We’ve made it to the middle of May after all our cross country work travels and home base in NC. But that means its RIVER TIME!!

We’ve been so excited to get back up to A-Bay for the summer season. One of our happy places where we have a work-life balance better than ever and supportive family around us most weekends. So excited, that we contracted a transport company to haul the camper up to to NY for us after returning the 350 we used last year. Pre-planned, smooth sailing expected…. of COURSE that would turn into a pressure point for us… CAN NOTHING GO AS PLANNED?!

So here I was in February, searching for auto transport companies that were licensed and insured – and found one from Cocoa, FL that had great reviews. I reached out February 16th and put down the deposit Feb 17th for our GOOSENECK (this is important for later) 41′, 5th wheel to be picked up on May 15th (our last day at the RV Park in NC). We signed our contract and paid the deposit no problem and went about our days.

May 3rd I reach out as we haven’t heard anything from the company about pickup or had any additional customer service. “Hey we’re excited about the move” I also included confirmation request for pickup May 15th, confirmed pickup & drop off addresses, phone numbers, gate codes, the whole kit & caboodle. Received emails back saying “yes you’re on schedule, we’ll have a driver when we get closer to pickup day. We have everything we need”. Not ideal 12 days away already but okay – we’ll hang out and wait.

May 12th – STILL NO DETAILS. I email again “hey, do we have a driver for FRIDAY’S pickup? and I get a phone call from Brian (who has been my only contact) 2 hours later. He asks literally on the TUESDAY before pickup “can you all convert your gooseneck back into a regular 5th wheel?”. ummm

WHAT?!

You’re asking me to remove the $2500 hitch system that was installed by Camping World over a year ago… my guy – that thing needs a FORKLIFT. it’s not just a quick 4 bolts and tuck it in the back seat of a car….

“Well, most of my guys have the standard 5th wheel hitch in the back of their trucks and those are like…. 500 lbs to move, it’s just easier for them and would give them more opportunities…..” That’s not my problem, bud. Austin thankfully was on the phone with us (I conferenced him in) and I heard the switch in his voice go from “work-no-bullshit-Austin” mode to “wait a second, this is the first ask and we still need them to complete this service, agitated-but-nice-Austin” mode.

We told Brian “no” and he says “okay”.

Wednesday, May 13th (our 3 year anniversary, mind you) – Austin gets a call from a guy named Chris. Chris starts humming and hawing about “oh, well your quote was done in February and now fuel prices have increased…..” NOT MY PROBLEM, BUD. The whole point of the quote & contract for ANY BUSINESS is to build something like that in! You’re not going to change the price 2 months after I’ve signed the contract because the economy has changed. But also, if you had COMMUNICATED this too us 2 weeks ago, we probably would have had NO PROBLEM adding $200 or so to the original quote. NOT 2 days before our contracted pickup date. We’re also probably going to tip the driver on delivery as research tells me it’s appreciated but not required.

We were still awaiting a transport driver’s name & pickup time, mind you. Austin calls to tell me this fuel tale while I’m at one of the nephew’s games – and “I F*CKING KNEW IT” came flying straight out of my mouth – I had literally said it to him in conversation the night before… “watch them come back to us about fuel prices and try to increase the quote price”. Luckily, I had walked away from the small ears already. So we tell this Chris fellow “you all need to figure it out – we need to know by noon Thursday if you’re sending a driver and what time they’re going to be there, or if you’re refunding our deposit.” It kicks in then….”shit, do we need to find another company on last minute notice, just buy a semi on FB Marketplace for the drive up, or do we fork over financing a new truck?!”. We were given “Friday Evening” as a pickup time… maybe…

Thursday comes & goes with no phone call… I tried texting Brian, we both called, to no answer and are probably just left on read.

We’re up to Friday Morning, Austin has taken the day off work because our contract stated pickup for today, and was confirmed multiple times. At this point we’re still waiting on the driver information and we both call around 9am to no answer, voicemails left, and feeling VERY ghosted. (I even tried using my work phone because they didn’t have that number – hoping they might answer it thinking it’s a new customer quote).

I pulled the contract the previous night to confirm our options – until they assign a driver, we could cancel and get our deposit refunded. But even if we tried to do that, NOBODY IS ANSWERING THE PHONE. I tried Brian, I tried the numbers from the website directly which were either disconnected or rerouted to Brian… And if I tried to email it (paper trail/date/time) and THEN they assign a dispatcher, they could still argue to keep our deposit. We wait…FFS! I have zero patience for this bullshit.

