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lil-red-hunter14 · Guest

Just checking in on you, being I just remembered you said you live in Arkansas and they just got pummeled by storms! My thoughts and prayers go to those lost in the storms!

Chef Lefty · Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2014 12:28 pm Post subject:

Yes thoughts and prayers. Please let us know if we can do anything for you.
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landlocked beachbum · Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2014 8:25 am Post subject:

Thanks for asking guys. I had just finished writing an answer to this and hit preview, and the POS disappeared into cyberspace!!!! Evil or Very Mad

Yes I'm okay, but came very close to death or serious bodily harm! I had just left Lake Maumelle (about 15 miles west of Little Rock) after the power went out and the weather alert showed a tornado on the ground a few miles to the SW, heading our way. The Clubhouse (sailing club) sits on the very peak of a large hill overlooking the lake. I wasn't staying there!

Jumped into our 11 month old Rav4 and headed out to Highway 10, then east to home. Made it about 1.5 miles with very light rain, lots of wind and good visibility, maybe 1/2 mile or so. Coming off a big hill into a long left bend i drove into what can only be described as the "Twilight Zone": A thick white wall with maybe 30 yard visibility! I was doing 55 and instantly took my foot off the gas and started braking, but it was no good as a big pine tree appeared out of the haze, all the way across the road!!!! Shocked

No kidding here: the air was so thick with mist and whatever that from the time I saw the tree until impact was 1-2 seconds! I got stopped about 30 yards on the other side of the tree, sat there for a few seconds calming down, then got out to look at my poor car and feeling very happy to be alive and in one piece. The front body panel was smashed in on the right side along with the right front quarter panel, the hood had a few dents and the front molding of the right luggage rack was demolished. Just by sheer luck, the trunk of the tree had been held up by the limbs and passed just over my roof, there was wood buried in the roof rack! Shocked

Very weirdly, the wind was calm and the strange haze already opening up when I got out of the car. I already knew that I'd just driven through the back side of a tornado before hitting the tree. Even a few seconds to a minute earlier and I'd have been dead or seriously injured! Embarassed

There was another big pine down and across the road about 40 yards further east and 2-3 more past that.

When I got home I called out to the clubhouse to see if one of the three folks who were there when I left were still hanging out. One of my buds said that not long after I left they were out on the deck and watched a tornado cross the lake to the east....... the one that I had just missed! Shocked

Yesterday morning I found out that 3 folks had lost their lives about 5 miles SW of where I had my encounter, and this was the same twister that crossed the lake, then the Arkansas River and wiped out Mayflower, then Vilonia.

I'm a VERY lucky guy, and appreciate you folks asking about me! Wink

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Dave

"The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has it's limits". Albert Einstein

Central Scrutinizer · Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2014 8:29 am Post subject:

Good to hear you made it in 1 piece. Serious pucker-factor story you got there! Shocked

Prayers and thought to you and everyone else in the region. Them were some wicked storms to hit you guys.

ltorna1 · Full Grown Flour Bluffian Joined: 17 Apr 2009 Posts: 3240

Glad to hear you are OK Dave. That is a close call. Shocked

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...if my boss ever finds this forum I'll be unemployed...

kweber · Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2014 8:41 am Post subject:

glad yer OK.. as of today there's over 2dozen deaths up in your area...Ark, Tenn, Miss ,Ala, Geo...according to news reports...

was jealous when I saw the line of storms, acct we're in such a bad drought here... then quickly realized it wasnt rain, but much, much worse...
I saw a twister, once in N. Kan... very scary.
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the creepy uncle that scares the kids....

landlocked beachbum · Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2014 9:43 am Post subject:

I appreciate the thoughts. Even though some of us may differ at times it's nice to feel the camaraderie from forum members when real life stuff is happening. Wink

I'm good, I never have been the panicky, nervous, second guesser type. Always calm and collected in serious and/or life threatening situations. My lovely wife Leah on the other hand is just the opposite; she has been on edge since I called her on the road and told her what happened, the old "what if" factor.

