Do you live close to tornado alley?
 

If so, any suggestions for towns/areas I should hit in early May?

Planned route.

I figure around Amarillo or Tulsa I will start zigzagging. Any tips definitely appreciated.

GFY is getting busy again. Anyone?

i bet you're gonna see some tornadoes! sounds like fun.

Seems like a wise place to go on a motorcycle, which I hope you are not planning :1orglaugh

http://www.tornadochaser.net/tornalley.html

Nah, bringing Buddy and my uncle says he wants to come (not sure he is telling my aunt the purpose), so this will be an trip by car.

Oklahoma and Western Kansas!
I think if you keep an eye on the blogs/twitter/fb of the storm chasers, they know a few days in advance

Eureka Springs in Arkansas is a cool little town with a pretty cool history of being a bordello-laiden vacation spot in the 1800s. Not its cute and artsy.

Drive through Oklahoma as fast as you can.. watch out for the really bad drivers. lol (Actually OKC actually has a surprisingly decent nightlife.)

Shelby Farms is great and has dog friendly areas in Memphis http://www.shelbyfarmspark.org/sfpc/front

Memphis in May has different events depending on the dates you are there http://www.memphisinmay.org/

of course the usual

Graceland and Sun Studio

I think OK and KS too for tornado's. Nothing but flat land from horizon to horizon.

If you are going past there anyway, I would take a detour south and go to Austin TX. Tons of fun in that city. Lots of great bars with really good live bands.



.

I will have goodgirl monitoring activity to keep me headed towards the storms.

I hope we find something before Arkansas, however, when we were there last year the tornadoes were always a day behind us. Pissed me off.

As far as nightlife is concerned, I am not usually by big cities when I do these things.

I am going for tornadoes, not music. :upsidedow

I like Austin, but unless there is a big storm there I can't see going into TX more than I have to. I am really hoping by the panhandle to have some stuff to chase.

Your planned route is no good.

Your best shot at a Tornado sighting in May would be Kansas, Nebraska, and Iowa. Take Hwy 54 (exit 333) from I-40 in Tucumcari. Run 54 into Wichita, then run I-35 N. Once up into Kansas City, decide on staying on the 35 into Iowa, or heading up I-29 to Nebraska. Either way, you will hit I-80 and head East to Indiana.

If you need any info once your out my way (Kansas City) just hit me up.

[QUOTE=baddog;18057774]I will have goodgirl monitoring activity to keep me headed towards the storms.



I hope we find something before Arkansas, however, when we were there last year the tornadoes were always a day behind us. Pissed me off.

As far as nightlife is concerned, I am not usually by big cities when I do these things.



Oh.. misunderstood.. We are starting the season off pretty strong so good luck.. (In KC we are getting some good thunderstorms now. :)

No, I do not live near Tornado Alley, I live IN it! Tornadoes hit randomly so you would be best off by finding a sort of central location and then drive to the storm area. The Kansas City, Kansas/Lawrence/Topeka area should be at the top of your list. We are under a torando watch (Means that tornadoes COULD form!) here tonight.

Alternatively, choose the Great Bend/Larned area as you central location and drive to the storm cells from there. Early May is not a bad time as the F4 that hit KCK occured then in 2003.

Taken one mile from the old family place:

Just now
http://www.cnn.com/2011/US/04/14/sev...ex.html?hpt=T2

Precisely why I am starting out on 40. I figure I should be close to the action soon enough, or it will be easy to get to.

The problem is it is really hard to shoot tornadoes in the dark. I have only been in one, and did not know it until it had passed over my head. Not very photogenic at night.

Tornados
 

Your plan route link, when clicked on, Google Maps said your CA-IN trip would take 1 day, 16 hours. WOW!

TX & OK panhandles where many form & then roll N, NE.

If you really want t see live ones, there are tour guides who take groups out almost daily in April & May. They have all the scanning equipment for weather channels and tornado spotters who report to US Weather Service & local police. They also listen in on the guys who have the special tornado cars who try and drive into tornadoes for research. On cable they have been on Nat Geo, The Weather Channel & a couple of other channels. I think the program is Storm Chasers.

Still a few houses in the neighborhood not rebuilt from the 2003 F5 that hit the neighborhood.

Seriously? I take it you have never really used Google maps.

Yeah, for day storms, need to be a little warmer, and get those good Super Cell ones..

Google Maps
 

Use it constantly. Currently use it about 50 times a day as a couple of house flippers I know, pay me to find them houses as I know the area so well, but use Street View to look at each house & the neighbors.
Just click on the link you provided in the original post.


