# Hauling Rv Fun



## Carey (Mar 6, 2012)

To catch up the new people, I started hauling rv's from mfr to dealer with my dodge dually last spring... This is what I do for a living.. With the credit situation happening last sept/oct, I took a voluntary lay off and went back to driving semis for the winter.. There was few rv's to haul from Oct to January.. Started back to hauling rv's feb 1st of this year..

Well, this week they closed our yard at Elkhart and closed 2 others and put us all in one yard in Goshen. We were all the same company but had 4 different yards.. Now prolly 200 of us work out of Goshen. Last year I bet we had 6-700 trucks.. Talk about shrinkage!

Laid off many of the records and office people. My dispatcher stayed which was a god send.. Takes 6 months to get to know eachother.. Me and him work well together.. I feel lucky..

We lost Forest River as the CEO of Forest River also owns an rv transport company.. Since Forest River bought Coachman and Coachman had its own drivers contracted to them, they went to Pete Leigl's/CEO of FR yard.. So now they have plenty of drivers to do all Forest Rivers, oh well... No biggie..

We still have Heartland, but the Goshen yard does, Sunnybrook, Keystone, Dutchman and a bunch of others... Yep there are Outbacks sitting here on this yard to be delivered. In fact I could throw a rock at the Keystone factory from where I sit right now..

For the next 2-3 months I will stay exclusive to Heartland till they integrate us all together..

The terminal manager from Elkhart is a cool guy too... Retired HS principal... Anyway when I seen Heartland was going to make the new Edge model line last fall. I told my boss that I would like to get me a flatbed so I could get in on hauling those.. They are sub 20 footers, sold and shipped in pairs.. This was like back in December..

Last week when I was in Elkhart, the big boss pulled me in his office and said, got a proposition for ya..

He said they had bought 3 new 53 foot flatbed trailers last year and out of those one was a gooseneck that could be pulled by a dually.. He said they already had over 500 orders for the new Edge line and expected to see 1000's of orders for them this year... Big rv sales are slow, but there is much interest in these new ultralights.. Dealers are already selling them before they have even been made..

He said we need a bunch of guys to haul them.. We only have about 25 or so drivers with trailers and need more.. So how bout since you already mentioned that youd like to pull a flatbed, why dont you hook onto our trailer and see if you like it... He said I will send it to our shop, and have it all inspected and repaired for the season.. Its plated and insured, so no worry there..

I was like.... Uh ok, heck yea! lol

He said we already have the accounts set up so you can haul cars back into the great lake area for your back haul... I thought $$$$ lol

He said with a couple cars as back hauls, the money is, uh, excellent.. The money is easy twice what I can make hauling singles..

If you like it you can just pay us payments for it... I said I could buy it, he said, naw, payments would be just fine... I was like, heck talk about silver platters!

I got me a 5er going to Edmonton, Ab, Canada tomorrow.... The big boss calls today and said, in your trip packet there is a pic of the trailer.. Ok cool.. Said it will be all ready by the time I get back...

A flatbed trailer all set up to haul rv's must be custom built.. They have a channel down the middle with a ball tower that is hooked to the trailer hitch.. Then that ball tower is pulled up and onto the flatbed with a winch... So generally a rv flatbed costs in the 20k range new... I was thinking hard about just going and buying a new one.. I could gross 200k pretty easy a year with a trailer.. So payments arent a biggie..

Next problem is the deckheight... It must be between 32 and 34 inches or less.. The trailer must be 102 wide so the tires must go under the bed.. Cant put the tires to the outside like a car hauling trailer.. These trailers have to have pierced frames to allow a low deck height and then have tires under the bed... That means big money..

So anyway, its pretty cool that Im getting one already equiped and set up and is priced below 20k.. What is even neater is I get to try it for a month before I have to buy it...

Boss said I dont want you jumping in unless you like it.. We have found few guys like it cause its 66-67 feet long altogether and its pretty much like driving semis and staying loaded all the time and plus being 66 feet long, many guys want to be able to tour on there return trips with just there pickup empty.. I said, well dollar signs will prolly make it worth it to me.. But its very cool to be able to try it before I buy... Like I said, sliver platter!

