fenderguy Posted June 13, 2008 Share Posted June 13, 2008 Over this past Memorial Day Weekend our family took a trip to a large lake in Minnesota. Apart from the issues of the kids behaving badly and blaming each other, the weather was bad for the most part. The day before we were going to be leaving to go back home, we got a call from a neighbor kid letting us know that the house was probably o.k. from the tornado that just hit the area! Then we got a call from our oldest son saying the sirens had gone off and that there were no reports of injuries or damage yet---but he was not at home when the tornado hit. It turned out that the street I lived on was impassable due to fallen trees, and that our house was about 100 feet from the damage path. We had small branches and debris in the yard, that's it. Our next door neighbor saw the funnel cloud. He said we had a lot of hail and that the trees were bending like crazy. Our dog refused to come out of the basement afterwards, she was so frightened. After another text message with an update, we were fishing off the dock at Leech Lake (about 200 miles from our home) and this is what dropped out of the sky: It was moving away from us, not toward us, and from the appearance of the funnel, it stayed over water and did not make it to land. When we got home our street had been cleared and was passable. This picture was taken at the start of the damage path. The mini van is ours. The wooden bench had been sucked out of the ground and thrown to the street. Several large trees in a park to my right were annihilated. Here is what is left of one of the kids' friend's homes: This was the same storm system, and probably the same tornado, that killed a two year old and completely leveled several homes in Hugo, MN to our east. We were lucky, that's all there is to it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lzfan715 Posted June 13, 2008 Share Posted June 13, 2008 I'm sorry that you guys are having such a problem with the weather, we are too. I'll keep you guys in my thoughts, and let me know how things go for you. I'm glad that you and your family are safe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenderguy Posted June 13, 2008 Author Share Posted June 13, 2008 Thanks, I appreciate that. Like I said, we were lucky. It could have been a lot worse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lzfan715 Posted June 13, 2008 Share Posted June 13, 2008 We have major flooding, and we're very lucky in that it wasn't worse. You never know how precious things are until you come close to losing them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigstickbonzo Posted June 13, 2008 Share Posted June 13, 2008 I've seen big tornados in Florida before, the extra wide ones that look massive. I also was out fishing in the Banana River near Cape Canaveral when two water spouts formed. It reminded me of that one scene from the movie "Twister," minus the flying cow. We had a low flying cloud approach our house during a severe storm when I was about 10 and I can remember rushing to get my camera then rush back out to my front porch to snap some pics. It was swirling about 200ft from the ground and was literally about the same distance from our house. I can still remember asking my pop, "What happens if that thing touches down?" My Pop, "We're fucked." Luckily, it didn't. Tornados in New Jersey are rare, but they do happen. I think we average about 1-4 a year. I once inadvertantly got out of the path of a waterspout that came ashore and destroyed two homes and a hotel on the beach. We had been surfing all morning until the tide dropped. Around 2, storm clouds started to brew over the bay so we packed it up for the day and drove home. The next day we were told by our locals that the damn thing had come ashore on our beach and ripped right through our parking lot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suz Posted June 14, 2008 Share Posted June 14, 2008 Wow, Fenderguy. Amazing picture of the tornado. Glad you and your family are safe. I was bracing for that storm, but only saw the far southern tip of it. Just some dark clouds racing by and one big gust of wind. When I saw on the news what happened in Hugo, I couldn't believe it. 2 times since then the sirens have gone off. The first time I went outside and it was sunny and looked fine. So I went back in and then the huge hail hit- it sounded like we were being attacked. I went down to the basement for awhile. The second time the sky just looked ugly, and the clouds were racing against each other. My car is full of little dings from the hail the first time. About 10 years ago I was in Mankato when a tornado hit. That was unreal. I was walking in a field. It was a nasty, sticky hot day and then it suddenly got dark and cold. I couldn't move from where I was standing because over my head was a rotating cloud and I was too mesmerized by it to move. The rain started and was blowing sideways. A friend came and dragged me to the car. Then we drove fast into town because there were no tornado shelters where we were. We had that tornado behind us the whole time. We went into a store, and the manager made everyone stand in the back hallway until it passed. When I went outside, the parking lot and some of the cars were trashed. There was stuff all over the place. But straight line winds are scary, too. One sunny day I was sitting in the living room when I heard a loud crack and for a split second it felt like the house moved. When I went outside, our flagpole was bent down touching the ground and my neighbor's tree was laying on their car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angel With A Broken Wing Posted June 14, 2008 Share Posted June 14, 2008 You guys in the midwest are really getting pummeled this year. Am glad you're all safe right now & hope you continue to be so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suz Posted June 14, 2008 Share Posted June 14, 2008 You guys in the midwest are really getting pummeled this year. Am glad you're all safe right now & hope you continue to be so. Thanks. What I really hate is that my plants look like it's the middle of May. I fertilize the bejesus out of them but they are still kind of weak looking. Last year and the year before they were huge and full at this time. We haven't had any hot weather yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lake of Shadows Posted June 14, 2008 Share Posted June 14, 2008 Yowza. I'm glad everyone is okay. We get tornadoes down here in my neck of the woods as well. We've had minor damage occur in the past but nothing horrible. I'm glad we live in a house with a basement. I hope things settle down for you folks in the midwest... it hasn't been a kind year for ya so far. