Emergency Engine Derate – 5 MPH Max

At Roadrunner Campground, Lake Pleasant, Phoenix AZ

No, not us…it was the semi-truck right around Laguna Pueblo New Mexico.  We started our day at 6 am, leaving the Enchanted Trails RV Park by 6:30, full of gas and coffee from the nearby Love’s and on the road again by 6:45.  About 35 miles down the highway, I suddenly come upon a Semi-Trailer going 5 mph, lights flashing, in the right lane.  Now in this particular area, due to the hills being illuminated by the morning sun, it was a bit hard to notice the truck going so slow, and hard to see its flashing lights.  With a few cars and semis coming up behind me in the left lane, I had to put on my brakes, I hit my emergency blinkers, and when safe, made it around the 5 mph truck.  A “Dangerous Situation” Marcia and I said as we went by…he had at least another mile and a half to the nearest exit, and there is NOTHING at that exit.  I had my eyes set on a rest area near the Sky City Casino about 15 miles from where this truck was going so slow, it was time feed the dogs.  That rest area was closed, but the casino had parking.

We were there for perhaps 15-20 minutes, and got back on the Interstate.  Within 5 minutes we see a police car headed east, lights and sirens going.  Hmm, wonder what that is?  Another few minutes and we see another headed east with lights and sirens….gee, I wonder?  I look on Google Maps, traffic mode, and sure enough there is a red line in that area where we passed the truck.  About 5 minutes later two more police, lights and sirens…one a unmarked car, go by east bound.  An hour later we do a google search on “New Mexico” “I-40” “crash” limiting the search to the past hour…and news station KRQE has a small alert about I-40 being shut down with the following map…

Follow up articles don’t include much, there is no mention of a semi going slow or even being involved in the wreck.  But my theory is that the semi had a DEF failure, which puts the engine into Derate Mode, giving the driver just enough energy to get the big-rig off to the side of the road or to the nearest exit.  Since the truck surprised me, I am sure it surprised other, less cautious drivers.  Someone either hit it, or lost control trying not to hit it, causing a wreck which shut I-40 down westbound for about 6 hours.  I wish I could say that was the only crazy thing about Friday’s drive…but nope.  As we came to a construction zone, they shut the left lane down.  I look in my mirror and see a car way back there, coming on fast.  NO WAY, he is not trying to pass me before this merger is he…but he does not slow down.  The left lane is already collapsing to the right lane, and he is still coming.  I don’t change speed and goes shooting by at 75 mph in what is now a 55 mph zone with just inches to spare…just to slam on his breaks since the truck in front of me is less than a tenth of a mile in front of me.  Of course, he did get to hear the sound of my horn.  Funny thing, after the freeway went back to two westbound lanes, he did not go above the speed limit.  I think his wife was a bit irritated with him for putting them, and us, in danger.  I think I heard her yelling all the way back from my safe driving distance…

We made it to Lake Pleasant by 2:30 (gained an hour due to Arizona not, in campsite by 3.  This is our second time here, and being a weekend, it is FULL.  Three nights with reservation cost $104.00, but that is much less than an RV park in Phoenix, and those RV parks don’t get these views.

  

Lake Pleasant reservoir is part of the CAP (Central Arizona Project) to provide water to Phoenix.  Most the water in Lake Pleasant comes from the Colorado River, being diverted near Lake Havasu into an aqueduct that runs towards Phoenix, and the Waddell Canal diverts some of that water to Lake Pleasant where it is stored until it is needed, usually in the summer months.  This year, the lake is very full.

  

The views from the campground include numerous desert views too…

Along with a sunset view from my easy chair just outside the window.