Airstream RV Blog #79 – Locked Out … And Lovin’ It! from Sean Michael on Vimeo.
Okay, so it finally happened to us. We managed to lock ourselves out of our RV.
“How on earth did this happen,” you ask? (And yes, I can hear you snickering.)
It was easy! On an Airstream there are two door locks. One of these is a deadbolt-style lock. We use it on a daily basis.
The second “main door” lock is a sliding lock that allows you to EXIT the camper, but prevents you from getting back inside! It puts your Airstream door into hotel door mode, if you know what I mean. This lock we call “THE FORBIDDEN LOCK” because everyone is generally forbidden from using it. Quite frankly, I don’t think this lock serves much purpose, other than to lock unwitting campers out of their rig. I mean, you’ve already got the deadbolt for security purposes. The forbidden lock is just kind of cruel. It lies there, like a coiled snake, waiting to strike…
So we never (intentionally) use the forbidden lock. But somehow, the other day we must’ve accidentally bumped the sliding lever that engages the lock. Voila! Soon enough, we found ourselves locked outside our Airstream. It was 8 o’clock at night, the sun was setting, and I SWEAR we heard some wolves howling in the distance. And if you’re wondering why we didn’t capture this episode on film, it’s because EVERYTHING WE NEEDED WAS LOCKED INSIDE OUR RV. Our spare keys, our cameras, and our emergency phone numbers were all inside the rig. Using our cell phones, we called FIVE local locksmiths — but no one bothered to answer the phone. Yes, we were in a proverbial pickle.
Little did we realize that being LOCKED OUT OF OUR RV would blossom into a wonderful experience. After searching in vain for spare keys, we glumly trudged to the campground clubhouse, prepared to spend the night on a sofa. But lo and behold, the members of Albuquerque’s Siglo de Oro (”Golden Age”) RV Club were having a rally.
To make a long story short, once we announced our problem to the club, they quickly “rallied” to our aid. We made some new friends who quickly put us at ease. It seems that just about everyone gets locked out of their rig, sooner or later. “If you RV long enough,” one said, “EVERYTHING will eventually happen to you.” Phone calls were made. One person managed to secure the late night services of a locksmith! Soon, we were back inside our Airstream. I must say that the interior of a 25-foot travel trailer never felt so grand.
The next day, we visited with club members at their luncheon. We really had a FANTASTIC time meeting these folks. The RV lifestyle really attracts a down-to-earth crowd of “top quality people.” Frankly, I was inspired by this happy group. They get together simply because they enjoy getting together. Their meetings are filled with laughter, love, and fellowship.
After we left the rally, I turned to my wife. “You know,” I said, “If we hadn’t been locked out of our RV, we never would’ve met those great people.”
So here’s the strange thing about the whole experience. You might ask me, “Sean, suppose you could go back in time and CHOOSE whether or not to lock yourself out of your RV? What would you do?”
The answer is easy. I’d lock myself out all over again. Every time.