| Re: [GMCnet] Our GMC handled 80 mph side winds better then I thought last night. [message #320801 is a reply to message #320798] |
Fri, 21 July 2017 16:46   |
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USAussie
Messages: 15912
Registered: July 2007
Location: Sydney, Australia
Karma:
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Senior Member |
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Helen was an avid gardener and when she learned of the International Peace Gardens that straddle the border between the USA and
Canada she put it on our bucket list.
To get there you drive due north on ND-3 N. While driving we encountered heavy cross winds coming from the west at 50 - 60 mph (I'll
explain how I know that in a bit). The difficult part of driving came when I was steering to the left to compensate for the wind and
came to a section of the road that had a stand of trees on the west. The wind was blocked and dropped so much that I'd wind up
across the center line! I'd correct and when I had passed the stand the wind would pick up again and it would blow the GMC into the
soft shoulder. Helen was quite scared and noted she didn't know if she REALLY wanted to see the gardens after all!
It didn't take me long to figger out that I had to keep an eye out for trees and get ready to adjust quickly. I also slowed down to
50 mph from the speed limit of 65 mph.
As we were driving all of a sudden I heard a loud THUD and the coach swayed badly. I looked in my side mirror and noted that the
awning had deployed! The westerly winds were strong enough to unroll it! Needless to say I slowed down quickly and heard a second
THUD when it rolled itself up.
I realized I was going to have to come up with a quick fix. I wound up drilling a couple of small holes in the drip lip, and
enlarging them so I could put a tie wrap through it and around the awning.
While I was working a State Trooper pulled up to see if all was OK, I explained what had happened and he noted, "yep, we find
awnings by the side of the road all the time when it's this windy." I asked him how strong were they and he noted 50 - 60 mph is
common.
I found out that Zip Dee makes a little clip that holds the awning in and installed it as a permanent fix.
Regards,
Rob M.
Sydney, Australia
AUS '75 Avion - The Blue Streak TZE365V100428
USA '75 Avion - Double Trouble TZE365V100426
USA '77 Kingsley - TZE 267V100808
-----Original Message-----
From: Gmclist [mailto:gmclist-bounces@list.gmcnet.org] On Behalf Of James Hupy
Sent: Saturday, July 22, 2017 6:58 AM
To: gmclist@list.gmcnet.org
Subject: Re: [GMCnet] Our GMC handled 80 mph side winds better then I thought last night.
We went through a similar storm on that same highway during our route 66
trip. Never want to do that again. No fun at all. Black sky, wild winds,
rain in buckets. Glad you survived it intact.
Jim Hupy
Salem, Or
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Regards,
Rob M. (USAussie)
The Pedantic Mechanic
Sydney, Australia
'75 Avion - AUS - The Blue Streak TZE365V100428
'75 Avion - USA - Double Trouble TZE365V100426
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