BDR's Maiden Voyage Massacre!!!

[auntie]

I don't know...it must be because I'm a northerner..but the mere mention of the word "alligator"...seriously FREAKS ME OUT.
You southerners are really very calm about it.
ARE YOU ON MEDICATION?
One would have the impression alligators are simply annoying little creatures that you swat out of the way.

"Oops.... don't trip dear, step over that aligator." "Don't mind him, he's only a four footer". ..."Oh, and get the dog in, the alligators out today..don't want him to go the same way as Fido number one" ..or ... "I went golfing and there was an alligator on the course, we didn't pay him any mind... he was pretty tired and moving slow after having eaten the previous two fellas"
"Hmm...honey should we camp here, do you think the Fido II can swim fast enough so we don't have to start looking for a Fido III?

I don't ever want to be close enough to one to have to think about whether I can out run it. Let's face it..it's a given that I can't. I couldn't catch my dog when he ran after the damn UPS truck yesterday. I'd be alligator dinner in no time flat.

 

[kc5grw]

Great story Rog and mousekeeter_mom too. Rog, I had a boat trailer come loose like that once also. Being a light tongue I always gave it a good yank up to check that it was secure before starting off. I did always use a bolt or lock through the latch so I never had your second problem. Anyway, I had must pulled onto a main street from our house on the way to the lake when all of a sudden I see the tongue of the boat trailer bouncing above the tailgate of my truck. I slow the truck down right where I was not bothering to move over to the right lane and stop. I managed to control it enough so that the tongue was a it's low point before slamming forward. I was just imagining the tongue through my tailgate. I get out of the truck thinking "I know I latched that damn thing and locked it". Sure enough it was latched and locked, it just wasn't clamped to the ball. After that little incident when pulling a bumper pull trailer I always feel under the coupler for the latch contacting the ball.

I won't even go into the first trip in our fifth wheel when I suffered near heart failure because pulled the latch on the hitch BEFORE chocking the wheels. Luckily it was only on a very mild slope and it managed to come to a stop before making it to the 3 foot drop at the back of the campsite. Hmmm. That was also the same trip where I here a knock on the door and it's the park ranger telling us a wicked storm is headed that way and to seek shelter in the comfort stations. I immediately found the weather on the radio and determined that he has being overly cautious as the storm was already dissipating and headed around us anyway. I really wasn't looking forward to baseball sized holes in the 3 week old trailer from the hail that had been reported in that storm.

 

[mouseketeer_mom]

wow................. I'm surprised you ever went camping again.

You sure can tell a story!

I'm glad you enjoyed it and yes, we still camp but I promise, for a very long time we stuck strictly to KOAs or campgrounds associated with amusement parks like Kings Dominion or Hershey. It makes for a fun story to share around the campfire now!

Campground is now called the Tri-Lake Park and Campground in Berkeley Springs WV. I'll buy the beer for anyone brave enough to go!

 

[2goofycampers]

I don't know...it must be because I'm a northerner..but the mere mention of the word "alligator"...seriously FREAKS ME OUT.
You southerners are really very calm about it.
ARE YOU ON MEDICATION?
One would have the impression alligators are simply annoying little creatures that you swat out of the way.

"Oops.... don't trip dear, step over that aligator." "Don't mind him, he's only a four footer". ..."Oh, and get the dog in, the alligators out today..don't want him to go the same way as Fido number one" ..or ... "I went golfing and there was an alligator on the course, we didn't pay him any mind... he was pretty tired and moving slow after having eaten the previous two fellas"
"Hmm...honey should we camp here, do you think the Fido II can swim fast enough so we don't have to start looking for a Fido III?

I don't ever want to be close enough to one to have to think about whether I can out run it. Let's face it..it's a given that I can't. I couldn't catch my dog when he ran after the damn UPS truck yesterday. I'd be alligator dinner in no time flat.

Definitely no red on your neck Phyllis.

 

[AuburnJen92]

I don't know...it must be because I'm a northerner..but the mere mention of the word "alligator"...seriously FREAKS ME OUT.
You southerners are really very calm about it.
ARE YOU ON MEDICATION?
One would have the impression alligators are simply annoying little creatures that you swat out of the way.

"Oops.... don't trip dear, step over that aligator." "Don't mind him, he's only a four footer". ..."Oh, and get the dog in, the alligators out today..don't want him to go the same way as Fido number one" ..or ... "I went golfing and there was an alligator on the course, we didn't pay him any mind... he was pretty tired and moving slow after having eaten the previous two fellas"
"Hmm...honey should we camp here, do you think the Fido II can swim fast enough so we don't have to start looking for a Fido III?

I don't ever want to be close enough to one to have to think about whether I can out run it. Let's face it..it's a given that I can't. I couldn't catch my dog when he ran after the damn UPS truck yesterday. I'd be alligator dinner in no time flat.

Phyllis, you crack me up! You do get used to them and learn to go around them like pests...so in essence, yes, you are right, we are on medication.

 

[BigDaddyRog]

AUNTIE!!!!!!! You have a way of making me laugh my head off!!!! You're right...when I look at it from your point of view...we do seem very nonchalant about alligators...hell,we dont even call'em ALLIGATORS....just regular ol'GATORS....alligators is so.....I dont know....formal and respectful!!! And they truely are, or can be real pains in the butt! But they are a part of life here...and when ya see them in every body of water,they kinda lose the majesty. Im not gonna go kick one in the adam's apple or anything, but the odds really have to be stacked in his favor to make us nervous...as long as you can see them,they arent worth worrying about.

