2012-12 Racing the storm from KS to AZ

We were scheduled to finish the season at Amazon on 12/23 to get the season completion bonus (we had actually hoped for an extended season but they did not make that available this year). Then, due to approaching weather and the way the shifts fell, Amazon was kind enough to allow all campers on our shift to finish on 12/20 so we could hit the road on 12/21. This allowed us to hit the road in advance of an approaching storm.

We initially planned to head to Oklahoma City and wait out the storm there. So we spent a leisurely morning running errands and visiting friends in Joplin. However, as we watched various weather reports for our drive (Gallup, Albuqueque, etc,), it was apparent we would have to either 1) winterize the RV, 2) make a very fast run west, or 3) be stuck on the east side of the mountains for a week or more. So.....our leisurely morning was followed by a very long drive from Joplin to Tucumcari, NM.

The skies were absolutely incredible as the sun set across the Texas panhandle. Wow!

For the evening, we stopped at our favorite restaurant in New Mexico, Del's in Tucumcari. Great food and a fantastic salad bar. Then they were nice enough to allow us to stay free in their parking lot overnight.

Next, we had hoped to stay two nights in Williams AZ (in the snow) - seeing the Grand Canyon and the Polar Express in snow sounded wonderful, and just a couple hours downhill to warmer weather. However, our furnace which had kept us comfortably toasty in Tucumcari had suddenly stopped working in the morning. The repair was not a quick fix - so without heat - we had to bypass Williams and head to the Colorado river, lower altitudes, and no freeze.

Once again driving at night, as we headed downhill towards Bullhead City, we had a very close call with an idiot who decided we were not passing the big truck fast enough. He came up behind the truck on our right doing about 90mph, and were it not for Gary's quick reaction to pull to the left and make room (just barely keeping us out of the ditch - truck goes brrrrrp on the warning strip, then trailer swings over and goes extra loud brrrrrrp), the little black mustang would have either plowed into the back end of the 18-wheeler or side-swiped our front end. It was the closest call I've ever seen, and we still can't figure out how he managed to not hit us. Our lucky day, and also the idiot's lucky day because he almost certainly would have been killed. Gary saved a life that day, maybe three.

pics from Kansas to Nevada