Quick "?": Salt Lake to Santa Fe, La or SF?

[Mother Sanity (JackieRodzinski)]

Quick question. Son and I have just arrived in Salt lake city after a very long and dangerous drive from Denver through the Red Desert. (The wind was hell.) Now we are at a bit of a loss. We's like to avoid more of the above, or anything that would be deterimental to the health and welfare of our Miata.

Has anyone made the drive from Salt Lake City to Santa Fe, NM?
How about LA or San Francisco? What can we expect? Thanks! Jackie

[P.A.]

LA to San Francisco is one of the most beautiful drives you can possibly make. I have never driven from Salt Lake City to Santa Fe.

[Snagg]

Careful. Those crosswinds can be truly dangerous, especially in a small car. I was zooming along 40 in a Honda Civic wagon - A nice, wide, flat side profile - when the 90 degree angle of the wind began blowing sand across the road, which started to act like tiny ball bearings under my tires. Almost like hydroplaning. The force of the wind and the loss of traction combined to sloooooowly push me sideways out of my lane and into the one next to me, which happened to be occupied by an 18 wheeler. Countersteering didn't work. I was afraid that hitting the brakes would only throw me into a skid. My only solution was to take my foot off the accelerator, activate my turn signal and wait for the moment when my slowing tires regained enough contact with the road to allow me to steer myself back into my lane.
That worked, but it was truly hairy for a few minutes. There was barely a foot of space between me and the rig when I regained control of my car. I doubt he even knew I was there. I pulled over and waited until the wind died down before I went any further.

[J Lee S]

What the heck man. You guys were here in Salt Lake?
My Dad usually heads south to Cedar City, or St. George then goes through Vegas on over to Santa Paula when he goes to visit his Mom.