Sierra Nevada Airstreams: Memories – Travelogues

Enjoyment of the whispering winds, the zephyrs, the airstreams of the Sierra Nevada and Great Basin areas of the United States in a recreational vehicle.

Wheels and Doris Wheeler

WBCCI # 3436

December 2012 - Winter Traveling

We have been traveling this December with our Airstream. We went to Albuquerque then to San Pedro and then home stopping in Bakersfield to see Doris’ daughter. So I thought I would comment on some of my observation about winter camping. Personally I don’t recommend it.

First there is the Weather: Cold makes trailer setup and departure preparations painful when temperatures are freezing or below especially with a wind. It took about twenty miles for my fingers to thaw after we departed Albuquerque where the temperatures had been in the low 20s every night we were there. Precipitation can be a problem particularly if it is snow and it accumulates on the highway to form slippery packed snow. I avoid those conditions because I don’t know how a trailer would perform. I can barely handle a four wheel vehicle in those conditions. Rain is usually manageable as long as it doesn’t freeze. However, rain is often accompanied by fog in the winter which can be a significant hazard. I avoid traveling at night for fear of freezing water on the road. Ice is hard enough to see in the day light. At night when temperatures drop after a rainy day the formation of ice patches is almost assured. Then there is the challenge of trying to determine what the road conditions actually are from the reports issued by the state Departments of Transportation. If there are chain-up restrictions, that is a definite no-go. It is interpreting the descriptions of other conditions such as “winter driving conditions – use caution.” Does that mean it is blizzard snow conditions making visibility a problem but not sticking on the road? The most annoying weather encountered was at home. We arrived with about an hour of daylight left and the temperature below freezing. After a tiring 8 hour day driving, I had to quickly winterize the trailer and drain the tanks. Of course, I got my gloves wet and it felt like my fingers were frozen. I left the heater on in the trailer and finished unloading the next day.

Trailer reaction to the Weather: Our first stop after departing Minden was Pahrump where we were exposed to another reminder of the cold, a warning not to leave our water hose connected over night for fear of it freezing and bursting. We received this warning at every stop until we reached southern California. Heating the trailer is also a challenge. In Albuquerque where the temperature only climbed to the high 40s during the day and low 20s at night I was refilling a propane tank every three to four days setting the thermostat at 68 when we were up an 55 when sleeping or gone. Fortunately the RV Park at Kirtland Air Force Base where we were staying also sold propane at a very reasonable rate.

Road Hazards (not related winter): Other drivers that don’t consider that it takes a little longer to stop the combination of truck and trailer and therefore we allow a larger space between vehicles on the highway. Big cities seem to have a problem keeping their roads repaired. I passed through three on this trip, Las Vegas, Albuquerque, and the Los Angeles basin communities. It seems that as you approach spaghetti bowl of highway off ramps and on ramps where you must make a decision the road deteriorates. Not only are you faced with a deciding where your off ramp is you have to determine if the road has suddenly turned into a shock absorber test track or your vehicle is coming apart. It somewhat similar to flying combat, just when you roll-in on you target area and trying to pick out your specific target they start shooting at you.

These road corrugations come in many variations. There are the regular interval pot holes like very close flax. There are the closely and regularly spaced ridges that feel like a machine gun. Today I encountered a new road surface configuration. It extended for about a mile and felt like I was driving a monster truck with only slightly rounded square wheels. Of course, the ultimate road hazard that has already taken it toll on Randy and Vickie’s trailer – the dreaded shredded semi tire tread. I avoided similar fate when the semi I was preparing to pass pulled into my lane in front of me to avoid hitting a large tread piece in his lane.

If I go to the Hobo Rally in Blythe the end of January I’ll go through it all again.

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