I’ve been lacking in the blog department because I literally haven’t had time to myself since June started. I chased, flew to Chicago for Pokemon GoFest, flew home, then hours later was on the road for the trip that was suppose to conclude today, but has now been extended due to a high-end setup that’s coming into focus for Wednesday. I will be out likely through Thursday at least, just depending on the drive home that awaits at the conclusion of that event.
Today, Sunday, is a down day here in Columbia where last night’s chase concluded after being chased all day by the storm we targeted. This has been a four chase, six tornado trip, including multiple tornadoes on Wednesday in Missouri which the big one aired live on AccuWeather, my first legit time doing that this year. The six tornadoes got me to 490 on my #ChaseTo500, so now within 10 with half of June to go. Wednesday’s setup COULD easily be the same general areas as last Wednesday, but the question remains whether it’s a discrete supercell kinda day or a big-ass line kinda day. Too far out to call. But it’s an opportunity, and it will present the chance for something significant, so if you’re reading this and NOT a chaser in the Midwest, take that as an early warning that this coming Wednesday may be an active one.
I have popped the chase placeholders for the 2026 season for the four chases so far on this trip. I’m WELL behind write-ups, and perhaps I square out one or two tomorrow after I land wherever I ultimately decide. Right now, I am leaning toward St. Louis, a simple two hour drive from here, but I am eyeballing the low, and I mean LOW potential of an eastern Illinois chase on Tuesday, which I honestly might partake in given it’s low-end potential and likely lack of too many cars on the road, so we’ll see if I can scrum up enough motivation to do so.
Honestly, this has hands down been my favorite trip of the season. Chicago was super nice, very low key with a TON of walking, and good time with my wife catching thousands of Pokemon across the city, and I came into this trip well rested and refreshed, my head in as clean a space as it’s been in a while, and the success of this trip along with the number of people I’ve been able to share it with in various forms has just been wonderful, so it’s been a nice breath of fresh air.
Even today, I am feeling pretty good, and have been super productive. I got my laundry caught up, did some supplies shopping to stretch out for extra week on the road, enjoyed the Rockies scoring 23 runs in their game this afternoon while I tended to a few errands and caught on some computer work. With the rest of the evening before me, will probably be pretty lowkey, and tomorrow I will get up and head east to wherever makes sense.
So I am alive, as alive as I’ve been for a while this season, and looking forward to what the next few days have to offer. Meanwhile, stay tuned to my Facebook page… I’ve been doing pretty good about posting updates in the field, and I’m very happy with the exposure it’s been getting, so go be part of the ride!