STORM TRACK: September 30, 1985 (Volume 8 Issue 6)

A couple of final notes. For those few who may be concerned that an occasional patrolman fails to ticket a chaser, keep in mind that some chasers perform public services, such as providing timely storm warnings, donating slides to community spotter training programs, and giving film/talk shows to educate local citizens on storm signs and dangers. So, an occasional "get away" like Bruce Pettus isn't entirely a net loss to the community.

Secondly, a brief caveat to the National Geographic's Nickelodeon film on storm chasers, shown nationally a few weeks ago on cable television. Many scenes were shot that weren't used, including some contemplative insights by the Editor on a quiet day, against an Oklahoma field. What was left in were those somewhat more emotion charged moments, when one jumps from the car, after a pressure chase, to see what's going on, and a microphone pops under your nose (!) with camera for some unrehearsed, impromptu comments. So, if I sounded a little breathless or seemed a little hokey, well, that's what they wanted - - the natural man, being himself. Interestingly, the emotional high of the show was the Jim Leonard/Chuck Robertson hail encounter and their war whoops at the breaking windshield and nearby lightning strike. That was the peak "that made the show," according to the film editors back in Washington. Without that, old controlled Hoadley just didn't carry the action! Guess I'll have to jazz it up next time; maybe a cartwheel from the car or a running dive into a ditch at the first sign of a funnel. Anyway, thanks Jim and Chuck. Maybe next time, we can put another camera crew right in the path of "the big one." Then we can watch them go crazy.

Finally, I'm using a new photo-copy source this issue. The previous service closed on me, so at this writing I'm unsure how good the new one will be.