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadScreamingGallery Posted June 14, 2008 Share Posted June 14, 2008 [...] That is an incredibly beautiful photo of the tornado at Lake Leech. I am sorry that it left so much devastation. I have friends who live in Wisconsin who we sometimes visit. My husband and I still say that one of the eeriest sounds we ever heard was that of the tornado warning siren - and the color of the sky and stillness in the air. The tornado didn't end up hitting where we were but it nearly destroyed a town several miles north. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenderguy Posted June 16, 2008 Author Share Posted June 16, 2008 That is an incredibly beautiful photo of the tornado at Lake Leech. I am sorry that it left so much devastation. I have friends who live in Wisconsin who we sometimes visit. My husband and I still say that one of the eeriest sounds we ever heard was that of the tornado warning siren - and the color of the sky and stillness in the air. The tornado didn't end up hitting where we were but it nearly destroyed a town several miles north. The leech lake tornado picture is not the tornado that caused the damage in the other pictures. We were at Leech Lake at the time and the two tornados occured at almost the same time---one on the other side of the lake, the other one-half a block from our house! We were 200 miles away from home! When we took the tornado picture, the sun was out! We used the zoom on the camera to get the tornado to look like that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suz Posted June 17, 2008 Share Posted June 17, 2008 That is an incredibly beautiful photo of the tornado at Lake Leech. I am sorry that it left so much devastation. I have friends who live in Wisconsin who we sometimes visit. My husband and I still say that one of the eeriest sounds we ever heard was that of the tornado warning siren - and the color of the sky and stillness in the air. The tornado didn't end up hitting where we were but it nearly destroyed a town several miles north. That's the second eeriest sound here- the first is a loon. Have you heard one of those? Makes your hair stand up. My kid can imitate one so well they call to her. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadScreamingGallery Posted June 17, 2008 Share Posted June 17, 2008 The leech lake tornado picture is not the tornado that caused the damage in the other pictures. We were at Leech Lake at the time and the two tornados occured at almost the same time---one on the other side of the lake, the other one-half a block from our house! We were 200 miles away from home! When we took the tornado picture, the sun was out! We used the zoom on the camera to get the tornado to look like that. That is bizarre! The timing and location of those two tornadoes is almost unbelievable. However you did it, you managed to get a great photo. That's the second eeriest sound here- the first is a loon. Have you heard one of those? Makes your hair stand up. My kid can imitate one so well they call to her. I never heard a loon. I had to look on Youtube for one. I didn't know a loon was something like a duck. I thought it was like a big heron. I agree - it's an eerie sound - this vid of loon cries reminds me of the beginning of a horror film: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenderguy Posted June 17, 2008 Author Share Posted June 17, 2008 That is bizarre! The timing and location of those two tornadoes is almost unbelievable. However you did it, you managed to get a great photo. I never heard a loon. I had to look on Youtube for one. I didn't know a loon was something like a duck. I thought it was like a big heron. I agree - it's an eerie sound - this vid of loon cries reminds me of the beginning of a horror film: Here are some more pictures of the Leech Lake Tornado. The one is how the tornado actually looked to the naked eye---that is me and one of my kids looking onward at it. Another is a total zoom in as far as the camera would go. The other is just as it was dissapating and you can barely see it. By the way, I like the way loons sound!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allthekingshorses Posted June 17, 2008 Share Posted June 17, 2008 amazing pictures. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suz Posted June 17, 2008 Share Posted June 17, 2008 By the way, I like the way loons sound!! Me, too- but it's still eerie to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenderguy Posted June 17, 2008 Author Share Posted June 17, 2008 I think loons look and sound cool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suz Posted June 18, 2008 Share Posted June 18, 2008 I think loons look and sound cool. They are so beautiful. I love their red eyes. I have only seen 2 or 3 down here over the years; the rest were up north. Do you remember a few years ago when a Pacific loon was spotted on Lake Harriet? They are white. I had never known about them until then. One time up in the BWCA I heard loons and wolves at the same time. Talk about eerie! It was awesome- late at night, with the calls and howls ringing out over the lake. