What a Week!

The title of this entry is the UNDERSTATEMENT of the millenium! I'll start with Wednesday night cause that's when things went to hell in a handbasket.

First of all it appears I made quite the mistake thinking our "new" truck could tow 8000 pounds as the dealer told me it could. I found out quickly it is only rated for 6900 with a fifth wheel hitch. Still 900 pounds under the empty weight of our trailer but too close for my liking.

So we go to pick up the trailer on Wednesday, get our walk through to learn all the operating of it and hook up and we're on the 20 mile trip back home. After some help we finally get the thing backed into the driveway. It was a total fiasco and I'm sure anyone watching was quite amused by the whole ordeal. This however is not the funny part. We forgot to set the pins in the legs all the way and the trailer dropped off and just tapped the hitch. Somehow the one pin held up and kept the trailer from hitting the truck bed and tearing the tailgate off. No damage to the trailer and we get a jack from my dad's van and a concrete block and jack the thing up enough to get it back on the hitch until we can get both pins set. WHHHHHEWWWWW! Avoided disaster #1 with flying colors. Disaster #2 we were not so lucky with.

We unhook the truck and pull it up and start to set up the camper. Pulling out the slide and leveling and yada yada yada everything that goes with it. The trailer is awesome and everything in it is really nice. Sometimes I think I might like to move into it. Just kidding but it is really nice. Tonight we kind of hung out in it just testing it out. But anyway back to disaster #2. Lisa decides she is hungry so I decide to go to Taco Bell. At this point it is 9:00 or so on Wednesday night. I get in the "new" truck and the transmission will not shift out of second gear. We towed 6000 pounds for 25 miles at 50 to 55 mph and the tranny is completely screwed. Long story short I go the dealer and let him know my "new" truck with 700 miles on it has a SCREWED transmission. They take it to service and I have quickly decided I do not want this truck as it is WAY too close to the towing capacity. Granted the thing should not have FRIED the tranny but it did. Maybe it was a fluke but it's not a chance I'm willing to take when it's my family we're talking about here.

So I have a 1500 Silverado with a fried transmission. I start to look at the 2500HD's that are a good bit more than the 1500's. I tell my salesman to work me up a deal and he lets me know they will have to take the thing in as used even though it's got 700 miles on it. Yeah we've had it a week and we traded the thing off. We took a decent hit but it really didn't turn out that bad as far as being upside down. Now they did give me the 2500 truck at invoice instead of just under sticker. So I got invoice price, all the rebates and just a touch over the payment we had before and we have a whole lot more truck. Instead of the non-existent options on the 1500 we now have a loaded 2500 HD. We have a truck that will DEFINITELY tow the trailer without any problems. One major drawback: THE GAS MILEAGE BLOWS CHUNKS. If I was looking for gas mileage though I wouldn't have bought this truck. I was looking for a vehicle that would tow what I have safely and surely.

SO that was my crazy week and I haven't even mentioned tomorrow is Isabella's birthday, Sunday is Mother's Day and Mom and Pop McIntee are coming to visit tomorrow.

I rarely drink but when this week is over I think I'll sit down and have an ice cold beer or something.

Later guys and gals!

The DSL is running particularly slooooowwww tonight... Just got back from a couple hours of cards. Played from about 8:30 to 10 and made 90 bucks. Game wasn't the greatest so I left. Funny thing how when it's not near as much fun as it used to be 90 bucks seems like a lot of money. A few months ago 90 bucks wouldnt have made me consider quitting for the night... I'm just not near as interested as I used to be. It seems RV shows have replaced poker shows for me. It's probably a good thing. Don't get me wrong I still enjoy it but it's just not the same as it used to be.

We're picking up our NEW trailer tomorrow. We went looking at them again last Sunday and I just asked the guy if he would consider selling the one we ordered when it comes in and us taking one of his lot. He didn't mind that at all and of course he just happened to have a nice 5th wheel that came in at 6000 pounds. Plenty below our towing weight for the new Chevy... It's right around the same price so we TOOK IT. He's fixing it up and we get it tomorrow after I get off work. Can't wait here...

It's a SalemLE 24 footer. The link to the floor plan is here.

Izzy is really excited about her birthday and everyone coming down... They'll all get to see the new beast this weekend...

Now our "trailer trash" friends will be able to rest a little easier.... Teeheehee!