Escaping the Haboob

Well, the rockin and rolling continued on through this morning, making for some incredible videos and photos. This is officially a haboob sandstorm with incredible winds, probably 40 to 50 miles an hour. Boy, am I glad that I'm in a tin can on wheels, and not in a tent out there! 

We have haboobs in Phoenix, however they never seem to get up into the mountains of Cave Creek in the same way as they do on the flat valley floor. Well, here we are in Death Valley, and I'm camping in a flat valley floor, and I'm getting the full effect of what it's like to experience this. Yet, again, another first! Think of it as a blizzard except instead of snow it's sand, white/brown out conditions, and so much blasting dust. I'm sure it's pretty unhealthy, and a little concerning, but there's not much I can do about it.

The woman last night who lives just outside of Yosemite said they were expecting 50 mile an hour winds. I guess this time they were right! So my plans obviously have changed as I have no desire to go outside to hike. Jo Jo and I were out there for one minute. That was enough to get sandblasted eyeballs. I waited a few hours, and then I walked alone, to the rangers station, 1/4 mile away.  He had no news of my camp in the mountains: Wildrose, where I stayed. In case it's not so windy. Its 30 miles away. The gas station and general grocery store are closed. The entire park is out of electricity, due to this storm. There is no way to know when power gets back. There is a line up at the gas station, where people are waiting, or stranded, hoping for the power to return. I bought another night at Stovepipe camp for $7.00. The kiosk is solar/battery powered, and took my credit card. I am running the generator for a while, as my battery is down to 30%. There is no hook up, and no sun to charge the battery. Jo Jo quickly pooped, and we are back inside, nursing our whipped selves. I wore a gator scarf, for the first time, since packing it in the rv, and it is definitely worthwhile. The ranger said they only get this kind of storm once a year, and its supposed to last all day. So how cool or scary is this? What a freaking ride! I am cozy, and safe for the time being. 

Update:

The dust breathing, over these last several hours, has really become bothersome. Its 2:35 pm. As much as I hate to leave my paid, and secured campsite, I've decided to go back up to Wildrose...yet again. I suppose the third time is a charm? It will probably take me 45 minutes. I thought I could ride out this haboob, but with so much dust, breathing has become rather uncomfortable. I just spontaneously decided to get out of here, and to find some relief. And the only way of doing that was to head out of the valley floor. I left within 10 minutes of making my decision. 

The ranger could not confirm whether Wildrose would have better weather conditions, and I am no expert on environmental weather patterns, or how any terrain effects wind, or the quality of the air.... but as I drove, I realized that in these intimate hills, with its many bushes, and mostly rocks, and less sand, the wind could potentially be more subdued, than on the valley floor. I should have just realized that like in Cave Creek, in between the mountains, the wind is shielded. Perhaps I should go back and enlighten the Ranger about my uneducated revelation regarding todays weather findings? In any event, I took it upon my own intuition, hoping that this would be a better choice for me. My windshield is completely dust clouded over, and for a while, while driving, I did not see relief from this thick air. However, looking out from my side windows, I could definitely see how the sky was getting bluer, and the air was getting clearer, the further up into the mountains that I drove. I already knew that I made the right choice 15 minutes into my drive. By the time I got to Wildrose, it was only 3:30pm, and there were only two other campers nearby. Of course I immediately seized "my" second tier campsite and rather than backing in, I drove forward, which allowed a much more level parking. Regrettably, I flatted a desert holly bush by doing this. 

I definitely made the right choice to leave. This will be a much more healthy and safe and relaxing place to be for the night, and I'm actually thrilled to be back here for the third time. I feel like I've claimed it to be my own along with my rocks. Wildrose is mine.