Okay, class, we’ve got a lot to cover today, so sit down, put away your cell phones and your vape pens… and, I’m not going to say this again: I don’t want to see those Tide pods again! Either put them away, or just finish them up, right now!
We have snow… not a lot along my route, but around the Cliffhanger/ traffic signal/ 189 X Lake Gregory Drive, if one looks very closely, there really are little tiny accumulations on the sides of the road of some sort of snow- like substance. There’s nothing frozen on the roads there, but… chain control is set up at the Cliffhanger for uphill traffic. I know… it’s May. But, sure as shootin,’ chain control is out there. I really don’t know what the conditions are at higher elevations, because chain control’s presence does NOT always mean that there is any snow on any road anywhere… it just means that somebody decided that chains will be a legal requirement for two- wheel drive vehicles (at this time, 4WD/ AWD with snow tires (the vast majority of passenger tires ARE snow- rated: If the sidewall on your tires reads, “M+S,” then they count as being rated for, “Mud and Snow”) are allowed without chaining, as long as chains are carried in the vehicle).
Ice was not to be found through Crestline, through the Narrows, or along any of my route down the hill. Air temps hover in the near- freezing range, but the road surfaces are relatively warm… the road surface is wet, but not frozen. However, I can’t speak for higher elevations.
Fog is moderate, nothing heavy, and as one descends, the fog mostly disappears by 5000 feet or so. There may still be a couple of patchy fog areas, but those are light… nothing to worry about. Rain is falling, and generally, rain sort of clears fog out of the air… as the droplets fall to the ground, they collect the mist. MOST of the time, if it is raining, fog will not be terribly heavy. But… that’s MOST of the time… not a solid rule.
I did not see rocks on my commute, but, there were plenty of forensic clues/ footprints of previous rocks on the road. A number of sections of Hwy 18, mostly through the Narrows, had dirt and gravel, indicating that at some point in the past few hours, small rockslides had occurred, but they’ve all been cleared of any rocks that might be hazardous. Thank- you, CalTrans rockplow drivers! Keep in mind that seeing that rocks HAVE hit the road earlier in the night DOES indicate that more rocks are likely to descend to highway surfaces today. Be vigilant in watching out for them.
Rain is all over the Inland Empire. My commute today took me to Rancho Kook, and my wipers were working away at their menial job for the entire drive. Traffic is sort of slow, sort of heavy… and I’m going to bet that once more cars hit the road, more cars will hit more cars, since, well, rain + Southern California drivers. Bank on a long drive, exponentially longer based upon the distance you have to travel on the highways down here on the flatlands.
All told, though, the drive is not bad in the mountain areas. It might look a little intimidating, but really, there’s no reason to worry.
Thanks KDOG! Glad you are back!
Thanks KDOG….good to know the roads are good….slides gone and fog going away.
Thank- you Iris!