Missed it by one day

doctorwho · Post by **doctorwho** » Wed Nov 20, 2013 3:38 am

I just got back from visiting my family and friends in Illinois. I started my return trip on Saturday, the 16th, from my sister's house in Washington. The next day, the 17th, an F-4 tornado went through the neighborhood where her house is and destroyed numerous homes and an apartment building. Fortunately, she, my brother-in-law and their dog, as well as my niece and her family who also live in Washington, are all safe and sound and their homes were not damaged by the storm.

http://www.weather.com/news/aerial-view ... s-20131118

Somewhere in that picture is Kern Avenue (Street?) which I drove on nearly every day while I was there. Houses I drove by only a few days ago are now piles of rubble.

I am just glad that I had decided to leave when I had planned and not stayed longer. I am still a bit in shock over this.

jps · Post by **jps** » Wed Nov 20, 2013 10:17 am

I am glad that you and your family are okay. What a mess. Maybe this is a sign that you should move back there and help in the rebuilding process?

8mileshigher · Post by **8mileshigher** » Thu Nov 21, 2013 2:12 pm

Close call !
Glad to know that you and your family are safe .... these storms have been so devastating.

doctorwho · Post by **doctorwho** » Thu Nov 21, 2013 2:54 pm

Yep, close call indeed.

Here's a video that my sister's neighbor took (foolishly!) as the storm approached and before he headed to the basement:

The person that the the cameraman is yelling at is my brother in-law, who was also outside at that moment

. My sister's house is the one across the street to the right in the video. My car was parked in front of the little garage door just 24 hours prior to this.

8mileshigher · Post by **8mileshigher** » Thu Nov 21, 2013 3:02 pm

Gee ---- that storm is way too close in the video.

Literally just behind those houses, less than a block.

Frightening to say the least. You must have been worried driving back cross-country, and hearing the news about all the storms across the area ..... and just hoping the direction your car was heading, would be far-enough away from the tornadoes.

doctorwho · Post by **doctorwho** » Thu Nov 21, 2013 3:14 pm

Oddly enough, I never was able to hear any newscasts on the radio because I had to keep scanning as the stations would fade out. Of course, I did not stay on the strong-signaled country & western and c-rap music stations! I heard the news when my sister called me while I was at the first rest stop in New Mexico.

jps · Post by **jps** » Thu Nov 21, 2013 6:50 pm

doctorwho wrote:I heard the news when my sister called me while I was at the first rest stop in New Mexico.

Your first stop was in NM? Long drive!

cjj · Post by **cjj** » Thu Nov 21, 2013 7:28 pm

jps wrote:
doctorwho wrote:I heard the news when my sister called me while I was at the first rest stop in New Mexico.
Your first stop was in NM? Long drive!

Well, it takes hardly any time at all in a TARDIS...

Glad to hear all you relatives got through it OK...

doctorwho · Post by **doctorwho** » Thu Nov 21, 2013 10:45 pm

Well, I have a good bladder, but not that good!

I literally meant the first Rest Area in New Mexico, the one that is about 1000 feet from the state line. I actually napped for the first time Saturday night at a rest area east of Oklahoma City. The second nap was Sunday night, at a rest area just west of Winslow AZ .... I was on the road for about 17 hours on that segment.

jps · Post by **jps** » Thu Nov 21, 2013 11:40 pm

doctorwho wrote:...Winslow AZ .....

Did you stop by to visit the big hole in the ground?

doctorwho · Post by **doctorwho** » Fri Nov 22, 2013 2:33 am

I visited it on the Rose Bowl trip in 1983-1984.

Wait, you were referring to Meteor Crater, and not Winslow itself, right?

s4001 · Post by **s4001** » Fri Nov 22, 2013 2:56 am

Wow. Glad you & your family are all right, Gary.

jps · Post by **jps** » Fri Nov 22, 2013 11:23 am

doctorwho wrote:I visited it on the Rose Bowl trip in 1983-1984.

Yes, ~~Behringer~~

Barringer Crater. The first time we visited it (Summer of 1974) my brother, sister and I climbed down to the bottom and went over to the mine in the middle of it. pretty surreal.

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