THE TRAILER

This...

... is the trailer.  You may immediately notice the most unusual feature - it has no tongue.  That's because it doesn't attach to a ball as is the case with most trailers.  Instead, it is rigidly affixed to the receiver on the RV by means of a rather large, heavy and impressive bracket.  I found it on-line while searching for something Susan would feel comfortable with behind the RV.  Forgive me, I should rephrase.  Something Susan would feel less uncomfortable with.  When we hatched this plot and decided that a scooter would be necessary to out-run bison on this adventure, it quickly became apparent that a regular trailer just wouldn't do.  I first learned of Susan's incompatibility with conventional trailers when she proclaimed, "Listen Buddy (There's that pet name again, curious.) there's no way I'm pulling a trailer behind that monstrosity.  I'm uncomfortable enough just learning to drive it and there is no way I'll ever back it up with a trailer on it, so figure out something else."  At this point she had not yet commenced her forays to the local truck stop to learn how to drive the "monstrosity" - see my previous post on this very subject. That failing aside, her position seemed relatively succinct - even to me.  Which Susan says is saying a lot.

So, having learned much about bison while researching scooters, back to the internet I went.  In short order, I discovered:

Swivelwheel.com

This thing is ingenious.  It eliminates the possibility of "kinking" the trailer against the back of the RV when backing.  It does so because: 1) it is rigidly affixed to the receiver as previously mentioned, and 2) the wheel swivels like the front caster on a shopping cart - albeit a very large shopping cart.

As to the load out scheme...

...it will be markedly similar to what you see above.  The "Scooter" (Susan insists that I at least occasionally use quotations thus making clear her insistence that its really a motorcycle.) sits pretty much in the middle with the bikes held in place with fork clamps on either side.  While the tandem is loaded in the photo above, it will be staying home for the duration of The Thin Blue Ride and Susan's bike will go in its place.  Tho I've not attempted it yet, I'm 90% certain the Sequoia will sit opposite the Tarmac, which is between the Scooter and the back of the RV - you'll be able to see it if you enlarge the pic.

One of Susan's brothers insists that the entire contraption falls short of being road worthy and is apparently convinced that it will lead to...  well, at this point all I can say is "something bad".  My words, not his.  This despite the fact that we hauled it to South Dakota loaded with bikes to ride RASDAK.  He seems to have difficulty elucidating the particulars of the the disaster careening our way like the infamous hounds of war, but is clear in his insistence that it will be tied to the trailer.  This may merit discussion in a future post, which I'm sure will be enlightening.  More to follow...