I rolled my Time Out Camper over

[Venturous Randy]

On our last camping trip to Mt Pisgah on the Blue Ridge Parkway between Asheville and Cherokee, NC, I decided to take the scenic route home, rather than go around Asheville and up I26. This took us around Maggie Valley thru Hot Springs, NC. Everything was going good as we were trucking up the mountain on 209 with me trying to keep my speed up until we came to a VERY sharp curve I had forgot about. The Miata made it thru with all tires squealing, but the camper didn't. It rolled over and came loose. Not only did it come off the ball, but the latches I was using on the safety chains that are spring loaded virtually straightened out.

The camper rolled about 3/4th the way over and then rolled back on its side. Fortunately, there was no traffic coming in either direction and I was able to push the camper back on its wheels. Also, there was a wide area of grass on the outside of the curve that I was able to push the camper into and then back the car. The only damage it did to the camper was it destroyed one of the hoops that are used to support the floor when it is folded out and scuffed one of the corner aluminum strips. I was able to call Time Out Camper and they sent me replacement parts, so I am OK there.

I was able to hook everything back up except the safety chains and when I got down into Hot Springs, there was a hardware store that much stronger attachments, so I feel better now.

One of the kinda weird things that happened was we had a round watermelon in the trough behind the seat laying on the top boot and it decided the g force was too much and it hit the road and busted. The weird part is that the only thing that came out of the strapped on top carrier was a spoon. So, I kicked the loose pieces of watermelon out of the road and there was about a half of the watermelon still good, so we took a break and had some.

We were lucky. There was no traffic near, especially motorcycles, the camper was OK and we were able to make it home a little wiser. I am attaching some pictures, but in my haste I did not take any of the camper laying in the road. You can see where the watermelon hit the road. I was also replacing a burned out bulb signal light bulb.

Randy

[cowpuc]

WOWZY WOW WOW WOW,, you done got blessed brother = THAT coulda been really nasty!!!

Thank the Lord you folks and others on the roadway are ok!! AMAZING how little damage your rig suffered too brother!!

If you happen to discover that you need to scrub the seat of your Miata, I happen to know from similar experiences that Fabreez works pretty dog gone good as a scrub assistant Rand!

[Woody]

Glad that's just water melon scattered on the road and you and Linda are alright.

[Flyinfool]

WOW that could have been ugly. Glad it turned out to be not to bad.

 

You should take a real close look at the coupler. If it popped off it may be damaged or was never adjusted correctly in the first place.

[BigLenny]

Randy,

 

So Glad you didn't have anything worse than that happen. That could've been a way uglier situation!

 

One thing that amazes me when i looked at your pictures is; I can't believe people pull those dang TimeOut trailers behind their motorcycles! That thing looks right at home behind your cool looking Miata, but man, it looks really wide and heavy to be dragging safely behind a bike. But that's just me. I get the willies when I think about dragging a trailer around behind our RSTD. It all seems to be an accident waiting to happen type thing to me. BUt, I highly admire all the folks that can do it successfully.

 

Big Lenny

[Yammer Dan]

Now I ain't gonna be able to eat Watemelon without thinking bout ya Randy!!!!