So...Im going to let this out here, as I went through some scary shit last night with the truck and I can't really tell the wife cause last thing I need is her to get over worried as she gets stressed enough as is when Im out on the road.
Started out the night last night picking up a load out of Calgary to take to Cranbrook, I have this app on my phone that gives me a live look at what the winds are doing around the globe so I can try to assess any risk on the potential routes I decide to take, especially for going down to and through Crowsnest Pass. Looking at it, I was seeing areas that showed gusts up to around 60 n 70km/h, which is starting to get up there, but nothing too threatening as long as I keep my speed in check. My load is essentially mail, which is not heavy at all so when the winds get up my trailer is basically a 53ft sail im pulling down the highway.
I leave Calgary at 11pm with my load and head down highway 2, and turn onto secondary road 533 to cut across to hwy 22, there's a sign on the corner telling the windspeed as soon as you turn onto 533, and tonight it read 35km/h, so I though perfect, let's rock n roll. Get to hwy 22, turn south, immediately feel the winds have picked up, hitting my from the east, but as mentioned before, I was expecting to be hit with gusts up to 70km/h so mentally I was ready for it. Get about 25mins further down the road and HOLY f*** was I in for a surprise. Snap of a finger, the winds shifted from easterly, to westerly, those gusts were north of 100km/h (I know this cause I switched my radio to the weather broadcast) and a wind warning was put into effect for the area. Anyhow, because I was doing about 90km/h myself when I got hit with he sudden gust from my right, I felt the wind pick up my trailer, and pull the whole truck all the way over 15ft, well into the opposite lane and had me ride the left shoulder, and I felt the truck tilt to an almost 45 degree angle to the left, and for about 5secs, I thought for sure I was going to either get blown on to the driver side, or straight up get blown off the edge of the hill and roll down the to the bottom of a revine. I was hammering the brake and through my jakes on full blast to slow down as much as I could, and I was able to eventually able to steer the truck out of it and keep it right side up.
But holy shit, I;ve been doing this for well over 5 years now, and that was the closest I've ever come to having a wreck, I'm really appreciating being alive and in one piece this morning.
