I could smell a storm was in the air as I prepared to leave my friend’s home in Ft. Walton Beach at the western end of Florida’s panhandle. Then I heard that noise on the radio. I thought it was just one of those radio tests, so I turned  the volume down to get rid of that irritating wining siren. When I turned the sound back up in a minute or so to get back to the music, I caught the end of a tornado warning! The warning included southeastern Alabama on US Interstate Route 10, right where I was going. Nothing like driving Russian roulette! The warning did not say any tornado(s) had been sited, though, just thunder storms capable of generating one moving east at 55mph.  Here I come.  Had there been sightings or evacuation, I’d have given up driving for the day, but I’ll give it a go. Thinking more of the Napoleon pastry, a multilayered yellow dairy cream filled delight, that I’m going to buy a couple blocks away to enjoy as I drive. I drive out of town on RT. 98. Another warning is a red. This one says if you wait for a sighting you may’ve waited too long. That’s much more meaningful to me. I decide to pull into a MegaMart lot and drive close to the concrete wall, that will be between me and direction the storm is coming. That’s sure better than the open country that the interstate goes through. At least it’s a wind break and I won’t be driving in a thunderstorm. The warning is supposed to end at 10:15 and it’s about 10. I wait till 10:35, no rain yet. I listen to another warning and it’s saying the storm warning is for US 10 and along the Fl/Ala line. I decide to alter my route and stay along the coast and get on US10 in Pensacola; that’ll keep me atleast 20 miles south of the warning area. That’s a little safer, but still kinda risky, but better odds, plus I can see the sky is brighter near the water. I’ve been getting my info from Pensacola’s talk radio station a.m. 1620, that has eye witness reporters where the storm is worse. The sky is very grey, but the wind has died down as I get closer to Pensacola. Here I go. The station says the eye of the storm is just north of Pensacola.  I’m at least 5-10 miles south of there, but there’s a three mile bridge across the Bay going into Pensacola, not a place to be in 30mph wind with a slide-on camper on a pickup truck like I have. The winds with this storm certainly exceed that speed. I can see the clouds are much lighter in color in the southwest than north of there. The temperature has dropped 10 degrees. The storm damage is where I’m going, but the worst of it has passed there based on the station’s info. I’m going west, the storm is going east.  I expect to pull off when or if it gets bad for a while if needed, but the bridge is yet to be crossed. Is this dumb to do? A risk, but the way I’m doing it is smarter than getting on US 10 east of here and driving into the heart of the storm.  Lightning strikes. I can wait a while before getting on the bridge, but the wind isn’t so bad. I decide to keep going. I stay in the far right lane to avoid as many other vehicles as possible. The wind rocks me but there’re few other cars. I keep going. I turn on my windshield defogger and the visibility gets much better as the wipers continue to race as fast as they can. I’m in the middle of the bridge and it’s just a hard rain. I’ve crossed the bridge and in a couple miles I see the US 10 entrance ramp - the storm is raging.  I can feel the wind pushing me to the inside lane, but steer back into the right lane.  There are signs down and vehicles in strange off-the-road places. The rain continues to pelt my vehicle and I have to concentrate to keep within the far right lane.  Then the storm lessens and I can see in the distance the sun is shining. Time to enjoy that Napoleon for a little celebration.  Spring Break at Padre Island & Big Bend N.P. are my next stops.
    The storm’s behind me, now.  Life’s a fantasy - ENJOY! (more photos of my Adventure @ http://picasaweb.google.com/o.c.fotoguy009 - all can be purchased). More Theodore, Alabama storm photos @ http://blog.al.com/live/2011/03/mobile_county_storm_damage_pho.html
    Don’t believe life’s a fantasy?  Read to this:  Tuesday I became separated from cell phone, credit & ATM cards & $$$ at my crabbing spot miles from nowhere. Friday I returned with a plan to find my stuff. It failed, but I still found my stuff!!!  Saturday evening I went to 5th Street and the Boardwalk to do a high school senior photo session. I thought, how am I going to find a spot amongst the thousands of people there? My subject was so cooperative we made it work. Look at some of  them on FaceBook @Photos As You Want Them.
    Sunday morning I discovered I’d been invaded by a mouse. How could that be?  It’s the middle of the summer, I live on the 3rd floor, but I saw it scurry across the floor. I saw a bike leaning against a dumpster, meaning free, but someone else got there first, as I was walking away, the guy called to me and asked “do you want this bike? I said yes, and he gave it to me! The gal beside just called my hat “sick” and that’s a compliment! Oh yeah, it’s a fantasy!!!