I will keep yall tuned in how it goes..

Heading into the cold country this weekend, back in the states mid next week, so have a warm one all, lol

Carey

ps will take pics!!


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## jozway (Jan 28, 2008)

How can you not like that? Sounds good to me!!


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## johnp (Mar 15, 2004)

So when will you get your own show on the Discovery Channel?

Look forward to more stories

John


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## Carey (Mar 6, 2012)

lol why not, they are doing everything else...We run ice roads too up there in northern Canada.. Heck being in a 60mph side wind is even sorta like seeing those waves crashing on deadliest catch..

I can tell you that seeing that 5er laying on its side in a wind is no fun.. Gotta know when to pull over so it doesnt scratch it, lol..
Being able to see all the pretty graphics on one side and then looking in the other mirror and seeing nothing would make any camera man pucker..

Its a blizzard out there and having the dealer demanding his trailer isnt much fun either...

Going down a slick mtn pass with the trailer trying to out run ya isnt much fun either..

I started doing this cause semi truckin is not fun anymore.. Anyone can drive a semi, they are so plush.. This job reqires skill and is way more challenging than semis.. Pickups with rv's just scare the heck out of ya in bad weather.... I love that part!

Heck yea Im ready, lets do it!

Carey


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## Doxie-Doglover-Too (Jan 25, 2007)

and its pretty much like driving semis and staying loaded all the time

[/quote]

AND you get to drive loaded? whoa Carey!









Drive safe and keep us posted with Chronicles From Carey


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## mike (Dec 17, 2006)

Carey,

Always great to hear from u, we will be heading west this summer so maybe we can get together, but i assume that will probably pretty busy for u as alot of sales seem to happen in the summer


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## ember (Jan 17, 2008)

Carey,
Glad to hear you're coming up roses!! Looking forward to pics and stories!!
TTFN
Ember


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## rdvholtwood (Sep 18, 2008)

Carey, glad to hear things are working out for you...please post some pictures of your setup!!

Rick


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## Carey (Mar 6, 2012)

Im about 100 miles from Canada.. Sitting in Minot, ND. Temp is 7 degrees.. Has been below 10 all day.. Have had light snow with sections of black ice.. Not much wind.. Shouldnt be too bad as I seen Edmontons forecast is about -10 at night and 5-10 during day.. Its so cold the snow mostly blows off the road.. Been lightly snowing since Jamestown, ND..

I still doused my fuel tank with Lucas anti gel to be sure..

I got some groceries and supplies for my 3 day trip north.. If all goes well will deliver tue am, and back in the US wed sometime.. The snow blends with the clouds out here.. Hard on your eyes..

Better get going... Need to make some more miles while its daylight..

Bye all
Carey

Been shooting a few pics, not much to see.... Just snow, snow everywhere... lol


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## Carey (Mar 6, 2012)

Made it back to Minot, ND.. Thats enough for the day.. Edmonton to Minot..

lol The dealer had me wash it before delivering.. It was 6 degrees last night in Edmonton... This morning my trailer looked like an igloo.. We had to heat up the lock so I could get my battery out.. The landing gear was froze too.. It took the sevice guy and I 1/2 hour to get unto the sidedoor so we could manually crank it down..

Lol the mechanic was saying, yea the sales people tell everyone to wash them and then Im stuck with this problem everytime..

Finally got rid of it at 930 this morn, mtn.. The sales person said, well if there is damage Ill never see it thru all that ice.. I told her trust me its all good, and she signed my papers, no damage.. I was out of there...

Hit snow at Regina, Sk and it snowed all the way to Minot.. About 2 new inches here.. 10 degrees so it just blows off the road..

Woke up monday morn in Wayburn, Sk.. 16 below was the temp.. Must have got some water in my aux tank somewhere, cause my filter system was full of ice.. Fried my transfer pump.. Got another in Saskatoon.. It fried again tonight.. Looking down in my tank there are ice crystals in my fuel..I tried all the additives, nothin would break it up.. I even tried FPPF Meltdown.. Whats funny is the truck has been running great.. I havent shut it off since I left Goshen on Saturday.. Its running 2000 rpms during day and 1000 rpms keeping me warm at night..

