A Little Light

. Here in Bethlehem PA, they get pretty strong thunder storms. One came through last week and destroyed the awning on my RV. My awning was more elaborate than the one in the picture - the tube was 5" diameter aluminum, 17' long, and the awning extended ten feet out from the trailer. Anyway, all gone. Replacement cost estimate is $1,700 plus installation.

I didn't like it from day one - oh, it was great to keep rain, sun and even snow off the entrance and the patio. But I was always nervous that a big wind would, well, do what a big wind eventually did. And, I am not anxious to throw more good money down that same hole.

So, I found a great substitute:

This is a heavy duty vehicle shelter (which I will use as a patio canopy), 20' long and 10' wide, and tall enough to fit Big Ride (the truck). It comes with vinyl coated tarps, for top, ends and sides. I don't need the ends and the sides now for a camp shelter, but they will be handy in cold weather. I put it up yesterday on the side of Big Easy (the trailer) with the door. That side also has the exhaust for the propane heating furnace, so the shelter gets warmed from time to time. And, it cost $169 at CostCo - much more reasonable than the awning. It just takes longer to set it up and to take it down. I set it on the vinyl covered ground cloth yesterday, and after high winds and rain last night, it was still in place and the ground cloth was dry, and clean - no twigs, leaves or other debris.

A little light, in what is turning out to be a dark, waste-of-my-time contract here in Bethlehem.