BillyV, Cullman jumpers, Birmingham area folks!

[amstalder 0]

Please check in!

Everyone, please send lots of vibes to those affected by these massive storms and tornadoes sweeping across the south this week.

[Jumpdude 0]

Quote

Please check in!

Everyone, please send lots of vibes to those affected by these massive storms and tornadoes sweeping across the south this week.

Billy will most likely be out of commission for a couple of days. He sent me a text about 20 minutes ago with the attached pic and the following message;

Going on 16 hours now. Fridge and freezer contents are trashed by now. Have some perishables in 2 coolers filled with ice. Not likely to see power back on for a couple days. Emergency crews always do the big cities first and the tiny towns last. And the big cities got hit real bad... Why oh why did I forget the beer?

He forgot the beer???? ----

Refuse to Lose!!!
Failure is NOT an option!
1800skyrideripoff.com
Nashvilleskydiving.org

[amstalder 0]

Quote

Quote

Please check in!

Everyone, please send lots of vibes to those affected by these massive storms and tornadoes sweeping across the south this week.

Billy will most likely be out of commission for a couple of days. He sent me a text about 20 minutes ago with the attached pic and the following message;

Going on 16 hours now. Fridge and freezer contents are trashed by now. Have some perishables in 2 coolers filled with ice. Not likely to see power back on for a couple days. Emergency crews always do the big cities first and the tiny towns last. And the big cities got hit real bad... Why oh why did I forget the beer?

He forgot the beer???? ----

Yeah, I thought about the power outages after I posted. Glad to hear he and (i'm assuming) his family are safe. Great picture .

There's been a lot of tragedy in the world lately

[Jumpdude 0]

Yeah, I thought you'd enjoy that!!

Refuse to Lose!!!
Failure is NOT an option!
1800skyrideripoff.com
Nashvilleskydiving.org

[JohnMitchell 14]

Oh man, and I have a nice generator up here in Washington. We haven't lost power since I bought it 4 years ago.

Wish I could instantly send it to Billy.

[skybytch 259]

Quote

Wish I could instantly send it to Billy.

Nah. People with generators in disaster areas are popular. People with generators and cold beer are even more popular. It's good that he has neither. We wouldn't want to burden him with all those friends and neighbors wanting beer and internet access, would we?

[iluvtofly 0]

I was texting Billy weather updates all last night while he was chilling in his basement since he didn't have power and couldn't get them himself.

To my knowledge everyone is fine. We did have one jumper from the Farm who lives in Tuscaloosa lose his house. But at least him and his beer fetching dog are stilla round.

[DangerRoo 0]

Glad to hear you all are safe! Hang in there!

(I.C.D#2 VP)
"<3 ..Looks like breasts coming out of an ice cream cone. Mmmm."~John Mitchell
"I'm good with my purple penis straw" ~sky mama

[amstalder 0]

Quote

I was texting Billy weather updates all last night while he was chilling in his basement since he didn't have power and couldn't get them himself.

To my knowledge everyone is fine. We did have one jumper from the Farm who lives in Tuscaloosa lose his house. But at least him and his beer fetching dog are stilla round.

I'm glad it was just his house and not his life... How are things in Atlanta? I know this storm swept across the southeast, but most of the news seems to be focusing on the losses in northern Alabama.

[iluvtofly 0]

Atlanta itself didn't really get much. The northern counties got pounded pretty hard though. I few of them have declared a state of emergency. I think they said 15 people died in GA. One tornado JUST missed the Farm. One jumper from the Farm managed to survive 2 tornadoes yesterday with no damage to his house.

[amstalder 0]

Quote

Atlanta itself didn't really get much. The northern counties got pounded pretty hard though. I few of them have declared a state of emergency. I think they said 15 people died in GA. One tornado JUST missed the Farm. One jumper from the Farm managed to survive 2 tornadoes yesterday with no damage to his house.

I'm glad to hear the Farm was missed. I'm glad your friend didn't lose his house.

Sucks all around that we even have to have this conversation

[ryoder 1,400]

Quote

Oh man, and I have a nice generator up here in Washington. We haven't lost power since I bought it 4 years ago.

Wish I could instantly send it to Billy.

Have you forgotten what happened last time Billy tried to operate machinery?

BTW Here is the Google mapping of the tornadoes: http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=204109457876052646118.0004a1f10e73199f2c660&source=embed&ll=34.070862%2C-87.330322&spn=8.604647%2C13.392334&z=7

"There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones.

[Amazon 7]

Quote

Atlanta itself didn't really get much. The northern counties got pounded pretty hard though. I few of them have declared a state of emergency. I think they said 15 people died in GA. One tornado JUST missed the Farm. One jumper from the Farm managed to survive 2 tornadoes yesterday with no damage to his house.

SO... if a twister is comin your way..... and you are cowering in your bathtub hoping you dont get a free ride to altitude, would YOU wear your rig... just in case???

[david3 0]

Quote

Quote

Atlanta itself didn't really get much. The northern counties got pounded pretty hard though. I few of them have declared a state of emergency. I think they said 15 people died in GA. One tornado JUST missed the Farm. One jumper from the Farm managed to survive 2 tornadoes yesterday with no damage to his house.

SO... if a twister is comin your way..... and you are cowering in your bathtub hoping you dont get a free ride to altitude, would YOU wear your rig... just in case???

Just in case, I'd walk out there and pitch my pilot chute.

[theonlyski 3]

Quote

Quote

Atlanta itself didn't really get much. The northern counties got pounded pretty hard though. I few of them have declared a state of emergency. I think they said 15 people died in GA. One tornado JUST missed the Farm. One jumper from the Farm managed to survive 2 tornadoes yesterday with no damage to his house.

