Still around

Ahhh, I know it has been a LONG time since I have updated my personal blog page.  The good news is that the real page, StormChasingVideo.com which was my main master project is always being updated with new content.

So what have I been up to for this summer?  The northern plains chase season has been pretty much a bust which is ok by me.  It has given me time to reflect on life and work more on my company.  We (all of us) have been working on some great new exciting stuff for the later half of 2013 Hurricane and Winter seasons and the upcoming 2014 chase season. 

Now what have I been doing with my summer?  I wish I could say I have been scuba diving a lot more then I have but life happens…  The good news is when I did get some diving in, all the working out I have been doing has paid off.  Since losing a lot of weight, the amount of weight I need in my dive belt has dropped big time. 

Speaking of weight, here is a photo Neva took of me at the gym a while back.  Yes I am really lifting 1,200 lbs with my legs.  I guess you could say I’m in training for “Round Two”…

Doug Kiesling lifting 1,200 lbs with his legs

So with a lack of severe weather, I have been spending a lot of time at the gym getting back in shape and just overall having fun working out and hope to take on the Timber Dash 5K again this year.

Now back to the chase…  Here is what I have been working on for the last few months. 

In June, there was a few storms that hit close to home.

6/21/2013 Starbuck, MN Flash Flooding Lightning
6/21/2013 Saint Cloud, MN Storm Damage
6/21/2013 Severe storms hit central Minnesota this evening.

Even the Aurora’s have been pretty slow this summer.  I have been able to see them only twice in June and not at all in July.  Here is the footage from late June near Alexandria. 6/29/2013 Alexandria, MN Auroras Borealis.

6/29/2013 Alexandria, MN Auroras Borealis

For almost a month, there was no weather happening, just cool and boring up north.  I got to the point where it was so cold that in the last week of July, over my birthday weekend, I actually shot some footage for TWC of it looking more like October in July in Minnesota.

7/26/2013 Ely, MN Feels Like October in July

One of the best parts of the trip up north this year to scout out locations was hanging out with Neva and not having to worry about work and the Alpine Slide.  Yeah I wiped out on the slide but it was still fun!

Lutsen Mountan Alpine Slide Crash Footage

So for my area, Minnesota pretty much went the whole month of July without any severe weather.  The next major severe storm was last week and that was just a hail event that I was able to avoid getting smashed up in and made it around the storm to a gas station just in time.

8/6/2013 Central MN Severe Hail

So what is in store for the next month?  More scuba diving where I hope the weather does not blow out the dive trip.  More chasing and getting the new full time chase truck up and running before winter.