Storm Chasers

November 9

I have been tracking the storm using Weather Network + Alberta 511 Road Conditions Website + Saskatchewan Road Conditions Website + Manitoba Road Conditions Website……….have you ever seen such a dense, confined storm, with nothing but clear skies around it for miles?  For a lot of the day, it looked like we were sitting in the epicentre and it wasn’t moving anywhere, but as we moved into the evening I could see the path was heading east, and we might be able to leave this morning, and that’s just what we did.  It is nice having Starbucks next door, so we were adequately fuelled when we hit the road, a surprisingly clear road, bang on beautiful sunshine, and minimal wind……for sure yesterday’s event was a result of blowing snow rather than falling snow.  We were cruising like there was no tomorrow, with only minor slowdowns in the built up areas around Bassano, Brooks, and then Medicine Hat.  Clearly the snow is blocked and gathers when there are obstructions in the way, making for slow going on the highway…….snow packed and icy road surfaces through town.

It wasn’t until we headed east from Medicine Hat that it really turned ugly……turned ugly, then stopped……yep, dead stop for probably 45 minutes.  This extreme SE corner of Alberta, SW corner of Saskatchewan, was hit hard during the night, and the highway was a total mess.  The Saskatchewan section was actually closed all the way to Swift Current for the better part of the day, and we weren’t 100% sure it would be open this morning.  Ploughs and tow trucks were busy here and there rescuing vehicles from mistakes last night, and in one location on the westbound side, created a backup miles long as they worked to free two tractor trailers in the median………luckily once our side started moving, slow as it was, we didn’t stop again, and even luckier after an hour or so when the road turned back to beautiful.  I nestled in between a group of like minded truckers plugged in at 100km/hr, and we logged a lot of miles together.

 
Our next stop was to be Swift Current……I was down to 1/2 tank of gas, and that has become close to empty in Jutta’s books…….the service road along the highway was a nightmare, basically unploughed, making it tough to even get into a gas station, but managed to squeeze in with Plan B……..next stop, late lunch……..A&W had been discussed and their driveway was ploughed so I pulled in……..mistake……one way in, no way out, but with a couple of jiggy jiggies and my new trailering skills, we were turned around, and deciding that lunch could wait we headed back onto the highway.  It is just crazy that in-town conditions totally suck compared to when you get out in the boonies.  Back to decent highway conditions, Moose Jaw became the next target.

I managed to hop on the A&W wifi while in their parking lot, and checked my favourite sites for upcoming road and weather conditions………it has become clear that we are chasing this storm across the prairies, and when we reached Moose Jaw with the sun already set, and conditions deteriorating quickly, we decided to call it a day.

 
A lot of things are in the works here……….Plan B is like a big wounded bird limping home with the awning structure strapped to the roof vents (hopefully everything holds)……..whenever we hit the road especially with temps in the minus teens, there is no heat in the trailer, and it becomes extremely cold back there……..our plumbing could become compromised, so even RV parks with power could be a problem……..not to mention all the wine we bought in BC which is now transferred back and forth between truck and trailer depending on where the heat source is (in the truck while travelling and in the trailer when parked and plugged in)………we checked into yet another Days Inn, plugged in Plan B, and will spend another night in an uncomfortable bed (we miss our beds in Plan B).  Jutta made a great salad and brought it inside…….ordered some pizza…….Quails Gate Foch………time for bed.
Tomorrow we plan to be up and on the road for first light…….the storm appears to be dwindling and moving out of our path……..if we can get a good roll tomorrow, Kenora is realistic…….should be home in a few days.