BAD WINDS IN THE NIGHT

THURSDAY JANUARY 17/08

Bea & Herb from Edmonton, Alberta

Herb is probably thinking, "oh no, there is a cactus growing out of the top of Bea's head!!"

Boy oh boy, did we ever get beat up by big gusts again last night. Not sure when it started but I was jolted awake around 10:30 with the howling sound in the rigging & the motorhome shaking. The wind gusts intensified & before long I realized these were the worst wind gusts we had experienced so far. Once again, the sounds coming from the roof area were absolutely alarming. I was outside in my pj's with a flashlight 3 separate times between 11 & 2 in the morning fully expecting to find solar panels on the ground. Wind gusts were too powerful for me to get up onto the roof so I just had to trust once again to the strength of the installation job. The winds were hitting the panels from behind which is their most vulnerable point. Our satellite dish was ok because it is set up in the lee of the motorhome out of the wind, plus I had it additionally weighted down with a heavy plastic jug of water.
Laying there last night I couldn't help but wonder if there is any logic in the ways of the wind. I noticed it would come in great billowing gusts that would last for an average of 15 or 20 seconds, then abruptly die down to a dead calm. Nothing for about half a minute or so & then I could hear it coming again. Felt like we were a tiny bowling pin at the end of a long narrow bowling alley. Could hear the rumbling of the huge bowling ball as it bore down on us. Louder & louder & then, "wham!!" The motorhome would shudder under the impact. The wind in the vents of the 2 air conditioners would scream & vibrate. The slide awnings would snap & whip themselves into a frenzy. Every square corner on the motorhome would set up it's own set of defiant howling. The big bowling ball of wind would ram itself into the air vents & shake their very innards. Sounds of metal moving & snapping. It was those sounds that always scare me the most because I don't know what they are. Could it be the solar panels coming apart or an air conditioner working itself loose.

It was sometime after 2 in the morning before I finally fell asleep & by the time I woke up this morning the wind had blown out of town. Everything was calm, shrubs weren't moving, no bad sounds coming from the roof, no shaking, & the morning sun was beginning to rise into a clear blue Arizona sky. And best of all, the roof was still on the motorhome. How could that be. In fact, how could everything look so normal outside after such a blow. Aside from a few things tipped over, I didn't see any damage anywhere. Swung myself onto the motorhome ladder & made my way up onto the roof where, everything looked OK. Vent covers were fine, air conditioners in place & most amazing of all, the solar panels were just as solidly secured as the day they were installed. Nothing loose, screws were all tight, no bent or twisted metal, in fact, everything was totally fine. How can something that sounds sooooooo bad in the night, turn out to look sooooooo good in the morning. Don't figure I'll ever understand that wind stuff!!

The rest of the day was quiet & we had some rare company. While we were staying at Hickiwan Trails over in Why, Arizona last month, a couple had driven by one day & noticed our satellite TV dish set-up. They stopped & chatted for a bit with a few questions about the set-up. Before they left I gave them our Bayfield Bunch web address & a couple of weeks ago they contacted us on the internet saying they would be in Quartzsite this week. A few more emails, one phone call, & to-day they dropped out to our rig for a coffee & chat. We don't often have visitors so it was nice to have Bea & Herb from Edmonton, Alberta drop in. Had a good look at our satellite TV set-up. Always good to talk to experienced RV people because there is always something new to learn. Thanks Bea & Herb for all the info:))

As soon as the sun slipped behind the mountains we beat a hasty retreat inside to warmer territories & that pretty well wound up another day in the life & times of, The Bayfield Bunch:))

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