Storms and Trees

[campbud]

Last Thursday while out campinbg with friends ...a storm brewed up and we had winds up to 70 mph...it was really scary, it happened so fast ...I was lucky enough to get all my awnings down and secured but our friends were not as lucky..A large tree fell on their camper and our friends next to them lost their awning, had a few nicks in their camper, along with some surface paint on their brand new ford truck...but we all agreed it could of been worse. No one was hurt..my friend just exited out of her bedroom before the tree hit.The park had a tree service come in and remove the tree(although a portion of it was so embedded in the camper they could not get it)My friend was able to drive it home(he lived about 20 mins away)It was a 1988 Mallard. About 5 years ago they had a tree hit in the livingroom area, in the same campground! I think next time when a storm comes up I just might take shelter elsewhere. My DH took pictures and had the camera in video mode...here are the links. Also when the insurance adjuster came out he told my husband that fifthwheel are the worst for being blown over..and once turned over they fall apart when turned back over!

http://s16.photobucket.com/albums/b4...t=100_0315.flv

[Glenn and Lorraine]

Talk about flipping...









Only damage was everything in the cabinets was of course thrown about and any furniture not screwed down was also damaged.
Exterior damage was caused more by the wrecker righting the rig than being flipped over by the wind.
The Monty was completely restored and as far as I know it is still on the road today yet.

[sreigle]

Wow, that's quite a storm! I'm glad to hear nobody was hurt. You can tell that Montana has a full aluminum frame although I'm surprised there apparently was no frame damage. Montanas are tough!

See another Montana or Mountaineer on the road? Flash lights twice, it might be one of us!
Steve Reigle (pronounced Regal)
Fulltiming since 3/21/03
'03 3295RK
'05 Ford F250 SD Lariat CC SB 6.0L PSD/TS FX4 4x4

Our RV Travels (now Firefox-compatible)

[sheiba1]

Hope you rotated the tires While the rig was upside down

[uhftx]

campbud
Look back at Glenn's post of the New England rally in 2005. Something similar happen only the the people (montana owners) already vacated the site.
I tried to search the archives and give you a direct link but I was unsuccessful.

I hope the black tank was empty. Can't imagine the stink or mess. I didn't like seeing these pics.

But the pics are a testament as to the structural integrity of the slides and the Montana overall.

Now if we could just bulletproof the fender skirts.

Looks like a bumper mount spare tire also.

Chris, Donna and Max(the Lhasa)
2001 F350 Dually Lariat 7.3PSD 4x4 Crewcab Short bed
2003 Montana 3255rl 5th
New Hampshire: Live Free or Die

[gkbutler]

Where were you guys camping? We had a storm very much like that hit us at 7:00am on Thursday here just south of Amboy, IL. Was watching the storm on radar and TV and when the announcer said that the storm was hitting Sterling/Rockfalls with wind gusts of 70MPH, I decided we needed to at least put up the awning. Storm hit like 30 seconds after I got it done. Like idiots, we didn't go to a shelter, but sat and watched the wind and rain from the comfort of our living room. It was interesting to watch white caps form on the little pond outside our front door.


Gary and Karen
SFC USAR Ret.
MOC (4049)
2006 2950RK
2005 Chev 2500HD Duramax/Allison SB
16K Pull rite Super Glide
Prodigy brake controller

"Twenty years from now, you will be more disappointed by the things you did not do than by the things you did, so throw off the bow lines, sail away from safe harbor and catch the trade winds in your sails." Mark Twain

[campbud]

Gary and Karen, we were in Marseilles IL....Amboy is not that far away.The storm hit us about 8:15 a.m. We have been to a couple of the campgrounds in the area...one was green something but cant recall the name..I have an uncle that lives right next to the campground.

Glenn and Lorraine, now that has to be one tough Monty!! Scary though!

2005 2955RL Montana
2002 Chevy 2500HD 8.1 Ext Cab 4x4
Bob and Kathy

[Driftwoodgal]

Bob sat out Rita in our New Vision with the slides in. He says he will not ever sit out a hurricane in any RV again. The lady parked next to him had her slides out and got lots of rain in hers and it moved hers as well. If he should ever be out on storm work in the future and has to leave he will put the slides in before leaving.

[Glenn and Lorraine]

I should point out that the photos I posted were taken a few years ago and were not part of the same storm campbud was referring to.

Here in Florida it has been recommend by some to pull the slides in and DO NOT try to anchor the rig. They feel a good hurricane will tear up an anchored rig where as an unanchored rig would probably be just turned over with hopefully very little danmage. Of course the rig should be VACATED during such a storm.

Being in Florida at the moment I have been paying close attention to the weather forcasts especially when they start talking "tropical depressions". I have but one plan should a hurricane kick up and that is to get the HE%% out of [s]town[/s] state before it even gets close. You won't find no anchor on our butts.