The scariest 11 seconds of my life struck me on the windy prairies of North Dakota.

We were driving through Fargo, when sudden >40 mph gusts, combined with suction from a rushing semi truck caused our vehicle to sway out of control and jackknife on the interstate. I’m still shocked by how fast it happened. Our beautiful travel trailer flipped on its side and skidded, blocking traffic…. but thankfully our SUV stayed upright. We are incredibly grateful to God that no one crashed into us. It is a true miracle that we walked away.

The loss of our rig was devastating. Adam and I spent four months upgrading the trailer to customize it for our planned journeys.... we will never be able to get that time back. Looking at the before/after photos of the damage still makes my heart sick.

After inspecting our wounded and limping travel trailer, our insurance company adjuster declared that it was a “total loss”.... meaning that the damage was so significant that it would be cheaper to buy a new one, than attempt to repair it. 

Putting the pieces together after the wreck was draining, both physically and emotionally. 

Adam and I were in a strange, numb sort of mourning for the first 36 hours… Sure, the trailer was just a material “thing,” but after pouring our hearts into it for months, it felt more like losing an ideal. A dream that we had saved up for years to do, was now crushed like a soda can, scarred with asphalt burn, and (literally) covered in sewage. Not the most joyous feeling.

We had a hard time sleeping that week. Even a month later, I still feel a sharp flicker of anxiety every time a semi-truck drives too close to us on the highway. 

THE AFTERMATH OF THE WRECK-

The accident ultimately triggered a nearly 4 week disruption in our planned adventure. Despite the incident, giving up was never an option on the table. We were already so invested in this pursuit, how could we throw in the towel now? If anything, this roadblock strengthened our resolve. 

We flirted with the idea of continuing our trip by tent camping, but since many remote camp restroom facilities remain closed due to COVID, we decided that a self-contained trailer would still be the best way to continue. (Plus, cooking with a mobile fridge/stove tends to be healthier than relying on gas station fare or MRE’s!)

In a much needed stroke of good news, an auto mechanic inspected our trusty SUV and declared it to be unscathed despite the accident. However, after a lengthy debate, we decided to purchase a used truck to use as our new primary tow vehicle for more peace of mind moving forward (particularly in the more mountainous regions). We decided to go with a trailer of the same make and model as our original one, so we could re-use some of our salvaged RV modifications (which were custom to that design). Although our RV insurance claim helped defray the biggest expenses, we definitely incurred more costs than originally planned. It was not a particularly fun or restful time for us…. In case you were curious, here is a breakdown of how we spent our month in Fargo:

• Sitting in a hotel room compiling extensive photos and written documentation of our destroyed travel trailer to share with our insurance company

• Sweating in an insurance salvage yard (surrounded by other sad crumpled up semi-trucks and cars) throwing away broken possessions and retrieving personal belongings. 

• Packing away boxes of tools, belongings, and trip supplies in a temporary rented storage unit 

• Driving 1,800 miles round-trip from North Dakota to Ohio in order to purchase the most affordable replacement RV trailer option and haul it back (took about 5 days)

• Hauling our bent bicycles to a cycle shop for repair and visiting the auto mechanic

• Emptying the temporary storage unit of all our possessions and repacking the trailer

• Shopping for a used F-150 pick-up truck to use as our new tow vehicle 

• Attempting to redo some of our original RV modifications like the solar panel install, shelves, lighting improvements, caulking, etc

“What the Fargo?!” became our mantra. Who knew that going on vacation could be so much work?!

COUNTING OUR BLESSINGS-

But despite this unexpected headache and all the associated stress, we have a whole lot to be thankful for. The accident could have been much worse…. we are beyond blessed that no one got hurt. Property damage and travel delays are a small thing in comparison. 

Midwestern hospitality is a real thing and made a world of difference when we were stranded post-wreck! 

We are grateful to the kind couple who stopped when they saw our wreck on the highway and helped us fish trailer debris out of the tall prairie grass. We are thankful for the swift response from 911 dispatch, tow service truck, and North Dakota state highway patrol…. they smoothly reopened traffic and helped us flip our trailer back upright. We are appreciative of our RV insurance company’s responsiveness and open communication during the claims process. We feel blessed to have found a nice used truck from a good dealer and to have gotten to work with awesome mechanics, hotel receptionists, and RV salespeople. 

But most of all, we are incredibly thankful for the tidal wave of supportive messages we received from family and friends after the accident. These kind words and prayers lifted our spirits during a depressing time. 

And although much of our time was spent drowning under mountains of paperwork…. we did make time for some fun. We jogged the delightfully hilly Gooseberry Mound trail in Moorhead and hiked through the flower-filled meadows at Buffalo River State Park. We learned about historic military airplanes at the Fargo Air Museum and got to climb inside an old fashioned steam train in Bonanzaville. 

Adam and I also enjoyed taking our little propane grill out for its maiden voyage… grilling zucchini, hamburgers, and hot dogs one fine evening. (Thanks to my awesome OCI coworkers for this thoughtful farewell gift!)

All in all, life is good. We are excited to have picked up most of the pieces after our wreck, and look forward to getting back on the road again soon.

~Nathalie

1900 miles traveled, Stuck in Fargo… no new national parks explored.