Monday, May 1, 2017

Just How Close it Was – Blytheville Tornado & Wind Damage

Shell Station Blytheville Tornado Wind Damage

This is a Shell Gas Station, next to a Hampton Inn, Blytheville Arkansas after a “tornado embedded in straight line winds” blew through shortly after 2 am Sunday morning.  And…HOW CLOSE WERE WE?????

Map of Shell Station to Walmart - Blytheville Tornado Wind Damage

As Maxwell Smart use to say, “Missed us by this much…”  (for the younger crowd, look up “Get Smart”)

Map of Shell Station to Walmart - Blytheville Tornado Wind Damage

This Satellite Shot from Google Maps shows it even better.  The ‘Blue’ rectangle represents the motorhome and tow car.  Just to the left of it you can see some trees, and I pulled forward away from the trees just a minute before it hit.  We were facing to the right.  The Shell Station, across I-55, faced the Interstate, and the picture of the station was taken from the frontage road that the arrowhead just covers up.  The two carts that we saw zooming across the parking lot (see previous post where that is talked about) were closer to the Walmart building that to us, but close to half the distance between us and the Walmart building.  The were zooming left to right, as was the wind.  Since it was 2 am, there were only a handful of cars in the parking lot…one of which was a security guard.  Yep, it was close…too close…but we made it through without a scratch (or dent).

Bob & Wanda's Wagon Wheel Cafe

Today we took it easy in the morning, went to visit Marcia’s cousin Sophie around 2, and we all went to dinner at a small restaurant nearby called “Bob & Wanda's Wagon Wheel Cafe” where every Monday they have 10 oz Prime Rib for $15.  He cooks up one rib, when it is gone, it is gone.  By the time we left, it was all gone.  And it was REAL GOOD!   4 1/2 stars on Yelp and also on Google…we passed by it many times, never even thought about eating there.  It will be on our radar from now on…and it is open 24 hours too!  Amazing little place, nice people, great food.

DJ's Auto Repair

Tomorrow we head to Little Rock to have work done on the RV and on me.  Well, the RV will go in at DJ's Auto Repair, will have new front breaks, and the grease boot over the ball joints, which last year they said had signs of cracking (after 10 years, this is common).  We have to be there between 7:30-8:00 am on Wednesday, so we have decided to park at another Cracker Barrel nearby (less than 5 miles away.)  As for me, it is back to UAMS for a yearly check up.  Yes, I had one just 8 months ago…but we won’t be in the area again for over a year from now, so it best to get it done now.  Then we head out to Phoenix where they are having a ‘Celebration of Life’ service for Marcia’s longtime friend Joyce.  That takes place May 21st, so we have plenty of time to get there, and we will take advantage of the time to visit a few places we typically zoom past.

6 comments:

  1. Yikes, that was too close! Hurry up and get yourselves farther west where there aren't any tornadoes!

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    1. When I lived in Pine Bluff I had a night where straight line winds went through the park. My 5th Wheel was rocking and shaking, I was babysitting a staff member's little dog and I curled up with the dog on the floor near the bed. It was over in 60 seconds, but the sound of trees falling and the mess the next morning sure scared the heck out of me. That was worse than what we went through only because there are no trees in a Walmart Parking Lot...but I know a tornado can pick up a motorhome and smash it to pieces.

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  2. Exactly ... time to get out of Dodge!!!

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    1. The one thing I don't like about having health insurance in Arkansas is the fight with the weather. Spring is Tornado time, as can be fall. Summer is hot hot hot humidity. Winter is Ice Storms. When you make a Dr. Apt, you don't know what the weather is going to be like. While living in Arkansas I have seen Tornadoes all 12 months of the year...but spring is the worse, followed by fall.

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  3. Wow, that was more than a little "too close for comfort." I'm glad that you both are OK. I have to say that I've experienced many tornado warnings and watches when I lived in Indianapolis, and I don't miss the weather there. Safe travels and if you come through Las Cruces, give a shout. :-)

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    1. Same with me for nearly 22 years in Arkansas. They occasionally have them in Florida, but they are a joke compared to the Arkansas Tornadoes...and Thunder.

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