Mark, when I started pilot training, I was taught that if I was ever interrupted during a checklist, always start back at step one. You may not need to redo every step, but you need to be sure every step was done. This is a good reminder. On another note, We hope you have a KYD insider coffee in the Phoenix area some time. We're in Chandler.
Mark, As a private Pilot the old saying "There are those who have and those who will" has always stood out in my mind. as a Fire Medic and a Police Tactical Medic, the arrogance (in the light of that won't ever happen to me) of the general population never ceased to amaze me. I have seen so many unbelievable things happen to folks who you would never think capable of. I have come close to flying into IMC, or landing without my gear down just because I neglected to "Keep a Sterile Cockpit" when flying at critical points. I've always fessed up in hopes that someone else might learn from my mistakes. Thank you for doing the same! Embarrassing yes but you may have saved many from the alternative. For those who go in bliss and blind into the world, an old Firefighter said it once best "Job Security!" Thank You for Sharing... OLT
I'm really impressed that you were humble enough to admit that mistake and even showed it on public, coming from an experience full time RVer it's still possible to make some errors. Thanks for this reminder. BTW I really appreciate for all your videos, I just got a travel trailer cuz I listen to your advice to just go do it. It doesnt need to be the best travel trailer yet but @least I can gain experience & I really love it. My next one would be a 5th wheeler! Looking forward to see you your 5th wheel so I can get some ideas!
Man, we got to Wickenburg recently and we backed the rig into our spot, we were on a very slight angle on the ground and about 6 feet behind the rig was a 20 foot hill drop off. Well I put the tongue jack down onto a board with a couple of those yellow leveling blocks on it. When you take the tongue off from the ball sometimes it jostles a little bit and when it came off the ball my trailer (NOT CHOCKED!) rolled back and the jack stand slid off the leveling blocks and smashed on the ground, dragged about 18 inches and dug 4 inches into the ground before stopping! First time that ever happened, needless to say I felt like I needed a cigarette after that (I don’t smoke). From now on I’ll be chocking and x-chocking the tires before detaching from the hitch!
Wow, a jamb packed vid that is GREAT!! Thx for sharing the "near disaster," as it shows to us all just how a "little" distraction doing "simple things" could lead to a disaster. Then, seeing the fish ladder the critter under the bridge, the locks, the truck being detailed: wow, so much good stuff. Thanks so much; y'all Be Safe!
Oh, yeah, the look on your face when your friend mentioned taking the pressure off the tongue was priceless; but, worth every cent. Served to illustrate how we can forget the simple things (or steps).
My wife and I have been enjoying your videos since day one, and look forward to seeing them release each Sunday. Appreciate you sharing your close call! Recently I got in a hurry and skipped the normal checklist before departure with our 5th wheel and found I pulled the rig home without engaging the handle lock on the hitch. We made it home without incident but the discovery was truly frightening! One wrong bump/jostle and 12,000 pounds of RV would be free to move about the country on it's own..... As a former pilot I know the importance of a checklist. Being in a hurry or getting distracted can happen to even the most seasoned. Keep up the good work and being so transparent . You are helping us and a whole lot more folks both learn and enjoy the thrill of seeing this country by RV.
Yes sir, exactly. We have a class A and before we start the engine we go through a checklist (much like what a pilot would do). Similarly, we use our checklist upon arrival to our camp site. It has saved our rear ends a couple of times.
I just want to say a quick hello and thank you to you guys. First hello from Creston BC Canada, and secondly thank you for your outstanding work on your channel, I started my channel 14 months ago and I sent you a note telling you that your channel helped inspire me to get started as a youtuber. You responded to me with an encouraging note and I could not believe it! Today I have about 5100 subscribers and I just love it. Now I respond to new youtubers that are just getting started. It's just great to pay it forward. Kindest Regards, Bruce Frommert
Dude, just starting out and there's a lot of insight on the technical aspects and its great but this is just as important to see to always keep it on point. Way to be a real man and take a bullet for the team.
Marc and Trish, one of your best videos. You had us rolling about the truck. Also great message about distractions and to be focused at all times while performing repetitive tasks.
Great lesson. I have a ProPride and early in our travels I disconnected without chocking! I can’t describe the feeling of watching your trailer roll backward unintentionally. Fortunately it stopped after I pulled the emergency brake cable and no damage was done. Humbling.
Excellent service message...can’t tell you how many time I have been distracted...or...distracted someone else by wanting to “help”, taking them out of their routine.
Good for you for being man enough to admit your mistake, AND, to show everyone what happened. This was a great example of distraction. No different than distracted driving when talking on your phone while driving a vehicle.
Such a great post and important opening. Your honesty and willingness to address a mistake is so important. So much of our national culture seems to be about a lack of honesty and transparency--antidotes can be found in all sorts of places :-) Truly, thank you.
So glad your friend saved you! We dropped our old rig the same way. Hubby was distracted talking with family and didn’t put the tongue jack all the way down. Thankfully it was a smaller rig and only fell about 6 inches (the way our yard sloped) so no damage. Just had to get an industrial type hack to lift the rig back up to rehook to the truck and start over!)
Sad to see Alaska trip over with but excited to see what lies ahead! I want to mention how PERFECT your background music is with each & every video! I'm sure that takes a bit of work....but it flows & coincides so effortlessly! Just winterized my 1983 class c Coachman & it's parked for the upstate NY winter....I'm already missing it. I'll spend my winter living vicariously through you....stay safe!!
The look on your face was priceless Mark, when you did'n't lower what ever it was you needed to do on the rig. So glad that you avoided disaster! Everything needs a checklist that is for sure. Loved the bridge troll, love the locks, loved the video! Hope the fasting and getting back on track with fitness and health went well for you and Trish. Hugs, Brenda
This demonstrates to me why your videos are so very exceptional. To take what could have been passed over so as not to embarrass you but to use it as a training tool for all of us to watch only demonstrates the true value of your videos.
Hey Marc and Tricia, I love the level transparency you allow in your videos. It gives hope to the rest of us. I found your videos just last week and I'm enjoying seeing them. Thanks for keeping it real.
When he told you about the jack, the look on your face was like a kid getting caught with his hand in the cookie jar:). I know when your on the road being tired a person can really do unexpected things, then it is what the Hell was I thinking.
