(08-25-2026 09:37 AM)olliebaba Wrote: Maybe it was a fluke, Triple. Just keep the trailer you have now, all trailers are like that in windy weather. Even the lowly cab over camper can get dicey in the wind, especially if you're driving over the SD bridge and you are on the right lane and the only thing separating you and the ocean below is a steel divider. I had my kids in the cabover crossing the bridge and the wind kept trying to spill us over the railing. I left my hand marks on the steering wheel that day. I never drove over it again I would take the long way to Coronado Island.
The winds can get treacherous close to El Capitan mountain too so the wind and the fear are par for the course. You're gonna be miserable in a small pop up and will feel like you're in a cage. Those things are only good if you're going for a weekend trip, not to live in it permanently.
My idea of going traveling is to get a home with a roommate, it's cheaper and if you plan wisely you might get a really nice home to live in without the headaches of home ownership or the loneliness of a motel. Afterall, you only want the trailer as a headquarters, and a roommate situation would be the same with company at least. I would be bored silly and feel alone living in a trailer by myself. At least with roommates you can always move to a nicer home if the roommate turns out to be a pain. At least it's cheaper than a motel, now that would suck. Motels are like cabover campers, they're not for extended living.
I agree, after looking closer at popups, they are not for me. As for roommates, I have had one or more all my life. I'm enjoying solo now. And the longer I go without killing myself accidentally, the better I feel, lol.
And yes, the random gust was a fluke. But I can testify that the first time a 6500 pound trailer on your rear hitch goes airborne, it gets your attention, lol.
(This post was last modified: 08-26-2026 04:54 AM by TripleA.)
(08-25-2026 09:50 AM)b2b Wrote: People tow these things (and MUCH bigger) all the time. It sounds like you've just got to get used to it. I agree w/ WK here. Probably would've been best to rent to start.
I don't think so. I would have had the same issues. I had done a lot of research ahead of time (4 months) and got exactly what I wanted. I just have to learn to deal with the issues, and that is only through experience.
(08-24-2026 06:09 PM)Redbanksdog Wrote: Wow, I know that had to be scary as hell. How about one of those old silver bullet looking campers.
Well, I would still be dragging a potential wind victim behind me, although a lesser one. With a pop-up hardshell, that's not an issue at all.
And these prairie winds are nothing to mess with. Especially when you're driving north, and the winds are out of the west.
Meh, had you been in Memphis 2 nights ago, you could have experienced 70 mph wind gusts. For me personally, the thought of dragging a trailer behind me as I traveled has never held any appeal. I like to go too fast. If the speed limit is 65, my cruise control is on 75. This is just one more reason to avoid them like I avoid cruise ships. I loved traveling on my Harley; to me, that is the absolute best way to enjoy traveling across our country.
Hopefully this was a one-off event, and you can get back safely and find something more suitable.
Just out of curiosity, honest question: how much is a night spent at a campground for RVs compared to one at a motel 6? I do get the appeal of the sense of community you find in a campground for RVs. I also get the appeal of the open road in a Hunter S. Thompson or Kerouac’s "Open Road" sort of way, I reckon.
An interesting (to me) aside: I never knew Thompson wrote "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas."
I'm old. I have no need to go fast. I prefer steady. I also prefer not being blown over sideways, lol.
This morning, after looking at alternatives, I'm torn about what to do. The only real alternative I see would be a hard-sided pop-up camper, but dayum, those things are tiny. This is not something I'm taking on weekend trips. It's where I live now.
Those pop-ups are like living in a cigar box. Not sure that's a long term solution. I would be perfectly happy with what I have, as long as it doesn't blow over and kill me, lol. I think it might take another day or two to figure this out, either way.
I know wind is an issue, especially crossing the plains. Other people seem to do it and survive. I just know I felt like dying was a possibility in that moment, and nothing is worth that reality.
The scary thing is there wasn't really a strong wind at the time. A gust just caught me at the wrong time.
Anyway, I'm continuing to head north today from Omaha NE to Sioux Falls SD. Not a long drive, less than 200 miles. I need to get there to renew my DL, which expires in 4 days, and do all the other things I have to do to establish residency in SD. That choice is simply for economic reasons. I only have to physically be there 1 day every 5 years, lol.
Wish me luck. I really feel like I need it at the moment.
Which WDH do you have, and what anti-sway does it have?
You may want to scale your setup (any truck stop with a cat scale, use their weighmytruck app) and post pics of your rig from the side and your weights to an rv forum (grand design has an owners forum or a generic like rv.net) for WDH tweak advice. If it went back and forth like that the wind may have introduced trailer sway so WDH setup and / or getting more tongue weight by carrying some water (depending on your water tank location) may help stabilize it.
