to know it took you time to get used to backing up too.
Yes that left/right thing sounds so simple….problem is, I get very confused and don’t know my left from my right. 🙂 Actually I’m starting to be able to figure out which way I’m turning. A good beginning…
But then, see, if I keep turning that direction I’m afraid I’ll jack knife, and I’ve heard I’m supposed to make the truck follow the trailer, so then that must mean turn the wheel the other way…but do that a tad too long and the trailer starts heading the wrong way…and….and….on it goes. So I just need experience. A lot of it. 🙂