First trip with new tt didn't go so well

Hello all, I am a newbie here. I am also a newbie to rv'ing. My wife and I just bought a '03 Starcraft Aruba 25BH. We took our first trip last week, and just thought I would share our experience.
Everything was going well on the trip until we pulled into a fast food place. I went into the tt to make sure the fridge was still working on gas, which it was, and notice that the glass housing on the light above the table had fallen off. It didn't break, so I started putting it back on and noticed the light was flickering when I tried to put it back up. It ended up blowing a fuse! I left it alone, and decided to look at it when we got to the CG.
When we got to the entrance to the CG, there was a tight turn around a power pole that I had to make. Everything was going fine until I hung the steps, that I forgot to put back up from the fast food stop, on the pole. I proceded to rip off the bottom step on the pole! After beating myself up for forgetting to put the steps up, I finally got the tt parked. I pulled the light over the table down, and found that the ground had come loose and shorted out. I got it re-wired, and had to go to an auto parts to get new fuses. With the fuse replaced, and the steps now torn off, I thought we could finally start enjoying our new tt. Wrong!
It was pouring down rain, and stupid me made the comment to my wife "well, at least we haven't found any leaks". You guessed it, water started dripping on our bed from the roof! I didn't have a ladder, so there was nothing I could do but put a bucket under it.
The rest of the trip went ok, and when I got home, I climbed on top of the tt to see where it might be leaking. The cable that goes to the tv ant. had a boot that had slid up the cable leaving a gap where the water had come in. I got it fixed, and I am now looking forward to our next un-eventfull trip.

Just seems to be a normal 1st adventure hiccup or two.  Bet you won't for get the step again.  Just like a stick house, you have to check everythig prior to usage and then recheck.  JMO  Good Luck

You're now officially an RVer!  

And now you have your first campfire story to share, look back on, and laugh (the laughing part may be a bit more into the future).

Now that that's behind you, future trips should be a breeze.

(P.S.  I don't want to hurt your feelings, but I did get a good laugh out of your story).

After a first trip like that, the next ones will should be a cake walk. Enjoy and remember this story for when you are the one with experience and talking to a newbie.

Hi Chris,

Welcome to the RV world! ;D  Glad the damage was minor. Things will happen but hopefully they all will be minor in nature. At least you learned a couple of good lessons that will help with future trips. When I do an orientation with new owners I always tell them to have at least one spare fuse for every type in the rig. If you do you most likely won't need them but if you don't, Murphy will get you. Guess it's true!!! ;D

Thanks for all the kind words. I will be more prepared next time. I bought plenty of extra fuses, and I will be sure to walk around the tt one more time before taking off. The guys at work sure have gotten a laugh out of all this though! I know the damage was minor, but it just makes me mad, that I forgot those dang steps. I usually don't forget stuff like that.
Anyway, I have learned a lesson, and it's time to move on to my next adventure.

Hey, Chris, don't beat your self up! I posted in the forum back in the spring, when my husband tore off our right rear stab jack making a turn onto a street. It was unavoidable, due to the angle of the 2 streets, with a slope involved, traffic, etc. It was not our first trip out, which made it more unbearable for hubby. Folks here on the forum were very helpful to me, trying to come up with ideas to tell him for replacement/repair options. Somebody here may be able to tell you how to repair your step, possibly! Some very crafty folks, hanging around here! 

I try to avoid pulling the TT steps out when we stop along the road. Although it's a little bit of a climb, it's something less to forget about. I make the kids climb in and get whatever I need, or hubby, they all have better knees than I do! If I have to go in, I pull the steps out and I put them back in when I'm done. I've also gotten into the habit of walking around the RV at each stop, looking for things like steps, antenna, windows left open, tank caps hanging, etc. It's prevented a few little 'oopsies' for us, and helps stretch your legs!

Honestly, tho, most of us have a small 'mishap' here and there, it's just 'the nature of the beast', so to speak. And, hubby and I like to call them 'learning experiences', because once it happens, your chances of ever repeating it are slim to none! And, we fight the urge to be paranoid about people snickering at us, as we do have our 'mishaps'. Yea, they probably ARE snickering; but it's more like "poor guy, I've done that myself before and was feeling as embarrassed as he probably is right now". So, we take small comfort in that. If there is somebody, ANYWHERE, that hasn't had a 'mishap' with their RV, then it's probably because it's sitting, unused. First trips out are meant to be learning experiences, and that's what you got!  Better luck next time! 

LuAnn

Thanks for sharing your trip with us.   This is one trip that you have learned from and I would doubt you will ever forget the steps again.  You are right it is a good idea to do that last walk around before moving the rig.  Hopefully your future trips will go better.

Welcome to the Forum and welcome to the Wonderful World of RVing. It's a learning process and this won't be the last time something goes wrong. But, as you said, it's on to the next adventure!!

Enjoy
Wendy

Chris said:

Thanks for all the kind words. I will be more prepared next time. I bought plenty of extra fuses, and I will be sure to walk around the tt one more time before taking off. The guys at work sure have gotten a laugh out of all this though! I know the damage was minor, but it just makes me mad, that I forgot those dang steps. I usually don't forget stuff like that.
Anyway, I have learned a lesson, and it's time to move on to my next adventure.

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About those steps.   Both you and your wife should do separate walk arounds.   One person can walk by something they have left undone and never see it.  (Else they would have done it, right?)    A second person willl catch the omission in a flash.  Especially a separate person who has been catching your omissions for a number of years, like a spouse. 8)

Good point Carl.  Sam and I do that even with hooking up the toad.  then even after both of us have done a walk around I usually walk around once more before getting in.

Ron said:

Good point Carl.  Sam and I do that even with hooking up the toad.  then even after both of us have done a walk around I usually walk around once more before getting in.

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Cindy makes a point of counting the number of links on the spring bar chains.

That doesn't sound too bad!  Steps can be replaced, you fixed your light, and you found your (hopefully only) leak.  ;D

Chris,

Thanks for sharing your first adventure.  Had a little chuckle and was glad it was not me.    Like others have said, this is one trick you most likely will not repeat.  RVing is such a learning opportunity adventure.  You will get the hang of it just keep on going out!

Betty

Carl L said:

Especially a separate person who has been catching your omissions for a number of years, like a spouse. 8)

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Yes dear

Well... That first dent or ripped off step is always the most painful.. Soon you will know how to fix things and it will go  better.

In fact it's already getting better as you figured out the light.

When it comes to the ground being loose.. .I've found most RVers have a few screws loose about the place... No, not that kind,  The kind you tighten with a real screwdriver (Mine take a #2 square bit for the most part)

Welcome to the club, Glad you found us, Enjoy your more mobile life.. Find places to park and enjoy

Always remember to do a walk around inspection before moving. My 1st officer always does the walk around inspection herself. She has saved my butt many times.  ;D

Thanks everyone for all of the advice! I am glad that I could at least make some of you laugh with my story
Everyone here has been very helpful, and hopefully in the future I can offer my own advice to some of you.

My wife will be doing a walk around behind me from now on! 

I am sure you will have many trouble free trips in the future.

We are new to Rving this year also. Our first trip I forgot to crank down the antenna and strap in the TV when we left. Luckily for me the television will only come out if it is level, when we got home it was leaning all the way forward with the the back caught against the ceiling. Minor scrape on the ceiling, but it is always one of the first things I check now. When I picked our 5er up, I was about to leave the rest stop I slept at for a little while(3:30 am) and thought I better do a walk around, it wouldn't have taken long to notice the slideout was not in. ;D