What would make you stop chasing?

[Mike Marz]

I think that I truly never go a single day without day dreaming about chasing and seeing storms/tornadoes. I can never get enough. There is just too much beauty to all of it. I would say that it will take my death to make me stop chasing. Although, it only took a few short range models showing veered surface winds to keep me from chasing last Wednesday..... so there's that.

 

[Randall Bragg]

I've been chasing since 1982 in TX, OK, and KS. In my 20's it was thrill seeking and machismo, in my 30's it was (in my opinion) to use my video to assist in tornado genesis research. In my 40's it was to take friends on chases to entertain, inform, and educate them on what we chasers do. Now, in my 50's, I am a spotter and I'm working on obtaining my amateur radio license for rapid storm reporting to NWS Norman, OK. I have just been bitten by the weather bug again and am in a pink cloud of renewed excitement as a spotter/reporter. I hope my desire for chasing never burns out since as a retired/disabled army veteran I definitely need a hobby to fill my time. My dad is a retired air force vet who golfs, I just happen to like skywatching here in tornado alley...oops,didn't really answer the question. I don't see anything stopping me from ever chasing other than the obvious; burn out, physical disability, finances, or family.

 

[JamesCaruso]

Good topic Christoffer!

I have been chasing since 1996. I live near Philadelphia so chasing is just an annual vacation for me, usually about two weeks max. The only years I missed were the two when my children were born (birthdays in May and June - bad planning ), although there were other years that I had to limit my trip to a week or 10 days for various reasons, usually work-related.

Of course none of us know what life has in store, but I can't see ever stopping by choice. I am 48 now but God willing I still have more years of chasing ahead of me than behind me - Dave Hoadley is a role model for me in that regard - and if anything I hope to chase even more in retirement, when professional responsibilities no longer constrain the length of a chase vacation.

If I lived on the Plains, I could see there being periods where I was immersed in other priorities and would no longer be trying to get to every single event no matter how marginal. But when you're talking a two-week chase vacation, it's hard to imagine any reason that I wouldn't have enough passion for it to want to spend at least that long on the Plains. In some ways I think it is better for me to NOT live on the Plains - I think it is easier to let life get in the way when you live out there, but when you're on vacation you're on vacation.

I do get frustrated many years but have never seriously thought of quitting. I have recently had a string of bad years in a row. I know many consider 2013 to be subpar because the overall season was limited to a two-week period, but that two weeks was pretty incredible, and that's when my chase vacation was. But a comedy of errors kept me from seeing any tornados the whole time. We all know about 2014 and 2015. In 2015 I got more frustrated than ever because I missed Canadian after passing right through there and considering staying, and then I missed Dora somehow even though I was on that storm for awhile. As I ate dinner in Colorado Springs with my chase buddy before heading home the day after Dora, I let out a litany of reasons that logic would dictate we should give this up - psychologically unhealthy frustration from lack of control over the vagaries of the weather and other variables, very high cost in time and money for relatively low reward, not to mention feeling (at that time) like we absolutely sucked at it, etc. Never felt quite so serious about quitting - but that only meant I was 20% serious versus maybe 5% or 10% in other frustrating years. But once I got home, I was already counting the days until I could go back. Because when chasing is bad, it's still pretty good. And when chasing is good, there is nothing on earth quite like it.

Not sure how I would feel about chasing if I ever happened upon a scene like Greensburg, Moore or Joplin... I hope I never find out.

 

[Brady Kendrick]

My amount of chasing has dropped dramatically in the last 2 years from where it was during my 2007-2013 stretch. Mostly it is due to changing interest in my life and more of a shift to travel and trips for aviation photography (my other big interest). I still chase stuff local in the Panhandle area but other than that, I have really slowed it down. Mostly I would say changing interest and partially due to some close calls in 2012 and 2013 that made me rethink some things and where/how I chase. Chasing like crazy over that stretch too it kinda just lost its luster and I wasn't enjoying it anymore for some reason. It is weird, these last two years even though I may get out only 2 or 3 times a year, I really enjoy it so much more on those times I do go out than I did when I had the "chase everything" mentality. I'm not saying that mentality is wrong, it just changed for me personally. I will always get out off and on through the seasons in the future, but I would say chasing certainly isn't the focus of my life/free time that it use to be.

 

[Brett Roberts]

It's hard to imagine gradually cutting back simply due to waning interest. I've been chasing for a decade, and a good tornado day still brings a high that practically nothing else can. It's no secret that this is a highly-addictive hobby for a large percentage of those involved.

