Photos, Videos and Full Recap of Storm Chasin' from July 17

As promised, here are a few shots (finally uploaded!) from my storm chasing travel adventure west of Minneapolis on July 17, 2010. This first image, one of the last from the trip, was of a rapidly approaching shelf cloud south of Anoka, MN. In one of the videos (link below) you see me drop the camera and hear my car racing away to take cover. Pretty scary stuff for a California native.

Here is a map and summary of the severe weather events of the day, and specific incidents reported to the National Weather Service in Minneapolis.

This blog from the Minneapolis Star Tribune provides outstanding graphical updates throughout the day (latest entry first) as the storms progressed throughout the region.

Video to my YouTube site with a few videos including footage of the shelf cloud approaching and sitting it out (in both fear and excitement) as severe weather passes overhead.

Half-dollar sized hailstones pounding on my windshield will be a sound to never forget. The helpless feeling and thought the windshield might shatter at any moment was enough for me temporarily withdraw from this particular storm chase. On my escape out, I captured these after-the-fact shots of golfball size hail lying around on a baseball field near Rockford, MN. There were reports of baseball, even SOFTBALL size hail in the region earlier in the day. (Yikes!)

Although I fared well, other windshields in the path of these severe storms provided little to no barrier as shown in this image from the Minneapolis Star Tribune.

Kids Ride Free on Weekends With Capitol Corridor

Kids ride free on Amtrak's Capitol Corridor train on weekends now through November 1, 2009. Limit is one kid, age 2-15, for each full-fare adult ticket purchased.

If you've never experienced a ride on the Capitol Corridor I highly recommend it. A variety of seating options, including tables for families are available. Trains are clean and well-kept, include amenities such as onboard food and beverage service, and offer a scenic and stress-free alternative to the busy freeways.

Click here for more information on this offer and read some of the recommended sights to check out, all easily accessible from the Capitol Corridor.

Fee-Free Weekends at U.S. National Parks

Summer fee-free weekends are upon us at National Parks throughout the United States. Now you and the family can spend a fun and affordable weekend at one of the many dozens of parks, including several here in the Golden State. The U.S Park Service is waiving entrance fees, which include commercial tour and transportation entrance fees as well. Remaining fee-free weekends are: July 18-19th, and August 15-16th.

50 Travelers Wanted for Global Scavenger Hunt

Great Escape 2009 is now accepting applications for what Outside Magazine calls, "One of the 50 Most Amazing Trips in the World," that crowns The World's Greatest Travelers.™ 

Essentially A Blind Date With The World, the event is limited to 25 teams of two who will travel around the world overcoming challenging and unique culturally-oriented scavenges along with a series of thrilling interactive personal experiences in at least 10 secret nations across 4 continents.

But as life changing as participating in The Global Scavenger Hunt has been for competitors, there is much more to this event than riding elephants and camels, swimming with sharks or dolphins, visiting the great ancient souks of the world and witnessing Sahara sunrises and Himalayan sunsets--there are lives to change! The event is a global travel-a-thon platform that has participants traveling a million kilometres for the $1 million goal to raise money for life-changing organizations. Last year's event helped scores of families with micro-loans and helped construct and fund three elementary schools in Niger, Sri Lanka and Sierra Leone in conjunction with organizations like Kiva, The Nomad Foundation and Free The Children. Funds have supported Doctors without Borders, Partners in Health and CARE, among others.

Do you have the curiosity, courage and Indiana Jones-like daring to sign up for a global adventure without knowing a single destination-taking A Blind Date With The World---but knowing when the adventure ends you will have gone all the way around the world and trusted strangers in strange lands everywhere you went?

The next event is scheduled to begin April 17, 2009 and is limited to just 25 teams of two. To participate, submit your application ASAP - as teams are selected on a first-come first-service basis. Teams will be contacted and interviewed as to their suitability for the competition, including past travel experience. 

The entry fee of $9,900 per person covers all international airfare, 23-nights in First Class hotels and about 40% of meals. Visit and apply online at GlobalScavengerHunt.com or call 310.281.7809.