Hurricane ready and thankful

[markb422]

Originally Posted by spock123

I live in NC and like someone said, it's crazy here. I'm staying put, just be another camping trip. I hope the electric power is out for a week, I get to find out how good everything works in my camper. I have two Honda's for my camper and another Honda for our house. We are both retired but DW doesn't like to dry camp. Maybe I'll get the chance. Have enough gas to run the generators for a week, insurance is paid up

If your wanting to know "how good everything works" just go to the breaker box, grab the one that says MAIN and switch it to the OFF position. Go back a week later and switch it to the ON position.

[ben31]

Everyone be safe. Yes, this is why we keep our 5er in our driveway, ready to go at a moment's notice. We keep some clothes, drinking water, emergency food, etc. in the trailer. I also change out the water in the Fresh Water tank about once a month. It really does help to have emergency shelter and supplies, so when things like this happen, you can use it, whether you are leaving or using it as an alternate house.

I, too, am thankful to have it for both the memories and for the piece of mind.

[RV_Fan44]

Please be safe

[HAPP]

Our prayers are with all. God bless, and God's speed. Be safe.

[jdstrubel]

Originally Posted by PupScrappy

This is a time that I am both very thankful for having my trailer and that it is always kept ready to go. Now that we are facing a horrible storm Irma, our trailer is now our escape. Florida is undergoing evacuation in order to prepare for Irma and I feel so thankful that even if we are sitting in a rest area safe from the storm, we will have a nice place to call home which is also pet friendly. No worry about trying to find a pet Friendly motel or anything. And if the worse does happen and we return to nothing, at least we will have a nice place to live while we overcome the situation. Not only do the RV's in our lives provide great enjoyment in happy times they are also a very valuable resource in times of tragedy. To everyone out there affected by Irma, my thoughts and prayers are with all of us that we may be spared great lose from this and return to our happy camping days.

First - May God keep you and yours safe!

I've had these same thoughts while this was going on - although I am not directly effected as you are I was thinking at least we can hook up - get out of harms way and be comfortable and safe. We can replace possessions but we cannot replace our human self.

Good luck and keep us posted on how you fare - if you need any of us you know ANY of us WOULD be HAPPY to help in your time of need. There are many of us that have 50amp hookups at our homes.

God Bless
Debbie

[tugboat369]

If anyone getting out of the way of the storm needs a place I am in Mt Airy NC we're 77 goes into VA I have a Full hook up at our place

[BandJCarm]

Originally Posted by tugboat369

If anyone getting out of the way of the storm needs a place I am in Mt Airy NC we're 77 goes into VA I have a Full hook up at our place

Now you tell me! LOL

I was going there, but the forecast winds were same there as here (York, SC). Now, we're going to get it, and it's a bit too late to get on the packed roads to head NE away from it.

My original plan? Tennessee! Glad I waited on that one!

[camper70]

Hi! Everyone. I'm currently sitting here at Myrtle Beach Travel Park four sites from the beach. It is raining off and on and quite windy. They are forecasting wind gusts up to 40 mph. I'm between to large motorhomes . The wind is rocking us a bit but not bad. The campground road near the beach was flooded at high tide but has since receded. I'm in a Coachman Apex 28 ft. The campground staff said the worst should be through here by 4 pm. I feel bad for everyone affected by IRMA. Everyone stay safe. We are trying just hope the winds start dying down.

[JerryandAudra]

I am so thankful this storm has passed and we are here to begin the cleanup. We are currently parked in Winter Haven, Florida which is in the path of Irma's Eye as it came up into inland Florida. We stayed here during the storm, largely due to a series of errors in timing (i.e. We had been out of state visiting our children and were oblivious to the path of the storm until we arrived and realized a State of Emergency and mandatory evacuations had begun in the Keys). We immediately began preparing (securing our outside items here) as soon as we saw the news and realized what was happening. Unfortunately, by the time this was done the roadways were bumper to bumper and the fuel shortage was in full swing. So we had to decide whether to risk running out of fuel and facing this monster on the interstate or preparing our fiver as well as possible and getting to a safe shelter. The latter is what we did. By the grace of God, we survived with no damage at all. Here are the things we did to our fifth wheel to prepare:
1) we secured EVERYTHING outside - eliminated all chance of anything propelling into our rig or someone else's.
2) we filled all holding tanks full - this added about 1000 pounds to our 2016 Crusader.
3) we hooked up our truck (Dodge Ram Longhorn 3500) to the fifth wheel - this added another 10,000 pounds
4) we positioned evening to be head first into the wind
5) we tied down the axles by using ratchet straps from the axles to nearby posts and trees
6) we went through and made sure all vents and potential areas for water to come in were covered and secured.
7) we taped trash bags inside around skylights so that any water coming in would run into the bags and not onto the floors
8) we ran all slides in and covered beds with tarps.
9) we left and went to a safe shelter with our dogs and prayed like hell!

