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Trees Falling on Tents - How often does this happen?

Posted by wagerwitch • 7/21/09 • Subscribe to this Discussion [RSS] • Report This Topic
Topics: no injuries, storm, tent, tree

Back in the world of computer land for a bit.

Our Tent was destroyed this morning about an hour and a half ago... 6:15 ish... am.

Woke up to Tree smashing it down.

Guess a storm decided to happen during our little rain shower.

Sigh... That was a FREAKING expensive tent. An 8 person - 2 room cabin tent.

It snapped all the poles and smashed the front of the tent closed... We crawled out - took a look at all the other swaying trees, grabbed the most expensive stuff we could manage to get out from under the tree.

We woke up a couple of the other campers to let them know we weren't dead or anything - cause it looks so bad.

I was sound asleep too...

I thought - WoW - I have really some bad luck - only got a swift knock on the noggin...

Then after looking at the tree - and from where it fell - I realized I have some damn guardian angels looking after me.

LOL!

Anyhow - we're going back out - later when the sun is completely up and getting some help to pick the tree up...

We'll pack everything out of there later today.

I guess we're home for a bit. LMAO!

I think I'm gonna go take a nap.

I've never heard of anyone having a tent destroyed by a tree before... Have you?

User Comments

7/21/09

dbowles1017

Thats why we never put tents under trees.

[reply]
1. 7/21/09
  
  dcarroll
  
  Some places trees are the only thing!
2. 7/21/09
  
  dbowles1017
  
  True. But we try to find the least tree ish area.
3. 7/21/09
  
  wagerwitch
  
  Hey aren't you like on the "goodbye" ish side of BC?
  
  ROFLMAO - see - you love us... You can't stay away...LOL!
4. 7/21/09
  
  dbowles1017
  
  Im at work so of course im on here.
5. 7/21/09
  
  dbowles1017
  
  Im at work so of course im on here.
7/21/09

dcarroll

I'll try to keep this short.
On the last day of one elk hunt the wind was so bad that all the hunters came into camp. I usually do paperwork on that day, but with everyone in camp I couldn't get it done in the table in the cooktent. I went to my tent, and my wife Wende came along also.
In the distance you could occasionally hear trees falling like dominos. Crash, crash, crash. I was lying across our bed and finally told Wende, "We've got to get outside and see what is falling." I didn't undo the ties on the tent flap, just pushed it aside and got out. As soon as I was out, I heard a large crack above our tent. I yelled, "Get the **** out of the tent, Wende," She got her head out and the tree fell across the tent crashing through and destroying our bed. The wood pole frame was destroyed as well. To remove the tree we had to use a two-man crosscut to make the tree three pieces. Each piece required 8 men to move.
For several years, when we were in the tent and the wind picked up we couldn't sleep.

[reply]
1. 7/21/09
  
  wagerwitch
  
  I'm telling you - I am a little worried.
  
  Everyone I know is at work today... So dunno who'll help us move the tree off the tent so we can get our stuff out.... Oh well.
  
  It's not a THICK THICK tree - but it's a TALL pine tree - and it snapped from somewhere around 8 foot mark. - and the rest --- well - it's on our tent.
  
  But I can so Identify...
  
  I don't know what saved our butts... but something did.
  
  I'm thinking - maybe I'll not be able to sleep much either... LOL!
7/21/09

SweetViolet

On my holidays I sleep in 4 and 5 star hotels and B&Bs. No tents, no trees, no trouble!

[reply]
1. 7/21/09
  
  melindaville
  
  LOL, SV! Great minds (again). I just posted the same thing. I am a hotel type of person--and ike the fancy ones best.
  
  Color me spoiled, I guess.
2. 7/21/09
  
  wagerwitch
  
  Nah - y'all aren't spoiled at all.
  
  This is really the first time in my life I've gotten into camping - love it...
  
  My head hurts a little... But - I'm ok dokie - and so's the hubby.
  
  We just have been LOVING the camping tho... It's sooooo nice out there at night... and in the early morning - all the sounds and smells - and clean air.
  
  But yeah - I'm there with you on the Hotel thing.
3. 7/21/09
  
  Rory
  
  Ya, for me "roughing it" is a Motel 6 or a Holiday Inn ...
7/21/09

melindaville

Wow! I'm sorry to hear about your tent being ruined WW but it sounds as though you escaped miraculously from being really seriously hurt.

I really am not that happy with camping in a tent (I now we are all supposed to camp in Colorado but I might have to stay in a B and B).

I am more of a hotel type of person. I really need a good bed for my back.

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7/21/09

wagerwitch

I'll try and post a picture later... it was pretty interesting.

[reply]
7/21/09

nothingprofound

Camp on the beach next time. Then all you have to worry about is a tidal wave.

[reply]
1. 7/21/09
  
  wagerwitch
  
  ROFLMAO - you don't know where I live do you....
  
  That's humorous.
  
  This place was almost wiped out by a Tidal Wave not toooooo many decades ago.
  
  Funny...
2. 7/21/09
  
  melindaville
  
  Ha ha ha. There's always something!
7/21/09

timethief
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7/21/09

Rivy

My Higher Power (I call 'im H.P.) seems to always give me a workout when I need it whether I realize it at the moment or not. Patience. Acceptance. Courage. Hope. God, he puts me on the treadmill for another run constantly.

