How "Hard Core" Are You?

[Paul Knightley]

Flying out to the USA each year from the UK, in a fixed 2 week spell, is fairly hardcore! To justify the expense of this I tend to try to chase as much as possible, although, within reason.

I've been doing this long enough now that if I really can't see much point in doing a long drive, I won't. But it has to be, in my eyes, a very poor play not to go after it!

For example, May 31st, 2010, was a slight risk, 2% day, but we made the chase anyway because that's why we're there, and got Campo.

 

[Jeff House]

If a 33.3% success rate at seeing tornadoes is "poor" I'm amazed you stuck it out from your early days. My best success ratio years are around 1/3. I guess different folks not only have different definitions of "hard core" but "success" as well.

Sorry my OP was not clear. 33% was when we picked the right target. When just going with what's close it was less than 10% or worse. Now when going less often, but being more picky, we are seeing 50% success. Like to play tight aggressive, lol!

 

[Michael Towers]

I’m definitely not a hard-core chaser, I chase set-ups that make sense based on potential when weighed against time, cost and lost business. I’ve driven 750+ miles many times for a chase but always for something that had promising tornado potential and mostly to start a multiple day set-up. While I love a great storm and don’t need to see a tornado to enjoy myself I usually won’t go on a chase unless it offers at least one day of strong tornado potential (at least 10% in SPC equivalent) or multiple days of decent potential (5%+). I’ll chase something marginal if it’s within 250 miles but only on a day off as I usually won’t sacrifice business for something with so little promise. Ultimately I think where I live plays a big part in how often I chase and the set-ups I’d be willing to pursue. If I lived in OKC or Wichita I’d likely be more willing to take off after a half day and chase simply for the promise of a supercell but anything within 250 miles of my current home likely wouldn’t offer anything worthwhile if it’s a tornado bust.

I think my latest trip is a good example of what I’ll chase and to what extent I’ll chase. I left home early on the 26th for the 800 mile trip to OKC because it was a multi-day event and the risk of a cap bust on the first day was worth the potential of the 3 day trip. I made it to OKC by 4:30 but by then it was apparent I’d need to drive another 150+ miles for what had become a very marginal set-up. While some chasers would have likely continued onward I hung back and a few hours later headed east to get closer to the next day’s target. To some it probably seems crazy to go that far and not continue but being tired after a long drive and with a very slight chance of seeing a tornado I opted to call it a day and position for the next day. I’ve also cut short chase trips such as last year after 5/19 due to the probability of being in poor terrain and the possibility of being in a heavily populated area. Even though I was already over 800 miles from home and in the area for the next day’s action I didn’t see it worth the value of missing an extra day of work. Yeah, the tornado potential was excellent but mostly in areas I’d rather avoid so I headed home.

If I’ve ever done anything close to being considered hard-core it was the consecutive marathon chases of 5/22/10 through 5/24/10 (Home to South Dakota to western Kansas to South Dakota) that only fell short on the last leg due to car problems from some thick Kansas mud. I probably wouldn’t try it again but I wouldn’t necessarily rule it out either.

 

[Marcus Diaz]

I'm so un-hardcore, that I don't think I want to chase this next system because A) not enough confidence that I'll see a tornado and 2) I don't want to be in the hoards.

 

[Shane Adams]

Sorry my OP was not clear. 33% was when we picked the right target. When just going with what's close it was less than 10% or worse. Now when going less often, but being more picky, we are seeing 50% success. Like to play tight aggressive, lol!

LOL, got it. I was gonna say "Man, that dude has ridiculously high standards of what is/isn't successful." Thanks for the follow up.

 

[Justin Wilcox]

I used to drive from Portland, OR straight through. That last few years I have needed to nap for a couple hours though. Usually somewhere along Nevada's loneliest road in America. Still, its a 1700+ mi drive.

 

[Simon Brewer]

Cmon guys, not enough pain, missery, & life sacrifices on this thread to be mentioning 'hard core chasing'.

Simon

 

[Timothy Finn]

Is "hard-core" a real descriptor that you want? Consider:

A "hard-core" chaser is probably the sort of fellow that punches cores, takes unnecessary risks, and may not use the best judgement at times. This person may also be arrogant, self-absorbed, and have an elevated self-worth.

Now...a "legit" chaser, on the other hand.....I would consider someone to be educated, cognizant, and practices good chasing etiquette. I don't think it would come down to distances traveled, how many things one has passed on in order to chase.

A "legit" chaser is one who's in it for the science, and the enjoyment of correctly forecasting.

In a nutshell, quality over quantity.

I'd consider myself "legit". For me, if I don't bag a tornado, it's no big deal. Unless I blue sky busted, I probably saw some cool weather going down, and that's always a treat.

Tim

 

[Dan Robinson]

The way I understand 'hard core' in the context of Jim's question isn't one's exposure to danger, just the level of dedication one has to see storms. "Least hardcore" would be watching storms from the back porch, the "most hardcore" would be driving many thousands of miles a year, living on the road, making life sacrifices to chase (steady income, relationships, etc).

 

[JamesCaruso]

Yes, thanks for that, Dan. In my original post, I mentioned I did not mean "hard core" as in how much risk one would take. I am just interested in how far people are willing to drive and the cost/benefit decision process that chasers go through in that regard.

