Thames Barrier 2
Thames Barrier
Welcome to the land of dismal
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London at the New Year
Olympic Park and Pub
What a zoo! Before Christmas is generally crazy. This time qualifies as an unmitigated nightmare of crazed humanity wreaking havoc in the stores creating unspeakable lengths of queues (50 minute wait in line to get to the bank teller to cash a check!), stripping the grocery store shelves bare of food, attempting to kill anything that moves on the sidewalk or the roads, and generally creating chaos in the most crowded borough of Newham, town of Stratford, East London.
Yes, my friends, it’s enough to drive one to drink. Fortunately, there are more pubs than one can count within easy walking distance of Ian’s London house and we have visited one every day in order to recover from the shear exhaution of not knowing whether the sun exists anymore, the masses of humanity pressing in upon us, and the looming olympic village and sports complex just two blocks from the house, which we can sometimes see when the fog and mist clear.
Yes, the 2012 summer Olympics will be two blocks from the house in which Ian grew up and now owns. We plan to attend and have been watching the destructing and construction over the years with a great deal of interest. The shear number of cranes in use is fascinating. The velodrome looks almost like a bicycle helmet from certain angles. The piles of dirt still exist but where some used to be now exist buildings or almost buildings.
Old and New - view from the bedroom
olympic park view from the bedroom
Chasing – 11 touchdowns, Towner, CO to Tribune, KS – May 25, 2010
We started out at a rather leisurely pace – sort of not really excited or anxious about the day. If it happened, it happened. Our target was SW Kansas. We didn’t get drawn too far south and stayed on the northern storms that had formed. The sky was looking interesting as we were getting closer to the storms and then two cells began to merge. Whoa! Suddenly, one, then two, then three landspout tornadoes started dancing together. As they dissipated, another formed and then there were two on the ground. They disappeared and two more formed. In just a short period of time, the cell merger had produced incredible energy. This storm became a beast and we got up close and personal, watching one of the most amazing tornadoes form, then dissipate, then form again as a rotating inflow band. We followed this storm for hours, seeing 11 separate touchdowns. Vortex 2 arrived and caught 3 of the later t’s, getting great data. The bad news? A corrupted CF Card! I think people back home in Boston could hear the swearing. At least my chase partners were taking photos and video.
First set of tornadoes – later verified as three on the ground:
And more tornadoes….
And the most amazing tornado….inflow band I have ever seen. At one point it was a tornado, then it was a rotating inflow band on the ground (?), then…. well, you’ll see for yourself. We have lots of video of this and it’s just incredible. Never seen anything like it before and we were up close and personal.
Chasing – NE – May 24, 2010
We were lucky to come out of this day alive! Well, that’s a bit of an exaggeration but it was fast, furious, and wild. In Nebraska, headed north to Lake McConaughy to watch a storm cross the lake…but it didn’t. However, saw a lot of whitecaps on the lake. The wind was howling. Headed further north on Rt. 61/92 trying to stay ahead of the storms, which were moving at 60ish mph. We stayed on Rt. 92 at Arthur, heading east. Before reaching Rt. 97, we got ahead of one of the north tracking fast moving storms and captured a brief tornado on camera while almost being blown away by 70mph winds. Shirts were being held on by hand. The tornado was near Tryon, NE and we were looking NW.
We continued east on 92 through hail and suddenly, out of nowhere, a fast moving shed roof passed in front of our eyes. This thing was close! Debris. At that point, we decided to head on to Oconto to let the storm roll over us and ended up sitting under the whale’s mouth. What a day.
brief tornado
60-70 mph winds sustained!
whale’ mouth
Chasing – May 23, 2010
Rosebud, SD – May 22, 2010
Chasing – NW of Scotts Bluff, NE – May 21, 2010
Fist “real” chase of the chasecation (translation – intended chase), we targeted just northwest of Scotts Bluff and found ourselves on a lonely (no other chasers in sight after passing Vortex 2 at the turnoff) and beautiful dirt road with a gorgeous tornado warned storm just NW of us that produced a couple of very brief tornadoes in Goshen Co, WY. A delightful way to start with a bonus sunset.
Pre-chasecation – Thermopolis, WY, May 19, 2010
Pre-chasecation – Wind River Canyon, WY – May 19, 2010
Wyoming! Well, let’s just say, we didn’t get arrested but….our encounter with the authorities in Wy left a lot to be desired. Driving through Wind River Canyon (wow!), I began to be tailgated by a white pickup truck. Ian was hanging out the window taking video and I was driving under the speed limit, obeying all the laws, bitching about the *&%$* on my tail. Finally, at the end of the Canyon, we came to the resevoir and I decided to pull over to let the guy pass, while Ian took a photo. Well, the *&%$* pulled in behind me. I parked and Ian got out. Next thing we know, the pickup has lights flashing and this voice says, “Get back in the vehicle.” So, the tailgater turned out to be a Park Ranger and I had pulled past a little, teeny weeny, miniscule sign that said “fee area.” This guy was looking for something to stop us for. After the 3rd degree, including issues about not carrying our proof of insurance cards (no such thing in MA) but thankfully the rental car place had stuff in the glove compartment, we found out that we could pay $6 on the spot and be done with the nonsense. Suddenly, Mr. 3rd degree squad goober became Mr. nice guy travel agent, telling us all the sights to see as we headed to NE.
Pre-chasecation – Chasing on foot May 18, 2010 Little Big Horn
Pre-chasecation, we flew into Omaha, drove across SD into Montana to see Little Big Horn. While Ian continued to explore on foot, I went back to the car to grade papers. A storm developed and I ended up chasing on foot! Ian found me at the top of a hill with cameras and he was LOL knowing that I wouldn’t be doing anything so pedestrian as grading papers with a storm around.
