Down goes the Dutchmen

The Dutchmen was having a really good summer. People were having fun and it was popular, and was booked every weekend through most of the summer. Unfortunately, that ended today when a renter returned the camper in an unusable condition. 

 I'd had a feeling about this particular renter because he didn't seem to know the pickup procedure and location, which is odd since prior to pickup day, people get at least three messages with the information and a copy of the camper guide, an incredibly helpful step-by-step guide. 

 If he didn't even read the pickup information, I thought, what are the odds he'll read the setup instructions properly?

 So before he left on Friday, I said, "have one person read each step out loud, then you do it, and everything will be fine." He chose not to. 

 The bed pullout was pulled out, and then the kids jumped on it. He didn't put the support posts in and without support, the rollout assembly bent on both sides. It would be near impossible to put back in and fold up for home. But he did, jamming it back in, causing more damage, and ripping the canvas and vinyl sides of the camper.

The camper, for now, is essentially totalled unless I can get parts. And that's the problem with a 1999 camper; getting parts is near impossible.

Knowing this would be a lot of downtime, I set about contacting all of the people who had booked the camper to tell them I would have to cancel.

The work ahead is no fun; but ruining people's plans is the worst. Should I be able to get the camper going again, they'll all get free use of the camper next summer.

And maybe it'll work out. I've wanted to rip out the linoleum flooring and put in something better. Maybe this is the time to do it.

All of that, of course, depends on being able to find parts.