We forgot to chock our tires once and as the trailer came off the ball, the whole thing started rolling/pushing forward into the sandy dirt. Luckily, it was a tiny trailer and he held it on the blocks while I ran and chocked it. Now it's our joke-not-really-a-joke to remind each other: "Are the tires chocked?" We both still double check every time we ask! Like you, we were glad disaster was averted. Keep up your awesome videos.
So relieved that your friend was able to point out the absolute necessity of lowering the jack before disconnecting! You are so fortunate there was not a disaster in the making! I have only had my TT since 7/2017, but I have also hooked it up/towed/unhooked many times. On my 1st camping trip, to a nearby St. Park/Lake, while I was about to hook-up to the Anderson Equalizer/Swaybar hitch system, (awake most of the night due to a stressed cat), I forgot to raise the stabilizer jacks before beginning to raise the jack, and that is definitely a NO-NO! Thank goodness I caught it in time, or I too could have had some major frame damage.
Ah. It’s good that you share these moments as cautionary tales. This reminds me of when I was launching my boat with my kids and feeling rushed because the landing was busy and I didn’t follow my routine and I forgot to put the plug in. Thankfully I caught it in time! It’s important to stay focused on your routine.
It's so good to see you this week. You make our Sunday special. I'm glad you shared the almost catastrophic unhitching incident with us. It's a good reminder to stay focused and not become distracted when doing a routine activity. I'm so glad you guys caught that the Jack wasn't lowered before anything happened. Getting past that, we enjoyed the vlog. Thank you so much for taking us with you.
You are absolutely right. I am a truck driver and learned very early to always do everything in the same order and ANY time you get distracted, start COMPLETELY over. Even if you think you already did something or checked something, start over. You'll be glad you did. It is surprisingly common for truck drivers to drop a trailer, but by following that simple rule, I have never dropped one!!
So true about distractions when setting or packing up. I got distracted once by a neighbour when we arrived where I almost did the same thing with our fifth wheel. I tried opening the jaws before I lowered the jacks. Lucky for me there was pressure on the jaws and it wouldn't release. Thanks for posting your experience...
We once forgot to put chocks down before we unhooked (we were distracted because we were having an argument!) and our travel trailer moved forward a little while my husband was standing in front of it. Thank God, that was all. Scared the daylights out of us! We always double check each other now and stay focused!! Glad you shared this - good reminder for me and might help someone avoid a mistake.
I made the same mistake once and it caused the hitch receiver to slide into the shank on my truck. Luckily everyone was safe and nothing got broken. Definitely lesson learned though.
I know if I get distracted from my routine, like you, I am much more likely to make a mistake, potentially serious. I try to keep all people away. My worst think is others trying to "help" me and my wife parking the rig. We have our own system (including two way radios instead of hand signals) and it works for us. The look on your face was fabulous!
This is so true. Mistakes are too easy, and it is awesome that you did NOT drop your rig!! I appreciate how real you all keep it. I love the idea of being mobile more and more as I see the mistakes and find myself going, yeah, that is a down side but I can see that and still want to go mobile.
I was chalked-up. The X Chocks + Anderson blocks + an additional chalk on the passenger side. That's why I was in shock. I even added gas on the truck. Serious close call.
Great reminder on distractions! Thanks for sharing your lessons with us. It is often in the familiar that we skip those necessary steps. Well done KYD!
Wow that was so close! This series has been so excellent Marc and Trish. You really demonstrated the fact that Alaska is still Frontier country. Glad you’re back in the states hope it is restful winter. And with wonderful things to come. You’ve changed so many of our lives. Thanks
Marc….I keep watching from 2:20-2:28...I'm dyin' here....lol....the more I watch it & your reaction...the funnier it gets!!! My dayum cheeks hurt!!! LOL!!!
I forget wheel chocks a lot. I’ve never had a disaster, but one time wondered why my stabilizers looked a bit skewed and my tongue jack was no longer on its little pad. I now put those chocks right next to the tools I use to get unhooked. That was a close call. Luv how you pulled, “let me film while you bring in the groceries”, and it worked! You’ve got skills...
I was born, raised, and lived my 61 years in Seattle, and I thank you for showing me my city through the wide eyes of an appreciative tourist. Things I take for granted were all new and exciting to you. And don't regret however much that truck detailing (ahem - WASH) cost you- it was worth it for the amount of time you live in that truck. And it was SUNNY! (no really - rains all year long in Seattle, so don't move here, we have enough people. Move down to nice sunny Portland)
Friend of mine got way out of his routine, with a broken slide motor, disconnected wire for the Jack's and a group of people hanging around the site. After dealing with all that manual labor hand cranking everything to level his kingpin, he forgot to put up his tailgate. Two bashed in front cargo doors later, and allot of help unbinding the tension on his slide fifth wheel, he was finally able to unhook reconnect and go down the road safely. Routines are everything!
Professor Mark, thanks for the what did we learn today. Don't beat yourself up over this. It's not every day you park half on the curb and half in the street. Yea, gotta stay focused, there are a lot of moving parts and essential steps. Hopefully any omissions or missteps are minor. P.S. enjoy your channels mix of travel and helpful hints. Stay safe in your travels
Did I mention I LOVE a CLEAN vehicle. Glad everything is going well and you got your awning repaired. Our son lives in Tacoma. We were there in August. We went to Ballard one day for lunch. The Seattle area is awesome. We love going to the Mountains, Rainier and St. Helens. Take care and be safe.
Ok I am just catching up. I watch every episode but got behind a couple weeks. Thanks for sharing! You certainly didn’t have to show everyone your mistake, but I am glad you did and appreciate it. Been there, done something like that many times. It was a good reminder to everyone. I think you guys are awesome and thanks for sharing your fun journeys.
Excellent point about getting distracted. You are not alone! I try to never interrupt someone during hitching or unhitching. I noticed I never see you use a check list ??? My wife always stands next to me a reads off the list like an air plane pilot before flight. We found that without it. Mistakes always happen.
I've been there Marc. Except I hadn't made sure the coupler was connected to the ball properly towing the speed boat I used to own. Came around a corner and it jumped off the hitch snapping one of the safety chains. Now I always physically bend down and look when hooking up the RV. I commend you for pointing out what almost happened and agree that it is a valuable lesson. Luv you guys!
