Crossing Colorado from The Four Corners

[Crankshaft]

Originally Posted by wingnut60

Mesa is at 1200', Flagstaff at 7000'---on I-7, there is a long, long steep climb that will work any rig hard, but you don't have a choice on your route.
Hwy 160 from 89 into Cortez is pretty desolate, mostly reservation lands. Winds can get pretty strong at times, we lost an awning near Tuba City once.
Cameron, AZ, has some good-sized stations--one on west side seems to be a must-stop for almost everyone.
Joe

I have to ask, how does one prevent themselves from losing an awning?

I was looking at Google maps last night. I zoomed in on Route 89, not much on there until Cortez. The rest of the drive looks pretty good, never isolated anywhere. Wolf Creek Pass will be a challenge, I think. I've read about the drive over the pass and you just have to take your time, watch the road and your speed coming down the other side.

[HavingABlast]

Originally Posted by Crankshaft

I have to ask, how does one prevent themselves from losing an awning?

Retract it... :

When you go inside for the night,
When it is windy or high winds are expected,
Before you leave the coach for an extended period of time.

[Crankshaft]

Originally Posted by HavingABlast

Retract it... :

When you go inside for the night,
When it is windy or high winds are expected,
Before you leave the coach for an extended period of time.

How about when your driving? What can be done to keep it from unfurling?

[HavingABlast]

Oh.

Ours extends and retracts by motor. That has kept the awning retracted. I don't know how manually extended awnings are held in place, but would assume that there is some sort of strap or bracket that tethers them to the side of the coach or trailer.

We were coming across the Mackinaw Bridge last year in some pretty strong wind. A travel trailer approaching us from the other direction had their awning fabric flapping in the breeze as they drove across the bridge. We saw the awning support arms in the roadway some time later.

Hope that you find your solution.

[Crankshaft]

Originally Posted by HavingABlast

Oh.

Ours extends and retracts by motor. That has kept the awning retracted. I don't know how manually extended awnings are held in place, but would assume that there is some sort of strap or bracket that tethers them to the side of the coach or trailer.

We were coming across the Mackinaw Bridge last year in some pretty strong wind. A travel trailer approaching us from the other direction had their awning fabric flapping in the breeze as they drove across the bridge. We saw the awning support arms in the roadway some time later.

Hope that you find your solution.

Ours is electric so hopefully the motor will hold tight to the roller and keep it in place.

[wingnut60]

It was a manual awning on our 2nd TT. Wind got into the fabric roll and opened it out, then it just tore off. After replacing, we used velcro straps around the arms to keep it from opening, and also had one with a weatherguard installed--problem solved.
Joe

[twogypsies]

Originally Posted by wingnut60

It was a manual awning on our 2nd TT. Wind got into the fabric roll and opened it out, then it just tore off. After replacing, we used velcro straps around the arms to keep it from opening, and also had one with a weatherguard installed--problem solved.
Joe

Happened to us also while driving in Texas when we had a 5th wheel. However, the arms stayed attached to the RV wall. 'Just' the roller and awning torpedoed across the highway. We were soooo lucky that no one else was driving by at the time. We were on a secondary highway and had a cornering wind which caught the roller. It wasn't even a particularly windy day. So it can happen at any time, any place.

Velcro would have never made a difference because the arms stayed in place. After that we saw a device on the internet called 'Awning Saver' and we used it thereafter. I'm sure there are many devices out there nowadays. That was over 20 years ago.