Forum Discussion

Explorer

Oct 12, 2014

just a reminder... Desert rules

Just returned from a week of State Park desert camping near home
in Arizona. Hot days (mid 90's) to start the week , late week
scattered rains. Thursday morning rainfall rapidly progressed
from a pleasant drizzle to inability of the campsite culvert
drainage to handle the flow from uphill... water rapidly
re-diverted from well established washes to over-flow conditions.
Our tire chalks washed away... mesquite and scrub branches heard
scraping the under carriage... water flowing rapidly (6-10 inches)
under and around 5th wheel with accompanying mud . I never felt
any movement. I thought it was an adventure... the bride was not
amused. After the cloudburst the Park moved us to a campsite with
better drainage ... and higher elevation. They lost a wooden
walking bridge in the process... stated this "never happens".

It happens.

I love this stuff. A good time was had by all (almost all). ;)

Chas

Drama shots....

Happily ever after shots...

24 Replies

Me_Again
Explorer III
Oct 12, 2014
Hope you service the brakes and bearings. Truck to also. Chris
ScottG
Nomad
Oct 12, 2014
That's spectacular spot!
cdlaine
Explorer
Oct 12, 2014
Renee...

She was not willing to "walk out of it" to higher ground
as the water flow and debris was too swift. I deferred to
her judgment. She call the F.D....but surrounding roads were
washed out and they could not reach us. As it turns out,
the cloudburst (thankfully) ended, and the high water mark
rapidly receded. I tracked my buried tire chalks down the
ravine.

In hindsight... I probably should have had a Plan B as soon as
it started raining... I live in the desert, so, should know better.
The diameter of the under the road culvert tubes is inadequate
for moderate to heavy downpours...and quickly overwhelmed.

Moral to the story... try to book higher ground campsites, and, at
the minimum, have an evacuation plan in mind. Really, I know better.
The Desert makes it's own rules....

Emergency windows would have been of little use... ladder to the roof
was a possibility (until if/when the rig started floating)... just staying put
was actually the safest course of action.

Chas
ReneeG
Explorer
Oct 12, 2014
Well, quite an adventure indeed. Glad you are ok, but as a "bride", I too would not be amused. Who knows what could have happened.