My folks have been traveling full time in their 5th wheel since 1995. I never help them with any of their process to hook up of unhook. They have a process that they go through, and any outside the normal flow will throw them off.
Trish was really eyeing the rice not sure she is ready for the fast😆. And yes the look on your face was priceless. It made the whole video, other than the TRUCK GETTING A WASH!!!!
On our first 5W in 2008, we forgot to lock the ball on our gooseneck adapter. As the trailer shook a little when we hit a frost heave on the highway, it was a heck of a realization that we had not locked down the ball during our hitch up procedure ... talk about a sinking feeling and a slow coast to the side of the road. Thank goodness that someone deep inside us is watching out for the forgetful person on the outside shell of us!
I have done something very similar because I was in a hurry to get on the road. It served as a reminder for me that I need to slow down and double check everything.
Thanks for the sites in Seattle. That could have been a big boo boo, glad your friend caught it. Good reminder for all of us. The truck looks great now. Have fun!
Another great video! I think the way you used this as a learning video was great because I don’t think this will be forgotten for years to come. Learning without an accident I believe is a great lesson. Chalk this up as a near miss and thanks for sharing.
I feel your pain Mark. Pulled into a campground after a long day on the road driving our class A. Got distracted with friends who were gracious enough to come help us because it was raining/cold outside and we did not go through our regular routine. Started to put the living room slide out and unbeknownst to us, one of the cabinet doors had come open during travel. Yep, ripped her right out of the woodwork. Distractions are never good during set up or tear down. Glad you caught it!!
Many people have commented about what fast we're doing. It's through Prolon. They are not a sponsor, but after we got a bunch of questions, I emailed Prolon and asked for a promo code. This fast kicked us into fat-losing mode and we've been doing a KETO diet since. "KYD25" will save you $25 if you want to start 👍 bit.ly/Prolon-Fast
Man channels like yours and Less Junk More Journey show us the great cities in North America not to forget the beautiful scenery like forests, mountains and beaches. And you show us there is so much more than a divided USA. You show us I think a much more beautiful country than you see in the news
Routine is soooo important! I live on a hill and forgot the wheel chokes because I was talking with my wife while the boys and I unhooked. A gust of wind moved the trailer after I disconnected and it dropped off the front blocks into the dirt. Luckily that stopped it. We were two feet from it going down the hill. We all need a serious reminder once in awhile.
Your so right about being distracted at either set up or tear down. I have a truck camper and find I need to take extra caution if dropping camper off truck at camp sites or boondocking. Great reminder for all us RVers no matter what we are rolling.
Love how you guys always shine like crazy diamonds! We were heading out of a campground, Bob Scott in NV specifically passing the very last spot when someone flagged us down to tell us our upper slide was out on our 5th wheel! Yikes!!
Been fulltiming for a month now and it would be great if we could remember to remove the wheel chocks BEFORE driving over them! This usually happens during a leveling readjustment situation (along with some “Trish, is it level?”remarks 😁) and we’ve even managed to completely flatten one. Thanks for sharing the serious side of getting distracted...we’ll be more consistent with the checklist.
I’ve been waiting for this episode since you guys talked about your plan home. This is my hometown and state and has a soft spot in my heart. Despite the hitch issues I hope y’all had fun in this beautiful city
Hysterical: Mark, you are such a 'guy'! Lol! At 15:18-15:56, Mark: "I'm SO excited to get an oil change, SO excited that the truck is clean, and SO excited to have fast WiFi - just a few seconds after Trish got SO excited (truly) about you having read 'The Grapes of Wrath' and knowing the name of the author. Love you two! :-)
I totally understand about being distracted. Long story short, I broke the back window out of my truck with an ATV while being distracted. I've learned to politely ask people to back off and leave me alone while doing my loading and hitching routine.
We’re newbies with a fifth wheel. Hooking up and off makes me so nervous. I’m glad to see that even experienced folks can have “special experiences”. Thanks for sharing!
Appreciate you posting this, especially the first part about unhitching. It can happen so easily. I have a ? Mark painted on my hitch, only for those distracted moments, the ? Means nothing to anyone else, but it serves as a reminder to me to pay attention. Most people would not fess up, and let pride take over. Love your videos, can you (or do you have) a video on your hitch setup? Travel safe!
We have a fifth wheel, it can be so easy to forget one little simple step, but something as simple as that would put a hole in the bed of the truck, amazing
Such a great moment, glad disaster was averted but that was funny, "Don't you need to put your jack down? ...Yeah." LOL Been there for sure, distractions have caused me plenty of mistakes. Great lesson to show us!!!
A similar thing happens when hooking up a fifth wheel hitch ... make SURE that the hitch lock is engaged by putting a little backup pressure (you may hear it snap closed) before moving forward ... and actually watch the trailer to see that it moves with the truck! Any distraction during hitching is the enemy! :) Great video!
Good thing you didn't drop the front, but that is why it is good to have checklists. As a pilot you learn to use them every time. Loved seeing the locks again. I always found it relaxing. I'm not sure why, but it was. Truck looks great.
Great video and information. I enjoy all the information you have provided. Thank you! Being a Seattle guy I forget things Seattle has to offer, Thank you.
Close call thanks for being real and sharing it’s easy to make mistakes when you’re distracted or rushed it would have been easy to erase or just not share that. Pretty cool that You shared this kudos to you shows integrity it also lets those of us who have made similar mistakes know we are not alone.
You are too cool Marc. That's something someone would try to hide and you showed us just how easy mistakes can happen. This past summer in Yellowstone, there was quite a few conversations that had to be shut down during the set up and tear down process. We had family with us that normally do not camp with us. I felt bad about stopping the chit chat but if there's any time to focus it's then. Nice job at pointing this out..glad it wasn't a pricey mistake.
Thank goodness you had another set of eyes paying attention to that detail...Glad you had a great time in Seattle (a place I will visit one day)...and the road to Sacra-tomato...I-5...the farmlands and wine country of NoCa (I have family there).
You are exhibiting a sense of great relief upon exiting Alaska. Guessing some of the Alaska experience didn't make it into the videos. All I can say is thank you. I got to live vicariously through you without experiencing the dramas and other difficulties that you all encountered. I'm even well rested.😎 Let's do this again next summer.
