My luck ran out today

The last 2 nights spent in Grand Island, NE were absolutely delightful!!  Pulled in on Saturday afternoon to the cousin's house.  Was very glad to be off the windy, windy road. 

They are lovely people and have 3 great daughters all with families of their own.  I had met 2 of the 3 at a family reunion a few years ago, so I was so very excited to meet the 3rd daughter, husband and 3 kids.  That makes it official - have met the ENTIRE extended family now.  Wow!

Thanks to the entire Rasmussen/Bussell clans for entertaining me!!! 

Before leaving Grand Island, I stopped to get gas but soon after I was on my way down the road.  It was a balmy 28 degrees at the time.  ;-/.  Well, didn't get very far and I noticed that one of the rails that sits under my awning was flapping in the breeze. Pulled over at the next convenient exit only to find my entire awning had comepletly BLOWN OFF the side of my trailer.  WHAT???????  I hadn't even noticed and with the size of that thing, it shouldn't have been that hard to miss.  So I sat on the side of the road wondering, should I go back and see if I can find it and pick it up or just let it go and forget about it?  After about 10 minutes, I decided to go back and look.  I got within 1/2 mile of my on ramp and there it was - IN THE CENTER DIVIDE! How did it get there?  As I am traveling down the road the awning is on the shoulder side of the road, not the center divide.  There must have been a huge gust of wind that hooked that thing and ripped and flipped it OVER the top of the trailer.  Not sure how else it could have happened.  So I pull over and SPRINT over to the center and then started to bring back pieces to my truck.  Finally wrestled the thing to the shoulder - now what do I do with it.  Way too long for the bed of my truck.  Hmmmmm.  I finally duct taped it around the metal base then put it inside my trailer.  Just barely fit, but I had it.  I WAS MORTIFIED!  And sooooo lucky it didn't hit another car or cause an accident.  I have secured the awning kind of across the rail of my truck, but at an angle and strapped it down very tightly. Should be okay for the ride home. I wanted to just click my heels together and say 'There's no place like home, there's no place like home'. 

Well I am now sitting in a very small place called Sterling, CO.  Windy, very cold, and snow flurries.  Glad I didn't wander further north! 

Going to try to get to Fruita, CO tomorrow.  Almost 400 miles, but doable if the weather cooperates. 

Days like today, I do not want to repeat. Last night we were discussing how great it was how nothing had happened to me as of yet on my journey.  Well, there ya go.....

Well, off to fix something to eat for dinner.  Going to bed early for tomorrow's big day.  Hopefully, a wheel doesn't fall off....oh wait.

Thanks for reading......