What would make you stop chasing?

[TrumanBoyer]

Another Joplin MO -- That was like getting kicked in the gut.

Made me feel like an A##hole too.

All day long (all year, actually) hoping for a tornado,
and then it looked like Nagasaki.

Careful what you wish for.

But, I still keep going.
I guess because I drive out to the Plains from Maryland every year.
Its a long way home, so It would take an awful lot to make me turn
around and go home early. By the time I get home, my appetite is
back...

 

[Matthew Havin]

Enjoy it while you can. For me, a change in geography and having kids pretty much makes it impossible to get out to the Plains for now. When I worked in Saint Louis (until the end of 2006)... I would usually go out and be able to chase most decent setups in the Plains. Once I moved to Huntsville, Alabama and the first child came, those wonderful Kansas outbreaks became "a bridge too far". Fortunately, I do get to spend a lot of my days focusing on severe weather R&D (I work for Baron) so the passion does have an outlet. I am looking forward to when the kids are a bit older (along with hoping we can move back to Missouri within a few years), and then it is game on again! The good thing about the weather is that the storms will always be waiting for you whenever you return. I'm really looking forward to it!

 

[joel ewing]

I think the day may come in our lifetimes that govt. shuts down "frivolous" use of fossil fuels. Govt. is becoming so heavy-handed that I truly fear this. You get the wrong administration in office, this could become a reality. Unless you can prove "a real need" to drive your vehicle out of your "approved district", it will be disallowed. Or....fuel will be 100% rationed. I saw it happen in 1974 as a 20 yr. old. Please don't say it can't happen here.

 

[Matthew Havin]

Joel... if that happens, then electric car chasing will become a thing. Someone today (who doesn't have to worry about money) could take a Tesla Model S out chasing in much of KS/OK considering the Tesla Supercharger station locations (NE will open up in a year or two when they build out Superchargers on I-80). I have a Nissan LEAF and I've been pleasantly surprised with all I have been able to do with it since I bought it last year (I've even taken it camping with all the gear in the back). If gas ever somehow gets to $10/gallon, stormchasing via electric car will rule the day.

 

[Jason Young]

Sadly , with my wife hating storm chasing I have almost quit twice selling all my stuff in 2009 and 2011 .
It has cost me to miss alot of good set ups . But , Since I don't drink , hunt or go fishing . I just tell her to let me chase or open a bar tab ! Lol .

 

[Hannah.Taylor]

I'm still broken from what I witnessed of the aftermath of Joplin, digging through rubble for survivors and rescuing trapped pets and helping people search for loved ones. I never even saw that tornado and never saw it doing damage, but participating in the rescue efforts and seeing the aftermath and destruction...forever scarred my heart and soul.

I haven't really been the same since and I still like to get out and chase...but it is just different for me now. To this day, I still haven't finished my chase logs from that year. I can not seem to scrape up the heart and courage to do so.

I think I would be done if I ever see a tornado like Joplin in progress destroying homes, businesses an entire city and people's lives AND then I was aiding in SAR efforts.

I prefer a nice photogenic tornado in a wheat field over a massive wedge doing apocalyptic damage in a city.

 

[Stan Rose]

If I ever had a bad experience with a chicken fried steak, I'd be done...NO MAS!

 

[Dan Robinson]

The way my season's gone so far this year has me thinking it!

 

[Greg McLaughlin]

Death.

 

[Michael.Brewer]

Just recently called it quits, so this topic is timely for me. For me, it was probably all about being there for my family, specifically my wife. She has trouble with the stress of it all, partly because of her personality and partly because of past life events (loss of our second child to a genetic disorder). It is simply just tough on her.

I will say that another reason for my quitting is the emotional toll of doing SAR after the Holly Springs, MS EF-4 on 12/23 of last year. I had been fortunate in the past not to have experienced that level of destruction in the aftermath, especially in 2011, but it took me several days after that to return to normal. Seeing little kids in that situation was gut-wrenching, especially as I have my own little ones at home.

Maybe one day I will get to head back out, but man I would definitely prefer the Plains and it's open fields instead of the South and the high population density.

 

[JamesCaruso]

Just recently called it quits, so this topic is timely for me. For me, it was probably all about being there for my family, specifically my wife. She has trouble with the stress of it all, partly because of her personality and partly because of past life events (loss of our second child to a genetic disorder). It is simply just tough on her.

