What are your high wind stories?
Given the morphing of the rollover story and the interest. I thought a high wind story thread might be fun. We've had some high wind in the area and while I've been camping. According to the weat...
Forum Discussion
Living in Kodiak Alaska, we get wind. In fact wind advisories do not even go out till the winds are forecast to hit 50mph.... We have experienced winds here to 120 mph. As for the camper, the Avion has rode out storms on and off the truck, at home and while traveling around Alaska.
Before I got the Avion, there was a Bigfoot in a mid 90's dually Chevy parked out at the USCG Base, near the water. The gusts during that storm hit the 90's, and the owner was sleeping in the TC, when the gust hit, blowing the Bigfoot out of the Chevy. Something gave way in the mounting, tore the whole side of the bed over on the Chevy, and the camper was laying on it's side. The owner, had to call his buddies on board one of the ships to come help get him out! Bigfoot had some scuffing and stress fractures in the glass, but held up amazingly well.
We were on a trip to the Mainland, and were traveling south on the Richardson Highway from Delta Junction to Paxton. The winds were so bad, several other TC's had pulled over, and were inching along at 5 to 10 mph on the shoulder. The Avion hardly felt the wind at all, just a bit more than if I was just driving the truck solo. The winds were reportedly 80 to 90mph gusts with sustained winds of 50 to 60. It seems that the rounded corners of the Avion do not give the wind an "edge" to catch. When the wind hits any side, the pressure is relieved off the top like a plane wing. We have parked stationary in sustained 60mph winds, and while we rocked a bit, the truck and camper did fine. I thought I'd miss the storage in the upper compartments due to the rounded corners, but for Alaska driving, I don't need so much stuff anyway, and both drive-ability, and fuel mileage show for it! I get 14 to 15MPG with 11,000 lbs a 5.4L gas V-8, 6spd manual and 3.73 gears with 34" tires! So let the wind Blow! It always does here in Alaska!
Garry
Before I got the Avion, there was a Bigfoot in a mid 90's dually Chevy parked out at the USCG Base, near the water. The gusts during that storm hit the 90's, and the owner was sleeping in the TC, when the gust hit, blowing the Bigfoot out of the Chevy. Something gave way in the mounting, tore the whole side of the bed over on the Chevy, and the camper was laying on it's side. The owner, had to call his buddies on board one of the ships to come help get him out! Bigfoot had some scuffing and stress fractures in the glass, but held up amazingly well.
We were on a trip to the Mainland, and were traveling south on the Richardson Highway from Delta Junction to Paxton. The winds were so bad, several other TC's had pulled over, and were inching along at 5 to 10 mph on the shoulder. The Avion hardly felt the wind at all, just a bit more than if I was just driving the truck solo. The winds were reportedly 80 to 90mph gusts with sustained winds of 50 to 60. It seems that the rounded corners of the Avion do not give the wind an "edge" to catch. When the wind hits any side, the pressure is relieved off the top like a plane wing. We have parked stationary in sustained 60mph winds, and while we rocked a bit, the truck and camper did fine. I thought I'd miss the storage in the upper compartments due to the rounded corners, but for Alaska driving, I don't need so much stuff anyway, and both drive-ability, and fuel mileage show for it! I get 14 to 15MPG with 11,000 lbs a 5.4L gas V-8, 6spd manual and 3.73 gears with 34" tires! So let the wind Blow! It always does here in Alaska!
Garry
