Well here we are, it's 5:57, we are back on Eastern Daylight Time, driving through the hills of West Virginia on our way back to Annapolis...WHAT...A... TRIP!
Coming into SWIFT I didn't know what to expect, a boatload of tornadoes like in "Twister"? Maybe these huge, long tracking tornadoes across the plains daily? However, none of that was really the case, instead what I got was so much better. I got the opportunity to spent two weeks in the field with 7 other people, I didn't really know, besides from class, and the casual everyday passing at USNA. Over these last two weeks I have had more laughs and more memories then I can remember. Going clear back to the start and Alex being banned from telling jokes 3 hours into the car ride, being able to share my family (mainly my mom's wonderful cooking) with my friends, climbing two peaks (one Colorado and the other in Oklahoma), road DD in northwest Kansas (please don't let me get the van stuck), the "full of energy" Marshal in Dodge City, and of course storm chasing. These are just an extremely small amount of the great memories I have taken from this trip, not to mention the new friendships I have with my team.
I would be missing the point of this post, I think, if I didn't talk a bit about the weather. Honestly, I can't even begin to describe it, the storms and some of their structures was something to stand there and be in awe about. I had thought, being from Ohio, I had seen a storm or two in my life. I can assure you nothing compares to the supercell storms of the plains. The classroom work done before this internship, looking at pictures and videos does not do a justice to what we as a team have seen these last few weeks on the plains. I can see why some people get bitten by the "bug" and keep coming back year after year to chase.
I hope during this blog you got a good look into our lives. This internship is one I will never forgot, and is truly unlike anything else I have done at the academy. I am thankful for the team I was able to work with, to CDR and LCDR for their mentorship, and putting up with 6 college kids in a van for two weeks. There are a lot more stories to share, more then what I can type in this blog, however, it's time for me to sign off. Time to hop into a different car, make the "short" (relatively speaking compared to going to Kansas) drive to Ohio, and take some much-needed leave with family. I have eaten my last Zebra Cake on this trip, thanks for following.
-Ben "big deborah" Sell
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| SWIFTs youngest recruit |
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| The "mothership" storm |
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| Boulder Climbers |
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