Who Got Their RV Trashed by a Dust Devil?

I was at Johnson RV this past Thursday, picking up the Unity - and Bryan Hardin in the Collision Center said another owner dropped off their RV after a run-in with what was described as a Dust-Devil. Maybe in Texas or Colorado?

It broke windows and damaged one whole side. Odd thing was, when Bryan mentioned my story - they knew my name! So it must be someone here in the Forum.

Several years ago there was a wicked dust storm in the Anza Borrego region of SE California. Smaller rigs were shoved sideways on their wheels several feet, some were blown over completely and many had the entire surface that was facing the wind sandblasted down to bare metal or fiberglass and the windows were all opaque! We missed that one fortunately but talked to several people in the campground there about it!

I was not blasted by one of these, but back in 1990 I was on a car tour of Arizona, Texas, etc. It was a rental car called a Mitsubishi "Mirage". I thought I would be cute, and got out of the car to take a picture of a "Mirage in the Desert" - when a roadrunner ran between me and the car, hauling ass.

While I was heading back to the car and wondering what was chasing him - maybe Wile E. Coyote? - I heard a roar, like a high-pitched train. It was a Dust Devil. I had only ever seen them from a distance. It passed in front of the car, but I do not recall getting any damages.

When they disappear up in the air, they can make a high-pitched screaming sound. Across that desert, I could watch dozens of them dancing about.

I will never forget that.