The people you meet while chasing...

[Joey Ketcham]

To me one of the best parts of storm chasing that has nothing to do with thunderstorms is meeting people, and Saturday while waiting between Amarillo and Conway we had a couple stop when they saw that we were storm chasers. Whats cool is these were not your oridnary locals, this was a man and wife from New England that is travelling around the world and right now they are making their way across the United States on Route 66 and they make updates to a blog they have about their adventure.

It was cool to hear where they've been and what they've seen, and they were just as excited that they got to meet a group of storm chasers. They were so interested in what storm chasers do and the technology we use.

I thought it was a cool experience

 

[Mikey Gribble]

That does sound like a cool experience to get to meet people like that. Unfortunately most of the people I've met are missing teeth or not wearing a shirt. I have got to meet some other chasers that I really enjoyed talking to, but as far as locals go I can't remember ever having any lengthy conversations while out chasing. Maybe that's because 90% of the time I am late getting to my target so I don't spend much time hanging out waiting for storms to fire.

 

[Jody Radzik]

I hooked up with a couple named Bill and France. We were both getting nowcasts from Bob Schaefer as we ran after storms forming near Plains, TX. We just missed the Olton tornado together. As tragic as that was, I enjoyed the experience of chasing with others more than I expected. I guess it has something to do with the fact they were a great couple of people.

 

[Robert Edmonds]

Quite often I’m usually the one going up to other chasers. Since my car doesn’t have many of the markers to give away that I am chasing, at least I think so, I’m usually seen initially as a local or at least passerby of some sorts, after talking to them they eventually figure out I’m chasing too. If I’ve met you I usually ask what’s your opinion on what do you think is going to happen, since this is usually while we’re waiting for the storms to fire and I feel that I might as well hear every ones opinion on the situation. Most of the time people are friendly and are in the same dilemma on what area they should target. A few times though I get that look like, god I hope he goes away soon, or he better not want to follow me. For the people I may meet next time, rest assured I don’t want to follow you, and I usually like to be on my own so I’ll leave soon. However, what’s funny is I also notice chasers when not chasing. One person in particular I met outside of a walmart in Socorro, NM. We now talk regularly and will likely go out chasing. Ooops I said I usually leave soon, that’s of course if my car isn’t about to break down. Once outside of Liberal, KS I met a chaser and actually asked if I could ride with him, because I found out my alternator was about to go. It was really great and we both had lots of fun. So with that being said if my car is not about to break I’ll leave you alone after briefly chatting, I just would like to hear your opinion on the situation.

 

[Susan Strom]

I've noticed that there are a lot of nice people in the Plains. I've met other chasers as well as non-chasers who are really cool. Once in awhile I'll meet another photographer in the desert but that is much more rare because of remoteness and nighttime. But tonight I was photographing from on top of a mesa in the desert and I met this other photographer named Sean who lives in Des Moines IA with his wife and it just so happens that one of his best buddies in Iowa is a chaser. Small world.

Here are a few interesting meetings -

-A lady I met at Dorothy's House in Liberal KS has connections to my town in Arizona.
-I met the owner of Farm Fresh antiques in Walnut Iowa. Her shop is special...she sells antique lightning rods. I bought one and drove it all the way to Phoenix.
-Along with many very cool chasers over the years, I met Chris Kridler skydiary.com of Florida in Dalhart TX. She and a friend came out to chase monsoon with me shortly thereafter. We've kept in touch.
-I met a young man Chris shortly after 5/3/99. The stories he told about the tornado were absolutely incredible.
-I remember once when just about every female chaser just happened to meet up in a truck stop in Cheyenne. I think it contained the entirety of us... about 10 or 12 as I recall!
-and my favorite in-the-field chaser meetup...meeting Al Moller under this storm in Nebraska. I remember how he looked standing in the cornfield, he was so happy and full of intensity for stormchasing. His eyes were full of passion for the storm; he was in his element to be sure.
http://www.lightninglady.com/photos/LLRoyalNE.jpg

The best place to meet other chasers, some really awesome people, btw is the Denver convention. Good times.

 

[Earl Faubion]

Matt and Jeanette

Jketcham, my partner and I also met this very nice couple at the Love's in Conway. It may have been shortly after they met you because after I explained to them I was not a professional chaser like some of the others who were present they still honored my partner Wayne Hlinicky and I by asking if they could tag along behind us and we agreed. His name is Matt and hers is Jeanette. They were driving the white sedan with CA plates.

They told me they live north of London in the U.K. and have been touring the world for the better part of the last two years. They've recently been to the outback of Australia and to many of the South Pacific islands. They enjoy scuba diving and other activities. They rented the car in CA plus a cell phone and gave me their number so we could stay in touch while driving. They said they spent the previous night in Tucumcari and were headed east at a leisurely pace touring old Route 66 and that their vacation would end on May 16th. They heard on the radio that bad weather might be coming and saw the media vehicles and so forth there at Love's so decided to see what was happening. After the usual admonitions that a somewhat novice chaser such as myself might lead them into something more than they bargained for they said they were still ready to go so how could I refuse? This couple was far too nice to say no to.