It was all there including the rain! We're from AZ. ☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️It's not one thing though. It's all the little things combined over 10 weeks. We mentioned in our recap video that it would have been better to do it in 45-60 days. We took more time because of the kids flights.
Glad to see you made it to the locks, many memories going through those on my grandma's boat. And I see you got to experience a little seattle drizzle as well
Me and my family took this summer to travel cross country, we went from New your state, and we went through the same place in Seattle. It was good to recognize the bridge and the roads.
I just have to say I laughed so hard, too hard. I understand it could of been a true disaster but because it wasn’t we can laugh, but I am really glad you used your mistake to help educate and remind others! I am a nurse and I have always told any of my peers that we are human and humans make mistakes but learn from it and now you are able to teach others because of your mistake! Love y’all’s videos!
As a veteran truck driver of 26 years I picked up on the mistake right of the bat. DISTRACTION. It’s easy for it to happen and thankfully y’all caught it before disaster. Always stay with routines and concentrate on task at hand. Good lesson learned here for all luckily with a happy ending.
I saw that exact same look on Hub's face last weekend when he realized he'd forgotten something similar. An odd mixture of panic and how did that happen. But a safety reminder is always good - simplest thing could really spoil a fun time out.
Mark, The new GMC trucks have a screen with a checklist for the hitch,etc. You can add additional steps to further customize it. Everyone gets a little distracted, so it may be something to think about when looking for your next truck.
Love that look on your face when your friend asked you if there wasn't something more you needed to do first to unhitch. Glad it was caught before anything major happened and a very good point you made about even if we don't have the same kind of rig there is other things that could be missed that could cause a major problem, so yeah little talk there after that near miss. It's always fun to watch you guys and you guys were the first to lead me on the the nomad life. I had always wanted to do something like what you all are doing I just never knew that it was actually a thing and that lots of people are choosing this way of life over conventional lifestyles.
Don't feel bad about forgetting the landing gear. I've forgotten to unhook the air lines on my semi truck, when dropping the trailer. In a truck yard full of drivers. And, I didn't even have the excuse of being a newbie. I just got in a hurry and did the whole dropping of the trailer process out of order. Oops. Totally embarrassing.
I’m a truck driver too. My husband has forgotten to unhook airlines before. I almost forgot to lower my landing gear about a week ago. That would have been all kinds of bad.
Oh, I've forgotten the gear too, both down and up, lol. Thankfully, not in a while. The trick to recover when you drop your trailer with the gear up is to drop your bags, get the frame under the nose, re-inflate the bags, lower the gear. Rinse and repeat. Don't forget to swear as much as you need to make you feel better, lol
That's a great part of town for moochdocking!!! Props for getting your rig into that neighborhood. And huge props for showing us your close call. A good scare is definitely preferable to a big mistake!
We have a class A and my husband was filling up after driving for 8 hrs and while it was filling he cleaned the front window and then proceeded to get in and slowly thankfully very slowly drive away. Lucky a very observant truck driver behind us tooted and we stopped checked mirrors and saw the nozzle still in the motorhome. Tiredness distraction reminded us to not drive too long and to always check surroundings before leaving. We stopped straight after this for the night. We all get distracted and some are lucky 🍀.
Mark, as a newbie to RVing my dad makes us go over everything twice. As a hot air balloon pilot, he learned there's no second chances to check your balloon once you lift off, thats why he is so OCD about doing your check lists. He actually puts ear phones on to avoid outside distractions. Will he get in a hurry with the rig one day, I'm sure. We all make mistakes no matter how "seasoned" we are. Were happy nothing went wrong. Your video caught ALL of our attention. Thanks for sharing real life mistakes. Did I mention he is getting an oil change today.
I've been hauling gear professionally all my adult life. I "excuse myself" during the process and tell folks that it's a "Zen like" experience that I need to do by myself, both hitching and unhitching". "I'll be right with you" or "Let me knock this out and we'll visit" works a treat. Thanks for sharing your gaff as you've helped ienumerable people! Could have been bad. #wartsandall
Hi Mark and Trish, I was wondering if you ever wished you had the new fifth wheel for the Alaska trip instead of the bumper pull. Keep up the great work. I watch the videos as I'm eating breakfast and dinner. It's a great way to start and end the day. Thank you
Congrats on your clean, shiny truck and a new fresh start! OMG, you said after travel you can sometimes be grateful for things you took for granted - oh how true!!! Still every day I say thank you, Lord, for plenty of clean, hot, pressurized water every time I'm in the shower. Yes, I have spent months somewhere south of the border where that was not an option - just a little bit of pressure and had to get hot water out of a sink. I now truly appreciate having all the clean, hot, pressurized water I want, any time I want, all day, every day. It's just my little thing, but once you've experienced not having it, you understand.
A few years ago I went through those same locks delivering a sailboat to San Diego. A lot of the buildings were under construction at the time and it is amazing how fast those building went up. At the time we were the only boat in the lock, pretty cool!
Mark, when I started pilot training, I was taught that if I was ever interrupted during a checklist, always start back at step one. You may not need to redo every step, but you need to be sure every step was done. This is a good reminder. On another note, We hope you have a KYD insider coffee in the Phoenix area some time. We're in Chandler.
Great suggestion. Very reasonable.
Don, same for me at UPT.
I am going to live by this rule as well. Thanks!
Super good advice.
Mark, As a private Pilot the old saying "There are those who have and those who will" has always stood out in my mind. as a Fire Medic and a Police Tactical Medic, the arrogance (in the light of that won't ever happen to me) of the general population never ceased to amaze me. I have seen so many unbelievable things happen to folks who you would never think capable of. I have come close to flying into IMC, or landing without my gear down just because I neglected to "Keep a Sterile Cockpit" when flying at critical points. I've always fessed up in hopes that someone else might learn from my mistakes. Thank you for doing the same! Embarrassing yes but you may have saved many from the alternative. For those who go in bliss and blind into the world, an old Firefighter said it once best "Job Security!" Thank You for Sharing... OLT
I'm really impressed that you were humble enough to admit that mistake and even showed it on public, coming from an experience full time RVer it's still possible to make some errors. Thanks for this reminder. BTW I really appreciate for all your videos, I just got a travel trailer cuz I listen to your advice to just go do it. It doesnt need to be the best travel trailer yet but @least I can gain experience & I really love it. My next one would be a 5th wheeler! Looking forward to see you your 5th wheel so I can get some ideas!
