RV Mis-Hap - Santee, CA

While we are sitting in one spot for the winter, we don’t have as much to say as when we are travelling. Santee Lakes Regional Park has 2 entrances/exits from the fenced/gated park. The front entrance is straight, wide and clear of obstacles. The front gate is manned all day and if you are going to be late you can call ahead and get the pass current code. The front exit is very curvy and has raised curbs (with edges that are designed to discourage skate boarders). The rear entrance is much more curvy with raised curbs and drop offs on the other side of the curb. T

The rear exit is relatively wide and straight. Usually the rigs (RV and tow vehicle) select the straight paths and the tow vehicles (trucks and cars) choose the curvy paths.
We mention the gate differences because in the past couple of days we have seen 2 separate rigs making serious errors in selection of the correct gate (exit or entrance) for their path. Both were 5th wheel rigs like ours, though they were a little longer than us. The first rig chose to leave by the most curvy curbed exit. Somehow they were able to get the truck up on the curb where the skateboard discouragement ripped out the truck’s oil pan spilling oil everywhere and making the truck in operable. So, in comes the tow truck to move the 5th wheel off the road way and transport the truck to the local Ford dealer for repairs.

Then last night another rig (5th wheel and truck) selected the most curvy and treacherous entrance with disastrous results. Somehow they got the right side of the rig up and over the curb. They were resting on the rear axles with the wheels hanging in the air. Again, here comes the huge tow truck and an hour later they had eased the rig off the curb and finally were crawling to their RV site. On their morning walk Ruthi and Karma found the rig and noticed that only some wrinkles on the side seem to indicate a brush with the curb. While the rear window and wall (called a cap) was cracked across the width. We are surprised that the axles weren’t severely damaged.