You know how scientific studies have found that when people plan a vacation, it's often the anticipation/build-up that brings them more happiness than the vacation itself? In other words, when they finally get to their destination, it rarely lives up to their lofty expectations. So many things in life that society tells us to value and work toward have that in common - they may be good in the moment, even great, but they don't quite live up to the hype. But chasing does, for me. The reality of standing in front of Rozel or Bowdle is actually everything you imagine it to be all through the off-season, if not more. It's essentially like bringing your dreams into the real world for a 10- or 20-minute period. Things like that are very hard to find, and equally hard to ignore once you do.

Unfortunately, some of the same things that make it so addictive and fulfilling - the adventure, the risk, the unpredictability, the escape from the "real world" and structure and artificial schedules - are precisely what cause friction with many other compartments of our lives. This is why Dan's advice is so prescient: if you're lucky enough to have discovered your passion for storms at a young age, take full advantage while the consequences for doing so are minimal. The older you get, the more you have to consciously maintain a certain lifestyle and set of priorities (that are well outside the mainstream) to keep chasing the same way. In general, this means more sacrifices for the same amount of chasing, as time passes.

After all that pontificating, I don't know if I have an answer to the thread's question. I see some chasers in their 30s and 40s who gradually scale back and seem perfectly happy going out on the 2 or 3 high-end days within a state's drive (or doing an annual week chasecation, if living elsewhere), and in many ways, I hope I can get there without too much consternation. I do know that other hobbies, even those that bring you closer to nature like hiking and skiing and landscape/wildlife photography, can be rewarding - but in a different, subtler way. If I'm being honest, I can't say that any of those things evoke anywhere near the same passion in me, and I wonder if experiencing the absolute thrill of chasing has made them "look bad" by comparison! These are the issues that probably 90% or more of serious chasers in their teens/20s have to grapple with as they age.

 

[JamesCaruso]

You guys are making me feel old with all this hand-wringing about your desire and/or ability to chase potentially waning as you age.

You might have to chase less frequently and more selectively, but hopefully you will never stop. As a chase vacationer, my chasing is limited to two weeks a year anyway; I don't intend to lessen it, and I hope to increase it when I retire - but that's a long ways away.

You young-uns may have to cut back when you start families, but that's only temporary; you'll be back out there again just as often when the kids get older.

Personally, I can draw parallels with my involvement in martial arts. Before I got married, I would be at my school every night and all day Saturday. Once I got married, and my career started to become more demanding, I was down to twice a week, and then I stopped completely because if I couldn't give it 100% I (foolishly) preferred not to do it at all. I had kids years later, and restarted martial arts when my oldest was six and my youngest (twins) were two. I still regret the long gap in my training. But the good news is I'm doing it again.

If I can do Brazilian jiu jitsu three times a week at age 48, I can't see why I would ever stop going on a chase vacation.

 

[James Gustina]

I can't see anything other than what Dan mentioned (financial hardship, illness or for family reasons) stopping me from chasing. My love for chasing is an extension of my absolute adorement of the Great Plains. The history, the places, the storms and a lot of the people are what keep me out here. Storm chasing ended up playing a decent part in my decision to stay out here after college after looking at jobs and my ties to people out here.

Storm chasing not only provides what Brett mentioned, a hobby that is so incredibly powerful due to the subject, but also takes me to parts of the Plains many people never go and a chance to see some great places. I've seen a lot of old Comancheria, seen the Badlands, found some cool towns along the way along with numerous other things. The challenge of forecasting, the opportunity of seeing a phenomenal thunderstorm or tornado, and the thrill of success if a Cu takes hold is amazing. Even in the worst years for me (2014), I've never felt like quitting. I'm sure I won't be able to chase almost at will like I can now once I actually have to settle down and work a job with standard hours, but that will never be enough to deter me from making a long drive to see something I love in a region I love.

 

[Paul Hadfield]

I wouldn't have gotten into weather and chasing had life not thrown a curve that landed me in Illinois where the sky is served up on a platter daily. The only thing that will stop me from chasing is what started it to begin with... circumstance.

