Mike and Mary Hedlund at Niagra Falls
In Dec, 2001, my wife Mary decided that we needed to travel as we were getting closer to retirement. Now to follow this tale, you need to understand that my wife is not a “camper”, doesn’t like to stay in hotels and does like flying. So if we’re going to travel in our retirement, RV’ing seemed to be the way to go.
We went looking and ended up with a 30′ Ultra Lite Coachman travel trailer….that she liked! We owned a heavy 1500 Chevy pickup and when they brought my truck and unit to the front for us, her eyes got real big and she commented that she didn’t realize it was so long. (visions of the “Long, Long Trailer” with Desi and Lucy!)
As we headed home, I realized I needed heavier tires and a sway bar!. That trailer “walked” so bad, I was doing 30 MPH on an Interstate Highway. Luckily it was far to home and after 11 tries at backing it into the newly widened drive way, I got it parked. It sat there for over 10 months with me asking, “What has she talked me into?”
After getting it road ready, our first trip was to a small State Park. Mary said she didn’t know what she was supposed to do. It was so quite that night, she couldn’t sleep, thought she heard raccoons trying to get in the rig and just wanted to go home.
The next trip she was hooked though and we have since upgraded to a Heartland Big Horn 5th Wheel and have traveled to 25 states seeing this beautiful country. We’ll keep going for as long as God is willing and we’re enjoying every trip.
Submitted by Mike Hedlund of Arlington, TX as a part of the RV Centennial Celebration “Share Your Favorite RV Memory” contest.
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