by Marsha Ward
March is going to be awesomely busy. I'm a bit nervous, though.
I'm going to attend two Writers Conferences (one in Gilbert, Arizona, and one in Sandy, Utah) and a Book Fair where I'm going to sign and sell books in Sierra Vista, Cochise County, Arizona. That means lots of traveling this month.
The first conference is this weekend. The weather forecast looks good, so I'm not agonizing about driving down to the valley.
But then, on the 14th, I'm driving from the middle of Arizona to the bottom, and I have no idea what the weather will be. Since I'll be going through the more temperate (some say hot) parts of the state, I shouldn't have to worry about snow storms. Rain may be another story. At least there shouldn't be dust storms to concern me. They are a summer event. Besides, Southern Arizona has been getting a lot of rain in the past weeks, so that should keep down any dust.
Here's the thing. In the fourth week, I'm heading for Utah. They've been getting a lot of snow. Will it all be gone and done with before I try to get over the mountain passes? Maybe I'll have to go through Las Vegas instead of trying Utah State Highway 20 from the US 89 to I-15. I know that the 20 is sometimes closed due to snow.
There's no short way to get to Las Vegas from here. It involves miles and miles of driving through the desert. I can go down to Phoenix and head out through Wickenburg on US 93. That's the long, fair-weather route. Or I can chance taking mountainous US 87 toward wintry Flagstaff, where I'd take I-40 west to Kingman and thence up the 93 to Las Vegas, where I'd hook onto I-15. Sigh.
Where can I get a long-range weather forecast? Anyone? Anyone?
How about some advice from you Utahns out there?
8 comments:
I'm from Utah and live in the Phoenix area...I think you'll be just fine to go up 89 through Page and then over on 20 to connect w/ I-15 especially that late in March. I'm making the trek up next week...I'll let you know how it goes! Good luck!
Thank you! I appreciate the helpfulness.
It's been beautiful here the last few days and then snow this weekend. It's all gone already and temperatures are supposed to climb again. My bet is you'll be fine. Should be no snow. Of course, I don't know the route you're talking about. I just know the one through Vegas. Oh, I live near Cedar City, Utah, so have a fairly good idea of just how cold it is, especially this morning. It has been in the mid-60s though. Good luck and have a great travel month!
One more thing ... if you've got a minute when you get as far as Cedar City, give me a call. Maybe we could do lunch. Email me and I'll get you my number. overnightsuccess@hotmail.com
I'd love to do lunch, Robyn. Definitely if I go through LV. The Route 20 hits I-10 between Paragonah and Beaver, though, so if I go that way, I'll miss Cedar City. I'll let you know.
Actually, I mean I-15. I-10 goes east/west through Arizona.
Hi again Marsha...I just make the trek from Phoenix to SLC via Page using Hwy 89...no problems...I think you are going to be just fine later this month. Good luck!
Oh...one more thing...Hwy 20 was just fine too...there was very little snow & it wasn't a factor at all.
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