Fonzie Posted March 9, 2009 Report Share Posted March 9, 2009 So I jump on I-75 between Bowling Green & Perrysburg, about 6:55 this evening. As I'm coming up on the 75/23 split at the mosque a few minutes later, the radio starts givin' that National Weather Service buzzer. I'm thinkin' it's just gonna be a message about how the Blanchard River in Findlay is reaching flood stage. Skies have finally cleared & it's actually sunny out right nowI proceed to listen that there is a TORNADO WARNING for Lucas(Toledo) & upper Wood County, with funnel clouds already sighted. Hmmm....I'm in upper Wood County, just south of Lucas. OK....They've got my attention. Next thing they say is it's a fast moving storm at ~ 65-70mph, & is moving over Whitehouse & heading NE towards Maumee, Perrysburg, Rossford at approximately 7-7:15Ummmmmm......I just left Whitehouse & it's about 5 miles behind me, and I'm coming into Perrysburg NOW, with Rossford about 5 miles in front of me......Annnnd HOLY SHIT.....I forgot to move the clock up an hour so it's not really 6:00 but instead 7:00!!! OK....No biggy.....still looks sunny & much more clear than earlier. Ohhhhhh CRAP......What's that noise.....Faint....Is it just my imagination?!? Let me roll the window down & get a better listen.....NOPE.....Those are tornado sirens I'm hearin'!! Need to get ahold of my mom!! Baby Fonz stayed with grandma last night, and we're supposed to meet in Perrysburg for the swap.....Right in the middle of a freakin' tornado! Call her house....machine....leave message. Call her cell....Not turned on yet. Wash...Rinse...Repeat....X like 5. C'mon mom.....Turn on your damn phone before it's too late!!! Finally she turns her phone on & answers. I get them turned around, so at least I know they're safe & not heading right into it with me from the opposite side. Nowwww.....Where the hell do I go?!? Need to get off 75 quick & find someplace suitable to hole up. Pull into a little gas station convenience mart, but decide it's not big enough. Sirens still blaring....Louder now. Bass Pro Shop is right back here & pretty big, but who knows if they're still open this late on a Sunday, and I don't have time to drive back there & get bad news. Couple hotels on 795....Probably my best option. Miss the damn access road, so like an idiot, have to drive over 75 and back, as there's no other place to turn around & go back, and nothing stout looking on the west side. Lovely place to be when funnel clouds are coming up on you....Sitting on top of a freakin' overpass!! Finally get the right road, and go into the lobby. People already in there watching the local weather coverage on TV. According to radar, looks like the very bottom red part of the storm cloud is coming right over us & hitting downtown Toledo. Take another look outside, and just in that minute or 2 while watching the telly, it's gone from hazy sunny to VERY black!! Few minutes later the wind died back down, and the skies cleared again. VERY FREAKY!! Guess there were some touchdowns just to the west of us, but never heard of anything closer. Damn glad I decided to turn the radio on, 'cause I doubt I'd of heard the sirens with the windows up & no inclination of what was coming upon meSo that's how I spent my evening. Gotta go change my shorts now!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EvilTwin Posted March 9, 2009 Report Share Posted March 9, 2009 You mean your first instinct wasn't to drive faster? The storm was only going 70mph, shiiiit. But seriously , that would be freaky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warpspeed Posted March 9, 2009 Report Share Posted March 9, 2009 I outran a storm once.... going fast when its super windy sucks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmoosego Posted March 9, 2009 Report Share Posted March 9, 2009 glad you made it safe und sound... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Artmageddon Posted March 9, 2009 Report Share Posted March 9, 2009 I was riding in Columbus last year when the wind storm hit. I was on Linworth Road and there trees and branches falling all over the road, and I was dodging them left and right. Luckily I was close to home and got there before it got real bad. Not fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomcat0403 Posted March 9, 2009 Report Share Posted March 9, 2009 I drive straight into storms...find them fun and interesting. Never seen a tornado though...I want to though...from a very safe distance in the daytime. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flounder Posted March 9, 2009 Report Share Posted March 9, 2009 Storms dont bother me. and Tornado's dont really either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
that dude Posted March 9, 2009 Report Share Posted March 9, 2009 i think that would make me a bit nervous also...glad there was no touchdown Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fonzie Posted March 9, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 9, 2009 I drive straight into storms...find them fun and interesting. Never seen a tornado though...I want to though...from a very safe distance in the daytime.Ohhhh.....I've seen one....fairly close......From the back of my dad's bike when I was probably 11-12 years old. I see this skinny funnel looking cloud pivoting out of the sky. Start tuggin' the hell out of my dad's shirt & point over at what I'm seein' & tellin' him I think it's a tornado. He tells me he doesn't think so, and we continue on, as we're almost where we're goin'Get to the shop a few minutes later, and as we walk in the front door, the old timers are all in there squawkin' about the tornado that just touched down in the field out back. I proceed to give my dad the "I told you so" He claims now that he knew it back then, but didn't want to panic me Must not've been too big a one.....But definitely made an impression on me!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jagr Posted March 9, 2009 Report Share Posted March 9, 2009 I was riding in Columbus last year when the wind storm hit. I was on Linworth Road and there trees and branches falling all over the road, and I was dodging them left and right. Luckily I was close to home and got there before it got real bad. Not fun.That sucked so bad i still cant believe it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benyen Soljax Posted March 9, 2009 Report Share Posted March 9, 2009 That sucked so bad i still cant believe it.thats what she said. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jagr Posted March 9, 2009 Report Share Posted March 9, 2009 Nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fonzie Posted March 9, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 9, 2009 Storms dont bother me. and Tornado's dont really either.Never really did me either, back when I was the only one I had to worry about Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReconRat Posted March 9, 2009 Report Share Posted March 9, 2009 I was driving South from Cleveland to Columbus, on a back road. Very windy, and radio kept saying tornado right about where I was. It was in the field to my right, moving about the same speed I was. It really wasn't more than about 100 yards away. It wasn't very big, just a small one, I thought. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
schmuckingham Posted March 9, 2009 Report Share Posted March 9, 2009 Flounders voice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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