I drove out there yesterday to look at the place in the daylight. The trees were already cleared off and away from the road and shoulder area, but the place is a freaking wreck! That tornado must have lifted some as it went through this particular spot because the damage was maybe 200 yards wide, while before and after that it was much wider and more severe. There are houses on the north sided of the road, either side of where the thing crossed. The one on the Left (looking northeast) was missed by about 100 yards, the one on the right maybe 30!!!!! Shocked

I took some phone pics. I'll try to add a few here. Also, I just returned from the body shop after getting an insurance estimate: $3,933.41 minus our $500 comprehensive deductible!!!!!! C'est la vie I guess. The car is repairable and/or replaceable, life and limb not so much..........

Thanks again everyone. As always, CCFF is one great freaking place loaded with folks of the same caliber! Cool

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Dave

"The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has it's limits". Albert Einstein

huntnetime · Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2014 9:56 am Post subject:

Oh wow...rain wrapped tornado, huh? Only thing worse would be rain wrapped at night...glad you're okay. I have friends North of Little Rock and know of at least two families that lost EVERYTHING, but are alive. Thank GOD!!!

deputydawg · Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2014 9:58 am Post subject:

Wow!!!!!! That's scary stuff, glad y'all made it okay!

kweber · Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2014 10:32 am Post subject:

back in '02 or so we had one skip thru here... destroyed a really old barn that had hand-hewed rafters and siding...
pulled up a 75yr pecan next to Dad's house..
and lifted just before my house...
actually two tracks across the farm...
took some tin off the big barn...
right after, I ran thru all the blow-down in the dark w/a flashlight and boxers... Laughing

never saw it, but heard it go over...
dang scared..
just looking to see what happened...
it was about 11pm...
glad to hear yer OK, Dave.
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the creepy uncle that scares the kids....

landlocked beachbum · Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2014 11:06 am Post subject:

As the Army Corps of Engineers and folks who live in known flood plains and on beaches, in yearly burn zones or avalanche/landslide and earthquake zones should know but so often seem to ignore, you can't mess with mother nature and win! She is always in final control.

Tornados areas aren't quite as cut and dried, but we definitely live in an area where they seem to be born and track through every season. It's known as the Interstate 30 corridor. Many more times than not the darn things are born close the I 30 and travel right up it or just east or west of there, it's kind of scary really. The gulf coastal plain meets the Ouachita mountains in this zone and it honestly gives birth to and steers twisters right through the center of the state. The only thing that saves so many is the fact that unlike hurricanes, fires, floods and earthquakes, they have a relatively narrow footprint. We have spent plenty of time under the back porch over the years, having been missed by many by less than 2 miles! Shocked

I never have had the "gambler's luck", that is to say that when it comes to day to day living I often seem to be followed by a black cloud. However, when it comes to the really important stuff like coming through vehicle wrecks, tree stand SNAFU's and close to drowning experiences, luck has so far been by my side. Sure do hope I haven't used it all up!!!!!
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Dave

"The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has it's limits". Albert Einstein

landlocked beachbum · Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2014 11:31 am Post subject:

BamaRed54 · Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2014 11:43 am Post subject:

Glad to hear you made it out simi-unscathed! I still have family and friends that all managed to dodge the maze of tornadoes that hit Alabama last night! Well one of my buddies houses was removed from its foundation but they were in a storm shelter at his neighbors house! They still have another equally threatening system coming through this afternoon! Thats one thing I dont miss about living up there! I was still glued to the Weather Channel until 2:00 AM last night texting my sisters where everything was heading bc they were without power!
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eksda · Flour Bluffian in training Joined: 04 Dec 2009 Posts: 288

glad you made it ok. my family live in the clinton conway area. they all made it ok but where my bro in laws auto repair shop was is now gone. my niece is on one of the many search and rescue teams up there. beautiful country up there. praying for all who are still going through this.

landlocked beachbum · Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2014 1:12 pm Post subject:

Sorry to hear that eksda. Hope they are already (human) body wise! Embarassed

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Dave

"The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has it's limits". Albert Einstein