Click on photo to enlarge

RECAP:

We were in 10 states, 12 severe-to-extreme thunderstorms, 2 hail storms and just missed seeing 1 twister.  We drove a total of 4568 miles in 7 days.  We had 2 GPSs, a MacBook laptop, Iphone, CB radio and in-car radio for local stations.  And, of course, a CD player full of Country Western Music.

May 2011.  Our trip started out headed for Flagstaff.  A full snow storm in Williams and several thunderstorms before we arrived.

After leaving Flagstaff, we headed for Oklahoma City.  The weather started to get worse.

Headed north from Oklahoma City, we stopped at Tulsa Harley Davidson.  This is where I found my new friend.

Headed north from Joplin, we stopped for a nap in a cemetery and waited for the storms to arrive.

And arrive they did, with a vengeance.  A twister did arrive here, but we missed it.

We stayed the night in Kansas City and then headed toward St. Louis.

Passing thru the capital of Missouri, Jefferson City , to Linn, MO, we were in some of the largest storms.

If you enlarge the middle photo, a storm we're going into is visible on the screen.

Marge drove the Hummer during the bad storms so Tom could navigate.  She did a great job.

At this point the storms were all headed southeast, so that's where we're headed.  The logical place to end up was Nashville, Tennessee.  Driving thru Kentucky and Tennessee at night is something you just have to experience.  Dark, dark, dark.  Our first stop in Nashville was the Country Hall of Fame, a must-see in Nashville.  

Downtown Nashville

You can't see Nashville without a stop at the Wildhorse Saloon.  Of course we had to have the world famous "Tennessee Twister" cocktails.  

Next to the Wildhorse is the Harley Davidson store and Hooters Restaurant, together.  My two favorite places.

After that we made a quick stop at Tootsies for some country music. Then we headed toward home.

The weather had changed for the better.  In Checotah, Oklahoma at a Shell gas station, the Tornado Hunters from Tornado Video.Net were picking up where we left off.  They were just beginning their chasing.  Good luck to all.

Hopefully we'll be back next year.