"Directions to Valparaiso, IN
51 views - Public
Created on Apr 9 - Updated 5 days ago
By Lloyd "baddog" Brown -
Rate this map - Write a comment

From: Torrance, CA

Directions to Valparaiso, IN
2,536 mi - about 1 day 16 hours
Starting from Opal St
1 Head east on Opal St toward Maple Ave
2 Turn left at Maple Ave
3 Take the 2nd right onto Torrance Blvd
4 Turn left at S Western Ave
5 Turn right at Artesia Blvd
6 Continue onto CA-91 E
7 Take exit 17 to merge onto I-605 N
8 Take exit 19 to merge onto CA-60 E/Pomona Fwy toward Pomona
9 Take exit 41 to merge onto I-15 N toward N Barstow
10 Continue onto I-40 E (signs for Needles)
Passing through Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas
Entering Tennessee
11 Take exit 12C on the left to merge onto I-40 E toward Nashville
12 Take exit 35 toward Somerville
13 Merge onto TN-59 E
14 Continue onto TN-76 W/Hwy 76 W/Rte 76 W/State 76 W/State Hwy 76 W/State Route 76 W
15 Turn left at TN-15 E/US-64 E
Continue to follow US-64 E
16 Turn right at TN-15 E/US-64 E
17 Turn right at TN-15 E/US-64 E/Market St
Continue to follow TN-15 E/US-64 E
18 Turn left at Church St
19 Take the 1st right onto Crawford St
20 Turn right at Parker St
21 Turn right at TN-15 W/US-64 W
22 Turn right at TN-18 N/N Main St
Continue to follow TN-18 N
23 Turn left at S Highland Ave
24 Turn right to merge onto I-40 E toward Nashville
25 Merge onto I-65 N
Entering Kentucky
26 Take exit 20 for William H. Natcher toward Bowling Green/Owensboro
27 Merge onto KY-9007 N
28 Take exit 41A for Western Kentucky Pkwy E toward Elizabethtown
29 Merge onto Wendell H. Ford Western Kentucky Pkwy
30 Take exit 137B to merge onto I-65 N toward Lexington/Louisville
Entering Indiana
31 Take exit 253 for US-30 toward Merriville/Schererville/Valparaiso
32 Turn right at US-30 E/E 81st Ave
Continue to follow US-30 E
33 Turn left at S Washington St
34 Turn left at Walnut St
Arriving at Walnut St
Total: 2,536 mi - about 1 day 16 hours

To: Valparaiso, IN
Report a problem"

Once, to go from KC to Arkansas, Mapquest routed me through New Hampshire.

Good luck

I have lived in tornado alley for 30 years and have seen tons of tornados. I lived in Burkburnett which is by Wichita Falls Tx where we had regular tornados every spring and summer. The biggest tornado I have ever seen was in Altus, Ok, it chased us all the from Altus back to Burkburnett. The sky was dark green and you could see the ground flashes from power lines being taken down, it was on the ground for an hour and luckily it was mostly wheat fields that it was blowing across. They are pretty scary when they go over you and right in the middle before the thing hits it gets calm and quiet and then bam the big winds start blowing in and sometimes its over pretty quick.

Good Luck and be safe!!

I lived in Kansas most of my life. If you really want to see a tornado, be in south central or south west KS during the first week of may. I promise you'll see one.

Wichita is a shithole but it's a great starting point for tornado chasing. If storms aren't predicted there you will at least be close enough to drive to where the action is forecast. My money is on southwest ks around Garden City and Dodge City to maybe Salina.

If you happen to be on I-35, stop by Guy & Mae's Tavern in Williamsburg, KS. They have the best BBQ ribs I have ever had in my life. Johnny Carson used to have ribs flown from Guy & Mae's to California for his parties. They're that good.

Bah, just looked at your route. You might be a little far south for that time. Hard to tell. I saw a monster tornado towards the first part of may around perryton, tx and the ok border several years ago.

That route is only to get started. Last year I started too far north, so I am starting south and will definitely be working north as required.

In other words, that route is not carved in stone . . . even if it is paved on it.

I've never seen a tornado with my own eyes.

On a side note I've always wondered why trailer parks exist in those areas.

Have never seen one myself either. Not sure I'd want to, let me think....

No, can't say I'd want to. Gud luck BD.