Friday, May 15 @ 9:52am – I get a text message that a transport driver has been assigned. “Showroom Auto Transport. Coast to Coast has assigned us to pick up a 2020 Keystone Montana 36’L for you. Our driver will be arriving sometime between today and tomorrow; we will let you know asap”.

I call the number in the text message – it goes to voicemail.

First – it’s 41’… if you show up with a truck without enough pull for the extra 5ft/and weight. I’mma be pissed… also, TODAY OR TOMORROW?! Our contract is TODAY. Figure it out.

I message back that our contract states today, and the length is incorrect – they need to contact Coast to Coast for confirmation – that’s who they get their info from, and it was incorrect.

I get a call an hour later from the owner of this sub-contracted company saying that they’re delayed today because they’re delivering in Maryland and the customer got delayed till 12-2p, then it’s a 9 hour drive to us. I get it. but again, NOT MY PROBLEM, BUD.

He says they guarantee to be at our camper for pickup no later than 10am Saturday Morning with their top A+ driver… so then I get the call from the RV ark at 10:54am asking “are you all checking out today?! (checkout is at 11am) We have 9 arrivals today” – luckily nobody is in our spot, so I’ve extended our stay to Monday morning just in case.

So, that worked out. Austin is still in NC as I’ve been in VA the past week for Mother’s Day and Niblings games.

Mom and I also made sourdough bread from my first ever starter while I was home – I’m cautiously proud that the first loaf turned out fabulously in mom’s bread maker, but I also hate the “discard” idea before feeding, it feels wasteful! So we’ve made about 4 loaves in 2 days…. Looks like we’re gonna have a TON of bread around here this summer!!

After what feels like 100 phone calls back and forth, Austin tells me he HAS spoken with Brian today (still being Friday) – and he let him know how disappointed he is in the “service” (lack thereof), the communication is shitty, and attempted to get him to understand that he deals with logistics, shipping, etc. for HIS job so giving us excuses is a no-go in our books. We both have professional, customer service jobs. WE KNOW how to speak professionally and that COMMUNICATION is the cheapest part of your business. That 24-hour customer service notation on their website – BULLSHIT.

Meanwhile, I’m still waiting for the actual owner of the subcontracted company to respond to my text message so I can get the Cashiers check made out to the correct company. The original contract says it should be to the drivers name, when I asked about it on the phone with this owner he said it has to be made out to the company… fine, I just need whatever name it is before 5pm when the bank closes. I know their delayed delivery in MD was between 12-2p so I’m waiting, if it turns into 3pm without the info I have to call back. In the back of my head I’m feeling like they’re withholding this information to make us have to pay cash directly to the driver but jokes on them because ChatGPT will help me write a services received/paid in full receipt that this driver WILL be signing and photographing before I hand him any money.

I’ve watched too much Judge Judy for this shit…

So we’re now delayed a day. But we were told by the subcontracted company that they’ll be there in NC before 10am… Good thing Austin is an early riser! They showed up at 7:30a and apparently Austin had to help him remove the 5th wheel hitch from the bed of the transport truck. It’s safely tucket away in the camper for the haul – which also meant Austin got to scramble moving OUR already packed items back there around to fit the hitch.

That means A got on the road around 8am-ish and made it to VA after passing the camper on 81 by 4pm. But wouldn’t you know it…

I get a text message literally 3 minutes before Austin walks in the door here in VA (after 8 hours on the road) that there is a problem with the driver/camper. Apparently somehow a leveling foot has fallen off one side, and another foot is automatically lowering itself. How did the driver know to stop? Did he DRAG my camper going 65mph+ down the highway?! Austin says “wait to worry, wait to worry”…. We didn’t leave the camper’s keys with that driver and the leveling mechanism is locked, so A got to say hello to mom & dad and swap out Tacoma keys for my Hyundai to drive 2 hours BACK the way he just came to find the driver in a Harbor Freight parking lot near JMU… question here is, why didn’t the driver CALL AUSTIN? LIKE HE WAS TOLD TO THIS MORNING.

Is it just the foot? Can we quick fix with a steel plate until Camping World opens again on Monday? Or is it a bigger problem with the leveling leg as a whole?! Looks like we’ll be on the hunt for a Semi of our own in the next 6 months. So much for trying to support the economy/small businesses with paying a transport company. #neveragain

These are the photos from the driver.

