Freaky Winds

I loved having shade and rain protection, but a few days back, the high winds killed my 9 foot outdoor umbrella while I took a fever induced nap. I had no idea the air currents were going to gust at 40 miles per hour. I was using the umbrella to shield the picnic table and my bicycle (which is further protected by a vinyl table cloth held on with spring clamps).

The umbrella is designed to lean up to about 20 degrees. I guess the high winds broke the tilt mechanism.  I woke up looking out my window. Something didn't seem right in my foggy brain.  I realized the azure umbrella was dangling at a 90 degree angle.

Oops.

The tilt is not designed to do that.

Um well, it wasn't until now!

My happy patio shade before the high winds. 

I dressed to go outside to take the umbrella down completely  Right before my sleepy eyes another frightening gutsy zephyr came along, breaking the shaft in two more places!

Grrr...

The lower shaft is broken in two places, while the upper shaft (shown in the pic below) is mangled. 

I couldn't crank the umbrella down at all, because the ribs had to slide past the broken tilt mechanism. I was trying with two hands to do the work of four, hold the shaft straight, and turn the crank.  Another wild gust of wind hit, snatching the umbrella from my grasp.

Incredibly the shaft folded in on itself then broken off.  In two places!  This was a sturdy umbrella.  Or so I thought.

Either the winds were frighteningly strong or it's just hard as heck to buy things made to last.  Finally I removed the umbrella canvas, to keep the entire thing from cartwheeling into the next county.

I will seriously have to rethink this design to see if it can be salvaged at all.

Grrr...

I asked my dog, how on earth all this damage  could happen while I was in bed battling the *achoo choo*  flu.