Looking at your route you seem a little too far south. You would do better working your way up from Oklahoma through Kansas and Missouri. I was born and raised in SW Missouri and have been in my fair share of tornadoes. Just my 2 cents :)

Have fun!!

http://www.cnn.com/2011/US/04/14/sev...ex.html?hpt=T2

Doesn't seem too far south. Like I said, I am using 40 to get to the panhandle. From there, anything is possible.

I'm already looking forward to the pics even if it's clear blue sky.

My oldest son goes to Memphis in May every year, he just bought his 3 day pass today for this one. He has a blast and wouldn't miss this for the world. I think he'd miss his rent over this. lol

:1orglaugh Thanks, I will try to make them interesting anyway. I think after I hit Chicago we may venture up into Canada and over to Niagara Falls.

Another Place to eat
 

Just west of there, a few miles SE of Emporia, is the very famous Olpe Chicken House in Olpe KS.

Summer 2011
 

Weird all the tornadoes are in NC, GA & FL.
Weather is almost perfect in KS for them. Guess it needs to heat up a little more. Average day has been 70-80. Needs 90 + humidity. Then they roll. Drop by if your in KC.

If you come through anywhere in Kansas or Oklahoma no one will have to worry about being afraid of the tornadoes.. It'll be the DRIVERS who will scare you... I don't know many bikers, but the ones who hang out at this little bar in Hutchinson have told me that people around here DO NOT SEE motorcycles. Like they're blind.

Watch your ASS around here. They even have signs all over the place saying something about STOP AND LOOK FOR MOTORCYCLES - that is how bad it is. You will want to think of yourself as invisible to these idiots.

If you do come in something four wheeled and bring your family/friends, be sure that it's heavy and huge and carry good insurance!!


I'm in Wichita now and you should slide by and see me when you come through
I'm on the fourth floor so I can see the storms real well (but only from one side)

Many states have motorcycle awareness signs all over them. Colorado is a great example. I actually enjoy seeing those signs out and about and wish there were more of them out there.

http://www.gotbaddog.com/wp-content/...07/Day-185.jpg

That being said, Buddy, my uncle and I leave in a week. I know my uncle is getting really excited . . . still not sure if he told my aunt what we are actually doing.

Good luck Bad Dog!

Tour
 

If you do make it to Kansas, the campus of KU is beautiful.
In downtown Lawrence is the Free State State Brewery. Great beer. You know it's good if I recommend a place that ripped me off for my t-shirt idea, and cost me $thousands.

I saw on the news the other day that yet another gang of tornados ripped through that region last week, bunch of people dead. Some, as was reported, were sucked right out of their homes. They said Alabama got the worst of it.

And again, in many of the scenes shown, a lot of trailer parks and mobile home parks getting destroyed. So again I have to say, why oh why do people in those states keep on buying and living in them? They're tornado fodder, nothing more.

:thumbsup I know I will be in KS at some point . . . either on the way out or on the way back. Micro breweries are always welcomed.

As a teen I came up with the theory that trailer parks, with their small window mounted a/c units, were the cause of tornadoes. Will test the theory in a couple weeks.

I live about hour and half East of Valparaiso, IN in Mentone, IN.. Have a fun and safe trip :thumbsup

I will be there by the 14th or 15th at the latest. If you want to meet up, I am probably going to use NWI as a base of operation for a while.

Also wine
 

There's a couple of wineries in the KC area that kick the sh** out of California wineries in national competitions. Try Holy-Field in Basehor, just west of the KS Speedway.

That sounds like a huge amount of fun!

Can't believe how many Tornadoes have hit the south already! 900? and 300 dead? :(

Hope you have a safe trip :thumbsup

I'd suggest avoiding Freestate, even though it is a micro-brewery. Too much riff-raff, far too many hippie-wanna-bees and you will for certain have to deal with the local panhandlers. Freestate has a rep for being the local drug dealer hangout and you don't need that kind of heat. The Yacht Club is vastly superior in both service and product, especially the Beer Towers. For the true flavor of Lawrence, Kansas, hit Johnny's in North Lawrence.

Johnnies, since 1953:

http://www.johnnystavern.com/lawrence.html

The Yacht Club:

http://www2.ljworld.com/marketplace/...es/yacht-club/

You want to get down and dirty, hit The Replay Lounge on Massachusetts:

http://www.replaylounge.com/

http://www.lawrence.com/places/replay/

Ya We could maybe meet up for dinner in the middle one night :thumbsup

Looks like I might be wrong about KS this year. Forecasts aren't looking good for that week...not looking good for tornadoes I mean.

just a lil bump to see if you are still going to be in this area this weekend and if you wanna chill.. hope you have had a great road trip