10 years on and still going strong...

I never imagined when I was planning my first trip in 2006 as a total newbie that I would be coming back for my 6th tour 10 years on. Negotiations are underway to make this an annual undertaking rather than the biennial junket that it is at the moment. Suffice to say negotiations are not going well "incompatible with domestic bliss"...

This year I'm back again with Peter Wharton and Stormgroupchasers, the website is here:

http://www.stormgroupchasers.com

The ethos of this group suits me. Just the 6 of us doing what we like best; storm chasing, eating nice food, photographing and seeing interesting Americana, often off the beaten track. No being herded with 20 odd newbies. Don't get me wrong I've met some great people on "commercial" tours but also a few deeply strange individuals; if you get stuck with one of those it can put a real downer on proceedings. Liam Smith had a corker a few years ago.

Following my "constructive feedback" from last time out (or whinging from the back seat as it's now been characterised), Peter has rented a Cadillac Escalade ESV. This thing looks HUGE, about 19 feet long and propelled by a 6.2 litre V8. I'm impressed and a whinge free trip looks on the cards!

This year I'm bringing an old mate of mine, Mr Richard "Rich/Ritchie" Idle. Rich finally broke his 30 year flying phobia last summer with a trip Down Under. It's not the flying it's the crashing you have to be worried about...I'm under orders from my 2010 travelling companion, Mark "Ratty" Hetherington to torture poor Rich in this blog as I may have done 6 years ago...I'm somehow doubting I'll have anywhere near as much material as back then.

Packing wise I've reduced the amount of "stuff" and have purchased a smaller suitcase but will still be taking 2 DSLRS. Always take a 2nd camera on these trips; changing lenses in stormy weather is fraught with peril and if your sole camera packs in (I know a chaser this happened to) the whole photography vibe goes out of the window as does any chance of adorning your house with humongous tornado prints. This years kit:

• Main camera: Nikon D800 (does everything brilliantly and never lets me down)
• Sigma 24-105 f4 "Art" lens (superb quality but lacks weather sealing. Hmmm...)
• Nikon 16-35 f4 (Supercell friendly wide zoom)
• Samyang 14mm superwide or Nikon 20 f1.8 (if I can fit it in)
• Nikon D610 & 70-200 f4 zoom plus 1.4 TC (back up camera and a "reach" option
• iPhone 6s (brilliant camera, Facebook friendly)
• Panasonic fz1000 - mainly for it's excellent 4k video capability
• Manfrotto 4 section carbon fibre tripod and Kirk BH3 ball head

Having said "never again" to Atlanta Hartsfield, sadly flights to Oklahoma City via Chicago didn't suit so it's back to the Deep South, hopefully without the random chaos of last time. We'll overnight in Manchester and fly out in the morning. I wonder if we'll have enough gas left in the tank for a cheeky visit to the Cowboy Club next door to the hotel in OKC? We shall see.