Dodging Tumbleweeds

As we drove home from Ohio, passing through Nebraska, the winds starting whipping.

We're used to wind - we live in Wyoming.  Not to mention we drove through the tornadoes that hit Illinois on our way TOO Ohio.

What was comical about these winds?  The...   TUMBLEWEEDS!

Those not familiar with tumbleweeds - they are plants that grow out west that eventually dry up and simply begin blowing around when the winds pick up. Their roots are so shallow they just pull right up.

Once they are 'blowing around', they become a hazard to vehicles that might encounter them.

Semi trucks have been brought to their knees by the likes of a tumble weed.

They are THAT prickly.

I was shocked the first time I picked one up ---- OUCH!

So..... there we were..... driving down I-80 when the winds starting blowing the tumbleweeds about. First a couple along the side of the road.  Next a few drifted across the highway.  Finally, multiple plants were wafting across and down the road heading directly at us.

It felt like a video game as Techno maneuvered lane to lane to avoid coming in contact with these potentially crippling little vegetations.

(Yes, he was VERY aware of our surroundings and other vehicles on the road.  Remember - we were heading west where there's a WHOLE LOT LESS PEOPLE!!!)  :-)

A couple times there was nothing we could do. Those pesky little brambles of branches would zig when we zagged and....... swoooooosh, right under the SUV they'd go.

Thankfully, no damage was done.  None were quite big enough to cause any trouble.

However........ the event sure made for lots of laughter and jocularity as we drove along...... living out our very own live action video game of Tumbleweed Dodging.

Memories of the weirder kind.