High winds in southern NM...

I copy that... one trip, I had to jump off and spend some time at the Armadillo Petro when wind gusts of 70 m.p.h. hit the Panhandle. I was deadheading from Western PA back to San Diego---we did that in those days since the owners didn't care, later I suggested that the private carrier get the authority to backhaul loads and offset costs---anyway, that goldurned 53' wagon might as well have been a sail, and a violent gust blew my rig into the next lane. Fortunately, I was "riding the gap" as I normally try to do, so no other vehicle was alongside... would've been a wreck for sure had there been anyone in the hammer lane. It kinda spooked me to the point that I jumped off in Amarillo to let the winds die down... that's one thing newer drivers need to understand, that weather will eventually pass or change for the better, and a driver can try to make up lost time later. Well, maybe not so much with all the tracking devices nowadays, but I always reckoned that no load was worth my life, or the lives of others on the road. If things get that bad, a driver SHOULD shut down and catch some sleep, aye?

 

Cuzzin It, you reminded me of another incident, this time in Chi-Town during the wee hours... a wreck had shut down the interstate west of Gary, IN, and once the bears had a handle on it, they started letting groups of trucks through in staggered starts, right? Well, long story short, a bunch of us wound up FLYIN' through the heart of Chicago on I-90/94 at 0300 hours, just mashin' on it and haulin' ### through that burg, lol. Like one hand said over the CB: "THEY CAN'T STOP ALL OF US!!!" It was like a scene from 'CONVOY', lol. Made it through no problem, then the group broke up as faster trucks made their way ahead... just one more cool memory of my 'trucking daze', when it seemed like there was more freedom on the road. Sometimes, I miss those days, lol... a sad reflection upon my current social life, BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

 

Well, that ol' wind has kicked up again something fierce... the entire Tularosa Basin is filled with windblown dust, and the trees on my property are swayin' with the gusts. You drivers in southern NM, or heading toward southern NM, know that it is windy as heck down here... but it's a warm south wind this time, not freezing cold like recent winds have been, so that's a plus. Anyway, just a "heads up" for those working behind the wheel in this area.

 

Still windy here, the state issued an alert via phone regarding visibility in the dust storm. Probably best not to drive through this area until it settles down, the sky which was blue earlier is now totally obscured by clouds of dust.

 

Calm so far this morning... hopefully those winds blew themselves out, as I'm thinking of going riding today. I'll have to check the NOAA forecast, I don't wanna ride up into the mountains to find 60-75 m.p.h. gusts howling down those canyons... not good with all those sharp curves & twisties.

 

Here we go again... high wind advisory is in effect through Thursday night. We have a 20% chance of rain or snow this evening, increasing to 50% tomorrow morning... just throwing this out there in case it helps some driver to make a better decision. Cheers!

P.S. I'll be glad when spring arrives for real, lol...

 

Not quite spring yet here in Otero County... White Sands access is off US-70, but you can see it from US-54.