Windy day caused dangerous driving for travelers

It was an extremely windy day in many parts of the tri-counties and some travelers were having a tough time driving.

The Zwicker family took a break from their more than 400-mile road trip to stretch their legs at El Capitan Beach and to give dad a rest from the wind.

“There were a couple of times it took me by surprise. I had to grip the wheel more tightly to keep us in our lane for sure,” said David Zwicker, a Santa Rosa resident.

The gusts at the beach were all fun and games for Sophie Zwicker and her younger sister.

“You can lay all your weight and you won’t be blown back!” said Sophie as she threw her arms out to the side as another gust blew by.

The wind kicked up choppy waves and blew around the sand, but for the girls, it was an adventure.

The beach was fun but heading back on the road got a little tricky.

“Kind of all over the road. There’s been a lot of other people zigging and zagging having trouble with it too,” said Roy Davis at the Gaviota rest stop.

Davis was making his way back to Fort Bragg and decided to avoid the I-5 because of icy conditions.

“I’d much rather be in the wind than the snow,” he said.

It was bad enough for drivers on four wheels but even worse for those driving motorcycles.

“You really have to pay attention. It’s a lot easier in a car. I wouldn’t want to be in a semi but you have to pay attention when you’re going around the semis too, because they tend to get in your lane,” said Angie Tejeda as she stood next to her Harley-Davidson.