I boarded StormChaser 33/40 early yesterday morning for a drive into West Alabama. The destination was Berry Elementary School, in Fayette County, where I was to speak to the fourth, fifth, and sixth graders.
As usual, I took the roads less traveled.
From the Birmingham metro I took the Valley Road exit, which leads to Hueytown and points west. During the next several miles through Hueytown, the name of the road will change from Valley Road to Allison-Bonnet Parkway to Warrior River Road. And, once you get into Rock Creek the name changes again; this time to Lock 17 Road.
That road to me will always bring back memories of the horrible F5 tornado of April 8, 1998 that killed 32 people in that part of Jefferson County. The most haunting moment comes when I drive by the former site of Oak Grove School. I did dozens of weather programs in that old gym over the years; now it is a vacant field. A sign has been erected that says a tornado memorial is coming to the site in the future.
You can learn more about the Oak Grove Memorial Park on this web site.
Past the old school site it was on to Camp Oliver Road, which becomes Franklin Ferry road as it crosses the Black Warrior River on the Jefferson/Walker County line.
Driving through the community of Tutwiler, you can look off to the left and see the strobes of our 2,000 foot tower in northern Tuscaloosa County that is the home of our Channel 33 transmitting antenna.
After a quick jog to the south along Alabama 69, it was onto County Road 46, which takes you into the community of Berry. This town was hit hard during the Superoutbreak of tornadoes on April 3, 1974, and many people recall that night just like it happened yesterday. The kids at the school were great; when I go into that gym I recall the first weather program I did at Berry, which was exactly 25 years ago. How time flies!
Thanks again to everyone at Berry for their kindness. Trips like these are the best part of my job!