The downside with slide in truck campers is anything big enough you would want to full time in weighs more than a 1500 is going to be able to carry with any weight left for you and your stuff. I did see lance has a new “light weight” hard side Squire 610 designed for short bed trucks. It’s 1500 pounds but once you add options like AC and awning is closer to 1700 pounds so once you add a driver and some stuff you are going to be over the payload on most 1500s.
I looked at the truck campers yesterday and said hell no.
As for the WDH, I have the best money can buy (Blue Ox), plus the heaviest double sway bars. I just have to learn how to deal with stuff. No rig eliminates all issues. And my truck is capable of towing almost twice the load I have.
Btw, I absolutely love the truck. We were good from the jump. I just have to figure out all this trailer stuff.
(08-24-2026 06:15 PM)TripleA Wrote: Well, I would still be dragging a potential wind victim behind me, although a lesser one. With a pop-up hardshell, that's not an issue at all.
And these prairie winds are nothing to mess with. Especially when you're driving north, and the winds are out of the west.
Meh, had you been in Memphis 2 nights ago, you could have experienced 70 mph wind gusts. For me personally, the thought of dragging a trailer behind me as I traveled has never held any appeal. I like to go too fast. If the speed limit is 65, my cruise control is on 75. This is just one more reason to avoid them like I avoid cruise ships. I loved traveling on my Harley; to me, that is the absolute best way to enjoy traveling across our country.
Hopefully this was a one-off event, and you can get back safely and find something more suitable.
Just out of curiosity, honest question: how much is a night spent at a campground for RVs compared to one at a motel 6? I do get the appeal of the sense of community you find in a campground for RVs. I also get the appeal of the open road in a Hunter S. Thompson or Kerouac’s "Open Road" sort of way, I reckon.
An interesting (to me) aside: I never knew Thompson wrote "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas."
I'm old. I have no need to go fast. I prefer steady. I also prefer not being blown over sideways, lol.
This morning, after looking at alternatives, I'm torn about what to do. The only real alternative I see would be a hard-sided pop-up camper, but dayum, those things are tiny. This is not something I'm taking on weekend trips. It's where I live now.
Those pop-ups are like living in a cigar box. Not sure that's a long term solution. I would be perfectly happy with what I have, as long as it doesn't blow over and kill me, lol. I think it might take another day or two to figure this out, either way.
I know wind is an issue, especially crossing the plains. Other people seem to do it and survive. I just know I felt like dying was a possibility in that moment, and nothing is worth that reality.
The scary thing is there wasn't really a strong wind at the time. A gust just caught me at the wrong time.
Anyway, I'm continuing to head north today from Omaha NE to Sioux Falls SD. Not a long drive, less than 200 miles. I need to get there to renew my DL, which expires in 4 days, and do all the other things I have to do to establish residency in SD. That choice is simply for economic reasons. I only have to physically be there 1 day every 5 years, lol.
Wish me luck. I really feel like I need it at the moment.
Which WDH do you have, and what anti-sway does it have?
You may want to scale your setup (any truck stop with a cat scale, use their weighmytruck app) and post pics of your rig from the side and your weights to an rv forum (grand design has an owners forum or a generic like rv.net) for WDH tweak advice. If it went back and forth like that the wind may have introduced trailer sway so WDH setup and / or getting more tongue weight by carrying some water (depending on your water tank location) may help stabilize it.
The downside with slide in truck campers is anything big enough you would want to full time in weighs more than a 1500 is going to be able to carry with any weight left for you and your stuff. I did see lance has a new “light weight” hard side Squire 610 designed for short bed trucks. It’s 1500 pounds but once you add options like AC and awning is closer to 1700 pounds so once you add a driver and some stuff you are going to be over the payload on most 1500s.
I looked at the truck campers yesterday and said hell no.
As for the WDH, I have the best money can buy (Blue Ox), plus the heaviest double sway bars. I just have to learn how to deal with stuff. No rig eliminates all issues. And my truck is capable of towing almost twice the load I have.
Btw, I absolutely love the truck. We were good from the jump. I just have to figure out all this trailer stuff.
A trip across the scale could help confirm that you are set up properly, have enough tongue weight, and are transferring enough weight to the steer wheels.
You could weigh the truck, the truck and trailer without the spring bars hooked up, and the truck and trailer with WDH bars. That will give you drive, steer, and trailer axle weights in all three conditions and help you confirm that your setup is good. The first weigh is 15.25 and each re-weigh on the same scale is $5.25 so for $26 bucks you can get all three passes on the scale with the weigh my truck app.