Nice. Thanks Peter. Congrats on the rig and making it happen
Man, we got to Wickenburg recently and we backed the rig into our spot, we were on a very slight angle on the ground and about 6 feet behind the rig was a 20 foot hill drop off.
Well I put the tongue jack down onto a board with a couple of those yellow leveling blocks on it. When you take the tongue off from the ball sometimes it jostles a little bit and when it came off the ball my trailer (NOT CHOCKED!) rolled back and the jack stand slid off the leveling blocks and smashed on the ground, dragged about 18 inches and dug 4 inches into the ground before stopping!
First time that ever happened, needless to say I felt like I needed a cigarette after that (I don’t smoke). From now on I’ll be chocking and x-chocking the tires before detaching from the hitch!
Wow, a jamb packed vid that is GREAT!! Thx for sharing the "near disaster," as it shows to us all just how a "little" distraction doing "simple things" could lead to a disaster. Then, seeing the fish ladder the critter under the bridge, the locks, the truck being detailed: wow, so much good stuff. Thanks so much; y'all Be Safe!
Oh, yeah, the look on your face when your friend mentioned taking the pressure off the tongue was priceless; but, worth every cent. Served to illustrate how we can forget the simple things (or steps).
My wife and I have been enjoying your videos since day one, and look forward to seeing them release each Sunday. Appreciate you sharing your close call! Recently I got in a hurry and skipped the normal checklist before departure with our 5th wheel and found I pulled the rig home without engaging the handle lock on the hitch. We made it home without incident but the discovery was truly frightening! One wrong bump/jostle and 12,000 pounds of RV would be free to move about the country on it's own..... As a former pilot I know the importance of a checklist. Being in a hurry or getting distracted can happen to even the most seasoned. Keep up the good work and being so transparent . You are helping us and a whole lot more folks both learn and enjoy the thrill of seeing this country by RV.
Yes sir, exactly. We have a class A and before we start the engine we go through a checklist (much like what a pilot would do). Similarly, we use our checklist upon arrival to our camp site. It has saved our rear ends a couple of times.
I just want to say a quick hello and thank you to you guys. First hello from Creston BC Canada, and secondly thank you for your outstanding work on your channel, I started my channel 14 months ago and I sent you a note telling you that your channel helped inspire me to get started as a youtuber. You responded to me with an encouraging note and I could not believe it! Today I have about 5100 subscribers and I just love it. Now I respond to new youtubers that are just getting started. It's just great to pay it forward. Kindest Regards, Bruce Frommert
Dude, just starting out and there's a lot of insight on the technical aspects and its great but this is just as important to see to always keep it on point. Way to be a real man and take a bullet for the team.
Marc and Trish, one of your best videos. You had us rolling about the truck. Also great message about distractions and to be focused at all times while performing repetitive tasks.
Great lesson. I have a ProPride and early in our travels I disconnected without chocking! I can’t describe the feeling of watching your trailer roll backward unintentionally. Fortunately it stopped after I pulled the emergency brake cable and no damage was done. Humbling.
Excellent service message...can’t tell you how many time I have been distracted...or...distracted someone else by wanting to “help”, taking them out of their routine.
I know exactly what you mean and I too have done very scary things because I wasn't paying close attention to the task at hand.
Big Truck Big RV you know you've made it when BTBRV is commenting on your video haha
Good for you for being man enough to admit your mistake, AND, to show everyone what happened. This was a great example of distraction. No different than distracted driving when talking on your phone while driving a vehicle.
Honesty is such a rare thing today, but refreshing.
Good reminder about focus and distractions. Good luck with the fast. It's the best way to reboot grumpiness and all.
Such a great post and important opening. Your honesty and willingness to address a mistake is so important. So much of our national culture seems to be about a lack of honesty and transparency--antidotes can be found in all sorts of places :-) Truly, thank you.
So glad your friend saved you! We dropped our old rig the same way. Hubby was distracted talking with family and didn’t put the tongue jack all the way down. Thankfully it was a smaller rig and only fell about 6 inches (the way our yard sloped) so no damage. Just had to get an industrial type hack to lift the rig back up to rehook to the truck and start over!)
Sad to see Alaska trip over with but excited to see what lies ahead! I want to mention how PERFECT your background music is with each & every video! I'm sure that takes a bit of work....but it flows & coincides so effortlessly!
Just winterized my 1983 class c Coachman & it's parked for the upstate NY winter....I'm already missing it. I'll spend my winter living vicariously through you....stay safe!!
The look on your face was priceless Mark, when you did'n't lower what ever it was you needed to do on the rig. So glad that you avoided disaster! Everything needs a checklist that is for sure. Loved the bridge troll, love the locks, loved the video! Hope the fasting and getting back on track with fitness and health went well for you and Trish. Hugs, Brenda
This demonstrates to me why your videos are so very exceptional. To take what could have been passed over so as not to embarrass you but to use it as a training tool for all of us to watch only demonstrates the true value of your videos.
Hey Marc and Tricia, I love the level transparency you allow in your videos. It gives hope to the rest of us. I found your videos just last week and I'm enjoying seeing them. Thanks for keeping it real.
When he told you about the jack, the look on your face was like a kid getting caught with his hand in the cookie jar:). I know when your on the road being tired a person can really do unexpected things, then it is what the Hell was I thinking.
I don't think I've heard that tone in my voice. It was total shock!
We forgot to chock our tires once and as the trailer came off the ball, the whole thing started rolling/pushing forward into the sandy dirt. Luckily, it was a tiny trailer and he held it on the blocks while I ran and chocked it. Now it's our joke-not-really-a-joke to remind each other: "Are the tires chocked?" We both still double check every time we ask!
Like you, we were glad disaster was averted. Keep up your awesome videos.
So relieved that your friend was able to point out the absolute necessity of lowering the jack before disconnecting! You are so fortunate there was not a disaster in the making! I have only had my TT since 7/2017, but I have also hooked it up/towed/unhooked many times. On my 1st camping trip, to a nearby St. Park/Lake, while I was about to hook-up to the Anderson Equalizer/Swaybar hitch system, (awake most of the night due to a stressed cat), I forgot to raise the stabilizer jacks before beginning to raise the jack, and that is definitely a NO-NO! Thank goodness I caught it in time, or I too could have had some major frame damage.
