Tornado Magnet

Well, just a few weeks ago, when Danielle was down and we spent the night at Eddie and Nam's, a tornado hit Atlanta just 5 miles from where we were. And just a couple hours ago as Zeke and I were driving through Hot Springs, Arkansas, a tornado was seen on radar going east as we were going west. It was probably just over our heads since our truck was getting beaten with hail. More cells are expected to pass through where we are staying in Mt Ida through the night. I might get to see how well one can sleep in the bathtub.

If all goes well tonight, we plan on pre-riding parts of the Ouachita Challenge Friday and Saturday. There is definitely lots of flooding out here, but the trail should be in good shape on Sunday since it has a rocky base and the Tour is happening on Saturday. They might reroute the Fiddler Creek crossing due to rising waters. O.K. with me; I do not want to try to swim with my bike, although Lisa has told me it can be done.

The Weather Channel is on in our motel and I just heard where the tornado touched down in the township of Benton near I-30 at Exit 111. Good golly, Ms Molly, that is the exit that we stopped to eat! And just an hour after we got back on the interstate. Too close for comfort. The dead bat just outside the door of the pizza place where we ate was definitely a bad omen.