# Wrath Of The River! Possibly Saying Goodbye To The 310Bhs



## Dub (Dec 8, 2008)

Well, with all the rain and tornados we got last night, added on was the snow the rain melted...my campground is flooding! I left work around 2pm and drove up to the campground to see if I could save her but it was already too late.










The water receded some before I got there, it was about halfway up my wheels. My neighbors camper to the left in the photo got it up to the frame. I have my Outback sitting on concrete blocks which are on top of a huge gravel pad. While it doesn't look deep, there is about two feet of water in front of the camper. All the lots have a slight downwards dip, and then slope up towards the bank behind it. I had waders on and they almost filled with water. Last time it flooded, a 100 year flood, which was about 10 years ago, campers in the same area as mine got 3 feet of water inside. If it reaches that level again I may still be lucky since I am elevated, the Outback also is higher than other campers...3 steps to get in. It might still destroy it by flooding the underbelly, ducts, storage areas, but most of my stuff inside should be safe. As a precaution I put everything I could up as high as I could stack and secure it just in case the camper shifted. So far the river has claimed my patio, took one of my fire pits, the top to my chimnea, my mower, and my storage container which had a weedeater in it as well as a $100 new kitchen sink I haven't installed yet amongst other items. There are two cords of wood behind the camper too that I just cut the weekend after Labor Day.

Others didn't fair as well as me. This one looks new.



















So why didn't I just pull it out? Normally I have to put it in 4hi to get it in or out because of the odd slope and the soft ground. Add water and just driving through the grass that wasn't underwater cut 4 inch ruts in the lawn. I did try, and I even had the *Chevrolet of Shame* hook a tow rope to the front of my truck so we could see if 8 wheel drive could get it out...both of us just sank. So I just cranked up the stabilizers as hard as I could to maybe give it a bit more lift and I'm going to cross my fingers that it doesn't flood more.

Here's what I was greeted to when I arrived...fortunately it was already down some, but you can see the river had taken over another area of the campground while leaving some of it untouched.










Finally, the Chevrolet of Shame and my truck (12 wheel drive) managed to free up 3 campers and get them out safely. But they were much higher in the campground and didn't have as much mud, plus we could get the other trucks on a gravel road to pull. The guy in the Ford really really didn't want me taking pictures of other trucks, particularly a Chevy, pulling his Ford out of the mud. A Ram 2500 got stuck up to his axles in mud trying to get his camper out and then an F350SRW Diesel couldn't get him out and along comes this lil single cab Chevy 2500 with a posi rearend and pulled him right out, therefor if you had to be pulled out the Chevy was the choice and thus we nicknamed it the "Chevrolet of Shame". However tough the truck was, he still couldn't get mine out or his own, sometimes mother nature just wins. We tried though.










Anyway, when I left the river gage online was showing 11.5ft (river is normally 3ft), and now it's up to 12.92 as I post this. We really love the 310 and they don't make that floorplan anymore. I like the 301QB, but it needs the extra 2ft of the 310 which makes the bathroom and pantry bigger. I wasn't ready to go shopping for a new camper anytime soon but it sounds like I might have to. I'm thinking about going back up tomorrow again (hour and a half each way) and checking for more damage. I definitely didn't want to pay any deductibles. If she dies I might just have to jump to an F350 SRW and get me an Outback 5er.


----------



## Sparrow & Joe (Jun 2, 2009)

THe fingers are crossed the the water doesn't rise much farther. Which river is that?


----------



## AK or Bust (Nov 22, 2010)

Sparrow & Joe said:


> THe fingers are crossed the the water doesn't rise much farther. Which river is that?


That's got to be heartbreaking when you're at the mercy of the river like that. At least you gave it your best shot trying to get your outback out. Good thing there was a Chevy around to help the others : )


----------



## outback loft (Sep 22, 2008)

I went through the same thing last year in the spring. The only exception was that My brothers F250 diesel just sunk right in the ground. I backed up with my Chevy 1500 gasser, hooked up and puled out no problems.


----------



## CamperAndy (Aug 26, 2004)

That bites but best of luck and hope it makes it okay.


----------



## TexanThompsons (Apr 21, 2009)

Sorry to hear that man...maybe in a couple of years I'll sell you ours


----------



## Dub (Dec 8, 2008)

Just got off the phone with the grounds keeper, he said the water was 5" under my door...so that's definitely in the basement...but are there any walls down there? Is there someone with a 310 that could measure that? I would appreciate it. Tomorrow he's gonna call me back around 11:30a and go see where the water line is on my camper. I figure if it gets to the walls it's totalled, if its in the basement then I'll probably have to have it cleaned.


----------



## thefulminator (Aug 8, 2007)

You can get a look at some of the wall and basement construction here.


----------



## Nathan (Jan 2, 2007)

Very sorry to hear about that. Hopefully the insurance takes care of you . You know the wires are all laying on the bottom of the belly right on the covering. If things don't go higher, but got in there, defiently drop some screws out and let the water drain out as soon as you can.


----------



## egregg57 (Feb 13, 2006)

Hang in there! Hope the water recedes! Sending Good karma from the North East!


----------



## Doxie-Doglover-Too (Jan 25, 2007)

wow!







crossing fingers!


----------



## Dub (Dec 8, 2008)

SAFE!!! At least for now. Drove back up after work today....water got halfway over the wheels and that was it. However, we are expecting rain this weekend and the dams are backing up. They just announced a flash flood warning for the area again due to one of the dams getting pretty high, the Charles Mill: http://bit.ly/fbNGaJ They are starting to release water from it so it's going back up...by the time I got there it was at the banks, hopefully they just leave it at that level, my heart can't take any more scares like that.


----------



## Dub (Dec 8, 2008)

BTW, I'm assuming I need to go through my brakes, clean them, etc. Anyone have a good link on info for trailer brakes?


----------



## N7OQ (Jun 10, 2006)

Oh Man this is scary I'm keeping my fingers crossed and I hope the water goes down and stays down at least long enough for you to get it to higher ground. Good Luck!


----------



## Nathan (Jan 2, 2007)

Dub said:


> BTW, I'm assuming I need to go through my brakes, clean them, etc. Anyone have a good link on info for trailer brakes?


I'd repack bearings and check brakes. The etrailer.com website has nice videos showing you how to do it all.


----------



## clarkely (Sep 15, 2008)

Dub,
WOW!!!

I hope everything is all right and remains from getting in the inside......

Good news is I bet you are okay!!There are No walls below, everything is built off/above the floor. You may have some shorting and/or wiring issues............. wires are basically just laying in the garage floor, there are cross tie steel framing going through with "z" type structural support that wires run through.

Depending how wet things are, and/or how long it stays wet......... you may need to check wires and plumbing fittings and what not - probably would be best to do an insurance claim awhile.............. i would pull the whole bottom plastic off to air everything out completely and to make sure the floor insulation is not wet and or to let it dry. The floor insulation is not loose........ it is like a bagged blanket, when you take bottom cover off you will see it is like a plastic tarp coating to the bootm side of insulation.

Good luck and keep us posted!!

You have my email address if you need to ask specific questions, i can check my unit out and get back.
Clarke


----------



## TexanThompsons (Apr 21, 2009)

clarkely said:


> Dub,
> WOW!!!
> 
> I hope everything is all right and remains from getting in the inside......
> ...


Ditto. Let us know if you need any pics of the setup under there and between the both of us hopefully we can get back to you quicker. Sorry to hear about your scare.

Just curious, if there's a chance the river might come up again, why not take it out of there to avoid further damage or is there a fear that there is already damage and towing it might not be smart/safe?


----------

