High wind blows 2 trucks over on I-77

[GMAN]

A couple of years ago, I left Amarillo heading to California. The winds were up and blowing so hard I couldn't even put a gallon of oil in my truck without it blowing the hood over on my head. I had 50 mph gusts and high sustained winds from there all across New Mexico. I had to stop twice to redo the tarp on my side kit. It was blowing so hard that it broke my straps twice, and that was before I got out of Texas. The last time, I used double straps. It was a fight all the way across. Just behind me there were a number of trucks that were blown over. You don't usually pick up as much wind with a side kit or flat, but you can really get blown around. The best thing is to just be aware. Most of the time when the winds are up that much, drivers will announce it on the CB. When I get hit with one of those sudden bursts of wind, I always try to cut into the wind quickly to deflect it as much as possible. Any angle can help deflect the wind. I have had the winds blow so hard and sustained that my truck was higher on one side than the other. :shock:

[Karnajj]

going down Cabbage in the wind can be interesting.

[kjax]

Set of NPT doubles getting pulled out of the ditch today up on Sherman.

[drivenaway]

I came through the gap that day and saw the emergency vehicles going the other way and wondered what happened.
I was getting tossed about pretty good.

Where would you get a warning about that ? They do have permanent signs up warning of possible high winds.

But it was beautiful further back in NC, and then all of a sudden it just turned to _hit.

I got tossed pretty good today coming through Indiana up by the lake.
I had to slow to around 50 and was just about to stop and then it cleared.

Might be a rough winter.

[traveler15301]

A couple of years ago, I left Amarillo heading to California. The winds were up and blowing so hard I couldn't even put a gallon of oil in my truck without it blowing the hood over on my head. I had 50 mph gusts and high sustained winds from there all across New Mexico. I had to stop twice to redo the tarp on my side kit. It was blowing so hard that it broke my straps twice, and that was before I got out of Texas. The last time, I used double straps. It was a fight all the way across. Just behind me there were a number of trucks that were blown over. You don't usually pick up as much wind with a side kit or flat, but you can really get blown around. The best thing is to just be aware. Most of the time when the winds are up that much, drivers will announce it on the CB. When I get hit with one of those sudden bursts of wind, I always try to cut into the wind quickly to deflect it as much as possible. Any angle can help deflect the wind. I have had the winds blow so hard and sustained that my truck was higher on one side than the other. :shock:

Not a jab at you GMAN but how low did your strap count get after several of them broke?!?

[Karnajj]

Just found out this morning that after I deliver my load to Cabela's in Sidney, Ne. I have to deadhead 615 miles to Idaho Falls to pick up my next load. Sure hope the winds die down b4 Sunday.

[GMAN]

A couple of years ago, I left Amarillo heading to California. The winds were up and blowing so hard I couldn't even put a gallon of oil in my truck without it blowing the hood over on my head. I had 50 mph gusts and high sustained winds from there all across New Mexico. I had to stop twice to redo the tarp on my side kit. It was blowing so hard that it broke my straps twice, and that was before I got out of Texas. The last time, I used double straps. It was a fight all the way across. Just behind me there were a number of trucks that were blown over. You don't usually pick up as much wind with a side kit or flat, but you can really get blown around. The best thing is to just be aware. Most of the time when the winds are up that much, drivers will announce it on the CB. When I get hit with one of those sudden bursts of wind, I always try to cut into the wind quickly to deflect it as much as possible. Any angle can help deflect the wind. I have had the winds blow so hard and sustained that my truck was higher on one side than the other. :shock:

Not a jab at you GMAN but how low did your strap count get after several of them broke?!?

I usually keep extra straps. I didn't have enough to double bungee strap the entire side kit, only those that broke along with the ones near to them. I used about every bungee I had on the truck. What a trip. :shock: The real challenge was getting the tarp back on the truck where it was supposed to be in that wind. It was high and constant.

[kjax]

Just found out this morning that after I deliver my load to Cabela's in Sidney, Ne. I have to deadhead 615 miles to Idaho Falls to pick up my next load. Sure hope the winds die down b4 Sunday.

Was alright yesterday. Should be ok, but thought I heard mention of more snow, which to this point, haven't seen any of. Then again, that happens alot- claims of this and that, and we don't see it happen. Likewise, forecasts of clear weather, only to have crappy weather. Guess that's how it goes with mountains.

I seem to find myself going across that gap on 77 at least 1 or 2 times every time out.....that wind is crazy there...it can be fine one second then you may go around a turn or get a 1/2 mile down the road and big burts will just slam you....very surprising when it happens....

[geeshock]

I hit high winds quite often and fancy gap does have a few "interesting spots". I've had ppl. call me some interesting names for not taking I-77 through Va. and W.V. as fast as they do but at least my truck is in one piece and right side up. Rollovers are all to common in that area for me not to play it cautious.

[Mr. Ford95]

I hit high winds quite often and fancy gap does have a few "interesting spots". I've had ppl. call me some interesting names for not taking I-77 through Va. and W.V. as fast as they do but at least my truck is in one piece and right side up. Rollovers are all to common in that area for me not to play it cautious.

You aren't lying. Get onto the toll portion in WV, it doesn't look too bad on a map compared to 64 coming over from Lexington, VA but it is MUCH tougher in reality. Very curvy up thru there and the scene(s) of lots of nasty wrecks as the center divider shows. People get coming down thru there doing well over the speed limit and simply drive over their head. The roadway isn't very smooth(odd for being in the toll portion), especially in the bends nor banked very much and so they hit a bump wrong and away they go hard into the divider or sometimes thru the divider. Your doing the right thing though by taking it easy, all it takes is something small to get you into a bad wreck on 77. Maybe the new interstate, if it ever gets built in our lifetime will be much better built and maintained. If it happens, it is supposed to run a straight as an arrow direct route from I think Charlotte, NC on up to Detriot, MI.

[kjax]