High Plains Winds

This has been my life the past two days, only at 0400 to 0600. Each morning I go to WYDOT Travel Information. Last two days have had wind gusts of 65+ mph. One camera I always look at is stationed near Wheatland, WY, my first stop. The interchange is well lighted so I get a view of the windsock. When the picture looks like this I know the wind is so strong the camera is shaking.

Who needs street sweepers when you have a 40 mph wind blowing down the highway?

  
East of Henry, NE The Union Pacific track on the high trestle crosses the Burlington Northern Santa Fe tracks. Here, empty hoppers are headed North to the staging area North of Douglas, WY on the UP. A loaded train is headed East on the BNSF. If the picture was better, you could see an train of empty hoppers headed West to Guernsey, WY.

Most mornings when I go through Morrill, NE I see this lady. She doesn't let the weather or temperatures stop her. Stooped over as she is, she has that walker zipping along. Wish I had the time to stop and talk with her.

One morbid aspect of these high winds is it keeps my sister, an insurance adjuster, busy.

Sometimes too busy. When she gets called out she goes no matter what the weather. Unless the roads are closed, she is rolling in her 4x4 F-150.

In 2005 I was headed East on I-80 in my Lincoln Towncar that got, on a good day, 24 mpg. I had such a strong tailwind I got 30+mpg. Just after I passed Wolcott Junction (MM235) WYDOT closed I-80 Eastbound to Laramie and Westbound from Laramie due to winds. At the Arlington Junction (MM272) was a sad sight. A brand new Chevy 3500 with a large, still attached, brand new fifth wheel camper was laying on it's side. A couple was standing beside it. They had stopped because of the wind and their rig was blown over while they were stopped. Quite possibly their dream had become a nightmare.

Word of advice should you be traveling in any kind of high profile vehicle or towing a trailer. If you see the wind warning signs find a motel and one of the abundant liquor stores and hunker down for a day or two.  

All I've got. My muse is still deployed.