Travelers along Americas interstates often know a Camping World store is ahead miles before hitting an exit to get there.
That's because of the trademark huge 40-by-80-foot American flags that fly in front of the 200 outlets of the national seller of RVs and camping gear.
The company says the huge flags are a tribute to America, freedom, and military veterans.
That's the purpose behind the biggest flag anyone will see flying in Cheyenne — even when the wind screams at 87 mph as it did last week.
But even the behemoth flag at Cheyenne’s Camping World location on the north side of Interstate 80 engineered to withstand up to 100 mph winds isn’t invincible in what has proven to be a windy winter even by Wyoming standards.
What does Wyoming wind do to a flag that is almost the size of a basketball court?
“We’ve replaced (our flag) more in the last two months than we have in the last year because of the winds,” said Matt Jording, Cheyenne Camping World’s general manager.
After last week’s dangerously high winds, the flagpole remained intact and unharmed, Jording told Cowboy State Daily, but “the flag’s a little tattered now.”
A Big Nod To Vets
Camping World flags are a marvel — with a big price tag.
Each flag is hand-sewn by skilled workers, according to the company. The flagpoles that come with them are 130 feet tall — taller than the Statue of Liberty — and each flag costs $130,000.
But it’s the symbol of gratitude for veterans that makes each flag worthwhile, the company says.
Camping World’s flags fly for veterans and, according to the company's online blog, “The flag is a symbol of pride and marks what this country stands for. It’s a dedication to those who have served our country and a reminder that because of their sacrifice, the American Dream is alive and well.”
These flags first went up at four Camping Worlds in 2014. Cheyenne’s Camping World opened in 2021 and started flying its enormous flag in 2022, Jording said.
Today, flags fly at all of Camping World’s 200 locations.
“In many cases these will be the largest flying American flags in the surrounding area,” the company notes on its blog.
Spares Under Repair
Jording said Cheyenne’s Camping World generally keeps three of its gigantic flags on hand and replaces the flag on display as soon as it shows signs of wear.
He couldn’t replace the flag after the latest round of high Wyoming winds, because the store's other two flags were already being repaired.
The flags are repaired by the same company that makes them, Symonds Flags & Poles of Texas. When flags are deemed beyond the point of repair, the flag company properly retires them, Jording said.
As long as the weather is not extreme, each flag lasts one to two months before being sent in for repairs.
“It's not hard to see when it starts to get tattered,” Jording said. “Once we see it, we try to make a plan.”
A Force To Be Reckoned With
A flag almost the size of a basketball court is no easy feat to put up – or take down. If a flag must come down, Jording said employees at Cheyenne’s Camping World try to do it early in the mornings, because that’s when the wind is the calmest.
But on a day like last Friday with high wind warnings, taking the flag down becomes a hazard in itself.
“If it’s too breezy, we can’t even bring it down because it’ll lift a guy off the ground,” he said.
Strategy even comes into play on days when the flag is ordered to be at half-staff, Jording said. Last fall, the Cheyenne flag was lowered too far. It wrapped around a light pole on the Camping World property and destroyed the light.
That was a lesson learned the hard way.
“We have to be cognitive of how far down it goes,” Jording said.
Camping World reports that its signature flags and flagpoles are connected with stainless steel hardware and reinforced cables rated for 3,500 pounds of pressure. Each flag is connected to its flagpole in 11 locations to ensure the connection is secure.
The Flag Team
At Cheyenne’s Camping World, several employees keep a close eye on the flag.
“A couple of us are prior service here so we take great pride in that,” said Jording, who served in the Wyoming National Guard and Air Force.
Lights shine on the flag at night.
Wind or no wind, rain or shine, day or night, the basketball-court-sized flag is a show of victory and appreciation — not only for Cheyenne’s large local military presence, but for veterans and travelers who see her from miles away, proudly flying.
Kate Meadows can be reached at kate@cowboystatedaily.com.
