I had a premonition that things were going to get rough earlier in the day. The weather experts were saying that the conditions were as bad as they were the day we had the BIG F-5 tornado in 1999, and I was very uneasy. I didn't have enough crates for al 4 cats, so I went into town at about 3:00 and bought two more. Got home about 3:30 and assembled the crates and had them all stacked by the front door "just in case". Pete got home from work at 4:30 and we had to run to the hardware store to rent a "snake-n-rooter" thing (to clear out a section of our septic lines), and as we were using it, the tornado sirens went off. I ran inside and saw that there was a tornado on the western side of our county. (We live on the farthest SE corner of the county.) So, I grabbed the cats and stuffed them into those crates in case we had to make a run for it. By the time I had that done, Pete was finished with the rooter thing and took that back to the hardware store. I continued to watch the TV reports and this storm was HAULING at 65 mph. By the time Pete got back (about 15 minutes later), I decided we had better load the cats in the truck. Pete was REALLY grumpy about having to help me do that - he thought I was "over-reacting"! By now it was about 5:15. I ran back in the house gathered up the laptop, digital camera, my jewelry and whatever else I thought we might need and put that in the truck. Checked the TV again and the storm was at Tinker AFB and it was then that I told Pete we needed to GO...NOW!!!

Chloe and I, plus the 4 cats were in the truck and Pete and Beau got in the car and we took off to the South to get out of the path of the approaching storm. It was hailing about nickel sized hail and blinding rain. Just as we approached I-40, I heard the weatherman on the radio say that there was a tornado on the ground at Hwy 9 and Peebly Rd. (Which was the direction we were heading!) I honked my horn and flashed my lights at Pete to try and get him to get on the highway, but he didn't see me and in a split-second decision, I turned West onto I-40. The clouds were much lighter there and it looked like a clear area was opening up, whereas it was pitch black the direction we had been going.

I didn't go very far before the winds were lashing at the truck. I saw branches flying horizontally and suddenly the rain and wind were swirling on the highway right in front of me. I STOPPED. The truck was rocking and I was at a spot on the highway where there shoulders were even with the road. I figured that if the truck got flipped over, I would rather it be on level ground than down a ravine - and I knew that there was a deep one not far ahead. A White semi truck went around me and continued to go on, but I stayed put for a minute or so. Then I slowly crept forward. Right in front of me, a semi truck was laying on it's side and a bunch of people were trying to help get the driver out. I carefully went around it and go up to the point where all the vehicles were stopped on the highway. It was clear that no one was going to be moving any time soon, so after about 10 minutes, I got out of the truck with my camera and shot the following pictures. (I was probably about 500 - 700 feet East of the Loves that was destroyed.)



Looking SW at the Anderson Travel Plaza at I-40 and Choctaw Rd.



Some of the debris in the median right next to where I was parked.



A wider shot looking towards the Anderson Travel Plaza.



This is the Loves sign on the N. side of I-40. I was parked next to it.



Debris on the highway amongst the parked vehicles. I had gotten out of the truck and was walking West (towards Choctaw Rd.) at this point.



More debris in the median.









This is what happened to the driver of that white truck that passed me when I stopped. A piece of debris flew through his drivers side window and hit him in the head. It also broke out the window in his sleeper cab. He was the first of the walking wounded that I saw.





This is the first glimpse I got of what was left of the Loves at I-40 and Choctaw Rd. As I walked closer, I took more photos...























Some of the debris that was flying through the air.





Pickup truck that was tossed upside-down and smashed on Choctaw Rd., just South of the I-40 overpass.



Pickup in the ditch just East of the Choctaw Rd. Exit off of I-40 Eastbound.





Power pole across the highway.



Live wires were down on the highway.



Another view of the stopped traffic as I headed back to my truck. I was parked behind the grey truck.



My truck is right behind the semi on the left.




The next morning, I took these photos of the intersection at Triple X Rd. and 59th St. This is abut 1/4 mile from our house!



House on the SW Cormer of 59th and Triple X.







NE Corner of Triple X and 59th. This is why we will probably be without power for awhile...







House on NE corner of 59th and Triple X Rd.

---

©2010 Chris Nandell