THE PERFECT STORM





It starts to rain


 Monday morning and the forecast from Buckeye to Dolores is a mix of good and bad with the possibility
of snow showers in Flagstaff and Kayenta becoming snowy in Dolores later. Ed and Evelyn have
decided to stay south a little longer and are off to investigate the Mystery of Quartzite.


 With the Starship critically low on liquids time to reload LP and water and remove others at the Flying J.
Around 11'ish we depart Phoenix and start the Northbound portion up I17 to Flag. Initially not too bad
with a little sprinkling from an overcast sky with dark scuddy low clouds floating by in the gloom, in many
ways it reminded me of Glencoe.


 

Dark and dreary, reminds me of Glencoe

 Approaching Flag the weather goes down and very soon we are in snow which is accumulating and
closing off one lane. Now unless you have never been to Arizona you will have no idea just how stupid
Arizona drivers can be! The onset of snow or pouring rain does not deter them and tailgating continues
as if we were in 90 temps with dry roads on a NASCAR circuit (left handed of course!). People are
passing me in the partially closed lane at over 70 mph and clearly this will soon end in tears. Around
the Munds Park area there are several sets of flashing lights from Highway Patrol as the loons have
now crashed into the median and we pass 2 sideways in the ditch and another upside down on it's
roof.




 

Up the big hill into Flag and the snow starts


 By now the snow is pretty heavy with about 6" on the fir trees in this winter wonderland and I now have
a build up which has formed rime ice under the wiper blades. We are also reminded of our earlier
exploits with Starship Safari as the heater doesn't and the windscreen rapidly mists over. No matter
"Scottie" is on hand and attends to the problem as we wend our way onto I40.



 

It gets worse !

 The plan is to refuel the other side of Flag at what was the cheapest diesel we saw on the way down.
Refuelling is completed in blowing snow and its bitterly cold outside yet there are some dumb ****s
refueling in shorts and teeshirts!! On we go again and as we climb over the last ridge and descend
into the Reservation the roads are clear and dry with not even a hint of snow. Speeds rise along with
the temps and soon snow and ice are flying off the Starship like Columbia heat tiles.



 

Out of Flag, all clear...... but Black as Hell up ahead

 Up ahead its getting darker again and not looking good. Now the wind picks up and is over 40 and right
on the beam and very soon the blizzard begins. Well I know I'm turning right for Tuba City in 3 miles and
then it will hopefully be coming from behind us. We make the turn but now its blowing and snowing
every which way. Speeds are down to 30 as we pick our way along and by my calculations we will be
home around 7 pm at this rate which should be just about dark.

 Engineering report that the generator won't start so the Transporter room is out of action. Mr Data tells
me the Gene is behind the wheels and probably covered in slush and ice. Kayenta looms out of the
whiteness and we stop once more to clear the ice and snow from the wipers. Now the parking brake
has fozen! so the helmsman sits with brakes on while engineering clear the screen and defrost the
blades. Only 130 miles to go!...... well we can't stop, we don't have parking brakes and the generators
frozen, apart from that it's great.



 

Lovely !

 Onward through the blizzard and constant wind the "Andria Gail" pushes through deeper snow as
darkness falls and conditions are less than pleasant in the wheelhouse as we try to work out where
the road goes and if we are still on it. The headlights are getting dimmer as snow and ice is building
up and the speed drops off to 15 as we ease our way trying to find wheeltracks and taking appropriate
action when we meet an oncoming convoy.



 

"Captain to crew, Rig for slow running"

 One more stop to get the ice off the wipers but now Scottie tells me the steps won't come back in with
all the ice build up. After several attacks with a kitchen wooden spoon they come in half way so on we
go again into the gloom. At last we are in Colorado but now there is less snow but the roads are slick.




 

More ice on the blades

 Having left the main reservation we join a convoy on the main road into Cortez but this is being led by
a very nervous woman who keeps tapping the brakes every 50 feet or so and we are only travelling at
20 mph so its becoming very annoying. At last civilization (some say) in the shape of Cortez appears
and with the clock showing 9 we only have 10 miles to go.

 9.30 and we finally dock at Cozy Comfort and now survey the damage! No brakes (parking) no
generator, and no steps. 50 amp power refuses to co-operate until we find  the CB has been pulled. In
the flashlight the shine of ice from the wheelwells is unbelievable and I'm honestly amazed that the
wheels would even rotate as the ice packs are touching the tires and on the driver's side the rear wheel
arch has been pushed out about 6 inches by the sheer volume of ice and I can see electrical wires
broken and detached and now suspended  and encased in the blue ice.






The morning after


 

Broken rivetts as the weight of Ice pushed out this panel !








How did the wheels go round ???




....and I could still steer ???

 Never , ever  again! Moral of the story don't travel in a big rig in the middle of winter and if bad weather
is forecast then stay where you are until it blows through. We learn, but painfully slowly.


TONY DOWN