An interesting thing about tumble weeds is there were none in the old West. They are actually called Russian Thistle and were brought over accidentally by the German immigrants of the 1890s. The seeds were mixed in with their wheat.
I lived in Western Kansas, (Dodge City) back in the 80s and the tumble weeds can at times be a real problem. I can recall driving down to Liberal and so many tumble weeds were blowing across the road that one cracked my headlight and several others dented the fins in my radiator.
I recall a Dennis the Menace cartoon in which Dennis, dressed in his cowboy hat and with cap guns strapped around his waist, was sitting on Santa Claus’ lap, telling him that he wanted a tumble weed for Christmas.