We left Conway intending to go to Plainview but as we entered Amarillo the Hereford storm was cranking up nicely so based on my nowcaster's advice we continued west to the Love's just east of Bushland where we watched that storm drop funnels and spit out some nice CG's and suck in all the neighborhood's tumbleweeds and not much else. They were really enjoying it though saying England never got that kind of weather. The storm became rain wrapped after it crossed I-40 so we opted to move further south toward the next storm, which we figured was the reason this one, wasn't getting its act together.

We left and headed for Tulia with Matt staying right behind me, but soon afterwards the tornado was already tearing through that town and based on info from a chaser in Tulia we exited I-27 at 285 and headed east with Matt sticking to me like glue, but at a safe following distance, and me wondering if I was getting him and Jeanette into something more than any of us had bargained for. It was now getting dark and we were on the very edge of an intense storm with poor visibility so I pulled off on an intersecting road and was debating whether to continue east or hold when the OU DOW truck, the TIV and their associated escorts passed us eastbound. So we followed them to Wayside where everyone made a U-turn, then headed west a short distance and stopped. This was shortly before 9pm and for several minutes we watched as lightning intermittently illuminated the tornado that others have already reported as being between Happy and Wayside. At one point Matt walked up to the DOW truck and came back a few minutes later all excited saying that an IMAX film crew had interviewed him. They were also very cognizant of the fact that on their first, and probably only storm chase of their lives, he and Jeanette were able to see a tornado.

The tornado blew power poles across the road blocking any further travel west so everyone made another U-turn and after a delay while the DOW truck repositioned everyone began moving again. DOW and party continued south on 2301 and we continued east to 207 and north to I-40 near Conway where we originally met. After dodging a fresh rockslide in the canyon, debris on 285, and water running across the road in several places south of Claude I was not sure how excited they would be at the conclusion of their adventure but their enthusiasm knew no bounds and as we parted at 11pm they thanked us for our hospitality and said they were going to spend the night in Shamrock. Jeanette gave me their mailing and email addresses and said she'd be in touch after they returned to the U.K.

In spite of the action and adrenalin rush of the chase, meeting them was the real high point of the evening for me. They are the kind of people you love to be around and I felt very honored to have been their unofficial guide for a few hours.

Here's Matt's blog: http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/SharkStalker/

 

[Joey Ketcham]

Earl, that's so cool that you also got to meet them and that you let them chase with you and got to see a tornado. They are the nicest people and you nailed it on the head by saying they are the kind of people you love to be around. It was amazing to hear where they've been and what they've seen. Right before they left I told them that they would probably encounter more chasers along the way.

 

[Earl Faubion]

Okay, you're probably the reason they pulled into the Love's at Conway because Matt mentioned he didn't need gas, he was looking for information on the weather. They are a truly nice couple and I was glad their evening turned out as well as it did.

 

[John A. Sellers]

We were chasing near Medicine Lodge and met three chasers from England. We talked for several hours and exchanged info. The following year two of them went with us on a ten day chase trip and we had a GREAT time! We're planning on doing it again. It's more fun and enjoyable when a small group can chase together and share good times.

 

[bvassmer]

On the 4/21/07 chase, we were sitting watching the cells west of Amarillo when a green explorer pulled up and stopped. A gentleman got out and hung around for most of the storm. He lived nearby and was wondering what was happening with the storm.

What was interesting was that he had not only his dog in the car, he had his falcon! Interesting fellow, very helpful with where towns were in relation to us when we would hear them on the wx radio.

 

[Shane Adams]

We met a local farmer along I-40 Saturday near Groom. When we told him we were just sitting and waiting for storms to fire, he asked if there was anything we needed while we waited....a very generous offer. We politely turned him down but did offer him some forecast advice for later that day that turned out to be all-too-accurate, as the after-dark sup along I-40 went very near his place.

 

[Bob Schafer]

I couldn't even begin to name all the great peeps I've met over the years. The list is waaaay too long.

Special kudos to Tom Tackett, David D, Graham Butler, Shane, and Matt and Jenn Sellers, though. They taught me tons and tons of stuff, helped me out many times, and have been compadres. I apologize to you others whom I haven't named.

 

[Caleb Kimbrough]

We were also sitting at the Love's in Conway and talked to the couple from New England as well. They were very nice people, and had pretty sweet accents. We also talked with the people working the gas station for awhile as well, they were all asking what the weather was supposed to do. That, and the cashier was kinda cute.

I like meeting people out on the road most of the time. The majority of people you run into are very friendly and surprisingly knowledgeable about severe weather. Sometimes it can just be a hassle though, chasing can be stressful on it's own...and when you always have people stopping and talking and asking you questions it can get a little annoying. But that's life...

 

[Earl Faubion]

They're from England and live north of London. Matt called me this evening, he and Jen spent Sunday night in Stroud and tonight they are in Joplin. They are considering backtracking tomorrow and joining in the chase once again, either with my son and I or with another willing chaser. Their hope is to bag a daytime tornado. I told them we had luck on our side Saturday and I hoped we'd have that kind of luck again but couldn't count on it.

Anyway, a heads up to all who are going to be out in OK tomorrow to watch for our friends in the white sedan with CA plates. Saturday's show has them interested in doing it again.

 

[Joey Ketcham]

tonight they are in Joplin.

LOL. What a small world.

I say that because I live just 20 miles from Joplin, too bad I didn't know this.. I would have loved to gotten together with them this evening and shown them the chase video from Saturday.