May 12, 2009 SE TX PH severe cells

May 12 wound up rather disappointing, though we wound up on strong storm cells from
about Memphis to Childress to Quanah.  Prior to initiation, we strolled around Turkey, TX,
and an abandoned residence in Floyd County.  An account penned months ago follows:

We had placed ourselves in SW KS the evening prior in order to give us a shot at
severe in either NE CO or the TX PH this day.  The southern TX PH won out, so we
started south out of Liberal.  About 20 minutes later I realized that I had left
my wallet back at the motel.  I had the media guy drive me back to get it while
the rest of the tour waited at a convenience store in the middle of
nowhere----the Oklahoma Panhandle.  I'm sure that my blunder made a nice good
first impression on the new guests.  The maid at the motel had found my wallet
on the floor by the bed and had given it to the front desk.  Thank you,
housekeeping! 

We did a quick lunch at Subway in Pampa, TX, and continued south to Turkey.  A
couple of big cells started to go up to our NW and SW.  We stuck with the south
one, and it had some good structure as it approached Memphis.  At sunset a very
strong cell threw some hail on us at Childress and we managed to get in front of
it.  We rode out the core in Quanah at a convenience store.  A cop pulled Chris
over in a small Oklahoma town on the way to Altus.  We aren't really sure why
---- the cop checked Chris' I.D. and said that "he almost was going to jail",
but then he re-checked the information and learned he had the wrong guy.