March marks the arrival of spring break, prompting me to recount a memorable family activity that has become a favorite among my kids: watching Dad tackle the RV septic tank. To set the stage, I should clarify that I didn’t grow up in a camping family. My father, an Eastern European immigrant, and my American mother were just happy to have a roof over our heads; camping seemed utterly nonsensical to them. In stark contrast, my wife, Emily, came from a family that thrived on tent camping, often sharing tales of wild adventures, including one unforgettable night when her dad had to dash to the car in the rain, having been caught unprepared when their tent collapsed.
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Marriage is all about finding middle ground. How do you blend the experiences of a nature-loving wife with a husband who’s a bit clueless about the great outdoors? The answer is RV camping—offering a little bit of everything: hiking, campfires, s’mores, indoor plumbing, a kitchen, and makeshift beds.
On our inaugural RV adventure, our kids were just 6, 4, and 2 years old. By the second day, during our sixth or seventh gas stop (the RV gets about 4 miles per gallon, so frequent refueling is essential), we found ourselves at a Sinclair station boasting a life-sized green plaster Brontosaurus. This stop would be significant, not just for the dinosaur, but because it marked our first family experience with the RV dump station.
RVs are equipped with septic tanks beneath the cabin and a gauge that provides updates as they fill. The RV rental company offers clear instructions for emptying the tanks, which some novices find daunting. The real challenge lies in locating a dumping station right when you need it, so discovering a dinosaur-themed stop with a dump station felt like serendipity.
While Emily took our younger kids to pose atop the dinosaur’s feet, I kept our 6-year-old, Max, close to teach him about the septic system. Parents should seize every opportunity for valuable lessons. I donned double gloves, retrieved the waste hose from storage, and ensured the tank valves were securely closed before opening the caps. The aroma was quite potent!
I attached one end of the hose to the first tank outlet, designated for “non-sink” waste, and instructed Max to step on the foot pedal to hold the dump hole lid open. However, the pedal broke with a loud clang, sending Max into a panic. “I broke it! I broke it!” he cried, convinced he would face dire consequences.
“It’s not your fault, buddy. The lid was rusted; it would have broken no matter who stepped on it,” I reassured him, though my words offered little comfort. “Let’s just drive away!” he pleaded. But what lesson would that teach? We needed to confront the situation head-on.
So, with Max still trembling, we approached the gas station attendant, explained the mishap, and emphasized that the lid’s condition was beyond our control. To our relief, the attendant was understanding and waved off our concerns, suggesting we use the dump hole since we were already set up.
“See, Max, that’s how you handle mistakes. Face them honestly and things often turn out okay,” I said, feeling quite wise. After getting the kids back inside the RV, I proceeded to finish the task. Max, relieved from the threat of being grounded, joined his siblings at the window, as Emily filmed the whole event for posterity.
In hindsight, I likely didn’t secure the hose properly to the outlet valve. The unmistakable sound of suction followed as the hose was yanked from the valve and pulled into the dump hole, triggering an eruption of waste. With the kids in fits of laughter and Emily capturing every moment on camera, I awkwardly tried to manage the chaos. I quickly jumped into the driver’s seat and sped out of the gas station, leaving a trail of blue waste across the parking lot and highway.
I’m not sure how many miles we drove before the tank finally emptied, but our kids continued to laugh about the incident for days. My son handled the situation with grace, never mentioning my lesson about confronting mistakes again.
Over the years, we enjoyed more than two dozen RV trips, until our kids outgrew the cramped sleeping arrangements. Thankfully, we never had another incident with the waste hose. However, every spring break trip since then, the kids have eagerly anticipated our next dump stop.
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In summary, what started as a chaotic RV adventure turned into a cherished family memory, teaching us the importance of facing challenges with honesty and humor.