Saturday I wanted to try the trailer I’m going to pull to Baja next week.
It needs to carry 2 full size ATV’s and a 50 cc ATV and my 2 dirt bikes.
So I loaded it up Saturday afternoon and tried it out on I-70.
I only went to Denver West Blvd. and turned around.
By the #2nd exit it was real windy and a semi passed me.
The windburst blew one of the top roof storage boxes off the top of my RV.
I had to drive to the Ward road Exit to get off and get back on.
When I went by the 32nd exit, on the wrong side, I saw my stuff scattered
on the shoulder of the exit. I had a minor thought of stopping and running across 8 lanes of I-70 with a lot of traffic—it seemed to be a bad idea.
I drove to the next exit, Denver West, and turned around.
When I got back to 32nd exit most of the stuff I had seen there was gone and someone was trying to load up the damaged roof pod. I pulled up beeping
my horn and they dropped it and took off. There wasn’t anything else in their pick up; but the rest of my stuff was gone.
Doug’s black water portable black water dump tank, Our riding gear tent, a tarp and the Grandkids’ beach toy Christmas presents. The presents are the
biggest loss ---Where do you get beach toys in Colorado in December??
I guess I could hope the presents land with some kids who need and will use them. I hope the dump tank leaks and the tent and tarp have holes in
them
Good news we leave for Baja A week from Monday 12-25
s.bajalou - 12-17-2006 at 07:41 PM
Too bad George, but looking forward to seeing you down here.bajarich - 12-17-2006 at 07:58 PM
Reminds me of the time I was canoeing on the Portneuf River near Lava Hot Springs, Idaho. I came to a big waterfall that I couldn't run, so I pulled
the boat out and dragged it over by the road. My wife was waiting for me about a mile down the road so I ran down to get her. When we got back there
were two guys loading my canoe into their truck. The said they thought someone had lost it (paddle, lifejacket, and all). I gave them the benefit of
the doubt, but I'm glad it didn't take any longer that it did to get back to the boat.Al G - 12-17-2006 at 08:00 PM
I can certainly sympathize with you ArvadaGeorge...
I am about to have a nervous break down and I have not tested anything....much less left town. I have delayed week after week, trying to rebuild
everything for Baja.
I have nothing on the outside, but have had nightmares about my quad flipping over, because it looks high with the new axle and 14" tires. Well we can
only do our best and Tuesday come hell or high water, I am leaving....,
If you see me along the side of the road, stop and say Holabajalou - 12-17-2006 at 08:12 PM
A friend was riding a street bike in Stockton CA and came to a stop light. Somehow he lost his balance and the bike and he fell down with his leg
pinned under it. A guy walked over - George thought "Great Help getting up" - NO, the guy reached down and pulled his billfold from his pocket and
walked off.mtgoat666 - 12-17-2006 at 08:20 PM
Quote:
Originally posted by ArvadaGeorge
The windburst blew one of the top roof storage boxes off the top of my RV.
I think you should be happy that your improperly tied load did not kill somebody, and less concerned about material things.
All I can say is------
Barry A. - 12-18-2006 at 12:46 AM
-----that when I see stuff along the edge of the freeway, I almost always stop and pick it up. It NEVER occurred to me that somebody might be coming
BACK to retrieve it.
-----I feel badly that you had this experience, and realize that it must be demoralizing, but those roof top boxes MUST be triple tied down for
obvious reasons. I had somebodies lawn chair blow off their vehicle ahead of me once, and it did about $200 worth of damage to my paint job, plus
some minor dents. I about went apopletic!!!! It could have come thru my windshield!!! and the clown ahead of me did not have a clue.
If your mishap had been observed by Law Enforcement you would have been in BIG BIG trouble.
Count your blessings, control your frustration, and learn from this. YOU are responsible for securing your stuff, and to not do it is a criminal
matter, as it should be.
Sorry to be so unsympathetic, but this kind of stuff just infuriates me!! and you opened the door.ArvadaGeorge - 12-18-2006 at 03:00 AM
You guys are right.I am glad no one got hurt.
That the most important thingAl G - 12-18-2006 at 07:50 AM
George...I agree with Barry and understand his frustration and feel his post is respectful, unlike others.
I did not feel in was necessary to point the obvious out. I am sure you yelled at yourself as I do when I make a serious mistake . I do not make the
same mistake twice.
Just think of all the serious mistakes you don't make
We ALL make mistakes. That is why we pay so much for insurance, although some of us need it more then others.
Feliz Navidad...See ya in Baja
Thieves ?
MrBillM - 12-18-2006 at 11:10 AM
I'm another one of those who have picked up numerous articles I've found dropped on the highway if traffic allowed. Unless you saw it lost from
someone's vehicle (as I have on occasion), you'd have no idea how long the stuff had been there and whether anyone was coming back. Unless the
articles have some identification, there is no way to ever figure out who it belongs to.
I'm amazed at all of the stuff I see on the highways that have blown off someone's vehicle and I usually stay away from the Big Cities.
As Barry said, anchor or tie down your goods properly. Out in the Desert where I live, I've lost count of the number of Camper Shells I've seen by
the side of the road, some of them the overhead style. I've got so many bolts in mine that the wind would turn the truck over before the shell would
come loose.
Speaking of losing things on the Freeway, back in the 60s when I was living on the beach and my mode of transportation was a motorcycle, I would
borrow a friend's junker Buick whenever the weather was bad to go out to see my girlfriend in the Valley. The hood latch had broken on it and he
wired the hood down. Driving back home on the 405 one night at Freeway speed, SUDDENLY the hood flew up and disappeared to the rear. The freeway was
PACKED with traffic behind me. When I got home and told my friend, he asked why I hadn't gone back to look for it. My reply was "Are you Kidding ?
That hood may have killed somebody and I wasn't going back to find out". As luck would have it, nothing ever came of it. We continued to drive the
Buick without a hood until stopped by the CHP because the windshield had a film of oil coming from the tired engine.dean miller - 12-18-2006 at 11:42 AM
Rulesfor Baja
If takes a peice of bungie--use racheting nylon straps
If it takes one stap -use two
If it takes one bold to secure an object --use two
If the correct size is 3/8-- drill it out to 1/2 inch
Remember while travling in Baja;
~~What can happend ~ will happen!
dmArvadaGeorge - 12-18-2006 at 06:35 PM
The Christmas spirit is alive and well.
I have had a number of offers to help. A loan of a tent, loan of their kids beach toys and Jimmy in Californian even offered to buy the beach toys
and over night ship them to me..
Makes my heart feel good.
Than God I live in America and have god friends.bajalou - 12-18-2006 at 06:53 PM
If you need any more tents, George - stop by and I will loan you 2 or 3.Bruce R Leech - 12-18-2006 at 07:41 PM
ArvadaGeorge just get down here
Nice connections
Dave - 12-18-2006 at 07:41 PM
Quote:
Originally posted by ArvadaGeorge
Than God I live in America and have god friends.
