KRATZMC

I awoke and called Cecilia to find out the latest Doppler Data for El Paso. Cecilia said it looked like several small weather cells were clearing the area moving N/E, the same went for Deming and clearing near Tucson. With the latest weather report, I decided to move on hoping for the best and that I could push through to Tucson and miss these intermittent squalls. It was now about 0900 hours, Central Time.

I made my way north on I-10 to El Paso and as I reached the city limits, I saw the remnants of the recent rain but the sky was clearing. This got my hope up that all would be well down the road.  As I reached Las Cruces NM, the same evidence of the recent rain was on the roadway with some light sprinkling. I topped off my tank and called Cecilia again. The latest Doppler images again showed medium and large squalls moving N/E with threats of hail. As I hit the road towards my next way point, Deming, I thought I would luck out and miss any serious weather altogether. I would grab lunch in Deming and recharge for my push west.  My goal for the day was to at least make Phoenix Az.

As I reached Deming and pulled off the Interstate, all hell broke loose.  It started to hail so I made a bee line to the Denny’s just around the corner. It was starting to get cold so after my brunch, I would put on my heated gear, an Aerostich Windstopper Kanetsu Vest.

WINDSTOPPER Electric Vest

After a bowl of soup and salad, I buttoned up. I left my Elk Skin Roper Gloves on. They are not insulated but they were dry. I always carry a second pair of gloves, so I had a pair of winter insulated gloves as a back up. I hopped on I-10 once again but this time in a down pour.  All was going well for the first 60 miles with a light rain but the temperature was continuing to drop. My thermometer was reading 52 degrees in Deming but it had now dropped to 42.

All of a sudden a torrential downpour ensued and the sky grew a darkish gray. Up ahead, I could see some distress and visibility decreased with what looked like a light fog. There were cars on the center median and on both the east and westbound shoulders with two tow trucks and a Border Patrol vehicle on the center divider. In an instant, the rain turned to 1/2″ hail and temperature dropped to 39 degrees. I immediately slowed down from 80 to 45 and moved into the slow lane. I was in front of a pack of cars with a big rig behind me. Fortunately he slowed down too, perceiving what was to come.

An SUV (Lincoln Navigator) passed me on my left, continuing at the speed limit of 80. As soon as the Navigator passed me, it started veering out of control. First it veered towards the right and I saw the brake lights come on. The driver over corrected then began fishtailing and skidding towards the center median and a tow truck and Border Patrol Vehicle. I thought I was going to be witness to a catasrophic collision, with the SUV skidding into the disabled cars on the median. The driver then steered right, again over correcting and went off the highway, down the embankment and began sliding sideways. I watched in amazement as the vehicle failed to roll over. What a lucky ’son of a Gun”. It was still skidding as I passed by it. All the traffic behind began slowing to a stop. I feared stopping, afraid that someone would skid into me from behind, so I kept moving, now at 25 mph. The road was slick with frozen ball bearings and I feared that if I stopped I would end up falling over with all the hail balls on the ground.

I kept checking my left side view mirror.  At my 7 o’clock position and Camero was fishtailing, also skidding out of control and went onto the center median and overturned.  I focused straight ahead and thought about the idiots in their cages as I continued on. This sudden Hail Storm lasted for about 10 miles and then became a light rain and then the temperature began to climb back up into the low 50’s. I made it to Lordsburg where you usually fear unexpected Dust Storms but with the percipitation, there was no dust to fear. I had a strange sense being victorious over what Mother Nature had just thrown at me. With my sense of invincibility, I pushed on defying the Gods.

With my left hand bruised from the Hail and both hands and neck chilled from the cold wet air, I donned my Balacava and put on my insulated gloves, as my Elk skin gloves were thoroughly soaked. Fully prepared for any further weather and warming back up, I got back on I-10 and continued towards Tucson. As I worked my way west, the skys started to clear and I got a few breif glimpses of the sun. I pushed my way through Tucson and north to Phoenix without further incident but even with the heated vest, I was chilled.

Doppler Satellite Image of the Storm. Severity chart is along right margin. Purple area east if Lordsburg, is where the other vehicles ran off the roadway.

As I pulled into the parking lot of the Best Western Tempe, Az, I noticed a Waffle House Restaurant. I immediately began thinking of their Hash Browns, for which they offer various toppings. After checking in, I would feast on a Breakfast for Dinner.

Click the above to check out Waffle House.

If you’ve been to a Waffle House, which are normally found in the Southern U.S. you will become an instant fan.  A no frills breakfast can always be found with unusually sides and CHEAP too! For $3 and change, you can get a triple order of Hash Browns, topped with various toppings from onions to chili. If you leave there still hungry after dishing out $5.00 you have some serious dietary issues.

For my dinner I got the two egg breakfast with a triple order of hash browns, smoothered (onions) and toppped (chili), and orange juice and coffee for $6.82.

Hash Brown Menu

I couldn’t finish my Taters but felt fortunate to be in a land of plenty, where I could enjoy such a “Gut Bomb”. With belly full and the worst weather wise behind me, I was looking at continuing the ride. I retired back to my room and saw News reports of snow on the Grapevine in California, along my proposed route along I-5. As I whip out my lap top consulting the National Weather Service, the Weather resource on my Website and Microsoft Streets and Trips, I started to develop plans A, B and C for day #3. With 1,000 miles of my 1,800 mile ride done, I was still on course and on time despite my brush with Mother Nature.

Day #3…………….

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