I got my load picked up in SLC and waited out the weather. I would normally have headed out on I-80 but the weather didn't look goog that way at all so first thing in the morning on Friday I went south on I-15 and cut across US 6 to "The Devil's Highway" which is old route 666.

They changed the designation of 666 to 491 a few years ago because a lot the superstiotious types refused to run "The Devil's Highway" just because of the number. Idtiots. Most of us who have been out here a long time still think of it as 666 even though they changed the number to placate the morons. We still call it The Devil's Highway.

I cut across US 6 in UT to get over to 666 and ran smack into the storm that was supposed to be north of there. Soldier Summit was a nightmare. WHite-out conditions and so much snow on the road that you couldn't tell where the road was at all. Thankfully the state had the good sense to put a rumble strip on the center line. I used that to judge my position on the road and eased down that mountain at about 15 mph.

I would just get on the rumble strip and then ease back a bit to stay just left of it. It really was an adventure driving that section of road. By the time I got down off that mountain and reached Helper, the road was clear and there were patches of blue sky in the clouds. You can't imagine how I felt seeing those patches of blue.

When I got down near Albuquerque I started getting reports over the CB that I-40 was closed due to the weather. Oh shit. I went that way to get around that crap. Sure enough, a call to 511 confirmed that the road was closed. Shit.

I got into Albuguerque and all the truck stops were filled up so I got on I-40 and went west about 20 miles and parked at the Route 66 Casino/Travel Center. Lots of parking there, a casino, and of course a bar.

I don't gamble in casinos but I do drink in them so it was a good place to wait out the storm. I wound up spending the rest of Friday and all of Saturday there waiting for the storm to clear and for them to re-open the roads. While being shut down really sucks I still managed to have a good time.

Today I made it as far as Amarillo when the wind got so bad that I was forced to stop yet again. I checked into the motel here and went over to the saloon for a few adult beverages and to wait out the wind.

I hear the wind problem is going to last a couple more days but I just can't afford to wait it out. I'll head out tomorrow morning and just do the best I can despite the wind.

I've met some interesting people over the past few days, had a pretty good time despite the weather, and have just taken it as it comes. Ya can't control the weather, it is what it is.

Such is trucking, ya just make the best of it.