I will say that another reason for my quitting is the emotional toll of doing SAR after the Holly Springs, MS EF-4 on 12/23 of last year. I had been fortunate in the past not to have experienced that level of destruction in the aftermath, especially in 2011, but it took me several days after that to return to normal. Seeing little kids in that situation was gut-wrenching, especially as I have my own little ones at home.

Maybe one day I will get to head back out, but man I would definitely prefer the Plains and it's open fields instead of the South and the high population density.

Michael, I am sorry to hear about all you have had to deal with and appreciate you sharing your story. It is intriguing to hear that you have given up chasing because we all love chasing so much and at least for me, analogous to an athlete that fears a season- or career-ending injury, I always feel anxiety about something keeping me from taking my annual chase vacation for a year or longer. I hope this is not too personal to ask, but was quitting something that you resisted for awhile, i.e. that you would really prefer to chase but felt that you had to give it up, or have the factors you described actually taken away your interest and desire to chase to the point where it became a relatively "easy" decision as opposed to one where you were torn and conflicted about it? And now that you have stepped away from it, do you still enjoy staying in the loop on severe weather and chasing, or do you find that it is easier to deal with not chasing by disconnecting entirely from the whole subject and community? As for me, sometimes I avoid severe weather stuff between chase vacations just because I become so over-anxious about not being out there... Especially right after a chase vacation, the more I stay connected to severe weather the harder it is to transition back to "real life" so sometimes it is easier for me to unplug completely. So having always struggled with this I'm curious as to how you are adjusting to not chasing.

Jim




Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[Michael.Brewer]

Michael, I am sorry to hear about all you have had to deal with and appreciate you sharing your story. It is intriguing to hear that you have given up chasing because we all love chasing so much and at least for me, analogous to an athlete that fears a season- or career-ending injury, I always feel anxiety about something keeping me from taking my annual chase vacation for a year or longer. I hope this is not too personal to ask, but was quitting something that you resisted for awhile, i.e. that you would really prefer to chase but felt that you had to give it up, or have the factors you described actually taken away your interest and desire to chase to the point where it became a relatively "easy" decision as opposed to one where you were torn and conflicted about it? And now that you have stepped away from it, do you still enjoy staying in the loop on severe weather and chasing, or do you find that it is easier to deal with not chasing by disconnecting entirely from the whole subject and community? As for me, sometimes I avoid severe weather stuff between chase vacations just because I become so over-anxious about not being out there... Especially right after a chase vacation, the more I stay connected to severe weather the harder it is to transition back to "real life" so sometimes it is easier for me to unplug completely. So having always struggled with this I'm curious as to how you are adjusting to not chasing.

Jim

Oh, I still have a great desire to go chase. Weather has been a life-long passion, and I've been chasing for about 10 years, but sometimes you just have to make sacrifices for the ones you love. I took one Spring off 3 or 4 years ago to let some things die down, but my latest decision to walk away never really was a back and forth type decision for me.

I still keep up with everything. I constantly try to learn more and improve on my forecasting and virtual targets. I'm used to seeing the Plains tornadoes and not being able to chase them, but missing out on some local chases was a little tough. I do feel some guilt when not chasing, thinking I should be there to report or to be there in the aftermath to offer help or comfort, but then I have to realize that I am not equipped to handle those situations. First responders do great work, and I know doing what they do has to take an emotional toll on them. At this point I am not cut out for it.

Every person that chases has their own unique situations to deal with and has to make their own decisions. Chasing is addicting, but I don't choose to make it my life. There will always be storms.

 

[Paul Lemery]

That's a good question that made me stop and think. I started chasing in the 80's when I chased within a 100 miles or so and only a day at a time. Now its weeks at a time and I go anywhere the storms will be. I guess I am the opposite of some others since my interest continues to grow. I do expect to chase for even longer periods at some point mainly for the excitement and feeling part of a special niche group of enthusiast. There are a really lot of great chasers everywhere.

If I would ever stop it would be for:

1. My death or poor health
2. Loss of family support it requires
3. Death or poor heath of my chase partners and brothers
4. The chase community falling apart for any reason; police making it difficult, chaser saturation, bad seeds, etc.
5. Being a danger to others. Although I disagree, my wife says I'm already there. LOL

 

[Shane Adams]

Only two things, in the order they're likely to ever happen...

(1) Death
(2) If we wake up tomorrow and tornadoes no longer exist. I have zero interest in hanging photographs of flying saucers with no tornadoes on my walls.