The one thing we wanted to do but couldn't because there was no materials left at any of the stores, was to attach plywood over the windows. Our plan for that was to take a standard sheet of plywood, drill holes in the four corners of the board. Run rope through the holes and run the rope over the top of the rig and then attach 5 gallon buckets of sand to the rope below the boards and to the rope on the other side of the rig. Luckily nothing blew into our windows.

In the end, while I do think these steps and actions helped us, largely I think God just protected us and we got lucky. Next time...well, I pray there isn't a next time.

[Schvarak]

Originally Posted by JerryandAudra

I am so thankful this storm has passed and we are here to begin the cleanup. We are currently parked in Winter Haven, Florida which is in the path of Irma's Eye as it came up into inland Florida. We stayed here during the storm, largely due to a series of errors in timing (i.e. We had been out of state visiting our children and were oblivious to the path of the storm until we arrived and realized a State of Emergency and mandatory evacuations had begun in the Keys). We immediately began preparing (securing our outside items here) as soon as we saw the news and realized what was happening. Unfortunately, by the time this was done the roadways were bumper to bumper and the fuel shortage was in full swing. So we had to decide whether to risk running out of fuel and facing this monster on the interstate or preparing our fiver as well as possible and getting to a safe shelter. The latter is what we did. By the grace of God, we survived with no damage at all. Here are the things we did to our fifth wheel to prepare:
1) we secured EVERYTHING outside - eliminated all chance of anything propelling into our rig or someone else's.
2) we filled all holding tanks full - this added about 1000 pounds to our 2016 Crusader.
3) we hooked up our truck (Dodge Ram Longhorn 3500) to the fifth wheel - this added another 10,000 pounds
4) we positioned evening to be head first into the wind
5) we tied down the axles by using ratchet straps from the axles to nearby posts and trees
6) we went through and made sure all vents and potential areas for water to come in were covered and secured.
7) we taped trash bags inside around skylights so that any water coming in would run into the bags and not onto the floors
8) we ran all slides in and covered beds with tarps.
9) we left and went to a safe shelter with our dogs and prayed like hell!

The one thing we wanted to do but couldn't because there was no materials left at any of the stores, was to attach plywood over the windows. Our plan for that was to take a standard sheet of plywood, drill holes in the four corners of the board. Run rope through the holes and run the rope over the top of the rig and then attach 5 gallon buckets of sand to the rope below the boards and to the rope on the other side of the rig. Luckily nothing blew into our windows.

In the end, while I do think these steps and actions helped us, largely I think God just protected us and we got lucky. Next time...well, I pray there isn't a next time.

We left home -- Charleston SC late Saturday afternoon. Stopped to spend the night at a rest area in Augusta GA before driving to the campground at Anniston Army Depot where we left Monday (because of forecast 60 mph gusts) for the Midway Navy RV park in Millington TN. Has been raining here since 8pm last night.
Leaving for Altus AFB camp ground in the morning where well be staying for 2-4 nights depending on if we can get into the Kirtland AFB campground Friday (no reservations[emoji20])
God was with us also!!

[PupScrappy]

I am very happy to report that we made
It thru Irma safe and Un-damaged. I wish the same for everyone that had to go thru it. Reading the posting here. Those were great ideas and a lot of what we did too to survive. I think we have all learned some lessons from this. The biggest one being to not miss the window of opportunity to escape. I don't think anyone anticipated what the mass evacuation would be like. And like so many there came that time where you had to decided do I run away and risk running out of fuel along the way. If I was only in a car I probably would have taken the chance as it had a much greater range. Towing the rig, I've got 250 miles with all going great before I'm stranded. So there is a lot I will do differently should I be faced with this again. But for now I am very thankful to have come thru
This the way I did and only wish the very best for all the others affected by Irma.

[ben31]

Another list for the "you might be an RVer if..." list. Some of us worried more about out RVs than our houses!

We also filled our tanks, made sure all the windows and vents were closed, disconnected the power, but also turned on the refrigerator, in case we needed to use it.

Every time we got a big gust of wind, I'd look out at the RV in the driveway. It swayed a little, but made it through ok. I kept watching the levelers to see if they were sliding or anything. Strongest gust we got was 71 mph against the side. No problems. Thankful that Irma wasn't as strong as it could have been. Losing power for a little while (14 hours) was nothing compared to many others.