Ah. It’s good that you share these moments as cautionary tales. This reminds me of when I was launching my boat with my kids and feeling rushed because the landing was busy and I didn’t follow my routine and I forgot to put the plug in. Thankfully I caught it in time! It’s important to stay focused on your routine.
It's so good to see you this week. You make our Sunday special. I'm glad you shared the almost catastrophic unhitching incident with us. It's a good reminder to stay focused and not become distracted when doing a routine activity. I'm so glad you guys caught that the Jack wasn't lowered before anything happened. Getting past that, we enjoyed the vlog. Thank you so much for taking us with you.
You are absolutely right. I am a truck driver and learned very early to always do everything in the same order and ANY time you get distracted, start COMPLETELY over. Even if you think you already did something or checked something, start over. You'll be glad you did. It is surprisingly common for truck drivers to drop a trailer, but by following that simple rule, I have never dropped one!!
So true about distractions when setting or packing up. I got distracted once by a neighbour when we arrived where I almost did the same thing with our fifth wheel. I tried opening the jaws before I lowered the jacks. Lucky for me there was pressure on the jaws and it wouldn't release.
Thanks for posting your experience...
We once forgot to put chocks down before we unhooked (we were distracted because we were having an argument!) and our travel trailer moved forward a little while my husband was standing in front of it. Thank God, that was all. Scared the daylights out of us! We always double check each other now and stay focused!! Glad you shared this - good reminder for me and might help someone avoid a mistake.
Chocks are serious business! I use the X-chocks.
I made the same mistake once and it caused the hitch receiver to slide into the shank on my truck. Luckily everyone was safe and nothing got broken. Definitely lesson learned though.
carol forgot the chocks.
I know if I get distracted from my routine, like you, I am much more likely to make a mistake, potentially serious. I try to keep all people away. My worst think is others trying to "help" me and my wife parking the rig. We have our own system (including two way radios instead of hand signals) and it works for us. The look on your face was fabulous!
This is so true. Mistakes are too easy, and it is awesome that you did NOT drop your rig!! I appreciate how real you all keep it. I love the idea of being mobile more and more as I see the mistakes and find myself going, yeah, that is a down side but I can see that and still want to go mobile.
You are lucky you didn’t chalk up and it would have pulled out. We all make mistakes. Thanks for sharing. Staying focused on task is important
I was chalked-up. The X Chocks + Anderson blocks + an additional chalk on the passenger side. That's why I was in shock. I even added gas on the truck. Serious close call.
Great reminder on distractions! Thanks for sharing your lessons with us. It is often in the familiar that we skip those necessary steps. Well done KYD!
Wow that was so close! This series has been so excellent Marc and Trish. You really demonstrated the fact that Alaska is still Frontier country. Glad you’re back in the states hope it is restful winter. And with wonderful things to come. You’ve changed so many of our lives. Thanks
That's a good point. The roads were better than expected, but it's still a pilgrimage like Trish mentioned.
Excellent video and loaded with a valuable reminder to stay focused on task at hand and even seasoned pros can goof if interrupted
Marc….I keep watching from 2:20-2:28...I'm dyin' here....lol....the more I watch it & your reaction...the funnier it gets!!! My dayum cheeks hurt!!! LOL!!!
I grew up at the locks!! Lived here since 1966!! It's fun to see it all thru the eyes of a visitor!
I forget wheel chocks a lot. I’ve never had a disaster, but one time wondered why my stabilizers looked a bit skewed and my tongue jack was no longer on its little pad. I now put those chocks right next to the tools I use to get unhooked. That was a close call. Luv how you pulled, “let me film while you bring in the groceries”, and it worked! You’ve got skills...
I was born, raised, and lived my 61 years in Seattle, and I thank you for showing me my city through the wide eyes of an appreciative tourist. Things I take for granted were all new and exciting to you.
And don't regret however much that truck detailing (ahem - WASH) cost you- it was worth it for the amount of time you live in that truck.
And it was SUNNY!
(no really - rains all year long in Seattle, so don't move here, we have enough people. Move down to nice sunny Portland)
Friend of mine got way out of his routine, with a broken slide motor, disconnected wire for the Jack's and a group of people hanging around the site. After dealing with all that manual labor hand cranking everything to level his kingpin, he forgot to put up his tailgate. Two bashed in front cargo doors later, and allot of help unbinding the tension on his slide fifth wheel, he was finally able to unhook reconnect and go down the road safely. Routines are everything!
Professor Mark, thanks for the what did we learn today. Don't beat yourself up over this. It's not every day you park half on the curb and half in the street. Yea, gotta stay focused, there are a lot of moving parts and essential steps. Hopefully any omissions or missteps are minor. P.S. enjoy your channels mix of travel and helpful hints. Stay safe in your travels
Did I mention I LOVE a CLEAN vehicle. Glad everything is going well and you got your awning repaired. Our son lives in Tacoma. We were there in August. We went to Ballard one day for lunch. The Seattle area is awesome. We love going to the Mountains, Rainier and St. Helens. Take care and be safe.
Ok I am just catching up. I watch every episode but got behind a couple weeks. Thanks for sharing! You certainly didn’t have to show everyone your mistake, but I am glad you did and appreciate it. Been there, done something like that many times. It was a good reminder to everyone. I think you guys are awesome and thanks for sharing your fun journeys.
I can really relate on how much a clean rig can brighten a day:)
Excellent point about getting distracted. You are not alone! I try to never interrupt someone during hitching or unhitching. I noticed I never see you use a check list ??? My wife always stands next to me a reads off the list like an air plane pilot before flight. We found that without it. Mistakes always happen.
I've been there Marc. Except I hadn't made sure the coupler was connected to the ball properly towing the speed boat I used to own. Came around a corner and it jumped off the hitch snapping one of the safety chains. Now I always physically bend down and look when hooking up the RV. I commend you for pointing out what almost happened and agree that it is a valuable lesson. Luv you guys!
My folks have been traveling full time in their 5th wheel since 1995. I never help them with any of their process to hook up of unhook. They have a process that they go through, and any outside the normal flow will throw them off.
Trish was really eyeing the rice not sure she is ready for the fast😆. And yes the look on your face was priceless. It made the whole video, other than the TRUCK GETTING A WASH!!!!
