We are still wanabees and as such we have lots of questions. Howard's most recent journal entry mentioned preparing for severe weather by being ready to pull in the slideouts. What, if anything, else can be done?
Foxriverguy George & Sandy Stoltz On the road in 09/09
mcw50 said
12:30 AM Apr 26, 2007
We do basically the same as Howard.....be ready to pull in the slides if necessary (we have awnings over the top that could rip in bad wind or flying debris)...have the weather radio handy..put away any chairs, small items, etc. from the patio...look around the area beyond your site for things that might blow your way. If there are tornado warnings it always good to have checked out any shelters (concrete bathrooms??) available. Check the weather on your travel route before you begin your travel.
Mary
PS...to answer a few questions that came up.....we are in a Class A...and can use our rig with the slides in....and yes, there are times we pull them in when its just windy, rainy or cold and we want to protect the awning covers or conserve heat. We would never stay in the rig if we could go someplace else in severe weather. And one of the reasons we chose a Class A is so that we CAN use our rig with slides in if need be...lunch at rest areas, overnights at Wal-Mart, in unexpected, really rainy or cold weather.
-- Edited by mcw50 at 21:48, 2007-04-29
Speedhitch said
09:21 PM Apr 27, 2007
Well I just have to come in here and post this. This is a very important Topic. If you'r full timing that means you'r living in a trailer or MH and believe me Tornados love trailers! I don't mean to be glib here but if you plan to stay in Tornado Alley you better have a plan. Planning during a Tornado does not happen. When you get to a new park talk to the folks in the office and find out what the storm plan is for the area. If they do not have a safe building on the grounds then find out where the nearest storm shelter might be. I have been in many Tornados in my time here in Texas and you DO NOT want to be caught without a plan. Also keep in mind that you want to be ahead of the storm so whatever your plan is, leave in plenty of time to get to your safe haven. I hope that you or any of our members here never have to evacuate their homes because of a Tornado, but if you do please do so with a well rehearsed plan.
RickV1955 said
07:48 AM Apr 29, 2007
I'm curious.... We're in the "research" mode, in preparing for full time RVing upon retirement in Feb. 2010. I've read this a couple of times on different forums, about pulling in the slides during imclement weather? For the most part, the fifth wheels we've seen are all set up with the slides opened... that doesn't show what the units would be like with some of the slides in... Recently on our trips to see the various fifth wheels, we've made point to check out some of the units with slides in, and out...what I'd like to know is this: Most of the fifth wheels we looked at are pretty much "unliveable" with the slides in....in a lot of them, we could access the refrigerator and the bathroom, but the livingroom areas, and the bedrooms are pretty much unuseable? For those of you pulling in the slides during "bad" weather, where the heck to you "live" duing this time frame? do you just stand around the small entryway area? although, we could probably sleep on the bed with the slides in, there sure isn't much room to move around.... Just curious about this??
Rick & Debi
Speedhitch said
05:31 PM Apr 29, 2007
Rick and Debie, people pull their slides in to keep the winds from ripping off the awnings over the slides. Believe me, if you are in real severe weather you should not be in your trailer. You need to find a safe place to be. A trailer with the slides in is not a safe place!
RickV1955 said
07:30 PM Apr 29, 2007
Speedhitch, I understand about "severe" weather (i.e...tornados, very severe storms) but I've gotten the impression from some of the posts I've read that slides were pulled in to prevent damage to the awnings, etc...I didn't get the impression it was weather severe enough to have to seek alternate shelter (but maybe that's what people were talking about?) Although, I have read about what appears to be pulling in slides just to avoid damage - fairly high winds - heavy rains - hail...etc... with people staying in the units? Just curious as to whether we should be considering the type of living space left with slide(s) in? I'm sure we would obviously get the heck out of the trailer if there was life threatening weather... Thanks,
Rick & Debi
Linda said
10:58 AM Apr 30, 2007
The design of our rig does not allow access to the living room with the slides in. So if we close the slides, we just go to the bedroom. We can still get into bed, access our toilet and refrigerator. Many nights we sleep with the bedroom slide closed because of the noise the wind makes on the slide awnings. We've been on the road now almost two years and have only closed all the slides (due to weather) once. That was when Hurricane Katrina came through Alabama. When we hear of severe weather coming our way, we just prepare the rig to be able to close the slides quickly (turn the recliners and move objects out of the way of the slides).
Judy said
09:54 PM Apr 30, 2007
You can bet we would also be out of our rv along with our dogs to a nearby bath house as most of them are out of cement blocks or a nearby shelter if one was around. This is why I think Howard and Lindas weather radio is important...we have yet to purchase one even though we are into full timing. southwestjudy & Bob & 2blackdogs
Foxriverguy
George & Sandy Stoltz
On the road in 09/09
Mary
PS...to answer a few questions that came up.....we are in a Class A...and can use our rig with the slides in....and yes, there are times we pull them in when its just windy, rainy or cold and we want to protect the awning covers or conserve heat. We would never stay in the rig if we could go someplace else in severe weather. And one of the reasons we chose a Class A is so that we CAN use our rig with slides in if need be...lunch at rest areas, overnights at Wal-Mart, in unexpected, really rainy or cold weather.
-- Edited by mcw50 at 21:48, 2007-04-29
We're in the "research" mode, in preparing for full time RVing upon retirement in Feb. 2010.
I've read this a couple of times on different forums, about pulling in the slides during imclement weather?
For the most part, the fifth wheels we've seen are all set up with the slides opened... that doesn't show what the units would be like with some of the slides in...
Recently on our trips to see the various fifth wheels, we've made point to check out some of the units with slides in, and out...what I'd like to know is this:
Most of the fifth wheels we looked at are pretty much "unliveable" with the slides in....in a lot of them, we could access the refrigerator and the bathroom, but the livingroom areas, and the bedrooms are pretty much unuseable?
For those of you pulling in the slides during "bad" weather, where the heck to you "live" duing this time frame? do you just stand around the small entryway area? although, we could probably sleep on the bed with the slides in, there sure isn't much room to move around....
Just curious about this??
Rick & Debi
I understand about "severe" weather (i.e...tornados, very severe storms) but I've gotten the impression from some of the posts I've read that slides were pulled in to prevent damage to the awnings, etc...I didn't get the impression it was weather severe enough to have to seek alternate shelter (but maybe that's what people were talking about?) Although, I have read about what appears to be pulling in slides just to avoid damage - fairly high winds - heavy rains - hail...etc... with people staying in the units?
Just curious as to whether we should be considering the type of living space left with slide(s) in?
I'm sure we would obviously get the heck out of the trailer if there was life threatening weather...
Thanks,
Rick & Debi
The design of our rig does not allow access to the living room with the slides in. So if we close the slides, we just go to the bedroom. We can still get into bed, access our toilet and refrigerator. Many nights we sleep with the bedroom slide closed because of the noise the wind makes on the slide awnings. We've been on the road now almost two years and have only closed all the slides (due to weather) once. That was when Hurricane Katrina came through Alabama. When we hear of severe weather coming our way, we just prepare the rig to be able to close the slides quickly (turn the recliners and move objects out of the way of the slides).
southwestjudy & Bob & 2blackdogs