Austin finds the driver & camper and inspects the foot that’s missing, along with the jack that’s automatically leveling itself. It looks like a little bit of hydraulic fluid leaking down but it might be dried/old. From the original angles it does look like the foot’s bolt has maybe just worked itself out and the foot just fell off… They zip-tie the other foot up and get back on the road. Good thing Austin is following him because THEN we see the real damage…

Shit is BENT. And the bolt is STILL IN THE LEVELING JACK WITH PART OF THE FOOT WEDGED IN. The Driver absolutely hit something or raked it across a curb to TEAR OFF the leveling foot. I asked originally back to the initial text “did the driver hit something?” and was told “No he didn’t. and if you look that jack is not even down. is completely retracted. They don’t normally fall off but this one did.”

I hate a liar.

The owner/boss of this driver calls me and asks to speak to Austin. I conference him in and he starts flying off at Austin saying his driver “didn’t do anything wrong and if you’re going to blame us for something that was already broken at pickup, we will leave the camper right were it is and YOU can figure out how to get it.” WHO DO YOU THINK YOU’RE TALKING TO, SIR. Austin very calmly responds with “Dariel, if you’re not able to have a normal conversation like a human being, then we will just get legal involved instead.” He shut up pretty quick after that. We told him we have photographs from hook-up in NC and current photos from right now showing damage, I text them over to him. And wouldn’t you know, he CAN receive and respond to text messages! (just not ones asking to confirm his company name for a cashiers check)…

He calls back about 15 minutes later with his tail between his legs, apologizing, saying “It definitely is bent and you’re right, it was not like that when we picked it up.” He agrees to take care of the replacement once we get a quote. I’ll be reaching out to Camping World/Keystone when they’re open again on Monday. And yes, I’ve recorded all of these conversations.

This means, not only did Austin get to drive the 8 hours to VA – missed the nephews game Saturday morning, he also drove back 2 hours to JMU (and back to the house – so add 4 hours total)… We are told first that the driver is going to stop driving overnight because of the other jack automatically leveling (even though it’s zip-tied up now), fine. And then when I ask for confirmation on delivery time for Sunday I get “driver will be there between 9-10am”. So he IS driving through the night?! Well shit… it’s now 10pm, we’re in VA loading stuff from Mom & Dad’s Garage. Looks like we’re driving a few hours tonight, taking a nap, and watching the sunrise from Rt. 81 Sunday!

So we did. We took off around 10:45pm Saturday, drove to a hotel in PA and arrived around 2:45am, took a 2 hour nap, and were out the door at 5:15a. We stopped at a Lowes for a 1/4in steel plate as a temporary fix for that missing foot (hopefully it works right still, even though it’s bent), and picked up a fuse for Uncle Dave’s truck. We arrived around 9:20am to our Alex Bay Marina summer home base.

I get a call about 10 minutes later that the camper is 1-hour away, so we head over to 12 for coffee and Krispy Kreme with the Aunts & Uncles. Finally, our summer home arrives!

We get her backed in to her summer spot and Austin helps the driver re-install his hitch for the drive back. Wouldn’t you know it, they still tried to charge us an extra $200 for the pull. The driver had a contract that said $1,550.00, mine says $1,350 (and no, we didn’t get any kind of formal update/change of price in writing or verbally from anyone). I showed the driver (who speaks NO English) my contract, and have him sign our Delivery Receipt that I created/printed out noting the damage. He had no paperwork from his company or way to write a receipt of delivery or receipt for payment. No way am I jumping into that hole. I had printed two copies before we left VA, so we sign both of them, I pay him his $1,350 (he’s pissed – calls his boss and we explain), and give him a copy to take back with him. No, we did not tip him either – he broke my shit.

I’m awaiting the quote from Camping World for the hydraulic jack & foot to send to them to order. We took a little time settling in and unloading the Hyundai so Austin can drive it to Syracuse Airport Monday Morning for is asscrackofdawn flight to Dallas. I’ll spend the rest of the evenings after work this week unloading the boxes inside and reorganizing to set us up for the summer.

We did manage to sit down for subs with everyone from the local corner shop and take a lovely sunset boat ride to catch our breath.

We are home. Austin got a few casts in (water is still about 46* so still chilly for any bites), and we can enjoy our weekends to come until we haul back to NC in mid-October.

This will be me for Summer 2026.