May 12, 2011 - From Brookshire, TX

Today is one of those days we will remember and talk about for years—remember that storm in San Antonio, TX with 50 mph. winds blowing the rain sideways at the truck and blinding us?

The rain waited until we had left the Fredericksburg KOA at 7:30 this morning.  It was a gentle, landscape-nourishing rain—until we met I-10 at Comfort, TX and suddenly the sky was BLACK!  And the wind started howling, so we pulled into the picnic area to let the storm pass us.  I was talking to my sister in AZ and she told me she looked at the TV and we were caught in a huge weather cell with rain, wind, tornado warning and lightening between the Mexican border and out to Houston.  Unfortunately, in letting it pass us—we quickly ran into it again—and again.  We got around the Anderson Loop (Hwy 1604) without trouble but it was fun to see the other vehicles going the same 40 mph. with us.  (Usually we slow down and drivers zoom by us like they have radar to see the invisible road.) 

Traveling was slow, but good—until we turned east on I-10.  And by the time we got up on I-10 again, we knew we were in trouble!  The wind was gusting about 40-50 mph. and driving torrential water at the side of the truck and camper.  It was passed rain—it looked like a sideways waterfall!  We crept up the road trying to see the next off ramp.  About a mile down the road—creeping at 15 mph on I-10, we, along with the trucks following us, pulled off.   We sat there for about 20 minutes with the wind and rain howling until I told Larry, we have to pull into that truck stop across the overpass—the water is coming in the side camper windows—a first for us!  We waited another 15 minutes until it calmed down.  Larry drove to the first rest area and we exchanged places.

I drove east towards Houston—deciding if Larry could nap a bit, we would continue on home!  Good plan, but God had other plans.  I drove 50 mph. through rain storm after another—with the wind coming from behind, it was easy driving.  I passed Columbus, our planned stop for the night, and decided to stop in Sealy to give Larry the wheel through Houston.

Wrong—again.  I saw a Highway Patrol pass us—with lights blazing followed by a Sherriff's vehicle with lights and siren.  Please, please, let the accident be past Sealy.  Wrong—about two miles down the road we came to a stop—and stop—and stop.  We parked on I-10 for almost 2 hours—creeping forward 10 feet at a time.  Lucky for us, we carry a rest room with us, smile.

Larry & I exchanged places while waiting.  We ate lunch while waiting.  I booted up the computer 2 hours later and found the Houston West RV Park in Brookshire and called for a reservation.  It was clear we weren’t going to make Livingston tonight.

It looked as if two trucks tried to mate and then split up!  One truck, looked like a small fuel truck, was rolled over down the slope and the other slightly injured truck had been towed away.  Hopefully the drivers were okay.  With all the emergency vehicles passing our temporary parking lot, we didn’t see any ambulances.

We are hunkered down in a beautiful park in Brookshire, TX, and will head through Houston just after morning rush-hour traffic.  In spite of all our trauma, life is good.  We are here safe and sound.  (Well maybe a bit unsound?)

Safe travels to our traveling friends!  An accident can ruin not only your day—but possibly for hundreds of others too!