Not as Much Wind as Yesterday - Only with Sand

Yesterday we did get naps but we had to use the couches as the wind was still whipping the tree branches onto the front of the RV.  I finished my mystery book club book.  (I read my two book club books even though I'm not going to be around for discussions.)  Rog watched some Ted Talks and YouTube videos. 

We woke this morning to sunshine peeking into the back window and no wind!  We were expecting rain, but we were pleasantly surprised to not have any as we hooked up. It was cold, though!  We could see the steel gray storm clouds descending into the valley and we knew we had to leave!

We had no wind from Sparks to Hawthorne where we stopped for lunch, but then the wind picked up and was pretty fierce at times.  Not as bad as yesterday and the highway signs that flash with high wind warnings and an admonition for trucks and high profile vehicles were not flashing.  Mostly it was a strong head wind we encountered and the truck sucked up the fuel at a rate that put our average MPG under 10; normally it's 14-16.  On most trips south on 95 we get all the way to Beatty before having to refuel, but we had to stop in Tonopah and put some fuel in. We didn't fill up as it was $3 a gallon, but put in just enough to ensure reaching our destination. 


About 20 miles north of Tonopah, we encountered a wall of sand which we drove through all the way to the city limits.   Rog was being sick thinking of the new and very expensive paint job on the truck and what that sand might be doing to it.  It was pretty thick in spots.  Like fog, only gritty.  As you can see, the mountains were obscured.  All you could see for miles was sand suspended in the air 

   

There was quite a bit of traffic today going both north and south.  We did see a lot of RVs heading south.  Must be that time of year - plus next week being Thanksgiving folks are taking the whole week off to go over the river and through the woods to Grandma's house.  

We are staying in the Beatty RV Park.  A very small park just off the road about 4 miles north of Beatty.  It's clean and the woman running the place is quite friendly and it's only $25/night.  We have full hookups with 50amp service in a pull through site.  Don't need anything else for the one night stopover.  We are getting some road noise right now, but that will hopefully subside as it gets later.  

The wind is calm and the temperature is about 50.  We had a very nice sunset, but now it's VERY dark out but the stars are beautiful. 

Maggie is having trouble calming down this evening.  She had to be drugged this morning with her usual half of a pill, but as it wore off this afternoon she insisted on sitting in my lap to shiver and shake.  I don't mind so much but I worry about what would happen if the airbag inflates.  Tonight she is just hyper.  We've had her outside a couple of times and the place is full of critter smells like rabbit scat and Roger saw a field mouse (dead) so Maggie's nose was working overtime.

It will be a quite night and tomorrow we will go on into the FamCamp (that's Air Force speak for an RV park on the base) at Nellis AFB in North Las Vegas.  It's about a three hour or so drive for us so we don't have to get up and get moving too fast. Were are both ready for a little extra sleep time.