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenderguy Posted June 18, 2008 Author Share Posted June 18, 2008 That sounds awesome---I think the wolves sound spookier than the loons. I have always wanted to camp in the BWCA and never actually done it for one reason or another. I have been at the entry points, and on or near the Superior hiking trail. That whole area is great to visit. If I were a single unattached guy, I would pull up my stakes and live there the year around. The bears scare the hell out of my wife. I have tried to tell her that she probably has a better chance of getting struck by lightning than being attacked by a bear, but it does not matter. Once we were staying at a resort near the Lutsen ski area in the summer. I was cooking steak and bacon on an outdoor grill, and a bear came wandering out of the woods and into the courtyard where the grills and picnic tables were. He did not threaten anyone, he just very slowly mosied around sniffing and checking out the trash cans. It was like he was completely indifferent to the people around the area. I headed for the patio twenty feet up. People were retreating to their balconies and taking pictures from their balconies. It was interesting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marolyn Posted June 18, 2008 Share Posted June 18, 2008 That sounds awesome---I think the wolves sound spookier than the loons. I have always wanted to camp in the BWCA and never actually done it for one reason or another. I have been at the entry points, and on or near the Superior hiking trail. That whole area is great to visit. If I were a single unattached guy, I would pull up my stakes and live there the year around. The bears scare the hell out of my wife. I have tried to tell her that she probably has a better chance of getting struck by lightning than being attacked by a bear, but it does not matter. Once we were staying at a resort near the Lutsen ski area in the summer. I was cooking steak and bacon on an outdoor grill, and a bear came wandering out of the woods and into the courtyard where the gill and picnic tables were. He did not threaten anyone, he just very slowly mosied around sniffing and checking out the trash cans. It was like he was completely indifferent to the people around the area. I headed for the patio twenty feet up. People were retreating to their balconies and taking pictures from their balconies. It was interesting. lived in ely for a while as a kid and remember chasing the bears away banging on pots and pans in the bwca...and one of our favorite family activities was going on "moose & mouse hunts" up the echo trail and fernberg roads...back then the wolves were not protected and it was a rare occasion to see one, but now i hear they are starting to get overrun with them... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenderguy Posted June 18, 2008 Author Share Posted June 18, 2008 The wolves are no longer in danger of eradication, but they are very reclusive. You are more likely to hear them than to ever see them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marolyn Posted June 18, 2008 Share Posted June 18, 2008 The wolves are no longer in danger of eradication, but they are very reclusive. You are more likely to hear them than to ever see them. last time i was up there i saw a pack of 5 staring through the trees...very eerie...i must be watching too many horror flicks... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suz Posted June 18, 2008 Share Posted June 18, 2008 That sounds awesome---I think the wolves sound spookier than the loons. I have always wanted to camp in the BWCA and never actually done it for one reason or another. I have been at the entry points, and on or near the Superior hiking trail. That whole area is great to visit. If I were a single unattached guy, I would pull up my stakes and live there the year around. The bears scare the hell out of my wife. I have tried to tell her that she probably has a better chance of getting struck by lightning than being attacked by a bear, but it does not matter. Once we were staying at a resort near the Lutsen ski area in the summer. I was cooking steak and bacon on an outdoor grill, and a bear came wandering out of the woods and into the courtyard where the grills and picnic tables were. He did not threaten anyone, he just very slowly mosied around sniffing and checking out the trash cans. It was like he was completely indifferent to the people around the area. I headed for the patio twenty feet up. People were retreating to their balconies and taking pictures from their balconies. It was interesting. About 20 years ago, I was running back to my campsite to grab something and saw a bear in the campsite next to mine. The dorks next to me had left their food out. I was so close to it but it didn't even notice me. I watched for a bit then came to my senses and ran like hell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suz Posted June 18, 2008 Share Posted June 18, 2008 lived in ely for a while as a kid and remember chasing the bears away banging on pots and pans in the bwca...and one of our favorite family activities was going on "moose & mouse hunts" up the echo trail and fernberg roads...back then the wolves were not protected and it was a rare occasion to see one, but now i hear they are starting to get overrun with them... Ely! There's a town I haven't been to in a long time. Last stop for supplies! I remember the pots and pans thing, and also that we were told to not even leave a tube of toothpaste out. I don't remember if I actually saw wolves up there, but did hear them a few times. One time my dad had to stop the car for a moose that was hanging out in the road. I love it up there. I don't know about wintertime, though. Anyplace that's even colder than here is hard for me to comprehend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marolyn Posted June 18, 2008 Share Posted June 18, 2008 Ely! There's a town I haven't been to in a long time. Last stop for supplies! I remember the pots and pans thing, and also that we were told to not even leave a tube of toothpaste out. I don't remember if I actually saw wolves up there, but did hear them a few times. One time my dad had to stop the car for a moose that was hanging out in the road. I love it up there. I don't know about wintertime, though. Anyplace that's even colder than here is hard for me to comprehend. was lucky enough to live there for a year in first grade and then every summer after that...i remember going to the snowmobile races and skating on the lakes that winter...i still have lots of crazy friends up there and know i will probably have some type of retirement up there someday ...here's a couple friends from there that have gone into business selling stuff for the snowmobiling chick...pretty funny...man i need to get back up there!!!! sledbitch.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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