Saturday, July 1, 2023

July 1 2023

Hello from Columbia, MO.  Boondocking in a Walmart parking lot.  Over 12 hours in the saddle today due to 3 accidents and a fierce thunderstorm near St. Louis.   Bad enough that everyone pulled over and waited it out.  Wind gusts were so hard, I wondered whether my truck would get flipped.  Amazingly, no hail.

I arrived in Columbia only to be told there's a new city ordinance prohibiting overnight boondocking.  So, onward to Boonville.

Upon my arrival,  there were towering thunderheads just to the West and a light but intermittent rain was falling.  It stopped so I quickly put up the tent on my truck. I looked up and saw that the giant storm clouds had spotted me and were making a beeline for my tent.  Very low clouds looked like one of those tornado chaser shows so I beat it into the Walmart for cover.

Checked the radar which showed a nasty sqawl line had just passed by.  Huh?  It was coming right at me, it couldn't have had time to pass by yet.  Then I heard loud tapping on the roof which became a roar.  Not hail, please.  Radar now said storm was long gone.  Wrong!  I could hear it beating on the roof and claps of thunder.  Checked a different radar site which showed fire engine red. Oranges and a purple spot exactly where I was.  Grrr, at least I wasn't in the tent.

Headed to Pike National Forest tomorrow,  hopefully,  to disperse-camp and fish the South Platte River.

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