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Minno · 04-28-2014, 06:34 PM

Traveling towards Vintage Trailer Academy, crossing Kansas in VERY high winds! We barely got into Colorado on US 70, and all of a sudden Chris is saying pull off, awning is coming unrolled! I quickly pulled over, and, sure enough, awning was coming out from under the metal cover. We have never had a problem before, everything was tightened down properly, but the wind was horrendous coming from NW, as we were traveling west. It must have been 'just right' to catch the awning.
In trying to unroll slightly and trying to roll it back up, the wind caught it and almost put the whole awning over the trailer. We grabbed the arms and held it down until we had a slight lull in the wind and managed to get it rolled back up. We were NOT going to lose our awning!
We got back on the road, but were off again in a few miles because it started happening again. We caught it earlier this time, and kept it all in place. Chris tied the dogs tie out cord around it and fastened it to the grab handle by the door, tightened it down so the awning couldn't unroll again, and we got off the highway as soon as we could heading straight south for a tail wind.
We're now in La Junta for the night. We unrolled the awning to check it and nothing looks damaged. WHEW!

Kay

**azflycaster** · 04-28-2014, 06:38 PM

Is it a zipdee?

Minno · 04-28-2014, 06:47 PM

Yup, it is. We installed it last year in the spring. We have one of those travel latches installed where the directions said to put it near the rear of the awning. I want to install 5 more when we get home. Probably one more near the front would be enough. However, in this case, the travel latch was in place and the awning still started unrolling out. Don't know if another latch would have made a difference!

Kay

**azflycaster** · 04-28-2014, 06:51 PM

Talk to Luke at the VTA. He is a Zipdee distributor and know what he is talking about. I would bet that he has a few travel latches in one of his plastic boxes.

Ken J · 04-28-2014, 06:54 PM

Y'all be careful out there - we will leave the light on for ya - yes Im sure Luke can look at it - you are coming to the right place !

sandlapper · 04-28-2014, 06:56 PM

Glad all is well. We wrap one of those bungees with the knob around each front and rear arm as added protection. We place it at the snap stud so it can't slide down.

John

Firedog1 · 04-28-2014, 07:06 PM

we always used nylon zip ties on long road trips. just cut off on arrival. cheap insurance

Air Cruiser · 04-28-2014, 07:31 PM

Hi Kay! Sorry to hear of your awning situation & then add to it by saying we just pulled in here today at Enchanted Trails & it is still blowing like crazy out here! So it may be the entire way for you. We were told they're hoping the wind will die down soon.

When we checked in we asked if anyone else was here for the Academy yet & were told one couple in one of their vintage rentals but haven't met them yet.

Safe travels & see you soon.

Frank & Deb

Minno · 04-28-2014, 07:32 PM

Thank-you all. We were hoping that Luke was going to be at the VTA. Nice to know that's true!

I thought about securing the arms with zip-ties, but the arms weren't the problem. They are tight to the trailer, held in place with the wheels, and the arms never moved. The metal covering and fabric ballooned off the roller at the front. About 2 feet of awning fabric ballooned out the first time. The travel latch held the rear end of the awning in place, just like it's supposed to. Just a weird thing to have happen.

I'm thinking a travel latch, installed as close to the font of the awning as possible, would have prevented it from happening.

What I tried to do, was zip-tie the front of the awning roll together, so it couldn't unroll at all. But, that would have required drilling a hole through the metal cover as close to the awning rail on the trailer as possible. Not a place I could reach with my step stool, nor something I wanted to attempt alongside I70 in 45 MPH winds.

We should be ok tomorrow. The winds have died way down, and the storm system is moving East.

We'll tackle Luke and ask his help and advice.

Chris

Minno · 04-28-2014, 07:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Air Cruiser

Hi Kay! Sorry to hear of your awning situation & then add to it by saying we just pulled in here today at Enchanted Trails & it is still blowing like crazy out here! So it may be the entire way for you. We were told they're hoping the wind will die down soon.

When we checked in we asked if anyone else was here for the Academy yet & were told one couple in one of their vintage rentals but haven't met them yet.

Safe travels & see you soon.

Frank & Deb

We will be there Thursday. See you then!

Ken J · 04-29-2014, 06:33 AM

Weather is looking great for us this weekend !

Minno · 04-29-2014, 08:58 PM

Yup, its nice here.

much nicer than the weather we have been in.

We were going to spend 2 nights at the Great Sand Dunes National Park, but it was 35 degrees when we got there this morning, and heading to low 20s for the next few nights. Decided not to chance freezing dump lines and valves, so headed to Enchanted Trails this afternoon. Will explore Old Town tomorrow.

Chris