No. Despite the best misinformation efforts of Hollywood, I do not mean any and all models of semiautomatic firearms, as soon as the magazine runs empty.
To get to the real answer, one has to go back to a brisk but beautiful October weekend, in 2015.
We had picked up a 24′ travel trailer, less than a year after we moved out of the Seattle area and realized that camping could happen in a much larger portion of the year, when colder weather did not automatically mean constant drizzle. We found a used model, with space for all five of us and room left over for the dogs to join us, when appropriate.
I call the camper Mobile Fish Command, at times. I tried to make that “a thing”, but for some reason it didn’t catch on. Perhaps I should have gotten a custom paint job, to drive this home…? Too late, now, I suppose. It has gone for a few years as just “the camper,” so I suspect that will continue.
We picked it up in May of that year, and had a wonderful time with it through the rest of the spring, all summer, and well into that autumn. Kids didn’t even really argue about who got which bed, as long as they all got to be comfortable! It went to many different campgrounds in the first year, and it served as a very comfortable basecamp, retreat from occasional rains, and all-around home-away-from-home.
It was on that late autumn trip, when the mountain elevations and the advance of cooler weather brought us to Sawmill Flats campground for the weekend. We knew it might be the last of the year, but just had to get out and experience another trip, before it was too late.
The days were a bit chilly, but a good excuse for an all-day campfire is always welcome. The nights, on the other hand, got more than just chilly. We were thankful for the camper in a new way, those nights, as the shelter from the breeze certainly helped to keep us warm, and the on-board furnace made up the rest of what was needed. The water was cold, and the fish already seemed to be slumbering for the long wait until spring, so this was a very restful and sleepy trip.
It was on the final morning that it happened. This is the first (only) camper I have owned, and I am certainly not completely familiar with all the intricacies of owning, operating, and maintaining them. That said, when the night was the coldest of the year, the wind stronger then the previous two days, one needs extra heat…right? During the night, the furnace had done an admirable job of keeping up with our needs, but when the day came and the camp was being broken down for the return home…
*click* *click* *click* *cli-cli-cli-click* * click*
Yes, the answer is: Me. I go *click* *click* *click* *cli-cli-cli-click* * click*. At least, my finger does, on the button that is supposed to be retracting the one slide-out…but doesn’t.
After tinkering with this, and finding that the battery meter really was telling me it was EMPTY, I also discovered that it would not even work when connected to the power from the truck. Yay!
Finally ended up being offered help from a friendly fellow camper, who connected the shore power line to his generator, and was able to retract and head home. I have since installed a hard-mounted solar panel on the camper, and also have a portable unit so I can double-up, if we really drain the batteries. Oh, and the dealership advised that one of the couplings had been far more corroded than thought, and should have been replaced before they sold it. Nice catch and appreciate the free fix on that! The lesson: remember to check your gauges, frequently. Be prepared for issues like this, and set a maintenance schedule…at least for things you know about…and find out about those things you don’t!
Tight lines…