On the way to Reno today, DW and I were rehashing the experience....also looking for flying tumbleweeds, and she seems to have a better understanding of what happened as I was a tad busy.
She also saw the event but had no idea what it was until the Jeep lurched to the left and, according to DW, I said a really bad word. She also said that she saw the TT take off to the left which must have been right after I hit the bloody thing, then felt and heard a series of lurches like bam, bam, bam and we straightened out.
What I think happened was that the car was upset and the lurches she felt was the Equal-i-zer grabbing and then, perhaps the Jeep's ESP kicking in to help straighten us out.
Regardless off what actually occured, I thank Jeep and Equal-i-zer for their products. We plan, we run numbers, and then we hit the road with our decisions, but we never really know how well we've done until the manure hits the rotating blade.
Meanwhile, watch out for flying tumbleweeds.
Dick
2008 Toyota Tundra Crew Max Limited TRD
2009 Cougar 268 RLS ~8400 lbs road wt
Equal-i-zer 12,000 lb hitch, Prodigy BC.
2006 Jeep Liberty Turbo Diesel.....TV in Training
2005 Jeep GC 5.7 HEMI,(retired)
2005 Jayco Jay Feather 25Z, 4" lift (Retired)
Quote: Has anyone else encountered these devils and what exactly are they?
They are caused by strong thermals. When the hot air rizes quickly it creates a vortex action. Just the opposite of water down a drain.
They are very common anywhere in the West on a hot day. Their air speeds are measured usually in the 20 to 40 MPH range. They can get stronger though.
Here in the Lone Star State, we call them dust devils, which are actually mini-tornadoes. So the "devil" is right.
CampinHappy
2000 Suburban 4x4
2007 K-Z Spree 240 BH with triple bunks for my 3 amigos
Formerly a 99 Coleman Niagara PUP
wife version 1.0 (so far ) 3 boys (5,7,11), The former "Rig" at Mueller State Park, Colorado
How do you like the smoke? It was a little bad yesterday, today it is really bad. On my drive in this morning I could only see the Nugget, and Grand Sierra. I can usually see all of them. They say it is coming from a fire in CA in Sierra county.
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