lived in cabot for 6 months, moved to conway area. I liked cabot. Small town feel, close to everything. Tornado threats? I grew up in Nebraska. I'm used to it.
GF and I at the time had plans to go to Florida on 27 Apr 2014. The night before Mayflower got hit by an EF-4. it was maybe 4 miles from where I was living. Bad night for sure. I went outside and watched it (we lived on the hill overlooking Mayflower) and it was nothing but black. The funnel, was unrecognizable as a funnel. It was a mile wide black shaft. Even the storm spotters weren't 100% if that was a tornado or what. The next morning I got up and we headed out. Had to drive through town. War zone doesn't even describe it. 18 wheelers thrown hundreds of yards off of the I-40. The water in the lake was blown everywhere as it passed over. Pavement pulled up in places. Tree limbs impaled into buildings and into other trees. Pine needles stuck in tree trunks. That takes some force.
Then two years later 20 Apr 2016, got hit again. But I had moved well North by then, nowhere close but it still hit me in the heart knowing that 2 years prior several had lost the battle with mother nature. This one in 16 tracked all the way to Vilonia.
@Daren Todd, were you in on that one? Y'all live out there somewhere don't you?
In 2007 (I think it was?) I was at the drag races, participating of course. That was my life for many years. The lady that runs the track, her daughter came rolling around the pit area hollering "there's a tornado coming!! Go to the bathroom for safety!! So, I look at my radar on the phone and sure enough, rotation, headed right towards us. We hauled booty across the pit area (90 acres) to the big bathroom. We get into teh bathroom, about 75 or so of us and I realize that the bathroom is 2x4's with nothing more than 1/4" plywood for walls. It wasn't even anchored to the concrete. By time we realized that we was probably safer in a car than in that bathroom, we scattered. I was behind my dad, walking back across that 90 acres. Bout that time it got real dark and then I seen what I thought was a small rope. Oh boy talk about panic. Dad jumped into his race car and hunkered down, mine was up the way a little further so I got in some guy's cadillac (don't know who the driver was) and by time I got the door shut it was getting real loud, stuff was flying around and hitting the car, so I threw his helmet on. Apparently the guy was a smoker and must have just gotten out of it because it was also quite sweaty. About 20 seconds later, it was over, skies lightened up. Out I came, looking around, found dad, but his car has moved over kinda sideways about 5 foot or so. I had mine parked under a 10x10 pop up canopy that wasn't anchored. Strangely enough, NOTHING of mine was moved, except one of the canopy legs, was pushed up against the R.R quarter panel, put a little crease in it and that was IT. It is minor. I haven't fixed it, and don't plan to. Battle scar. Lots of leaves, and some dirt throwed on it but aside from that stuff I got away unscathed. Dad had a few sticks and of course dirt and grass blowed on his, not a big deal really. It could have been a lot worse. The path of damage was maybe 50-75 foot wide, and the damage was, honestly minimal. The biggest deal was that lightning struck a power line and took out the track timing system, so we were done for the day. The only good thing, they called it a "rain out" and if they rain out in money rounds, everyone left splits the total purse. There were 5 of us left in my class and we split $2100 among all 5 of us. Not a huge payday but I'll take it.
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