After a rest day in Natchez yesterday, I woke up this morning to severe thunderstorms and tornado watch. Well I ain't going nowhere. Call me a wimp but I'm riding this one out in my dry motel room. While I'm sure it's not an uncommon experience for cycle tourist to have to lay low and wait out inclement weather, it's just never happened to me before. In Oregon and Washington, where I've done most of my touring, getting caught in the rain may be unpleasant, but it is rarely life threatening. When I saw the word "tornado" in the weather app this morning I was immediately grateful to be holed up in a motel room and had no thought about trying to brave the weather. Then I went in to the motel lounge for breakfast where they had the TV on showing massive damage and flooding in Texas and Louisiana, and alerts for this area. Here is what the weather map looks like right now. Natchez is right in that orange part part way up Mississippi.
So I guess my good fortune continues as I'm warm and dry, with power, good wifi, and plenty of food. The rain is supposed to let up this afternoon and stop overnight. Tomorrow is predicted to be sunny and warm. I'll be well rested and ready to start the next chapter of this adventure.