Re:gas stations & goosenecks

[Tara Wheeler <harpy@io.com>]

The night I picked up my first gooseneck trailer, I munched the tailgate of
my truck coming over the railroad berm for home.

The second night, my husband and I took off the tailgate, loaded up three
plastic 40 gallon drums and went to a nearby large parking lot to practice
gas-station turning.

I tumped over a few barrels before I got the hang of the thing, but it
really, really helped.

Give me 40 acres and I'll turn this rig around.  :)

Find a nice big area and practice, practice, practice.  Always go slow and
don't be embarrassed to get out and check if you're clear or even go ahead
and back up if necessary.  People may be jerks about it, but they'll be a
lot nastier if you tear the hell out of their car/truck/pump/etc.

Always watch 18 wheelers move.  You'll learn all sorts of turning tricks.

IMHO, goosnecks can turn on a dime and are far easier to back than a
bumperpull.  You just need to keep a close watch on your mirrors until your
whole trailer is clear of the obstacle.

There are specific gas stations I avoid and some I actively seek out.  I
especially love truck stops.

Wait until you get a very wooded ride camp site!

Good luck and good trailering!