Did I mention that I washed the truck? I can't remember...
On our first 5W in 2008, we forgot to lock the ball on our gooseneck adapter. As the trailer shook a little when we hit a frost heave on the highway, it was a heck of a realization that we had not locked down the ball during our hitch up procedure ... talk about a sinking feeling and a slow coast to the side of the road. Thank goodness that someone deep inside us is watching out for the forgetful person on the outside shell of us!
I have done something very similar because I was in a hurry to get on the road. It served as a reminder for me that I need to slow down and double check everything.
Thanks for the sites in Seattle. That could have been a big boo boo, glad your friend caught it. Good reminder for all of us. The truck looks great now. Have fun!
Another great video! I think the way you used this as a learning video was great because I don’t think this will be forgotten for years to come. Learning without an accident I believe is a great lesson. Chalk this up as a near miss and thanks for sharing.
I feel your pain Mark. Pulled into a campground after a long day on the road driving our class A. Got distracted with friends who were gracious enough to come help us because it was raining/cold outside and we did not go through our regular routine. Started to put the living room slide out and unbeknownst to us, one of the cabinet doors had come open during travel. Yep, ripped her right out of the woodwork. Distractions are never good during set up or tear down. Glad you caught it!!
Hey Marc... Did you have the truck washed? 😆... Thanks for another Amazing vid. Great tips and cool sights. 🤗
You noticed! Blushing 😊
It's amazing how the everyday tasks can be forgotten. Happens to all of us. Glad you caught it in time. Really could have been an expensive oops.
Many people have commented about what fast we're doing. It's through Prolon. They are not a sponsor, but after we got a bunch of questions, I emailed Prolon and asked for a promo code. This fast kicked us into fat-losing mode and we've been doing a KETO diet since. "KYD25" will save you $25 if you want to start 👍 bit.ly/Prolon-Fast
Man channels like yours and Less Junk More Journey show us the great cities in North America not to forget the beautiful scenery like forests, mountains and beaches. And you show us there is so much more than a divided USA. You show us I think a much more beautiful country than you see in the news
Thank goodness you caught it. The more we travel with the trailer the more manic I get with my checklists. This can happen with scary ease.
Routine is soooo important! I live on a hill and forgot the wheel chokes because I was talking with my wife while the boys and I unhooked. A gust of wind moved the trailer after I disconnected and it dropped off the front blocks into the dirt. Luckily that stopped it. We were two feet from it going down the hill. We all need a serious reminder once in awhile.
I’ve done scary things too. Your awesome for being so honest and open. Cool character 👏
Your so right about being distracted at either set up or tear down. I have a truck camper and find I need to take extra caution if dropping camper off truck at camp sites or boondocking.
Great reminder for all us RVers no matter what we are rolling.
Love how you guys always shine like crazy diamonds! We were heading out of a campground, Bob Scott in NV specifically passing the very last spot when someone flagged us down to tell us our upper slide was out on our 5th wheel! Yikes!!
Been fulltiming for a month now and it would be great if we could remember to remove the wheel chocks BEFORE driving over them! This usually happens during a leveling readjustment situation (along with some “Trish, is it level?”remarks 😁) and we’ve even managed to completely flatten one. Thanks for sharing the serious side of getting distracted...we’ll be more consistent with the checklist.
I’ve been waiting for this episode since you guys talked about your plan home. This is my hometown and state and has a soft spot in my heart. Despite the hitch issues I hope y’all had fun in this beautiful city
Hysterical: Mark, you are such a 'guy'! Lol! At 15:18-15:56, Mark: "I'm SO excited to get an oil change, SO excited that the truck is clean, and SO excited to have fast WiFi - just a few seconds after Trish got SO excited (truly) about you having read 'The Grapes of Wrath' and knowing the name of the author. Love you two! :-)
Thanks for showing all of us how the Locks work! Very cool
I totally understand about being distracted. Long story short, I broke the back window out of my truck with an ATV while being distracted. I've learned to politely ask people to back off and leave me alone while doing my loading and hitching routine.
We’re newbies with a fifth wheel. Hooking up and off makes me so nervous. I’m glad to see that even experienced folks can have “special experiences”. Thanks for sharing!
Appreciate you posting this, especially the first part about unhitching. It can happen so easily. I have a ? Mark painted on my hitch, only for those distracted moments, the ? Means nothing to anyone else, but it serves as a reminder to me to pay attention. Most people would not fess up, and let pride take over. Love your videos, can you (or do you have) a video on your hitch setup? Travel safe!
We have a fifth wheel, it can be so easy to forget one little simple step, but something as simple as that would put a hole in the bed of the truck, amazing
Such a great moment, glad disaster was averted but that was funny, "Don't you need to put your jack down? ...Yeah." LOL Been there for sure, distractions have caused me plenty of mistakes. Great lesson to show us!!!
A similar thing happens when hooking up a fifth wheel hitch ... make SURE that the hitch lock is engaged by putting a little backup pressure (you may hear it snap closed) before moving forward ... and actually watch the trailer to see that it moves with the truck! Any distraction during hitching is the enemy! :) Great video!
Good thing you didn't drop the front, but that is why it is good to have checklists. As a pilot you learn to use them every time. Loved seeing the locks again. I always found it relaxing. I'm not sure why, but it was. Truck looks great.
So true.
Great video and information. I enjoy all the information you have provided. Thank you! Being a Seattle guy I forget things Seattle has to offer, Thank you.
Close call thanks for being real and sharing it’s easy to make mistakes when you’re distracted or rushed it would have been easy to erase or just not share that. Pretty cool that You shared this kudos to you shows integrity it also lets those of us who have made similar mistakes know we are not alone.
You are too cool Marc. That's something someone would try to hide and you showed us just how easy mistakes can happen. This past summer in Yellowstone, there was quite a few conversations that had to be shut down during the set up and tear down process. We had family with us that normally do not camp with us. I felt bad about stopping the chit chat but if there's any time to focus it's then. Nice job at pointing this out..glad it wasn't a pricey mistake.
Mark, I love the expression on your face when he asked about the tongue jack.
Thank goodness you had another set of eyes paying attention to that detail...Glad you had a great time in Seattle (a place I will visit one day)...and the road to Sacra-tomato...I-5...the farmlands and wine country of NoCa (I have family there).