In particular, for those that can only take a two-week chase vacation, do you say "I only have 14 days, so I am chasing every day no matter how far and how marginal?" OR do you say, "I may only have 14 days, but this is also supposed to be a vacation and I am not going to kill myself driving 8 hours for a marginal opportunity out of some sense of 'obligation' only to turn back around and come back the other way tomorrow for another marginal chance" ?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[Joshua Nall]

A "legit" chaser is one who's in it for the science, and the enjoyment of correctly forecasting.

lol, I was chasing (backyard) before I knew folks actually made personal forecasts. Didn't have internet for a long time when everyone else did. Then several years after that only had dial up and it took 30 minutes to load a GFS loop... so I just didn't. I hate sitting at computers. Now model watching is more of a necessary chore for me. And "in it for the science".... I've always loved science related stuff.... not hyped up, saving lives, propagandized, assumption based upon assumption stuff that is designed to make everyone conform. I go to see supercells, because I like seeing supercells... and yes, even when there is no chance of tornadoes. You don't need a reason to do something other than you want to do it.

 

[Shane Adams]

In the context of "how far are you willing to go" as far as one's ability to chase, I guess I'm about as hard core as it gets.....even though many times my sacrifices have still not allowed me to chase. For me, it's just what I love more than anything: to document tornadoes on video. I won't get into a long, detailed post about how I've lived and what I've given up to be able to chase, because a lot of you have already heard it and the rest of you don't care.

I'll just say that a lot of chasers, if they had to endure the life I've lived just to be able to chase storms, would've quit a long time ago. It's nothing to brag about, it's just an unfortunate reality.

 

[Andy Wehrle]

I thought of Shane when I saw this thread pop up. There's a reason his site is called "PASSION Twist!"

Despite being among the "weather enthusiast" crowd for most of my life and been a member of ST since 2004, I'm still on the low end of the "hardcore" spectrum as it pertains to this thread. With a couple of exceptions, my "chasing" has mostly been limited to more like local spotting (within 50-100 miles of home) by a combination of lack of funds or lack of time (school, work, or family obligations always taking priority). Even when one of Wisconsin's EXTREMELY rare long-track, intense, photogenic tornadoes was practically dropped into my lap on August 18, 2005, I didn't get a good look at it (much less photos or video) since I was scrambling for shelter from it!

Now that I finally have a stable, full-time job, it is one that I can't take vacation from in May (I work at a TV station and it is a sweeps month)!

However, I've booked a nine-day stretch of days off in mid-late June and if any decent opportunities crop up then (think late June 2003 or mid-June 2010 in the Northern Plains) I'll definitely be looking to up my "hardcore" level.

 

[TrumanBoyer]

I'll just say that a lot of chasers, if they had to endure the life I've lived just to be able to chase storms, would've quit a long time ago. It's nothing to brag about, it's just an unfortunate reality.

Well put, Shane.

In 2000, I made my usual drive from Maryland, and Drove I-80 for 24+ hours, with a few catnaps, to friggin Wyoming , and did a direct intercept of a tornado-warned supercell.
I conked out after dark in Lusk WY, next to a Cemetery on "Beer Can Road" (I'll never forget that one).

DID NOT see a tornado, but I was ecstatic. Constant lightning, anvil crawlers highlighting mammatus and wall clouds, and strobe-lighting the tombstones, and hurricane force wind in the prairie grass. I got myself on VHS yelling "Its Alive HAHAHA" like Dr. Frankenstein. I was on a total high... until the next day I heard that SHANE ADAMS had pushed 20 miles Further West, and got a ropy tornado just after sunset.

Forget "Hard Core" - we should just call it the "Shane" category.

 

[Rob H]

Labels are stupid and chasers will never stop thinking they're better than others for having a different style. "Hard core chasing" to me means sacrifices and nothing else.

Cmon guys, not enough pain, missery, & life sacrifices on this thread to be mentioning 'hard core chasing'.

Simon

Alright, let's do it

1. Problems back at home, wife needs me home, I'm out in Colorado chasing 6/10/10 and the day after. Chase my last supercell and drive overnight back to Minneapolis barely stopping. Drove between two bow echoes and killed many critters, almost hit many deer.
2. Can't count the number of times I've driven from Minneapolis to KS, CO, or OK the morning of. Leave your house at 2am or so, and arrive just in front of the cell of the day. Better hope your forecasting is up to snuff.
3. Doing panos of a shelf in Minnesota and a black fly bites me on the back of the neck. Contract "Black Fly Fever" (rare in the US) and can barely sleep for over a week since it feels like my neck and shoulders are on fire.
4. XM radar stops working after the Mapleton tornado. Get out of the car and see inflow debris cut/ripped the receiver cable in half. Still not really sure how that happened.
5. Hit debris that fell from Langley tornado so have a flat tire and mud in the wheel wells is causing the car to thump along. Fix-a-flat spray at a gas station, then laying in a puddle for 10 minutes clawing out mud with my bare hands so we can keep chasing. Some fingers were literally bleeding from this.
6. Weddings? Mom's birthday? Mother's day? Wife's birthday? Missed them all at least once.
7. I'm prone to sinus infections, and this last setup is the first time I've ever decided not to chase because of one. I'm not really hardcore any more, but damn does chasing with a sinus infection suck.