Are We There Yet??: Eye on the Storm

Hwy 25 between Santa Fe and Denver is a beautiful drive. To the west the Rocky Mountains begin to take shape. To the east, a flat sea of grass stretching to the horizon. I drove this highway last Monday taking in the dramatic beauty, noting the change from desert reds to lush greens as the miles passed.

Then the sky turned black ahead. The yellow/green of the landscape became brilliant in contrast as the sun still had its way in the west. Off to my left a cylindrical cloud, unlike anything I'd ever seen before rose from behind the mountain up to the rest of the clouds. It was miles around and solid enough to cut with a knife. It began to rain, and then pour and then hale. About the time the hale sounded like it would crack my windshield I passed a group of cars pulled up under an overpass. Then another group of cars and SUVs along side a grove of trees. I didn't know what to do to I just kept driving but I have to admit, I was pretty nervous. The massive cloud seemed closer and darker so I drove a little faster...

I made it to Evergreen, CO in 5 1/2hrs (I must have had a good tail wind). My friend Heather looked at the weather satellite on line. A big swirling storm with a red center covered at least 1/4 of New Mexico and passed right over hwy 25 not long after I was there.