2018-28 A Special Report, A Cautionary Tale for all Rvers

2018-28

A Special Report

A Cautionary Tale for all RV’ers
or (A Scary story fit for the Halloween season)

Well it’s a rainy day, so as I often do, I’ve extended my stay for an extra day so that I don’t have to travel in the rain. That being said, a week or so back I didn’t take my own advice and did travel on a rainy day. Assuming the rain would let up as I continued my journey eastward.

This story is a cautionary story for all you Full-time and part time Rv-ers heading to your next destination. As I’ve mentioned in my blogs previously, I most often take the back roads rather than the major highways. Often those back-roads are 4 lane divided highways making for a very pleasant journey in that I can drive at a slower pace, enjoy the scenery and stop in the many small towns along the way. Other back-roads are two lane my favorite ones having a paved skirting along the roadways enabling one to pull over when ever needed. And others are country farming two lane roads with no skirting and very little to no traffic, but that’s not always the case is it.

So my story actually begins in Texas along route 190, 290 and 105 all connected and basically parallel north of Interstate I-10. The story ends in Louisiana along hwy 190 before merging back onto I-10.

Texas route hwy 190, 290 and 105

I’ve taken much of both routes in the past with little to no problems. It was a sunny Texas day as I began my back country journey. However, on this journey (October 2018) I started to come across a number of very large over sized flatbed trucks carrying industrial tanks, equipment and machinery. With the roadway being relatively straight I was able to see these huge vehicles coming my way, with their safety vehicles flashing yellow lights ahead and behind the over sized trucks. Giving me enough time to slow down and pull off onto the paved skirting.

Everything went well, as I passed the first of what would be many of these over-sized transports coming at me. I quickly noted that anytime they reached a section of road that crossed a small river or gorge, the road often narrowed on these back-roads with guard rails. I was able to slow down before getting into a situation where there would be no way that the over-sized truck and my truck and camper would be able to negotiate those narrow bridges.

As I traveled through Texas, I probably encountered at least a dozen or more of these huge over-sized vehicles and their cargo

You have to get over to the side of the road
onto the skirting

Cautionary Warning #1: Always be aware of narrow bridges bordered by guardrails. It’s best to slow down even to stopping after pulling off to the side of the road to let the over-sized vehicles pass safely. The over-sized vehicles must move to the center of the road to negotiate the narrow bridges with guardrails and you won’t be able to squeeze by. Fair warning.

The next Section after finally traveling what seemed like weeks to get across Texas, it really is a big state folks, was Louisiana. I have traveled the 190 back-roads in the past and they were very doable for we RV-ers. Going through numerous old southern towns as the road travels north of the major interstate I-10. Now it should also be noted that hwy 190 through Louisiana has gotten a bit rougher needing repaving as many roads throughout the country do.

hwy 190 through Louisiana is mainly a two lane road,
no side skirting and road is rough condition is sections

Unfortunately the day started out with a light rain and I thought I could outrun the rain. Well, it got worse as I continued my travels east. Finally pulling off at a Valero gas station. They are large gas stations which cater to the trucking and regular vehicles as well.

This Valero gas station was run down and did not have all the great conveniences as most of the modern big gas stations have. No this one had turned into a rundown over sized gas station/liquor store. I should have realized that after noting that only one other vehicle had pulled in here and as I was about to enter the building, the large overhang had a spectacular waterfall cascading through the roof.

But it was poring out and I needed to wait until the rain let up a bit. After a while, it appeared the rain was letting up and I headed back on the road. Of course the rain had only let up temporarily and once again I was driving in a down pore. Up ahead of me, hardly able to see but a short distance through the heavy rainfall, on a two lane road, no shoulders to speak of, ahead of me I saw the entire road ahead turn into a wall of splashing water. What was going on? What was ahead of me, now only a couple hundred yards ahead of me. Barreling down that two lane road was coming an entire mobile home, traveling at full speed, maybe more. I had exactly 3-5 seconds to react, and somehow, I was able to pull off to the side of my lane by what I can estimate was mere inches. Having no shoulder, I might have ended in the ditch. As the mobile home and truck pulling it barreled past me in a swirl of water, it felt like my life was woshing past me. I’d made it. Surely I had a couple, maybe a dozen guardian angel looking after me that day.

Cautionary Warning #2. You know better. Just don’t travel on days that it’s raining out. It’s not worth it. Like today, as I sit in a very nice State Park in Florida as it continues to rain, the remnants of yet another hurricane passes through the area, extending my stay another day, knowing tomorrow the day will be clear and sunny.

Cautionary Note #3. Although I do enjoy the back-roads for traveling, perhaps it’s time to start asking the locals or FB Rv forums about those back-roads and find out if they are congested with over-sized vehicles which may make your travels less than safe. Some areas have big logging trucks, it’s best to ask the locals which routes they prefer. As much as I’ve enjoyed those back roads, I think it’s time to reconsider and do a bit more investigation and planning before taking those back roads.

Well, that’s my story for a very wet rainy day. I usually don’t like to tell scary tales but I needed to tell myself this cautionary story to myself for reinforcement purposes and hopefully it will add to your knowledge before heading back out onto those open roads. Be safe, be cautious.

Knowledge enables us all to live better lives.

dp