Totaled my rig

Jframpey wrote:
I've heard numerous stories here on the treacherous cross winds in the plains states... If I wanted to avoid these winds when should I plan my trips? Spring, summer, fall, or morning, evening or night?

I'm not sure you can be guaranteed of avoiding them since there is AFAIK a lot of variability and I think has a lot to do with the weather fronts hitting and going across the various mountain ranges and then down into the vast flat lands around them. IIRC the winds can start out one direction and 300miles down the road are from a completely different direction. IMO the best you can do is to be VERY AWARE of the forecasts and at the first indication of encountering an uncomfortable wind condition is to SLOW DOWN, GET BOTH HANDS ON THE WHEEL, and be ready 100% of the time for the next unexpected gust. This reduction in speed should be fixed even if it's calm for a while since you can't tell when that next significant gust of wind is going to hit. I also try and give a WIDE berth to any other vehicles on the road and ride the right side edge of the road on divided roads to give my self the max room for vehicles passing me on the left ... I almost never pass a vehicle since I have found in very windy conditions a speed of between 45 and 50 is about where I will want to be. I have only had to stop towing briefly on a handful of occassions, a couple in Fl and Pa due to blinding rain and a couple times back in 2004 along I-80 for like 10 to 15 minutes just to rest, un-tense, and regroup before hitting the road again. The real killer for me is the constant hightened level of awarness and attention to the road needed when driving in adverse conditions. I can only do it for a couple of hours at time and after about 4 to 5 hours in a day I"M DONE.


Larry