2005 MAY 30: TRINIDAD TO PRITCHETT SUPERCELLS AND TORNADOES
This was a memorable day because I struck a large
deer while going about fifty miles per hour. She leaped from a
deep ditch on the right and I didn't see her until she was less than a
foot from my bumper. The collision killed her on impact, a
confirmation of this coming from my friend Jason Persoff who was right
behind me and who moonlights as an internist at the Mayo Clinic in
Jacksonville, Florida. All the chasers around me that day were
great, checking on me first, then helping me evaluate the condition of
my 4Runner (see below). We chased multiple storms as they
moved off the mountains near Trinidad, each
progressively more impressive until we saw a
cone tornado about 0235z near Pritchett, CO. Here's an excerpt from an email I sent to the chaser lists the next day: I want to thank the chasers in our
caravan who helped me after I struck a deer
yesterday on State Road 160 in southeast
Colorado. It is a rotten thing that an animal
like that dies for no better reason than a guy
racing around looking at clouds. But she leaped out
of a deep ditch into the road and landed right in
front of me, so there was no avoiding the crash. I
pulled over and other chasers hurried to help clear
debris from around the wheel well and evaluate the
drivability of my car after making sure I was okay.
The best news was that the deer
definitely died immediately, confirmed by
Jason Persoff who was behind me.
|
ALL IMAGES © COPYRIGHT 2005 AMOS MAGLIOCCO / NO UNAUTHORIZED DUPLICATION