 

[OK GRUMPY]

I don't know...it must be because I'm a northerner..but the mere mention of the word "alligator"...seriously FREAKS ME OUT.
You southerners are really very calm about it.
ARE YOU ON MEDICATION?
One would have the impression alligators are simply annoying little creatures that you swat out of the way.

"Oops.... don't trip dear, step over that alligator." "Don't mind him, he's only a four footer". ..."Oh, and get the dog in, the alligators out today..don't want him to go the same way as Fido number one" ..or ... "I went golfing and there was an alligator on the course, we didn't pay him any mind... he was pretty tired and moving slow after having eaten the previous two fellas"
"Hmm...honey should we camp here, do you think the Fido II can swim fast enough so we don't have to start looking for a Fido III?

I don't ever want to be close enough to one to have to think about whether I can out run it. Let's face it..it's a given that I can't. I couldn't catch my dog when he ran after the damn UPS truck yesterday. I'd be alligator dinner in no time flat.

You crack me UP! That is so funny. You know I sure would think twice about Kayaking or Canoeing if fresh water around here!

 

[auntie]

AUNTIE!!!!!!! You have a way of making me laugh my head off!!!! You're right...when I look at it from your point of view...we do seem very nonchalant about alligators...hell,we dont even call'em ALLIGATORS....just regular ol'GATORS....alligators is so.....I dont know....formal and respectful!!! And they truely are, or can be real pains in the butt! But they are a part of life here...and when ya see them in every body of water,they kinda lose the majesty. Im not gonna go kick one in the adam's apple or anything, but the odds really have to be stacked in his favor to make us nervous...as long as you can see them,they arent worth worrying about.

"Gator's" ...that's okay for you southerners...you've earned the right to call them that..cohabitating with these creatures all your lives. God Bless you.
For me,...chubby 50 year old lady, who can't out run one... I"m stickin' to "Hello there Mister Alligator... Sir". I'm not that comfortable being so familiar with something that will kill me.
I tell ya, as much as I'd love to live some place warmer..this "gator" and snake thing you people down south have goin' on, is a real deterent.
Just remind me I said this when I'm complaining about shoveling 10 inches of snow in February.

 

[stacktester]

AUNTIE!!!!!!! You have a way of making me laugh my head off!!!! You're right...when I look at it from your point of view...we do seem very nonchalant about alligators...hell,we dont even call'em ALLIGATORS....just regular ol'GATORS....alligators is so.....I dont know....formal and respectful!!! And they truely are, or can be real pains in the butt! But they are a part of life here...and when ya see them in every body of water,they kinda lose the majesty. Im not gonna go kick one in the adam's apple or anything, but the odds really have to be stacked in his favor to make us nervous...as long as you can see them,they arent worth worrying about.

Say that last sentence to somebody in an airboat taking on water in the everglades smartazz. In 93 I took an airboat ride and the boat was taking on water. The only way to keep it from sinking was to keep moving. Had the motor quit I wouldn't be typing this.

 

[auntie]

Say that last sentence to somebody in an airboat taking on water in the everglades smartazz. In 93 I took an airboat ride and the boat was taking on water. The only way to keep it from sinking was to keep moving. Had the motor quit I wouldn't be typing this.

OMG...

Note to self...no airboat rides EVER!

 

[BigDaddyRog]

Being in the everglades on a sinking airboat would DEFINATELY fall in the "odds stacked in the gators favor" catagory!!! I'd have crapped my pants in a situation like that!!!

"All those years of smacking gators in the head with plastic fishing lures is catching up with me!!"

 

[bigdisneydaddy]

Say that last sentence to somebody in an airboat taking on water in the everglades smartazz. In 93 I took an airboat ride and the boat was taking on water. The only way to keep it from sinking was to keep moving. Had the motor quit I wouldn't be typing this.

Donnie, hot air can be used for propulsion, I dont think you were in as much danger as you say.

 

[AuburnJen92]

Donnie, hot air can be used for propulsion, I dont think you were in as much danger as you say.

 

[Just Beachy]

I don't know...it must be because I'm a northerner..but the mere mention of the word "alligator"...seriously FREAKS ME OUT.
You southerners are really very calm about it.
ARE YOU ON MEDICATION?
One would have the impression alligators are simply annoying little creatures that you swat out of the way.

"Oops.... don't trip dear, step over that aligator." "Don't mind him, he's only a four footer". ..."Oh, and get the dog in, the alligators out today..don't want him to go the same way as Fido number one" ..or ... "I went golfing and there was an alligator on the course, we didn't pay him any mind... he was pretty tired and moving slow after having eaten the previous two fellas"
"Hmm...honey should we camp here, do you think the Fido II can swim fast enough so we don't have to start looking for a Fido III?

I don't ever want to be close enough to one to have to think about whether I can out run it. Let's face it..it's a given that I can't. I couldn't catch my dog when he ran after the damn UPS truck yesterday. I'd be alligator dinner in no time flat.

Phyllis, I couldn't agree more with you!

 

[2goofycampers]

Donnie, hot air can be used for propulsion, I dont think you were in as much danger as you say.