But H.P. always passes out encouragement too. Just like in reading your account of the tent and tree fall here. And your responses to others here. With thanks. With humor. With moving on. Creatively. Openly. And sharing with us. Passing it on. Showing me what I too can do. Thank you.

[reply]
1. 7/21/09
  
  wagerwitch
  
  Awwww... Rivy - Love ya man!
  
  You're da Bomb!
7/21/09

Deray28

I did some camping when I was little but none since my Dad passed away. I don't think I could do it now. I'm with SV and Melinda; although, I usually can just afford Rory's roughing-it-up nights, jajajaja.

I'm glad you and your hubby are OK WW, that was a close call.

[reply]
7/21/09

legbamel

I've been camping plenty but I've never had foliage attack. As it rains on every trip, without fail, I've been flooded out of spots and had my tent leak like a sieve, drenching all of the bedding and clothing that was in place, ruining food and laying waste to an otherwise perfectly-planned week, but I've never seen a tree take out a tent. Now I'm scared, because it seems we must be due.

[reply]
1. 7/21/09
  
  timethief
  
  You just described one of my my worst vacations ever. ...lol
2. 7/21/09
  
  wagerwitch
  
  Leg... LMAO
  
  When the hubby gets back - they went out w/ chainsaw to cut tree up and crawl through the wreckage...
  
  Y'all have to understand...
  
  for me...
  
  Camping in a tent...
  
  Well - It's more like: I BRING MY HOUSE OUT AND INTO THE TENT... except electronics.
  
  When we were trapped inside - NOW - seems comical - it was severely claustrophobic - and I was having an asthma attack - cause I woke out of a dream with the tent poles crashing on my head side...
  
  But we lifted the tree enough so we could crawl out the door - LMAO
  and stepped over the tree.
  
  It is ALSO raining up a storm here. Hubby called and said the tent is now a fishing pond... Stick pole in, retrieve one sock... Stick it back in - retrieve a shoe... LMAO - nah - he's just getting wet. I told him he needed a shower anyway.
  
  ANYHOW - where was I?
  
  Oh yeah...
  
  When hubby gets back - he has the camera.
  
  I'll post the pictures as soon as I download them. ROFLMAO
  
  that's just hilarious NOW...
  
  Wasn't so funny then.
  
  Harvey - bet ten to one those TBs saved us.
7/21/09

weblogian

Forget about the expensive tent. Instead enjoy it! You are unbreakable! You are unharmed even when tree felt on your tent. It think that is a great adventure you had in your camping.

[reply]
1. 7/21/09
  
  wagerwitch
  
  ROFLMAO - Yup... That's what I was thinking.
  
  I searched Google - seems a couple of peeps have had their tent crushed... So it's not like it hasn't ever happened... I'd just never heard of it before.
7/21/09

harveyavatar

:-/

[reply]
1. 7/21/09
  
  wagerwitch
  
  I'm thinking that the 3 TBs that I put outside the tent - and two pyramid ones are why the tent didn't fall directly on us with all of those limbs...
  
  Hubby says it twisted to the side to land where it did.
  
  I may be a FIRM believer in those things NOW...
7/21/09

celticmusicfan

i love camping but i know lightning usually hits trees so i stay away from trees.

[reply]
1. 7/21/09
  
  wagerwitch
  
  We have only seen lightning hit here maybe once in 20 years.
  
  It's extremely Rare...
  
  Don't think that is what caused it - we're having rip roaring winds - but they weren't supposed to get bad until Wednesday morning according to the Weather Svc.
  
  Guess they are wrong again.... LMAO!
7/21/09

Sam1982

Dont throw the tent away though, Im sure you can get replacement poles.

You can always stay at home and throw blankets over your dinner table and play forts while you wait for the rain to stop

[reply]
1. 7/21/09
  
  wagerwitch
  
  We're gonna use it for TARP stuff.
  
  But I'm going to write the company and see how much poles for it will cost.
7/21/09

Agit8r

So you got whacked on the noggin?

might want to get that checked out... just in case those gaurdian angels are screwing with you

[reply]
1. 7/21/09
  
  wagerwitch
  
  I will if I start seeing blurry eyes or getting a massive headache or something.
7/21/09

Theresa111

Perhaps the tent is what saved you? Glad you are all right.

[reply]
7/21/09

wagerwitch

OK here are the pictures:

witchview.blogspot.com/

I even threw a picture of ME up there - so you all can kinda see me. LOL!

But it IS beautiful out here - and well - you don't ALWAYS get Trees crashing down on your head. Yanno?

[reply]
7/21/09

Agit8r

You should make a little testimonial video of how the tent saved you. Might get you a free tent

[reply]
1. 7/21/09
  
  wagerwitch
  
  ROFLMAO --- Did you see how Crushed it was?
2. 7/21/09
  
  Agit8r
  
  lol, your blog reminded me of how every couple has one light sleeper and one heavy sleeper.
3. 7/21/09
  
  wagerwitch
  
  And which are you?
  
  LMAO!
7/21/09

wagerwitch

So is that just freaking nuts or what?

I just wrote Coleman - wonder what they will say... LOL!

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