More Junked Out Trucks & Trailers For The Amarillo Market 2/23/15

The drivers aren't at fault, no no no... It was the driving conditions fault. :smt101

 

Some of the worst road conditions I have been in have been in and around Amarillo, also, ice storms on 287 aren't any picnic either, between road crews being non-existent and people driving like idiots, it can be a bad place to be in a storm.

 

Is it just me, or does it seem to anyone else that this year Boston has greedily grabbed all the snow and just left the ice for the rest of the country? You know. Like licking the icing off a cake and leaving the slick layer of yuck for the rest of the party-goers. This year the ice, and ice in the places that aren't really equipped to handle either snow or ice, seems more than usual. Hadn't been snow-shoeing much this year but been doin' an AWFUL lot of ice skating.

Must be Global Warming. Personally, I'm ready for a little Global Warming this year. The Iceman done cometh. I'm ready for him to go-eth. What's that old joke about fish and in-laws? Been a lot more than three days now and I'm ready for some greenery to sprout. That's for sure!

 

AMARILLO -- The Amarillo Police Department is currently working two different accidents on Interstate 40, one at Ross and the other at Washington.


According to the Office of Emergency Management, The Department of Public Safety and Potter County Sheriff’s Office are working a major wreck at I-40 and Arnot Road in the eastbound lanes of I-40.


At least 25 vehicles are involved.


I-40 eastbound is being closed at the New Mexico/Texas state line.


I-40 westbound remains open, but travelers are encouraged to avoid travel.


Use extreme caution as road conditions are hazards and visibility is impacted by the heavy band of snow that is currently moving.

http://www.myhighplains.com/story/d/story/-/BlC60YnnxkawmxZgAZyeUA

 

Man I can't wait till this winter is over. I'm tired of seeing these wrecks.

 

I guess I picked a good time to move to Texas. I moved this time last week.

 

Tucumcari to Amarillo was a beeyatch on this winter tick. So was Dallas and 35 and Nashville and 40. I think it's good we talk about this stuff, though, so the new folks coming in that are way in tune with Appps, Snapps and minute-by-second info can get a deeper and the bigger picture a lot sooner than we did, and benefit sooner than we did; from the knowledge that used to take only experience to know. They got the instant "now" on road conditions that we had to glean from the sky, current conditions where we were, CB reports and experience as to what that would likely be ahead. What we need to help them with is the; "This is what that means" part.

I-40, Old Route 66, is a FANTASTIC road now. 2,555 miles of Federally Funded and highly maintained and growing wider where it needs to, Interstate between Barstow, CA and Wilmington, NC. Except in winter. Too far north to be considered south and too far south to be considered north so when the Winter Witch decides to dip down and freeze things- it get slicker than owl snot on a door knob only being where it is; folks don't slow down, and running through the middle of nowhere like it does; it's so spread out that limited State funds tend to keep "de-icing to the higher populated and higher elevation regions. Folks get a false sense of: no snow= go, go, GO.

Do yourself a huge favor: If you get E-wind, Radio-wind or Nose-wind of any Ice on the new old Route 66 (aka I-40), ESPECIALLY between Tucumcari and Amarillo: do what the Armadillos in Amarillo do in those conditions.

Go to ground and wait for the ice to melt. You won't be sorry you did. No sense being part of the guardrail pinball game if you don't have to and the load gonna be late, doesn't count as a "you have to". No matter what the DM and company is sayin' on that beeyatch box. They ain't there. YOU are. YOU'RE call - not theirs.

Just my two cents.

 

This winter is being like some of them in the 70's.

I remember one winter in the late 70's. Shortly after I crossed the scales on I-10 coming into New Mexico it started snowing, right soon the snow was covering I-10, and it just kept getting deeper and deeper. Them I found out at the Texas State Line it was turned into freezing rain and that they had shut down I-10 for it was solid ice.

I stopped at my regular place to fuel, McLains at El Paso. That night I even pulled into the full service pumps when into the restaurant to eat a bite and get some coffee. They told me I-10 was shut down, I told them I was going to try to slip though if they would let me.

As I was passing the Perto a Texas Trooper was going over the overpass, I thought, oh no he will tell me to get off. He hollered at me on the CB, I answered him, and he told me to be very careful that there would be no body out there to help me if I wrecked. That night I did not meet a single car or truck from El Paso to the truck stop at Odessa, Texas. And i stayed down on my speed, the fastest I went was about 45 MPH, yet most of the time I was running about 30 MPH.

It was very early morning when I got to the truck stop at Odessa and I only found one parking stop. And I backed into it and went to bed, I was worn out. I woke before noon, ate and got on my way. And in about 20 miles I ran out of the ice, that sure made me happy!

That ice is bad stuff if you've got others out there trying to drive to fast while slipping and sliding every which way.