You are exhibiting a sense of great relief upon exiting Alaska.
Guessing some of the Alaska experience didn't make it into the videos.
All I can say is thank you. I got to live vicariously through you without experiencing the dramas and other difficulties that you all encountered. I'm even well rested.😎 Let's do this again next summer.
It was all there including the rain! We're from AZ. ☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️It's not one thing though. It's all the little things combined over 10 weeks. We mentioned in our recap video that it would have been better to do it in 45-60 days. We took more time because of the kids flights.
Glad to see you made it to the locks, many memories going through those on my grandma's boat. And I see you got to experience a little seattle drizzle as well
Me and my family took this summer to travel cross country, we went from New your state, and we went through the same place in Seattle. It was good to recognize the bridge and the roads.
Great tip. Maybe make a check list. Even though you have done it over and over. Mistakes happen. So glad it came out ok. Love Seattle. My home.
Holy cow! SO glad you didn't damage your trailer and hitch! 😱 Another great job on the video Marc!
Love your channel name LivinRVision. Very creative.
Thank you @@WaywardWaggs !
I just have to say I laughed so hard, too hard. I understand it could of been a true disaster but because it wasn’t we can laugh, but I am really glad you used your mistake to help educate and remind others! I am a nurse and I have always told any of my peers that we are human and humans make mistakes but learn from it and now you are able to teach others because of your mistake! Love y’all’s videos!
As a veteran truck driver of 26 years I picked up on the mistake right of the bat. DISTRACTION. It’s easy for it to happen and thankfully y’all caught it before disaster. Always stay with routines and concentrate on task at hand. Good lesson learned here for all luckily with a happy ending.
I saw that exact same look on Hub's face last weekend when he realized he'd forgotten something similar. An odd mixture of panic and how did that happen. But a safety reminder is always good - simplest thing could really spoil a fun time out.
Mark, The new GMC trucks have a screen with a checklist for the hitch,etc. You can add additional steps to further customize it. Everyone gets a little distracted, so it may be something to think about when looking for your next truck.
Mine has one too. I've since added a label on the tongue jack.
Should have known. LOL You guys are on top of it every time. Good on you!
Coolest part is that you didn't edit that out. I love how you guys don't take yourselves too seriously!
Thank you for your service. Saw the USMC logo. Hope you have a great upcoming Veteran's day.
@@WaywardWaggs Thanks Guys. Long many 50+ years ago.
I with ya Trish. I admire you fast for a week. I go without one meal and boom, I am dying.
Love that look on your face when your friend asked you if there wasn't something more you needed to do first to unhitch. Glad it was caught before anything major happened and a very good point you made about even if we don't have the same kind of rig there is other things that could be missed that could cause a major problem, so yeah little talk there after that near miss. It's always fun to watch you guys and you guys were the first to lead me on the the nomad life. I had always wanted to do something like what you all are doing I just never knew that it was actually a thing and that lots of people are choosing this way of life over conventional lifestyles.
Don't feel bad about forgetting the landing gear. I've forgotten to unhook the air lines on my semi truck, when dropping the trailer. In a truck yard full of drivers. And, I didn't even have the excuse of being a newbie. I just got in a hurry and did the whole dropping of the trailer process out of order. Oops. Totally embarrassing.
Paul S My dad forgot air lines too! Back years ago when he was still driving. It happens lol
I’m a truck driver too. My husband has forgotten to unhook airlines before. I almost forgot to lower my landing gear about a week ago. That would have been all kinds of bad.
Oh, I've forgotten the gear too, both down and up, lol. Thankfully, not in a while. The trick to recover when you drop your trailer with the gear up is to drop your bags, get the frame under the nose, re-inflate the bags, lower the gear. Rinse and repeat. Don't forget to swear as much as you need to make you feel better, lol
That's a great part of town for moochdocking!!! Props for getting your rig into that neighborhood. And huge props for showing us your close call. A good scare is definitely preferable to a big mistake!
We have a class A and my husband was filling up after driving for 8 hrs and while it was filling he cleaned the front window and then proceeded to get in and slowly thankfully very slowly drive away. Lucky a very observant truck driver behind us tooted and we stopped checked mirrors and saw the nozzle still in the motorhome. Tiredness distraction reminded us to not drive too long and to always check surroundings before leaving. We stopped straight after this for the night. We all get distracted and some are lucky 🍀.
Your key word is "Routine" and yet, we all can get sidetracked or distracted and next thing you know....Love your videos. Safe Travels.
Mark, as a newbie to RVing my dad makes us go over everything twice. As a hot air balloon pilot, he learned there's no second chances to check your balloon once you lift off, thats why he is so OCD about doing your check lists. He actually puts ear phones on to avoid outside distractions. Will he get in a hurry with the rig one day, I'm sure. We all make mistakes no matter how "seasoned" we are. Were happy nothing went wrong. Your video caught ALL of our attention. Thanks for sharing real life mistakes. Did I mention he is getting an oil change today.
Being engaged in socializing is key to hitching mishaps, not to mention leaving items behind.
I've been hauling gear professionally all my adult life. I "excuse myself" during the process and tell folks that it's a "Zen like" experience that I need to do by myself, both hitching and unhitching". "I'll be right with you" or "Let me knock this out and we'll visit" works a treat. Thanks for sharing your gaff as you've helped ienumerable people! Could have been bad. #wartsandall
Hi Mark and Trish, I was wondering if you ever wished you had the new fifth wheel for the Alaska trip instead of the bumper pull. Keep up the great work. I watch the videos as I'm eating breakfast and dinner. It's a great way to start and end the day. Thank you
Congrats on your clean, shiny truck and a new fresh start! OMG, you said after travel you can sometimes be grateful for things you took for granted - oh how true!!! Still every day I say thank you, Lord, for plenty of clean, hot, pressurized water every time I'm in the shower. Yes, I have spent months somewhere south of the border where that was not an option - just a little bit of pressure and had to get hot water out of a sink. I now truly appreciate having all the clean, hot, pressurized water I want, any time I want, all day, every day. It's just my little thing, but once you've experienced not having it, you understand.
A few years ago I went through those same locks delivering a sailboat to San Diego. A lot of the buildings were under construction at the time and it is amazing how fast those building went up. At the time we were the only boat in the lock, pretty cool!