Brrrrrr 12 degrees!!!!!

[retiredhappy]

Nikki and I are caravaning from Texas to AZ for the GTG in Mesa. Spent last night in Fort Stockton and it was 12 DEGREES!!!!! Everything froze up and didn't defrost till 3pm the next day when we got to Van Horn, TX and it was a balmy 35 degrees. Now I've always said the drive from Kerrville to El Paso was the drive from hell because of the constant wind. I've decided that its actually worse when all the bushes, trees, and grass are white with ice. I'm not happy driving in any kind of bad weather so everytime I saw a "Watch for Ice" sign my hands tightened their grip on the wheel. I also usually hate driving with semis - this trip I LOVE them and their hot tires. We got to Van Horn around 3:30. We hooked up Nikki and I drove into town to an auto parts store and Mexican food. Van Horn must be the ONLY small town in the world that doesn't have ANY fast food places but it does have a dollar store. At the parts store I bought one of those hanging trouble lights mechanics use, the one with a cage around the lightbulb. Will put this in my storage compartment under my fresh water tank and pray it works. Not a lot of heat but hopefully enough to keep stuff from freezing up. Tomorrow my favorite part of the drive thru El Paso (NOT). I may not return to Kerrville until Summer.

[Lopo]

Arrgghh. And I have been watching and counting on you to tell me how to avoid El Paso. No way around it? It sounds like a less than pleasant trip through Texas, but taking a more Northern route to San Diego is going to mean waiting another month, for sure. Thanks for the report!

[bluepinecones]

Ouch Karen, that sounds as bad as my drive to FL this year. At least all my tanks and water lines had been drained so didn't have to worry about them. However it was difficult to keep warm inside with electric heater but did keep my bottled water, Nicky and me from totally freezing. I could not get any propane due to shortage (state of emergency in AL over shortage).
Have you found any difficulty in getting propane?

[JudyJB]

Wow, I had no idea Texas was so cold right now. I am planning on driving through there in March, so hope it gets warmer.

The propane shortage is really scary. Guess I will make sure to keep my tank almost full. I am heading to Michigan and Ohio in April. I wonder if it will be still be a shortage then. Hate to be cold, so might have to get a second electric heater! The big reason for keeping my furnaces going at night is that they vent down near my tanks, keeping them from freezing.

At least I think propane is available in Arizona. Does anyone know for sure????

PLEASE, SPRING, COME SOON!!

[avalen]

oh my goodness, can't remember what 12 degrees feels like other than frozen I'm not going to complain about only being 55* right now and the fact that I've got the heater going
I haven't heard of any shortage on Propane here, and it would have been on the news, but not a peep.

[chalet05]

I have driven through El Paso on I-10 twice - been through worse!

Sorry the weather is so cold tho!!

[snowball]

hmmm haven't heard of a shortage either!!! and here in Q there are several places to get propane and no hint of
a shortage would think if there was a shortage that the prices would go up...instead one went down this week
Karen I keep missing you...have a safe trip you could come experience Q
sheila

[sharon]

No propane shortage in SoCal....and I agree with Anita, I've been thru El Paso 5 or 6 times..no problem at all and I've also been thru worse. Guess it depends on what time you go thru.

[MelissaD]

While I'll admit 12 is cold in TX but it was -8 when I was finishing work this morning (3 AM) it's up to -5 now. I'd be happy to see 32 but the closet forecast is 31 degrees on Friday the 14th.

As for 55 I'd be breaking out a sun dress I am so ready for spring

[asirimarco]

Where we live in Nashville, Indiana there is NO propane - supposedly for a 5 state area. it is being brought in from Texas at double the price. Our tank at the hosue ran out and could only get it less than 30% full - Our house sitter had to move into town. He drained all the water lines and put in RV antifreeze and has set up electric heaters and is just keeping the house at 45F. Did finally get a delivery of propane - not sure how full the tank is but for Jan propane cost us $1300. and weather there is still below freezing day and night.
Guess I should stop complaining about the 85 degree weather here in MX.
Keep your tanks full because it probably will not get better quick.

[Acadianmom]

I have heard there is a propane shortage but not sure if it's around here. We are all electric and I run the heat strip in my motorhome. I have had it 7 years and have only put propane once.

Martha

[bluepinecones]

From what I've read on line the propane shortage is still on-going. Must be worse in Mid-west and Southeast than other parts of the country. Yesterday the Feds allocated $14 M to help alleviate the problem. Probably other states involved but have seen articles stating "state of emergency" declared over shortage in AL, Nebraska, WI, and MI. I have not been anywhere to check on propane availability in FL yet but do need to get some before I start home.

[WickedLady]

Was 12* here this morning !! Not typical PNW weather. Only got up to 28* yesterday. BRR.

[cpatinjones]

Enjoy your trip!

[gingerK]

We have propane heat for our business shop and it cost us almost $2000 to fill the big tank (335 gals). Prices are absolutely ridiculous. Our supplier didn't seem to think there was a shortage. They are claiming that the "farmers" used more propane to dry crops this year-but it was a dry year! Sounds like price gouging to me.