Some trailers tow more stable with some water in the fresh water, or a decent amount of stuff in the pass through to increase the tongue weight and get it up in that 12 to 15 percent of trailer weight range depending on where the center of gravity of the trailer sits now.
Posting the scale weights and pics from the side on a forum like irv.net or the grand design forum would give you a good second opinion on if your setup needs tweaks.
(08-25-2026 07:05 AM)TigerBlue4Ever Wrote: Meh, had you been in Memphis 2 nights ago, you could have experienced 70 mph wind gusts. For me personally, the thought of dragging a trailer behind me as I traveled has never held any appeal. I like to go too fast. If the speed limit is 65, my cruise control is on 75. This is just one more reason to avoid them like I avoid cruise ships. I loved traveling on my Harley; to me, that is the absolute best way to enjoy traveling across our country.
Hopefully this was a one-off event, and you can get back safely and find something more suitable.
Just out of curiosity, honest question: how much is a night spent at a campground for RVs compared to one at a motel 6? I do get the appeal of the sense of community you find in a campground for RVs. I also get the appeal of the open road in a Hunter S. Thompson or Kerouac’s "Open Road" sort of way, I reckon.
An interesting (to me) aside: I never knew Thompson wrote "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas."
I'm old. I have no need to go fast. I prefer steady. I also prefer not being blown over sideways, lol.
This morning, after looking at alternatives, I'm torn about what to do. The only real alternative I see would be a hard-sided pop-up camper, but dayum, those things are tiny. This is not something I'm taking on weekend trips. It's where I live now.
Those pop-ups are like living in a cigar box. Not sure that's a long term solution. I would be perfectly happy with what I have, as long as it doesn't blow over and kill me, lol. I think it might take another day or two to figure this out, either way.
I know wind is an issue, especially crossing the plains. Other people seem to do it and survive. I just know I felt like dying was a possibility in that moment, and nothing is worth that reality.
The scary thing is there wasn't really a strong wind at the time. A gust just caught me at the wrong time.
Anyway, I'm continuing to head north today from Omaha NE to Sioux Falls SD. Not a long drive, less than 200 miles. I need to get there to renew my DL, which expires in 4 days, and do all the other things I have to do to establish residency in SD. That choice is simply for economic reasons. I only have to physically be there 1 day every 5 years, lol.
Wish me luck. I really feel like I need it at the moment.
Which WDH do you have, and what anti-sway does it have?
You may want to scale your setup (any truck stop with a cat scale, use their weighmytruck app) and post pics of your rig from the side and your weights to an rv forum (grand design has an owners forum or a generic like rv.net) for WDH tweak advice. If it went back and forth like that the wind may have introduced trailer sway so WDH setup and / or getting more tongue weight by carrying some water (depending on your water tank location) may help stabilize it.
The downside with slide in truck campers is anything big enough you would want to full time in weighs more than a 1500 is going to be able to carry with any weight left for you and your stuff. I did see lance has a new “light weight” hard side Squire 610 designed for short bed trucks. It’s 1500 pounds but once you add options like AC and awning is closer to 1700 pounds so once you add a driver and some stuff you are going to be over the payload on most 1500s.
I looked at the truck campers yesterday and said hell no.
As for the WDH, I have the best money can buy (Blue Ox), plus the heaviest double sway bars. I just have to learn how to deal with stuff. No rig eliminates all issues. And my truck is capable of towing almost twice the load I have.
Btw, I absolutely love the truck. We were good from the jump. I just have to figure out all this trailer stuff.
A trip across the scale could help confirm that you are set up properly, have enough tongue weight, and are transferring enough weight to the steer wheels.
You could weigh the truck, the truck and trailer without the spring bars hooked up, and the truck and trailer with WDH bars. That will give you drive, steer, and trailer axle weights in all three conditions and help you confirm that your setup is good. The first weigh is 15.25 and each re-weigh on the same scale is $5.25 so for $26 bucks you can get all three passes on the scale with the weigh my truck app.
Some trailers tow more stable with some water in the fresh water, or a decent amount of stuff in the pass through to increase the tongue weight and get it up in that 12 to 15 percent of trailer weight range depending on where the center of gravity of the trailer sits now.
Posting the scale weights and pics from the side on a forum like irv.net or the grand design forum would give you a good second opinion on if your setup needs tweaks.
I'm taking my rig to an RV dealer on Monday for a refresher course on how to operate everything. I'll have them check.
I think I'm actually good on that. I have super duper double stabilizer bars in addition to a heavy duty hitch.
