What a Ride...

I think today was the worst Summer storm I have driven in during the past 10 years. Yesterday was nice, cloudy at times and breezy. We knew the storms were on the way and would eventually reach our area. Twisters  gave Oklahoma another round of anxiety as the storms formed and dropped in several places, moving on to vex the next area. Chaos was the general rule, as the clouds moved across state after state. Missouri had storms with heavy rain and wind last night. People scurried for cover. Cars pulled off the roads. Eighteen wheelers  pulled into rest areas. Sometimes the best a person can do is just not good enough when there are no safe places.

This morning when I woke up the clouds looked ominous. The sky was still dark at 7:30 a.m.  I had made plans to spend today with Jacy and Logan in Centralia.  I decided to get on the road and try beating the storm. I looked at the radar and knew we had a doozie of a storm coming soon. I was counting on out running the storm. As I drove closer to Kingdom City I knew I had made a big mistake. The sky was black with periodic flashes of lightening. I was on a quarter tank of gas and needed to fill up.  When I got out of the car at the gas station the air surrounding me was tangible and prickly.  It's  presence was so close I could feel the hair on the back of my neck stand up as the wind gave me a rogue kiss.

People were pulling into truck stops, restaurants and quick shops to wait out the storm. As soon as I had paid for my gas, the storm hit. It didn't rain, it poured bucket after bucket of blinding water on everyone in sight. I wanted to put some distance between me and Kingdom City. That is one of the last places I want to be when a tornado touches down. It is a rest stop off  I-70, consisting of restaurants, truck plazas and motels. If a tornado ever hits Kingdom City and its gas pumps, there  will not be anything left that is even remotely recognizable.

I did  not want to be there when it happened.  As I pulled onto the road I could only see about three car lengths in front of me. I drove slowly for about three miles, flashers on, wipers going ninety to nothing and the defroster on high. Still it was almost impossible to see anything. I pulled over and waited, and waited and waited. There was no let up. Semis pulled back on the road to try and stay on schedule.  They couldn't see either.

Eventually I arrived in Mexico. The sky was lighter and the rain was not as blinding.  However, it had rained so hard the storm drains and culverts were over run with water they could not hold. The streets were flooded on the lowest side. Everyone wanted to drive the high side no matter what direction they were going. I really wanted out of my car and on dry land...somewhere.

18 miles from Mexico is Centralia. When I saw the city sign I wanted to kiss it. I had made it. In a few blocks I would be with my grand babies. It usually takes me one hour to drive to Centralia. Today it was over 2 1/2 hours. Jeez!!!  Just think tomorrow I am going home and the weather may be the same and I will get to do this all over again!!!