The slides go out. We get bigger rooms inside. The slide awnings protect the top of the slide from all that stuff that happens to the outside of the motorhome. They keep the top of the slide room from bringing all that “outside” back inside when the room is retracted. They did their job. They collected a lot of snow, keeping it from accumulating on the top of the slide. The canvas sags under the weight. Snow accumulates. Now we have a half-foot of snow on top of the awnings. We retract the slide, the awning doesn’t retract into its spool, it just bunches up on top of the slide room. The slide doesn’t close well with all that stuff bunched up against it.
What to do? We’re supposed to leave tomorrow. Do we just wait for the snow to melt before we move? Judy suggested we brush the snow off with a broom. I’ve done that once before, from the roof of the motorhome. I survived that trip to the snow covered slick rounded roof of the motorhome to brush the accumulated snow off the slide awnings. I don’t want to do that again.
We have a little step-ladder in the house. That’s not tall enough. We have a big step-ladder strapped onto the back of the motorhome. That’s not tall enough either. Still can’t reach the top of the slides with the broom. But Judy… Judy is so smart. The step-ladder is tall enough to reach to the top of the Jeep. The Jeep is tall enough to reach to the top of the slides. Judy pulled the Jeep next to the motorhome. I climbed on top of the Jeep, and got all the snow brushed off the slide awnings. A little more messing around and we got every slide to retract just like they’re supposed to. Victory!
Slide awnings are not designed for use in snowy situations. So what do we make of this? Do we go in search of a better design for slide awnings; an improved design that will allow us to move from place to place in snow country? Gee. Seems like the only other alternative would be to move the motorhome to some place that doesn’t get snow.
Difficult decisions.
