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If You Are Traveling I-10 In Arizona You Should Read This


cmelkins

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Same stretch was closed Monday afternoon... we spent a delightful 2.5 hours in a dirt lot next to a truck stop with about 100 other vehicles.

 

Rob

I bet the RV Detail people in the Tucson area are busy!

 

Coleen M. Elkins

Escapee Since August 2008

Full-time 2004 Holiday Rambler Scepter

with one retired husband and two very sweet Border Collies

Wintering in Arizona 

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I-10 was closed Thursday Feb 23 7-10 hours. We were headed to Phoenix so took the alternate route through Safford. Not a big deal in a car. Monday Feb 27 we were returning east on I-10 and saw the difference dust clouds build in the south and blow north over the highway. I saw a hole, I slowed and timed it right as some cars were pulling back on the road to continue East to arrive at Lordsburg at 1PM.

I guess I can figure I was lucky that time. But Tuesday Feb 28 we did cancel our trip into the Big Bend country for the same reason.

Clay traveling by car for this trip

Clay & Marcie Too old to play in the snow

Diesel pusher and previously 2 FW and small Class C

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Oh come on, guys...this is sort of like you don't dare go to Mexico because something bad might happen to you. Sure you might happen to hit a dust storm, but what are the chances? 1 in a million? In fact there must be several million getting through on I-10 every day without a problem. Let's make a mountain out of a dust storm.

2007 Arctic Fox 32.5 rls for full-timing, now sold.

2014 Sunnybrook Sunset Creek 267rl for the local campgrounds now that we are off the road
2007 Silverado 2500 diesel

Loving Green Valley, AZ (just South of Tucson)

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Earl,

 

People die each year in 'dust' storms in Arizona along I-10 every year, usually because they don't pull of and wait it out, but keep going and end up in rear-end accidents (sometimes multiple vehicles) that can be quite devastating when fuel ignites and vehicles burn. These are not to be taken lightly.

 

Barb

Barb & Dave O'Keeffe
2002 Alpine 36 MDDS (Figment II), 2018 Ford C-Max HYBRID
Blog: http://www.barbanddave.net
SPK# 90761 FMCA #F337834

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Earl,

 

People die each year in 'dust' storms in Arizona along I-10 every year, usually because they don't pull of and wait it out, but keep going and end up in rear-end accidents (sometimes multiple vehicles) that can be quite devastating when fuel ignites and vehicles burn. These are not to be taken lightly.

 

Barb

You also need to know to shut off your headlights on the side of the road. Please read about dust storm safety in AZ before traveling the state. Good points Barb.

 

Coleen M. Elkins

Escapee Since August 2008

Full-time 2004 Holiday Rambler Scepter

with one retired husband and two very sweet Border Collies

Wintering in Arizona 

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Yes, Coleen is right. Shutting off lights is important once you have pulled off the road.

 

And take your foot off the brake pedal. Otherwise other drivers will try to "follow" you down the road.

 

This is true for areas of heavy fog as well.

 

Linda Sand

Blog: http://sandcastle.sandsys.org/

Former Rigs: Liesure Travel van, Winnebago View 24H, Winnebago Journey 34Y, Sportsmobile Sprinter conversion van

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And get well clear of the traffic lanes. Never stop in the traffic lanes in dust, fog, or any other place with visibility problems.

 

Closing a major interstate highway for 10 hours or longer is a significant issue to most of us.

Good travelin !...............Kirk

Full-time 11+ years...... Now seasonal travelers.
Kirk & Pam's Great RV Adventure

            images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQqFswi_bvvojaMvanTWAI

 

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The big offender right now in that area is a new tree farmer who isn't controlling the disturbed dirt. He was supposed to be watering down his land. Supposedly, he is getting his act together after truck problems. Hopefully this will be true. It's really windy today and if it's anything like it over at San Simon where this is happening, it's going to be another closing today. This is also a big problem on I-10 by Casa Grande/Eloy. Every year there are these dust storms and it's a farming area. The soil is scoured of vegetation. We've been caught by two bad storms in this area and it's truly scary. Pulling off to the side of the road is not easy because you cannot see two feet in front of you. You just have to hope nothing is there. On high wind predicted days it's best to plan it so you would travel through these areas before sunup or after sundown or just stay put.

 

http://tucson.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/arizona-progress-made-to-keep-i--dust-down-near/article_323e591c-d146-5eaa-8f37-dc9015d4937e.html

Full-timed for 16 Years
Traveled 8 yr in a 2004 Newmar Dutch Star 40' Motorhome
and 8 yr in a 33' Travel Supreme 5th Wheel

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You certainly have to be careful and take precautions. My earlier point was only because the article sensationalized the issue to the point of sounding like it wasn't safe to travel through AZ because of the dust storms. People die every day on the highways but we still travel them. Take precautions but you don't have to white knuckle it because you just hit a dust storm. Very little chance of that!

2007 Arctic Fox 32.5 rls for full-timing, now sold.

2014 Sunnybrook Sunset Creek 267rl for the local campgrounds now that we are off the road
2007 Silverado 2500 diesel

Loving Green Valley, AZ (just South of Tucson)

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Actually, in Arizona there is a pretty good chance that you are going to end up at some point being in a dust storm. Just like knowing when you have to get off the road in Texas when a gully washer hits. And it isn't just the dust, it is the speed and how much sand has been picked up - - vehicles can be sand-blasted if in the wrong place/wrong time during one of the bad ones. No, you don't have to live in fear, but you do have to be knowledgeable about what to do. And what you can do in a car is different than in an RV

Barb & Dave O'Keeffe
2002 Alpine 36 MDDS (Figment II), 2018 Ford C-Max HYBRID
Blog: http://www.barbanddave.net
SPK# 90761 FMCA #F337834

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vehicles can be sand-blasted if in the wrong place/wrong time during one of the bad ones.

 

Reminds me of the time Dave hurried home from work in his 3-day old car in an attempt to get it under cover before a thunderstorm hit. He was on a freeway clover-leaf ramp when the hail started. So he got hit from every side as he circled up that ramp. By the time they got it all fixed his new car smell was paint--permeating all the soft goods inside the car. Some days you can't win for losing.

 

Linda Sand

Blog: http://sandcastle.sandsys.org/

Former Rigs: Liesure Travel van, Winnebago View 24H, Winnebago Journey 34Y, Sportsmobile Sprinter conversion van

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