Death of a Burro

[Jim Gallie]

Wow, what a difference a day makes. Early Monday morning, I posted here for the first time in a couple of years and I asked a question about new windows. After remodeling the inside a few years ago (some of you may remember my photo journal about this), I finally decided that it was time to work on the outside of my 1985 Burro. Later that afternoon, Pentwater, MI and the surrounding area was hit by a major storm off of Lake Michigan. I was working while this occurred and since I manage a campground, I had my hands full at the time. After the storm had passed, I was informed by my fiance that we had five trees fall down in our yard due to high winds and lightening strikes. Three of these trees landed on my Burro. The results aren't pretty. Following are photos......

[Jim Gallie]

Sorry, I can't get my photos to post....

Any help would be appreciated. I will try to get the photos up as soon as I can.

Jim

[Frederick L. Simson]

[Christi V.]

Oh my a cracked egg!!!!

[Gina D.]

Three of these trees landed on my Burro

I can't look.. don't post em!

I am sorry the little guy was killed, but look at it as a chance to move to newer, bigger better.

Wait.. It's a Burro..

IMPOSSIBLE!!!!

[Roger H]

... all the King's horses and all the King's men couldn't put Burro together again...

Roger

[Ron Wrighton]

Pleas tell me these were little tiney trees.

[Penny Taylor]

Please accept my heartfelt condolences. That's terrible.
Is there no way that poor Burro can be resuscitated ?

[jack maloney]

Hope you put the poor Burro out of its misery with a well-placed shot from a Colt .45.

[Jim Gallie]

Okay, I've got it (thanks Donna D. and Michael Sanders)!

This first photo is a shot of the Burro from my patio. Can you find it? As you can see, the trees weren't tiny.....





Here is a close up, looking back towards the house. The damage is much more evident (as is the Burro)......

[Gina D.]

OH OH OH OH OH OH...

THE HUMANITY!!!!!

I am going to go scratch my eyes out now..

The poor thing! Please give it a decent burial. It's too good for glue!

[Jim Gallie]

A couple more shots....










As you can see, it is pretty bad. My landlord spent two days cutting trees while I was at work (cutting trees) and I picked up where he left off in the evenings. I will take a couple of pictures of the Burro now that the area is cleared out and post them tomorrow.

I had been keeping it in my carport, but we are hosting a bachelor/bachelorette cookout and campfire with all of our friends this weekend. We were going to have a couple of people stay in the Burro, so I moved it out back. Not a tree hit the house or carport. Nor, and count this as a lesson learned, was the Burro insured. I figured that it was covered under my renters insurance.

So......now it is time to figure out what to do with it. I will probably part it out. Tail lights anyone? If the frame is good, I will convert it to a utility trailer or canoe trailer, unless someone is in need of a frame, axle, etc. The tires are new, with only 250 miles on them. Unfortunately, the windows didn't survive....I know that people are always looking for windows. Pieces of the windows were found 15 ft out from the trailer. My fiance was in the basement during the storm and saw the first tree hit. She said that the first tree hit the front of the camper, causing it to rear up. That is sort of a funny image to picture, in a sad way.

Jim

[Gina D.]

I would be proud to give your tail lights new life. It would sort of be like an eye donor thing.. the body is gone, but the eys live on!!!

I am sorry about the insurance. Bummer.

It is interesting to see that it crumpled as well as cracked. I wonder how much the double shell contributes to this?

Not like it is any consilation.. you can't do anything with a crumpled trailer, but if it were a raod accident, it indicates that less of your trailer would end up on/in someone elses car.

[Jim Gallie]

To finish off the evening, here is a photo of happier times........





This picture was taken at the King Lake State Forest Campground, approximately 25 miles SE of Baraga, Michigan's UP. Either this photo, or one very similar, was on the homepage of this website a couple of years ago.

Jim

[Per Walthinsen]

I am REALLY sorry this happened to your Burro. It's a good thing there are no trees near my Burro's daily hangout, otherwise I'd be out there with a chainsaw by now.
It would be good if it were possible to make something good come out of it, but without insurance that is probably difficult to imagine. Always sorry to hear of misfortune involving a member of our flock of noble steeds.

[Doug & Anna-Marie P]

Too bad about the trailer, just be darn glad that no one was sleeping in it when the trees came down.

darn glad your house was spared too..
Oh, maybe a newer trailer???????? Or another to fix up???

[Roger H]

Jim, I am truly sorry about the Burro. It was a nice trailer. I'm sure you'll find something decent to replace it with. Don't let the insurance company give you less than what it's worth tho. Comps in the "For Sale" section here should help.

What I'm amazed about is the incredible structural integrity the trailer exhibited. Had you owned a stickie, the tree would have pushed the roof down to the frame. I know 'cause I've actually witnessed a large tree fall on a 27' stickie. Since many of us tend to camp in the woods, and trees fall all of the time, it's comforting to know that you would have stood a really good chance of walking away from this had you been inside when the tree fell.

Good luck in finding your new trailer.

Roger

[james kent]

Sorry about the loss of your Burro.
You've answered the age old question about "If a tree falls in the forest and no one's around, does it make a noise?"..................
I can hear you from here!

[Denise K]

Oooohhh...that is so sad!

Ode to Your Burro's Demise
So sad to see your egg so scrambled,
your poor Burro under all that bramble.
Bucking and kicking under that tree,
'Please don't squash me!' was its plea.
It lost its fight with a mighty groan,
clearly your Burro will no longer roam.
That FRV, once so nimble,
now so thorough in its shamble.
But as your Burro becomes free,
you may find a part or two or three.
Those pieces of your little FRV home?
Is how your Burro's spirit will still live on!

[wayne s]

A couple more shots....


Attachment 4060


Attachment 4061


As you can see, it is pretty bad. My landlord spent two days cutting trees while I was at work (cutting trees) and I picked up where he left off in the evenings. I will take a couple of pictures of the Burro now that the area is cleared out and post them tomorrow.

I had been keeping it in my carport, but we are hosting a bachelor/bachelorette cookout and campfire with all of our friends this weekend. We were going to have a couple of people stay in the Burro, so I moved it out back. Not a tree hit the house or carport. Nor, and count this as a lesson learned, was the Burro insured. I figured that it was covered under my renters insurance.

So......now it is time to figure out what to do with it. I will probably part it out. Tail lights anyone? If the frame is good, I will convert it to a utility trailer or canoe trailer, unless someone is in need of a frame, axle, etc. The tires are new, with only 250 miles on them. Unfortunately, the windows didn't survive....I know that people are always looking for windows. Pieces of the windows were found 15 ft out from the trailer. My fiance was in the basement during the storm and saw the first tree hit. She said that the first tree hit the front of the camper, causing it to rear up. That is sort of a funny image to picture, in a sad way.

Jim Sorry for your loss , I know a gal who needs tail lights. E me at tajmawall@gmail.com please. Wayne