…got me to thinking about the dust storms that closed the freeway on our trip out. We’ve seen dust storms here before, with reduced visibility, but never with zero visibility, requiring the freeway to be completely closed.
Of course there are dust storms across the interstate. The topography in Southern Arizona consists of north/south mountain ranges with wide flat sparsely vegetated valleys, and even dry lakebeds, between them. When they built the interstate, instead of wandering through the forested foothills, like the detour route we followed when the interstate was closed, they picked the smoothest, most direct route across the state. That took the road across these flat plains, and dry lake beds.
We talked to some locals. They agree that the dust storms have always been an issue, but they’re worse since the pecan groves went in; miles and miles of pecan groves right next to the freeway. Perfectly flat groves of trees with the ground beneath groomed perfectly nude; nothing alive to stabilize the soil. Of course it’s worse now.
Our day’s drive was a success. We’ve finally made it out of Arizona and are at Hacienda RV Resort, a familiar stopover, in Las Cruces, New Mexico.
Tomorrow, and every day after that for the remainder of the trip, and the foreseeable future, Texas.
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