I biked in a tornado!

[colorisnt]

Wow. I am so, so glad that you are okay! God, that's terrifying! I almost walked into a tornado once but had the sense to turn around. The sirens barely went off and I swore they went off but in our house with the AC, you couldn't hear. I saw limbs come down and ran home but I will never forget going back there the next morning and seeing all the trees down where I would have been walking and coming back from the corner store. It was frightening.

I'm glad you lived to tell the story!

[Bike Writer]

Melalvai

Thank God you came through unscathed! Must have been a very scary experience!

[OakLeaf]

Oh man, so glad you are OK! (and sending tornado-avoiding thoughts to our Oklahoma TEr's tonight)

[MollyJ]

I live in KS and have stayed off my road bike all week because of predicted storms. In scouting they tell you that if a tornado comes up you should shelter in a ditch or other depression. That mental picture of me and my bike in a ditch was just too uninviting....

[PamNY]

Wow -- I'm glad you are safe. And now you have a great story to tell!

[shootingstar]

Something to live only once but never again, Melavi!

Last year I rode unknown to me a windstorm that blowing over 80 km/hr. 1 Block away from I where was cycling (and then walking my bike, because I couldn't stay balanced in the wind force), the window glass from highrise office towers broke and shattered down below. Fire dept. were called to secure the area..police wouldn't have the same safety gear on hand.

[Melalvai]

I do feel very lucky. And I have been milking the story. After I posted it on my newspaper blog, the editor called me so he could get some quotes for the storm story he was writing.

One person said "You need a little dog in your basket now." I know, right? I've already got the upright posture on my bike, and now the tornado, I only need a green face, warty nose, and a little dog.

It was good experience because if I'm ever in those conditions again I'll know to stop and do something.

[Geonz]

I do feel very lucky. And I have been milking the story. After I posted it on my newspaper blog, the editor called me so he could get some quotes for the storm story he was writing.

One person said "You need a little dog in your basket now." I know, right? I've already got the upright posture on my bike, and now the tornado, I only need a green face, warty nose, and a little dog.

It was good experience because if I'm ever in those conditions again I'll know to stop and do something.

I know what you mean! How many mental rewinds did it take you to figure out just how lucky you were?

This story also means you'll have credibility when you suggest "perhaps we should seek shelter... been here and *done this*..."

[maillotpois]

Wow - amazing!!! So glad you are safe.

[Melalvai]

I know what you mean! How many mental rewinds did it take you to figure out just how lucky you were?

Actually figuring out how lucky I was didn't take long at all. When I regained control of my bike, and looked up. I saw trees covering the street in front of me. The street that, a few seconds ago, had not been covered in trees. It was a minute later when I turned onto the next street and saw even more trees that I started shaking!

I knew right away how lucky I was.

On the other hand, it took me several hours to work out what I should have done (drop the bike on the side of the road and bolt for the nearest wall).