# 32bhds - Livin' Large In A Large Pull Trailer



## flynmoose (Mar 8, 2007)

Well - we've finally "pickled!" (I'll elaborate on the term - if coaxed.) We are the proud owners of a 32BHDS Sydney Outback.

Weight: 7695#
Length: 35' 1"
Birthday: 11 May 07
Name: "Big Honkin' Trailer" - Unofficial - Yet to be christened with a more dignified name

Two parents & two little boys are doing well and couldn't be prouder!

So here is how the story goes:

Played "hooky" Thurs afternoon from work and Marissa, me and the boys packed it in and hit the road in "Oscar" (our '02 Ex Diesel nicknamed by the 3yr old because he's big, green and grumbles). Pulled into Huntington WV near midnight, bleary-eyed and wishing for a little shut-eye. Up again Friday morning and made good time across WV,KY and S. OH to pull into Holman Motors in Batavia, OH by 12:30 (just east of Cincinnati). Grandpa Joe was waiting and after the transfer of a HUGE amount of stuff for two little boys, we started our PDI at 2:00

After 2 1/2 hours of "stump the chump", we finally let Justin, our Service Representative, move on to setting up our hitch. 6:00 PM rolled around and we offered him a cold one as he declared "victory." A quick trip to Sam's Club for some perishables and we cooked our first dinner in the oven - sitting on the dealer lot.

As many have noted, the factory mattress leaves a lot to be desired and my father had forgotten our Serta 4" Memory Foam topper at his house (we shipped it to him rather than trying to pack it into Oscar. Side note - how could 2 big people and 2 little people in an Ex. require a car top carrier AND a hitch carrier to get all of our stuff to our first trailer adventure?)

After a proper "lie in" (as the Brits say), we finished the last of the unpacking and packing and started to prep for "launch". . .

. . . and my stomach dropped as I alternated back and forth between the two slide buttons. Nothing happened - not a click, not a groan, not a flicker. NADA!!!! At first, I felt stupid and was sure I was doing something wrong. I fiddled with breakers, checked lights, flipped switches, disconnected shore power, hooked up the TV umbilical - nothing. Finally feeling humbled (wife and I are both Engineers and I'm an ex-fighter pilot fer gosh sakes), I went to the service department with my new punch list (slides, scratched lav sink and a rubbing cabinet door - minor other than the slides).

Justin showed up and began troubleshooting. After nearly an hour of continuity and voltage testing - he thought that it seemed like a bad ground but he couldn't find it. Now I thanked my father (the retired Electronics Technician Master Chief) for making me pay attention.

During the hitch installation, the L-bracket holders for our Equal-i-zer hitch would not fit at exactly 32" from the ball on the A-frame because the "auto-reset" circuit-breakers that are mounted on the A-frame were smack in the middle. Justin had relocated them to make room. And I remembered him removing a ground wire!!!!

So, I fixed my own problem in the end (or at least directed the fix) and in short order we were on our way - wife's stomach in knots as she worried about every groan, creek and pop from the hitch, worried about my ability to drive and tow, and just generally worried!

By the time we hit I-270 around Columbus we were doing great and even had the confidence to pull into a Meijer parking lot to do some shopping for dinner.

We spent our first "real" night at Cross Creek Campground (across the street from Alum Creek State Park) just outside Delaware OH. Had my folks, my sister and her boy over for dinner on the "barbi" and hit the sack happy "CAMPERS!"

Visiting friends and relatives around OH for the week and the camper is parked at my Uncle's farm but we are itching to hitch-up and hit the road Friday to put 3 more nights on the camper, heading back to Tidewater.

Well - if you are still reading - thanks for listening. It has been quite an adventure.

Our toys and mods list grows buy the hour and we haven't even owned it a week!

Cheers,

Barry


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## Fire44 (Mar 6, 2005)

Welcome and glad that you had a good time.

Check out the rally thread, there is at least one not to far from you and it is coming up very soon!!!

Good luck,
Gary

PS....OK I'll bite.....What is "Pickled"!!!


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## 3LEES (Feb 18, 2006)

Welcome to the forum flynmoose and family!

You sure jumped into the biggest Outback there is...and the one my DW likes!

You'll have many years to make lots of memories.

Now, about "pickling". Since you are a fighter pilot, seems easy enough for me.