 

[Ben Holcomb]

Very few things will stop me from chasing. These are those in no particular order

• Incarceration
• Death
• Dismemberment
• Disabled/Inability to even make it to a vehicle

 

[Chad Alcares]

I don't think any one thing would make me stop chasing. However a cascade of key events could slow me down. I could see my passion for chasing every set up and driving deep into Kansas or Oklahoma reduce over time. In fact it already has. I hit a peak 2011 to 2014 or so where I wanted to chase every plains set up.. single, with some extra money to burn, plenty of vacation time, the sky was the limit.. then life happened. Then I met my wife, got married, my wife has a stepson, and I'm enjoying that side of life. It's not about me anymore... I'll still chase the local events - and if a storm is within a county or two of Lincoln I'll be on it, but I think the long 8 hour solo overnight runs will possibly be few and far between. So thinking it through, sure I could see myself stop chasing - but it will be due picking up more hobbies and activities things that don't take me hours and hours away. It most likely would be filled with some other form of activity... coaching/watching youth soccer/basketball, golfing, fishing.. just hanging out at home...the things I did prior to chasing, things keeping me closer to home.

 

[JF Massicotte]

I think only debilitating illness or utter financial ruin would do it for me. I wouldn't do it if I had to depend on others to support me in any way.

If you are young (under 40) and/or single, chase as much as you can. Life can and will throw many things at you, some good (marriage and kids) and bad (illness or financial hardship) that will make it harder and harder to chase with each passing year. Observing around the chase community over the years has shown that it's common for the passion to eventually fade in the face of responsibilities, career opportunities and other interests. Only a relative few keep going strong late in their family/career and into their retirement years. There's nothing wrong with that, by the way. Bottom line, enjoy your years of youth and "chase passion" and live it to the fullest - it won't always be there.

Great post that reflects perfectly my current situation. Now a father of two chasing had slowed a bit for me with no plains chasing from 2010 to 2014. Now that the kids have entered school and having a very comprehensive wife it is starting to come back a little bit. Full month chasecations are still over for a couple years but I'm still able to do one or two in and out trips to the plains (mostly flying from YUL to MSI) and a couple more local chases. I've even been able to deal a three weeks trip to Argentina for 2017 (this one will cost me a kitchen improvement, it takes what it takes you know) so i guess I can say I am getting the best of both worlds right now.

I once was young and wanted to chase every setups every years, what responsibilities have changed is that I matured and now understand there will always be tornadoes, and I learn to become a little more flexible and picky about when to chase.

 

[Warren Faidley]

Like many chasers, my only limitations are metro areas like the OKC and DFW regions. Those areas have become death traps for the public and chasers due to traffic issues caused by rural population expansion, locals and Klingons chasing while feeding off social media reports and live coverage designed more for entertainment than safety. It has become so easy to go were the action is, a caveman could do it. There are also increasing issues with inexperienced LEO blocking roads, not only in metro areas, but in rural areas as well. Maybe other chasers have noticed this trend, but I'm seeing more chasers head out later in the chase season to avoid the traditional May crowds.

 

[JamesCaruso]

...It has become so easy to go were the action is, a caveman could do it...

I see variations on this theme a lot. I understand and agree with the sentiment behind it, it is certainly easy today to get in the right general area on a big day and it absolutely is a driver of the increased crowds.

But at face value - and not to go too OT - I don't think it's fair to say chasing has become "easy." I've been chasing 20 years this spring and I still screw up plenty. Impressions that it should be easy make me wonder if maybe I just suck - except that I know many big-name veteran chasers who have missed many of the same events I have. In fact, another impact of social media is that we see everybody's highlight reels but not their bloopers. It's kind of like the 80/20 rule, that first 80% that you need to play the game is much more accessible to many more people, but that last 20% still comes down to effort and experience and is usually the difference between success and failure. I guess an analogy might be, YouTube allows anyone and everyone to give themselves a starring role in a video, but has not increased the number of true professionals that can actually get on TV or the big screen.

To bring this back OT, if it truly was too easy, would that be enough to get you to stop? There have been threads in the past, including one that I started, asking whether you would still want to chase if we could exactly predict the time and place of a tornado and set up like a parade route to watch it go by...

 

[mikegeukes]

I stop chasing, due to a lower right leg amputation.
Even with a prosthetic leg, I have difficulty moving around.

 

[Shawn Gossman]

I chase locally mainly because I know my area really well. If I drive in an area that I am not familiar with, I often get a little nervous because I am not used to the area, now put tornadic weather as an element and my nervousness increases, haha. As I get older, I tend to focus more on a healthier lifestyle as well so my days of core punching storms and getting as close as I can are over. I'm more of a spotter than a chaser now but I still do get the urge to chase. When I watch a chaser video, it still gets me excited and I miss doing it