Chasing alone---Mistake?

[Sarah Berling]

Originally posted by Brian Stertz
I would certainly prefer to have a chase partner or two/three because of the fatigue factor of driving, especially post chase. My toughest chase solo was June 12th this past year. I left at 6am and chased up until dark, and then drove back to Tulsa. I did not sleep but an hour and then I had to go to work. Honestly I can say it was worth just being out there...

Agreed, Brian. I just started chasing last year, and I went with some OU students (because I was living in Oklahoma for a little while). I found that I learned much much more when riding around with other meteorology students, because I had a million and three questions and they had a million and three answers. They were very patient with me, bless their souls.

Riding with a partner is probably best if you're going to attempt multiple state chases. I remember one memorable chase last year (5.11.05) where we left Norman at about 2pm, drove straight to Garden City, Kansas, caught an amazing lightning storm, and drove back that same night (I had work the next morning and one of our group had an final.) We didn't get back until about 630 the next morning. That was tough and I was very grateful to have other people in the car who could take over the driving portion.

Just be careful, dude. Know your own limits. If you know you can't drive more than, say, 6 hours without falling asleep, get a partner if you're going on a long chase. Just know your limits and you'll be dandy.

Sarah

 

[Susan Strom]

Originally posted by David Drummond+--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(David Drummond)</div>

I also tell anyone riding with me that I am out there for the duration and not quiting until the storm(s) I am chasing are DEAD or just plain crapped into an MCS. I learned my lesson more than once about giving up on a storm early.[/b]

I couldn't agree more. I have a couple tried-and-true rules that have worked for me SO many times I can't even count. 1) Wait until the storm is totally dead, no pulse whatsoever. Then watch it for 10 minutes more. With monsoon, I lay money on the table there will be a good crawler still in there to shoot, and some of the best, most branchiest ones can come at the very end. 2) The weather goes to bed first. One of the best chases I ever had was 4:30am in Kansas. For monsoon, 1-2am is a magic hour, there is often secondary action or small flanking lines that linger, and the air is clean, producing great opportunities for lightning photography.

As far as getting hungry, that's easily solved with a cooler and pre-prepared stuff, and health-food bars like Slimfast, and lots of cold bottled water & Gatorade. No need to take 5 minutes out of a chase for the sake of getting hungry, I agree. Very easy problem to solve. Even Starbucks has portable coffees. You can stay healthy when you're running around chasing all night if you keep your immune system strong and have sleep catch-up time later. And look at the customers at 1am at Denny's in the Plains...chasers when the day is done!

Originally posted by David Drummond@
Actually, it quite surprises me the number of people that want you to take them along, yet want you to conform to THEIR schedule. I mean really, if you asking to go along with someone else, you should be ready to commit to THEIR agenda, not your own. Sorry, got off on a rant there.

So true, and it is funny, even though I get asked, honestly I know some people would get frustrated too if they went with me, they might end up in Deming, New Mexico at 3am. If there is some reason why they have to be home at a certain time, they really can't chase with me. I have to chase it until the last curtain call because a) in the Plains it is my vacation time so I'm out there for one reason...to chase, and B) during Monsoon, I never know when the next big night will come, so I have to chase it until the swan song.

<!--QuoteBegin-David Drummond
All this comes back to having a GREAT chase partner. Even among us chasers, I'd be willing to bet there are only a couple handfulls that absolutely chase balls to the wall until mother nature closes the theater for the evening.

I wonder how many there are. Really, it is a good question.

 

[SteveCarter]

This is weird, that this topic is here, given that is the very reason I just logged in...to see about getting a chase partner this year. I'll probably start another topic on it tho.
I would HIGHLY recommend a partner. A good example was in Kansas last June. I was trying to read the maps, use my laptop, take pics and videos, and drive....at the SAME time. NOT good! With a partner, you can both do things that will get you from point A to point B a LOT faster. When things get popping, you really need to stay on the laptop for radars, and etc. Things change in minutes, and by the time you pull over to check everything again, it's sometimes to late. If you DO get a partner, MAKE SURE they understand that when there is something going on, you do NOT eat, stop to use the bathroom, or anything else. At least that's MY philosophy..lol You get up early, can stay up late collecting weather data, and it can get unnerving at times. Dangerous? 99% of the time, the danger was created by YOUR descisions, not the weather, so make sure you approach weather situations carefully if you're just getting started at this. I know...better safe than sorry....but it really does apply. NOW......I'm looking for a partner as well this year. I'll be starting in mid-March, and chasing through mid-June...off and on. Anyone interested? I live in the NW tip of SC, and here's the good news.....I'll pay for EVERYTHING, including hotels and GAS. YOU buy your own food and incidentals. I usually stay in something like the Embassy Suites..with an extra living room, and 2 TV's, and definately with wireless internet. My point is....you still have your privacy if you want. I'll start another thread on this subject, so you can just get back on that.

 

[Darin Brunin]

Originally posted by David Drummond
All this comes back to having a GREAT chase partner. Even among us chasers, I'd be willing to bet there are only a couple handfulls that absolutely chase balls to the wall until mother nature closes the theater for the evening.

I would think there are probably a few more than that. What it comes down to is types of chasers and the goals they want to achieve.

1) Supercells or bust - This kind of chaser lives for tornadoes. Once a storm goes linear and has low tornadic potential these chasers like to break off and get a bite to eat or prepare themselves for the next days chase. There is nothing wrong with this style of chasing. It just isn't in their best interest to stay out until the early hours of the morning shooting lightning.

2) The Night Owls - This type of chaser usually has a fascination with lightning will spend long hours trying to get that perfect shot during the night even though they might have just spent 5 hours chasing the supercell of the year. They might be able to barely keep their eyes open but that great shot could be just a few seconds away. These chasers usually are more concerned with photographing storms rather than filming them.

3) A combination of both. It depends on the days happenings and the whether the chaser thinks there is an opportunistic chance to see a good lightning show.

Basically what it comes down to is a person's definition of when mother nature closes down for the evening. For some who may not have an interest in chasing at night or they don't like lightning then the evening comes to a close sooner than later.

So when choosing a chase partner you should try to find someone with the same style as you. If you want to stay out and shoot lightning and your partner doesn't then that can become a big problem. Especially if you plan on spending a couple of days if not more on the road together. Again, there is nothing wrong with chasing what you want to chase. Just be courteous and know ahead of time if you have different goals in mind before you get out on the road.