I also think I was driving way too fast. About 75, when I should be doing 60. Keep it on cruise now.
(This post was last modified: 08-26-2026 05:43 PM by TripleA.)
(08-25-2026 08:44 AM)TripleA Wrote: I'm old. I have no need to go fast. I prefer steady. I also prefer not being blown over sideways, lol.
This morning, after looking at alternatives, I'm torn about what to do. The only real alternative I see would be a hard-sided pop-up camper, but dayum, those things are tiny. This is not something I'm taking on weekend trips. It's where I live now.
Those pop-ups are like living in a cigar box. Not sure that's a long term solution. I would be perfectly happy with what I have, as long as it doesn't blow over and kill me, lol. I think it might take another day or two to figure this out, either way.
I know wind is an issue, especially crossing the plains. Other people seem to do it and survive. I just know I felt like dying was a possibility in that moment, and nothing is worth that reality.
The scary thing is there wasn't really a strong wind at the time. A gust just caught me at the wrong time.
Anyway, I'm continuing to head north today from Omaha NE to Sioux Falls SD. Not a long drive, less than 200 miles. I need to get there to renew my DL, which expires in 4 days, and do all the other things I have to do to establish residency in SD. That choice is simply for economic reasons. I only have to physically be there 1 day every 5 years, lol.
Wish me luck. I really feel like I need it at the moment.
Which WDH do you have, and what anti-sway does it have?
You may want to scale your setup (any truck stop with a cat scale, use their weighmytruck app) and post pics of your rig from the side and your weights to an rv forum (grand design has an owners forum or a generic like rv.net) for WDH tweak advice. If it went back and forth like that the wind may have introduced trailer sway so WDH setup and / or getting more tongue weight by carrying some water (depending on your water tank location) may help stabilize it.
The downside with slide in truck campers is anything big enough you would want to full time in weighs more than a 1500 is going to be able to carry with any weight left for you and your stuff. I did see lance has a new “light weight” hard side Squire 610 designed for short bed trucks. It’s 1500 pounds but once you add options like AC and awning is closer to 1700 pounds so once you add a driver and some stuff you are going to be over the payload on most 1500s.
I looked at the truck campers yesterday and said hell no.
As for the WDH, I have the best money can buy (Blue Ox), plus the heaviest double sway bars. I just have to learn how to deal with stuff. No rig eliminates all issues. And my truck is capable of towing almost twice the load I have.
Btw, I absolutely love the truck. We were good from the jump. I just have to figure out all this trailer stuff.
A trip across the scale could help confirm that you are set up properly, have enough tongue weight, and are transferring enough weight to the steer wheels.
You could weigh the truck, the truck and trailer without the spring bars hooked up, and the truck and trailer with WDH bars. That will give you drive, steer, and trailer axle weights in all three conditions and help you confirm that your setup is good. The first weigh is 15.25 and each re-weigh on the same scale is $5.25 so for $26 bucks you can get all three passes on the scale with the weigh my truck app.
Some trailers tow more stable with some water in the fresh water, or a decent amount of stuff in the pass through to increase the tongue weight and get it up in that 12 to 15 percent of trailer weight range depending on where the center of gravity of the trailer sits now.
Posting the scale weights and pics from the side on a forum like irv.net or the grand design forum would give you a good second opinion on if your setup needs tweaks.
I'm taking my rig to an RV dealer on Monday for a refresher course on how to operate everything. I'll have them check.
I think I'm actually good on that. I have super duper double stabilizer bars in addition to a heavy duty hitch.
I also think I was driving way too fast. About 75, when I should be doing 60. Keep it on cruise now.
Yep, 75 might be a little fast with a new Rig. Good luck in your travels.
(08-27-2026 06:07 PM)BartlettTigerFan Wrote: I don’t know if I could sleep in South Dakota.
Ha, what is your problem with SD? In August, it kind of looks like every other state, lol.
But not to worry, I will be moving along in a few weeks. Lots to see first, though. Rushmore, Crazy Horse, Badlands NP, Deadwood, Wind Cave, wild roaming buffalo, etc.
(This post was last modified: 08-27-2026 06:13 PM by TripleA.)
I got my South Dakota driver's license today. One day before my AL license expired. I am now officially a SD resident. Have a mailing address, a DL, and I'm registered to vote.
Good luck in your travels. 
![[Image: 4e5924e6a79b9a3fc18e9f63b9a37708.png?width=568]](https://m3.gab.com/media_attachments/4e/59/24/4e5924e6a79b9a3fc18e9f63b9a37708.png?width=568)