Let's see if any others might know. Fox-1.


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## johnp (Mar 15, 2004)

I'm sure your going to love that trailer. I think its funny about that ground wire on my last two Outbacks that wire was barely held on and that crippled the slides now I look for that first. Have a safe trip back and keep a close eye on the tires.

John


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## skippershe (May 22, 2006)

Hi flynmoose









Great story! Congrats on your new 32bhds and glad to hear that your travels have been safe so far









Enjoy your beautiful new Outback and Happy Camping!


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## battalionchief3 (Jun 27, 2006)

What a story......Welcome
I dont know what "pickled" is but I do know what a foam inductor and a gated "Y" is.....


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## Humpty (Apr 20, 2005)

Congrats!

No sense in starting with an iddy biddy camper. Enjoy that beast!


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## Crawfish (Sep 14, 2005)

3LEES said:


> Welcome to the forum flynmoose and family!
> 
> Now, about "pickling". Since you are a fighter pilot, seems easy enough for me.
> 
> Let's see if any others might know. Fox-1.


First welcome to the site flynmoose and congrats on the 32 footer.

Now for Dan's question.
That wouldn't have anything to do with dropping bombs would it?

Leon


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## flynmoose (Mar 8, 2007)

Well . . . since you asked . . .









Let me start by saying that I'm a REAL Fighter(Big F) / attack (little A) pilot - so any USAF pukes that want to correct me on button-ology can buzz-off (tempered for posting).









Anyway - as someone who dropped bombs on occasion as a profession, you have to practice. And practice means going to the bombing range. Bombing ranges vary on size and scoring information but the classic bombing range is a GIANT bullseye with concentric 100 FOOT rings. Just like in darts, you have a "center" - known as the Bullseye - and on a bombing range it is usually something visually significant like a cargo container or an old tracker trailer.

BUT - fighter pilot ego will dictate that a really good pilot can put a bomb anywhere with dead-on accuracy. What could be more accurate than putting a bomb into the middle of a barrel. A "pickle barrel". Lore would have it that in the "old days" the range did indeed have a barrel sitting in the middle of it.

So - in Navy parlance - the button that releases a bomb has become known as the "pickle" (and it is ONLY used for BOMBS. It would be the button under your right thumb as your hand naturally falls on the control stick.) A bomb run debrief might sound something like "I rolled in from 14,000 feet, pickled at 8000 feet and was out by 5500 feet." So "pickle" has become an all-purpose word for dropping, releasing or bombing anything.

Since fighter pilots are a crass lot - they always try to relate all things human to fighter pilot terms. Fighter pilots have offspring and when it's time for the baby to show up - what better terms than . . .

"Pickles, pickled, pickling"

OK OK - before I get completely flayed alive by our very active child-bearing members, I will admit that this is rather vain and quite degrading and forever swear off the term (at least on this board and in my wife's presence).

But since I was asked . . .









Barry "MOOSE" Elk (~1000 hours in F-14s, ~700 hours in F-18s, ~300 hours in various "others")


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## hatcityhosehauler (Feb 13, 2004)

flynmoose said:


> Well . . . since you asked . . .
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Welcome aboard and congratulations on the new 32BHDS, from a former red shirted BB stacker, that used to put the bombs on those F18's (and A7's). I've also armed up my share of Tomcats on the Cat's while underway.

Tim


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

flynmoose said:


> Well . . . since you asked . . .
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I love this post! and thanks for your service whether it's past, present, or future







There is a saying for getting drunk, you got pickled.....hmmm....I would assume you don't use that term!


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## egenest (Jan 25, 2004)

Hi flynmoose,
I am jealous, but will have to wait a few more days. I am retired PRC and flight deck controller in an S3 squadron.
Hope you enjoy that new rig.
Ed


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## webeopelas (Mar 11, 2006)

Sorry just can't relate.









The bombs I work with are not that accurate. But then they don't need to be.

An example is shown below










Oh would that be ships in the picture?


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## Lady Di (Oct 28, 2005)

Welcome!









Congratulations on the Outback.

The only 'pickling' I have ever been involved with involved cucumbers and vinegar, or beets, eggs and vinegar. Just couldn't resist.


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

Lady Di said:


> Welcome!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


ever had pickled watermelon rinds?


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