Day 1
1st July 2006
 

1st July 2006: Day 1

Flight, car collection & arrival in Bradenton.
We're safe in Florida, after a day which seemed to have lasted a week! We left Gatwick Airport at around 09:45 BST, and arrived in Orlando Sanford 18:55 BST (13:55 Eastern).

Our car rental company offered us a small saloon, or a gas guzzling SUV. Because of our environmental awareness, and the damage caused to the planet, we opted for the SUV (as the wide tyres would cause the least damage when driving off-road).

Our arrival was in time to make the 32 mile journey between Orlando and a highway close to Kennedy space centre on the Atlantic coast. One thunderstorm developed briefly to our south-east as we were on the journey, but this quickly dissipated. We made the launch viewing area with ten minutes to spare, and all was set. However, the launch was aborted just 6 minutes before launch, due to anvils remaining in the area.

Somewhat deflated, we then had to drive 160 miles to the western Gulf Coast, and our holiday villa in Bradenton. As we got closer and closer to our destination, it became clear we were getting closer and closer to a rapidly firing convergence line crossing western coastal areas. A huge back-building multicell thunderstorm was bearing down on us as we arrived at our villa. Lightning frequency was pretty good, and we were amazed at some of the CGs starting from the extremity of the anvil, and slamming the ground many miles away from the storm.

Bradenton managed to just about remain dry as the storms rumbled themselves out soon after dark. However, the cloud structure and lightning display made the long trek worthwhile.

Total mileage: 192

6


Our Jeep Grand Cherokee at pick-up at Orlando Sanford Airport
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The view in our car's mirrors are generally far scarier here than in the UK!
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Just over 40 miles north of Bradenton on the I75 - large thunderstorm develeoping to the south
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A close-up of the developing anvil
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Around 15 miles north of Bradenton, the multicell loomed over the interstate dropping CGs
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Another view of the developing thunderstorms
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As we picked up the keys for our villa, deep rumbles of thunder were sounding all around
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Base camp for the next fortnight
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We then spent the next hour watching the overhead thunderstorms from the villa's covered pool area ;-)
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Beyond the pool, out across the lake, CGs were raining down
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Dinnertime at the local Waffle House, as thunderstorms continued to develop - enjoyed from the window seat!
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