5/2/06 REPORTS: TX

[Kenny Drake]

I wasn't going to post my experience but since Sam posted the pics of the gust front I outdrove (no I didnt speed, just had to cross half of Oklahoma to get ahead of it). I started out chasing the cells near Cordell, it tried to get it's act together but quickly became outflow dominant. I let the developing gust front pass over with some decent wind out of it and then decided I would try and beat the storm back to Norman. Took 152 most of the way, most of the time driving ~65mph and avoiding hydroplaning. Caught up with the GF near US-81 and finally made it to I-35. All the time I was driving with that beautiful gust front, I just wish I was ahead of it to get those nice shots Sam was able to get. Anyways, got back to Norman about 10pm, enjoyed the dying out gust front as it passed over and ate some dinner. I think chasing is so much more enjoyable when you are not expecting to see a tornado, because your not dissapointed when you don't see one but can still enjoy everything else about the storms. There was some excellent lightning with the cell that finally died out near Binger and the gust front was very photogenic at sunset (DOH! Just realized those shots were lightning illuminated, even better!). Also, driving in the cell most of the way back sure cleaned my car. It was spotless this morning.