Attacking Tumbleweeds and Sideways Snow - We Must Be in New Mexico

Although I'm born under an air sign, and have always found the wind to be empowering, I'm no longer a big fan now that we live in a motorhome. 

The flapping of the slide toppers is annoying, sometimes sounding like a 747 is landing just over our satellite dish; sitting outside is not an option; and the dust finds its way into everything. Every. Thing.

So of course we're in New Mexico in March......

Sometimes there is wind in the "forecast", and other times it is just shows up. It's New Mexico, this is where wind lives. 

But Saturday there is an actual wind Advisory for the afternoon so I really want to get the motorhome back to our site.

Fortunately the day begins on a high note when I wake to a voice mail from the shop telling us everything is ready to go! We're there in 20 minutes.

Jeff is making sure the new windshield and surrounding area is all clean and shiny, and I take care of the paperwork. Although they kept it plugged in for part of the two days, the Inverter is off when I get inside. Still, only one thing is partially thawed in the freezer and everything is cold in the frig. 

And we have our home! 

Half way back the wind starts up, but we get set up before The Attack begins. 

Tumbleweeds do not kid around. Once fueled by high winds they organize into a massive force covering a lot of ground in a short period of time. We head back out in the Jeep and the frontage road is covered in dust and brush.

I didn't get any photos, but it looks just like this

Many are jumping the fence and taking on the interstate traffic. They show no fear.

We're on our way back to Santa Fe. My prescriptions arrived after we left so we take another trip up the Turquoise Trail. Not a hardship in our book :-)

In the distance we see the edge of the storm that is pushing the high winds. Dark clouds look like they're dropping rain. It's an awesome sight.

A quick purchase in Madrid at the chocolate shop (in Gypsy Plaza, it's a must do) is the only stop, but we take our time again enjoying this beautiful drive. 

Unfortunately the package only contains one of my three prescriptions so I have a new issue to resolve. Oh goody. 

At the Ranch House we enjoy at nice lunch and overhear a couple talking about snow and that "it was really coming down".

I figure they were driving in from Sandia Mountain, or maybe Taos.......

The wind is probably 35 mph when we head back down the scenic route. Not sure we could ever tire of all there is to see on this pretty highway.

And just south of Cerrillos the rain finds us. Temps continue to drop from 48 degrees to 35 degrees, and after we pass Madrid it's snowing sideways. Horizontal white blows across the road. It's not sticking, but it's intense.

15 miles north of Interstate 40 the white is sticking to the trees, the side of the road, and the windshield. It's 31 degrees, the wind is blowing 90 mph (okay, probably about 30 mph), visibility is reduced - it's amazing! 

As soon as we drop into the outskirts of Albuquerque, all precipitation stops, the sun is out, and of course the wind is still blowing. Because - New Mexico.

Back home, the wind has calmed from the morning, and the tumbleweeds are piled under the motorhome, around the picnic table, against the fences and trees. They look like someone turned them off.

After our exciting Saturday, we spend Sunday running errands. Well, I run errands. Tessa goes to the groomer, the Jeep gets washed, a new coffee maker and ceramic heater are purchased. All this takes nearly the whole day. I'm not happy with Tessa's cut, making her face look too "poodle-y" (no offense Lewis and Odie, it works for you guys), but it will grow out.

A couple more days in Albuquerque before continuing west.