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August 12, 2005

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As my friend Larry and I embarked upon our journey to Oregon, we did realize that we were in the peak of monsoon season for the desert lands of the southwest. But we had hoped on crossing through this area and dodging the storms. After all, you can see them for a hundred miles away, giving plenty of time to change the route or wait for them to pass.

This intense storm here was currently blocking our path across interstate 40. So, rather than be pummeled by this storm, we took a detour and ended up getting pummeled by one possibly even worse. We took off up towards Hope, AZ and then headed across to Parker when we got attacked by a huge storm with amazingly strong winds and torrential rain. 
As the rain began, I pulled off the road and asked Larry if he wanted to continue. With a slight chuckle, he said, "Yes". So, having ridden through such storms in the past, I just shook my head and continued to wrap the laptop and camera in plastic bags, as the wind and rain increased in intensity. 
We headed off into the darkness of the storm as a wall of rain was heading towards us as well. Tumble weeds blowing all across the road and drenching rain made it a very challenging ride. Larry blasted through several tumbleweeds and proved that they were not as threatening as they appeared. As I soon learned after I destroyed a few myself. 
Through part of the way a strong lightning bolt hit directly near the highway. I quickly realized how close it was after the bright flash and an immediate loud pop before the bolt even disappeared. It sounded like a shotgun going off right beside my head and startled me a bit. It must have been about fifty feet away.
We headed on and began to notice the water starting to cross the road in the lower washes. Obviously still quite shallow we continued on through them. Until I was crossing one and looked just to the right, just in time to notice the color of the water changing from a dull, reasonably clear, to a bright reddish-brown, as a wall of water was coming up to the road. I made a quick weave to the left and into the opposite lane to miss the oncoming flood water. After crossing it I looked behind me just as Larry didn't notice the water and plowed right through it. For a brief moment I couldn't see him as he had created a shower of water that engulfed him completely. I was in fear that he wouldn't make it until I saw him emerge from the water on the other side. 
We continued on until we saw a police officer on the side of the road, lights flashing, assisting a stalled vehicle. Directly over a hill we stopped as we noticed a much deeper wash had covered the road. We cautiously approached and pulled off the side of the highway to watch the cars and large trucks make their way through the water. The cars would carefully drive through the water that appeared top be a bout a foot deep. But the large trucks were quite impressive as they totally wiped out the water into a huge wave on each side. We waited and examined the water until finally making a decision to go on through. I kept the throttle up and eased it through the water and to the other side. As I waited for Larry's turn a large truck came blasting through and totally covered me in water. It was actually pretty funny, since I was already completely drenched anyway. Then Larry came on through without any problems and we headed off and eventually came out of the other end of the storm. 
Passing through a few more small downpours, we were finally out of the storms and made our way to Lake Havasu, AZ where we rested for the evening.

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