I'm a working man, and I can't afford to keep going on fact-finding missions to my heart's content. But recently I was on a storm-chasing trip to Kansas and Oklahoma that involved much Roads Scholaring. The event yielded 200 photos and videos of tornadoes, highway features, and other interesting exhibits.
So peep, weep, and oggle-beep...
http://www.angelfire.com/yt2/lastword/roadpics/storm13a.html
http://www.angelfire.com/yt2/lastword/roadpics/storm13b.html
http://www.angelfire.com/yt2/lastword/roadpics/storm13c.html
http://www.angelfire.com/yt2/lastword/roadpics/storm13d.html
http://www.angelfire.com/yt2/lastword/roadpics/storm13e.html
http://www.angelfire.com/yt2/lastword/roadpics/storm13f.html
http://www.angelfire.com/yt2/lastword/roadpics/storm13g.html
http://www.angelfire.com/yt2/lastword/roadpics/storm13h.html
I poo with glee!
Can't believe you made it all the way to Oklahoma and still haven't met Jeremy. We need to fix this.
A storm-chasing trip is one of the things I want to do. Badly.
Quote from: hbelkins on June 13, 2013, 11:02:53 PM
A storm-chasing trip is one of the things I want to do. Badly.
Storm chasing has been called "the world's worst hobby" because it usually doesn't bring any real storm sightings. I'm one of the luckiest people ever to go storm chasing, because I saw a tornado on the first day I even tried. That almost never happens.
Thanks for pointing out the odd abandoned road decks/approaches on the RR bridge. Looked at it on Google. It is very cool. Are you aware of the similar situation on the Harhan Bridge at Memphis?
Quote from: Brian556 on June 14, 2013, 12:20:50 AM
Thanks for pointing out the odd abandoned road decks/approaches on the RR bridge. Looked at it on Google. It is very cool. Are you aware of the similar situation on the Harhan Bridge at Memphis?
I'm not familiar with the Harhan.
I was quite envious seeing your tornado videos. You have such a great sequence captured showing that one begin as a funnel cloud, drop, and then retreat upwards.
Loved seeing a storm chase trip with all of the roads taken focused upon as well. I sometimes watch chasetv and enjoy seeing the roads they take as much as the weather they encounter.
Awesome stuff, storm chasing is very high on my bucket list.
WOW!!! Although tornado chasing is a dangerous hobby, it seems to me like you had a lot of fun doing it.
The closest big tornado to my area was the one in Springfield, MA on June 1, 2011, about 35 air miles to my north-northeast. Although Hartford County, CT had a severe thunderstorm warning that day, we here (New Britain, CT) only had one substantial sun shower that afternoon. With that said, we did have some of those sickly looking mamattus clouds here that evening. As for storm chasing? No way in hell would I want to do it! It's bad enough that Mike Bettes of The Weather Channel was almost killed doing that recently.
I've been wanting to chase for years, but I've never gotten around to it. I'm kind of an amateur meteorologist so I'm into the storms and have a passing knowledge of what to look for, although not an expert by any means. It's tough to get away with two young kids at home.
It's a very nice compliment to road-geeking in that there's a lot of driving to nowhere in particular.
I'm lucky that in Denver, I don't have to drive far to see some interesting things... I've seen a couple tornadoes and a bunch of funnels just from my house looking east towards the airport which is visible on a clear day. Unfortunately I missed the one at DIA the other day; I was playing golf in Boulder.
I myself have a very major interest in weather (and have for 21 years). I went on a chase in April, capturing a funnel cloud and a small EF-0 tornado. I undertook that chase with a 20 year veteran of chasing, who has a PhD in Meteorology.
That stated, I must strongly discourage anyone from attempting this activity a) by themselves and b) without knowing exactly what you need to look for, including being a TRAINED Skywarn spotter with your local National Weather Service office. Ignoring this advice is a surefire way to get yourself injured and/or killed. I strongly discourage most of the general public from chasing. If you insist upon it, do so with someone who is QUALIFIED in the field, including previous chase experience, radar knowledge, and the aforementioned spotter training.
In fact, even those with extensive experience in the field have not escaped. In May, an EF-3 tornado west of Oklahoma City killed three professional stormchasers along with 7 members of the general public; flipped The Weather Channel's Tornado Hunt SUV (this is indeed the event that Kevin_224 is referring to that nearly killed Mike Bettes), and caused multiple injuries when it made a sudden turn. Tornadoes do things that are sometimes unexpected. A good spotter knows how to spot them. The best spotters know how to stay out of danger while spotting the tornadoes. The average Joe or Jane? Not so much.
EDITED 3:13 AM to confirm Kevin_224's account.
Great photos! I also have the desire to stormchase one day :)
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If you thought Road Scholars were constipated by US 412, it's nothing compared to US 400 - which does not fit into the U.S. route numbering system in any way, shape, or form.
(second link) :bigass: