Worst roads encountered on a chase

[Haleigh Knowlton]

Mine is technically not a road, but what looked like it was. Was night at Lake McConaughy in western Nebraska. After having taken some lightning shots at a beach I decided I wanted to go try some more shots but from the other side of the bay. So I started driving north along the recreation road, only my headlights illuminating on an overcast night. I turned left onto what I thought was the access to a little picnic area. By the time I realized the dirt surface was changing to sand I found myself on the beach, which was a major problem given I was in a front-wheel drive vehicle.

I was able to barely keep up just enough speed (like barely walking speed) (and knew better to try a u-turn in sand in a front wheel drive) to not get stuck and with a quick glance to my GPS map realized I turned left 1 turn too early but there'd be a pair of trees up ahead that's I'd be able to turn left at to get up some harder packed sand in the treeline to the actual picnic area.

 

[Paul Knightley]

I don't think I can top some of the selection above (!) but one I recall was south-east of Childress back on May 13th, 2005. A developing supercell was in that area, and the paved option was SW and then east, but the SW part would take us right into the hail core. Thus we opted for a minor road which went S and then E. However, about a mile into this the gravel gave way to red mud and clay! There was no real turning back at this stage, as the road was narrow with ditches about 3 feet deep on each side. The storm became tornado warned and so we just had to keep going - any nudge of the throttle had us sliding around, but someone I kept us going, and we cheered very loudly as the paved road hoved into view!

 

[John Farley]

Although I have seen some horrible roads in Kansas and Oklahoma, my worst experiences have been in eastern CO. Unpaved roads there turn into an undrivable combination of mud and slick clay after a good rain, and sometimes look fine until you are already into the mess. Twice I have narrowly avoided getting stuck (and that was with AWD) and was able to turn around and get out, but my rule now is that if the road is wet or the storms are moving/developing in such a way that it could become wet, I don't go there any more.