SO... if a twister is comin your way..... and you are cowering in your bathtub hoping you dont get a free ride to altitude, would YOU wear your rig... just in case???

Trick question, she sold her rig a few months ago.

"I may be a dirty pirate hooker...but I'm not about to go stand on the corner." iluvtofly
DPH -7, TDS 578, Muff 5153, SCR 14890
I'm an asshole, and I approve this message

[Amazon 7]

Quote

Quote

Quote

Atlanta itself didn't really get much. The northern counties got pounded pretty hard though. I few of them have declared a state of emergency. I think they said 15 people died in GA. One tornado JUST missed the Farm. One jumper from the Farm managed to survive 2 tornadoes yesterday with no damage to his house.

SO... if a twister is comin your way..... and you are cowering in your bathtub hoping you dont get a free ride to altitude, would YOU wear your rig... just in case???

Just in case, I'd walk out there and pitch my pilot chute.

I am thinking you only pitch when the bathtub gets to at least 1500 ft myself

[amstalder 0]

Quote

Quote

Oh man, and I have a nice generator up here in Washington. We haven't lost power since I bought it 4 years ago.

Wish I could instantly send it to Billy.

Have you forgotten what happened last time Billy tried to operate machinery?

BTW Here is the Google mapping of the tornadoes: http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=204109457876052646118.0004a1f10e73199f2c660&source=embed&ll=34.070862%2C-87.330322&spn=8.604647%2C13.392334&z=7

Thanks for the map.

[BillyVance 34]

Thanks for the concerns! We're all fine. 10 trees and one gutter trashed. Just thankful it was just that. The road 200 yards to the left and 200 yards to the right were blocked by downed trees from the first wave Wednesday morning. The left side blockage was about 12 - 14 trees.

We had two oak trees with a trunk diameter of about 18 inches on the garage roof but luckily only the top 20 feet of the trees were draped on the roof. They were rooted in a ravine and the top of the slope held up the trees just short of coming through the roof. Five hours of work got them off the roof. Just in time to get inside, shower with whatever warm water we had left and hunker down for the more severe afternoon wave.

The big tornado that blasted Tuscaloosa and Birmingham, also went through the northern part of St. Clair county near the I-59 corridor, killing 12 people in the Shoal Creek area just south of Ashville. A friend of mine who works at a funeral home picked up 9 of them.

The supercell that followed behind, came through just a tad south of me. All I saw was lots of lightning, but later reports said a tornado from that storm touched down in Ohatchee, just across the river from me and did significant damage there. Just not as bad as the others.

There appears to have been possibly three or four EF-5 tornadoes that day, unheard of for Alabama. It's the deadliest day in the state since 1932, and the second deadliest in U.S. history.

The EHI index for that day was forecasted to be 8-10 on a scale of 0-10. The Oak Grove EF-5 that occurred April 8, 1998 and killed 32 people near Birmingham, had an EHI index forecast of 6.

Fucking hope we never have a day like this again.

You can find thousands of pictures of the damage at www.al.com

Video and TV footage of the same tornado going through Tuscaloosa and Birmingham can be found on youtube. It was absolutely massive as seen from the top of Red Mountain in Birmingham. When it was going through Tuscaloosa, it had some fascinating secondary funnels swirling around the wedge while passing south of Bryant Denny Stadium and just by the north corner of the McFarland Ave mall. Look for the direct POV of the guy in his car at the mall parking lot. It's unbelievable.

Can't stay and chat. Cousin is coming today to help with the rest of our trees.

Have a great day!

"Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban

[Bertt 0]

My neighborhood, south of Birmingham, no damage. Five miles up the road there are trees down everywhere and they just got power back today.
My son moved over to this side of town a couple of years ago. He used to live in Pleasant Grove. The area where he used to live is gone - the whole neighborhood. We're feeling pretty lucky right now.

You don't have to outrun the bear.

[Amazon 7]

Sounds like yall got some good firewood at least... OH and stay safe with the chainsaw Billy

[CSpenceFLY 1]

Bonfire at Billys house.

[keithbar 1]

hey billy is it true that the whole city of tuscaloosa is gone? I haven't had sat. t.v. access for a week but caught something on the local station that i think said that. I hope it's not true

i have on occasion been accused of pulling low . My response. Naw I wasn't low I'm just such a big guy I look closer than I really am .

[amstalder 0]

Bertt, Billy, very glad you guys and your families are okay. I'm happy yall still have your homes as well.

[iluvtofly 0]

Quote

hey billy is it true that the whole city of tuscaloosa is gone? I haven't had sat. t.v. access for a week but caught something on the local station that i think said that. I hope it's not true

For the most part. A guy who jumps at the Farm and lives in Tuscaloosa was out this weekend. He showed us pictures of what used to be the town of Tuscaloosa. There was NOTHING there anymore. All you saw in his pictures and video was a shit ton of kindling and firewood.

Just a funny little side note: he still can't stop laughing at the one video of his house. He's standing in the middle of what used to be his living room panning accross showing the lack of walls and roof, when suddenly on the one wall that remains, not 2 inches from where the rest of it got ripped off, is a Skydive Sebastion poster still in perfect condition hanging on that one remaining wall.

[popsjumper 2]

Quote

Oh man, and I have a nice generator up here in Washington. We haven't lost power since I bought it 4 years ago.

Wish I could instantly send it to Billy.

I learned something here:
Buying a generator prevents power outages.

My reality and yours are quite different.
I think we're all Bozos on this bus.
Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239