This year has been different in so many ways. Listening to the news every night has been depressing. So many people sick and dying, not to mention those who have lost their jobs and homes. I am so fortunate that my children are all still employed and healthy.
Our business has not suffered like I had imagined it would. We stayed open during the quarantine with a no-contact check-in procedure. It was mostly people trying to get back home to shelter in place. Who knew there would be so many?
So many of these campers are new to the experience of traveling in RV's. I have been asked so many questions I have never been asked before. Although my favorite question is "Do you know which exit you are at?" Always catches me off guard, making me want to answer inappropriately. I worked with a pharmacist that I always think of when this question is asked. A customer once asked him if he knew what time it was. His answer was, "Yes, I do." That's it, he would go back to whatever he was doing and say nothing else.
I was asked if I would go to the dump station with someone paying $5 to clean out his black tank and show him how to accomplish this task. I declined his offer, honestly telling him I didn't even clean out my own. Not to mention that $5 was no incentive.
I hear that RV sales are up. Camping World has even put out the word that they want to buy used motor homes, 5th wheels and travel trailers and are particularly interested in Class C units. Most of the rental units are Class C, so I suppose that makes sense. I really think it is most popular, being shorter in length for newbies to handle easier.
Not every purchaser of the RV is concerned about being able to navigate their new expensive toy. I cringe when I see the ones pulling long trailers behind them drag the trailer wheel over the boulders that surround the area by the exit drive. It is like they seem to have forgotten they are towing something behind them. Same goes for the huge motorhomes towing vehicles.
I can't say for certain that I have noticed more incidents with the boulders this year because of the higher percentage of newbies, or because I moved the registration desk and can now gaze out the windows. Probably a little of both.
I am hoping my wifi will let me publish and maybe read a few of my favorite blogs today as I wait for paint to dry. Let's see .....
7 comments:
Back in my camping days I drove a Class C, and never had a problem. When I bought a van to travel to shows the salesman jumped in the driver's seat to show me how to handle a high profile vehicle. I laughed at him. My sister in law says no one changes lanes slower than her husband and I do. He's a retired trucker. She's never driven anything bigger than a car.
Do you have a price? That $5 could buy me a scratch-off ticket, or almost half a book of stamps, or 2.96 44 oz Diet Cokes from the Gas Station Chicken Store. Not that I know how to help him. And I'd probably hold out for $20 if I did!
I hope all those trying to get home make it without getting exposed or infected along the way.
Five bucks wouldn't do it for me, either. people sure assume a lot, don't they?
As for this crazy cat, he makes it a practice to sit above Bill and swish his tail in his face as he looks out. Glad your family is making it in this pandemic. It has affected so many. You doing a Hallowwen parade?
I remember when Tim and I would go away with our caravan ot my parents motorhome the amount of people who were amazed at how easay he made reversing into a camp site look., but Tim used to be a truck driver.
As someone that owns a small camping trailer I would have taken the $5.00 to talk them through how to do it correctly. Better than having them make a mess of it at your campground! lol!
Dumping really isn't that awful if you do it right.
This year has been terrible for us campers in California. We have had reservations cancelled three times over the summer because of Covid and deciding to not open the campgrounds. All Army Corps of Engineer camping was shut down for all of 2020. Most of the open camping grounds were filled up, even the ones that you could usually find spots at easily.
Glad to hear you haven't suffered as badly as you expected.
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