As you can see from the NOAA map at left, any cross-country bike route is going to take cyclists through the so-called Tornado Alley.
When I was researching yesterday's article on “Bicycle touring safety in Tornado Alley,” I asked the Adventure Cycling Association, which publishes maps covering 36,000 miles of bicycle routes in the US, what they suggest.
Julie Emnet, Adventure Cycling's development director, has this advice:
“Generally, you can see bad weather and potential tornadoes from a long distance away, so hopefully bicyclists are thinking about shelter before the tornado hits. If you get stuck outside during a tornado, seek the lowest spot around (a ditch for instance), cover your head with your arms, and be sure and stay away from cars and trees if possible.”
In addition, the group prints the following reminder on maps the route cyclists through tornado country:
“The real glamour, though, is the Midwest twister, the tornado that took Dorothy and Toto to Oz. These funnel clouds slice across the heartland each year, generally heading north and west. .. Their path of travel can be erratic. If you see one on the horizon seek shelter belowground at a farmhouse, if at all possible. If not, find a ditch or low spot and wait out the storm.”
On a light-hearted note, deputy editor Aaron Teasdale offers this advice:
“Regarding tornados, the general rule of thumb is to avoid getting caught in one. If you do get caught in one, we advise people to spin around at 700 miles per hour or so — staying on the bicycle if at all possible, of course, and being sure to keep an eye out for farm animals, tractors, uprooted trees, et al. — until they are thrown free of the twister, at which point we recommend they engage their emergency parachute and float peacefully to the ground. After repacking their parachute, they can resume riding normally, and if they're lucky the tornado will have deposited them further ahead on their route and they will have gained some time as well as a memorable story to tell at the small-town Kansas saloon (which, like every watering hole west of the Mississippi, has a 50-percent chance of being named “Stockman's Bar”).”
So there you have it: (1) Keep in eye on the weather; (2) Seek shelter in a farmhouse or ditch; and (3) Carry a parachute.
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