Ok, Ive had enough of this cold.. It was below 0 more than above 0 in Canada.. I havent seen above 10 degrees since saturday.. Hopefully I can get above freezing soon and get that aux tank finally emptied out.. Put another fuel pump in and keep going.. I have been using Carter vane type pumps because they work great when its warm.. Im finding out not so great when cold.. This is the 3rd one since august.. 100 bucks a piece.. Guess I need to try something else.. Seems like they dont like anything but warm clean fuel... Cold chunky fuel kills em..

Better sleep a bit, and continue to Goshen tomorrow.. Took some pics and will post when I get a few mins..

I love Canada. I respect all of you that deal with that cold up there.. Even for me, its just too dang cold up there to live a winter in.. Summer, I love it.. I just dont know how you deal with that cold that long.. Even here in NoDak is bad, but its at least above 0 here..

Carey


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## Carey (Mar 6, 2012)

See.. I made 2 posts at once.. Fingers are still cold!


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## Doxie-Doglover-Too (Jan 25, 2007)

Colorado~DirtBikers said:


> Made it back to Minot, ND.. Thats enough for the day.. Edmonton to Minot..
> 
> lol The dealer had me wash it before delivering.. It was 6 degrees last night in Edmonton... This morning my trailer looked like an igloo.. We had to heat up the lock so I could get my battery out.. The landing gear was froze too.. It took the sevice guy and I 1/2 hour to get unto the sidedoor so we could manually crank it down..
> 
> ...


Carey- I love your optimism and positive posts. Frozen everything, broken something and still, your posts are always upbeat!


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## Carey (Mar 6, 2012)

I was hoping to post some pics.. Cant cause im too busy right now.. I brought back a Dealer Repo from wisc to elkhart and now have a lil 2500lb 18 footer that really needs to be in Langely, BC(vancouver) on monday for an upcoming rv show..

So I got to get my beauty sleep.. It will be a busy weekend for me..

See ya'll.. I will post up some pics when I get a few extra mins..

Carey

ps.. That cold wind followed me right into Indy.. Man its cold here with that lake wind!


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## Lady Di (Oct 28, 2005)

Good to hear from you.

Goshen is where I'm 'from'.

Travel safe.

Rita


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## Carey (Mar 6, 2012)

Goshen is a nice town! Just have to be on the lookout for all those amish buggies.. I like Goshen, has a small town feel.

The ole dodge clicked over 135k today.. Has been running excellent, as I knock on ram horns.. lol

Had a good snow storm thru Wisc and Minn, but ran out of the storm fri night.. Had the usuall high winds accross NoDak.. Montana was awesome today with highs around 60 in the valleys.. Felt good..

Hit rain around the idaho border and rain on over here to Moses Lake.. Rig needed washed anyway, was covered in salt..

My lil Heartland Edge has just bobbed along, all 2800lbs of it.. Me liked that.. 65mph at 12 mpg! Easy to forget it was back there!

Better go nighty night.. Must get my beauty sleep for the canadian customs.. Yea right, like sleep will help my looks! lol

Snoqualmie is supposed to get 1-3 tonight.. Hopefully they dont put up the chain law.. But if they do, I have chains in the toolbox..

See all

Carey


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## Sayonara (Jul 23, 2007)

COOL !! Sounds like a great opportunity ! Travel Safe. If you make it to SE MI let me know.


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## CanadaCruizin (Jul 3, 2004)

Small world sometimes. I lived in Weyburn, SK for two years (grades 9 and 10, 1978-1980) while my parents owned and operated the Esso station/Voyageur restaurant on the main hiway through town. After they sold it, the new owners turned it into a pizza place. Looking on Google Earth it appears the building is gone.
Spent many Sundays washing dishes. Let me tell ya, I still remember how hard it was to remove dried-on eggs from a plate. lol


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