This is one of a series of eight life lessons I have learned in my Travels with Betty. What your RV can teach you about life, Lesson #5.
As part of each blog, I share my experience and then the lesson I learned as a result. It seems there is always something to learn!
Protect your covers
The first cover I temporarily lost was the one with outside vents for the fridge. Filling up at a gas station before heading out west to camp with friends, I decided to adjust the somewhat rusty key pull type latch that held the 2 foot by 2 foot metal door to the camper van. I turned out of the parking lot, a bit of a bumpy ride, onto a busy street. Now, I am in the camping spirit! A loud clunk sound and catch out of the corner of my eye, something that looks like a refrigerator cover from a camper van, flying out to my left onto the boulevard. I get to the lights to turn left and I actually debate whether I want to go back and get the cover (based on my embarrassment). I do turn back and park, running on to the boulevard in Friday night rush-hour traffic to get the cover. I managed to get the rusty key to latch the cover on again.
However, at some point, on another trip, I must have brushed up against the same rusty key pull type latch and it loosened. When I stopped miles later, I had a gaping hole into the workings of the refrigerator instead of the nicely two-toned metal cover that was there a while ago. Thankfully, RV City could order me another one and installed it, also replacing the rusty key that clearly could be tricky to use. So far, the cover is holding.
The second problematic cover was the plate at the back of the van that sits on the bumper and covers up the controls to the propane tank. I thought – having learned from the fridge incident – each time about securing that plate. Then there came the time when the propane controls were being check out. Involved in deep discussion, I ended up first walking away from the back of the van then driving away. Twenty minutes later, a stop for something else and I realize that the metal propane cover plate I left on the back bumper is gone. Thankfully, my brother-in-law has made some replacement covers out of rigid plastic that works as well. Even better, he cut out more than one because I’ve already lost the first one!
Lessons learned: (again) Pay attention. Do a walk around. Check doors, covers and locks – even those you don’t think you opened.