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calewjohnson's avatar
calewjohnson
Explorer
Jun 08, 2013

Check your gear!!

About half way through our PCS from FL to CA. Left Wichita Falls, TX this morning for Tucumcari, NM. Took 287 up to I-40, it was a great ride, but windy as all get out. I found it comical that everywhere there was a "Severe Crosswind" sign, there were actually severe crosswinds. I stopped once to double check all connections and sway brace...well, I got to our campground (KOA) and I find that my access door to my propane tanks has gone missing... What a pain, I guess it departed during the winds today. Long story short, my wife now knows why I do a complete walk around when we stop....I treat it like a post flight walk around.

Tomorrow is Farmington, NM, then 4-Corners and Grand Canyon.

Safe travels.

Cale
Seeking Advice

20 Replies

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  • calewjohnson's avatar
    calewjohnson
    Explorer
    Jun 08, 2013
    rockhillmanor wrote:
    Boy I hear you about those high winds!:B
    On a trip from WI to CA I got as far as Tulsa battling high winds with my first TT......I turned around and went back home!


    Unfortunately, there is no turning around, my home has moved... :)
    Which brings up another point I was going to mention earlier....be sure you have the right gear for the job...my first TV was a 99 Ram 1500. I would have been absolutely miserable today, I am sure my trailer would have been wagging me all over the road. I have an Insight to monitor engine parameters....with air con running, coolant was at 201, trans fluid was at 188, and EGT was between 1100-1300 with cruise on 62. Could not ask for anything better than that!
  • rockhillmanor's avatar
    rockhillmanor
    Explorer II
    Jun 08, 2013
    Boy I hear you about those high winds!:B
    On a trip from WI to CA I got as far as Tulsa battling high winds with my first TT......I turned around and went back home!
  • globehopper's avatar
    globehopper
    Explorer
    Jun 08, 2013
    the koa in willams (circle pines) was great - not too close to the grand canyon, but very close to "flag" and further away is sedona (they have a rv park in town, but a ittle too touristy for me. winds coming down towards las vegas can be brutal. if you are staying in lv, we liked the oasis rv park, just five minute drive from the strip, but just over the bridge is a casino with a huge bass pro shop
    have a great time
  • Fredzo's avatar
    Fredzo
    Explorer
    Jun 08, 2013
    calewjohnson wrote:
    Fredzo wrote:
    Coming home from Lake Isabella on Memorial Day, we counted three awnings along the 14 Freeway! Quit counting boat cushions and coolers; too many!


    Wow, I could not even imagine losing an awning....


    It's more common than you think. When washing your RV, you can accidentally flip the cam on the awning, or the pawl can fail.

    In high wind conditions, anything that can come loose, will.

    We had gusts of up to 70MPH. I lost the screw-trim on my fiver on the same road a few years ago. Had to pull over and snatch it off.

    It took me an hour after I got home on Memorial Day weekend to uncurl my fingers enough to grasp my beer and sandwich while dumping!
  • calewjohnson's avatar
    calewjohnson
    Explorer
    Jun 08, 2013
    Fredzo wrote:
    Coming home from Lake Isabella on Memorial Day, we counted three awnings along the 14 Freeway! Quit counting boat cushions and coolers; too many!


    Wow, I could not even imagine losing an awning....
  • Fredzo's avatar
    Fredzo
    Explorer
    Jun 08, 2013
    Coming home from Lake Isabella on Memorial Day, we counted three awnings along the 14 Freeway! Quit counting boat cushions and coolers; too many!
  • calewjohnson's avatar
    calewjohnson
    Explorer
    Jun 08, 2013
    liberty2010 wrote:
    Contact Colaw RV salvage in Carhage, MO to see if they have your door. They have 40 acres of RVs being salvaged. 877-548-2126 http://colawrvsalvage.com/


    Thanks for the info! Will definitely do that!
  • liberty2010's avatar
    liberty2010
    Explorer
    Jun 08, 2013
    Contact Colaw RV salvage in Carhage, MO to see if they have your door. They have 40 acres of RVs being salvaged. 877-548-2126 http://colawrvsalvage.com/
  • naturist's avatar
    naturist
    Nomad II
    Jun 08, 2013
    Funny about those winds, eh? Good luck getting a replacement, and remember, in future, make sure that sucker is closed and latched!

    Happy Trails, man!

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