Windy Days on the Road

The wind blows my hat off all the time in Utah. The wind whips through the mountains, ravines, and valleys.  The views of the snow blowing from the mountain peaks is breathtaking.

It is that time of year when the March winds blow.  I remember our stay in Carrizozo, New Mexico in 2009.  I didn't know how strong the wind could blow there.  It had sustained winds of 60 mph for days.  I wanted to go to a motel, but instead decided to ride it out at the campground.  We left the camper hooked to the truck to try to help the stability.  I never felt in danger but was that camper rockin'!

March, April, and May are storm months in the Midwest.  While here in the west, we experience the winds and then watch them head east and turn into severe weather.  

Wind and heat do a number on our tires. We should own stock in a tire company!

With 24 vehicles tires and 36 additional tires on ATVs, UTV, and bikes, we really watch wind, temperature, and pressure!  As the spring winds starting to stir, we will plan our travel days around decent temps and low wind speed.  While driving across Kansas, we watched our camper go at a slight angle behind us.  The wind was pushing so strong that it was hard to keep her going straight.  Add high temperatures, about 108 degrees, and there is a recipe for a large expense - all new tires.

An unexpected storm with straight line winds hit our camper early
in the morning and ripped our awning off.

Straight line winds in the Midwest in the spring makes us feel like we are going over!  Shae always calms me down by reminding me just how much this camper can withstand.  All our jacks down helps us to hang on tight to the ground.  Sadly, this storm snuck up on us early in the morning and ripped our awning right off.  And, to add insult to injury, the awning ended up landing on our van door and side mirror and put a big scratch down the side.  We ended up not replacing the awning.  Our cousin gave us an easy up from her craft show days. I actually like it better!  We can take it places with us and also move it when the sun moves.

The wind at the Colombia River Gorge in Washington
State gave us snarls that took a long time to comb out!

It was an awesome sight to see the snow blowing from the tops
of the mts around us in Marysvale, Utah.

When we arrived at a campground in Dublin, Texas, we noticed everyone had tarps tied to their picnic table pavilions.  It only took a day to realize it was to help block the almost non-stop winds in the spring that blow across that massive state.  We bought more tarps and tied them up and things were much better.  After a couple of weeks we got used to the wind and didn't let it stop us from our many adventures.

My Toes are Cold in the Camper

winter jackets were necessary
at Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah

I am freezing my butt off! 

Well, I wish, but it really is chilly here!  

Campers are typically not made for warm weather.  They tend to be a bit drafty and have very little insulation.  With us on the road often, we have small propane tanks that cost more to fill. We go through about a tank a week.  Thankfully the prices here in southern Utah are very reasonable at $20 a tank.  I'd like to say we have 35 lb tanks but that is just a guess based off of a memory buried in the deepest recesses of my tired brain.

We have two electric heaters besides the furnace.  With lots of blankets and warm jammies we do pretty good at night.  It is just when I sit in the slide out to type on my computer late at night that I really start to get chilled.

Weather is a huge deciding factor in where we camp next.  It is too cold to head north and we don't want to spend the gas money to drive too much further south.  Yet, I'm starting to wonder if the cost of gas for the vehicles to head further south might be the same as what we are paying for propane and electric to stay warm in a cooler climate.

Don't get me wrong, we are not in the frigid temperatures of central or mountainous Utah.  Still, with below freezing temps and the cool March winds picking up, we can still feel the bite of winter.

So is life in the desert; the days warm up nicely and the nights freeze.

I try hard to not complain.  Before long it will be too hot and our electric bill at the campgrounds will reflect our air conditioner attempting to cool this huge beast.  

When the sun sets in the desert it can get very cold!
Zion National Park, Utah