We were in Oakland, California, when we decide to take the most direct route to our summer site in Minnesota. The directions from there are easy. Take I-80 east to Des Moines, Iowa, then turn left onto I-35 to Minneapolis/St Paul.
Unfortunately, that put us traveling north in tornado alley during tornado season. And NOAA had issued a Hazardous Weather Statement for the area where we need to spend a few nights. The statement warned of thunderstorms with potential quarter-sized hail. Now, we lived most our lives in Minnesota which means we know that type of storm also may contain tornadoes.
So we did what any right thinking RVer from Minnesota would do–we started looking for RV parks with storm shelters. Boy did we find a doozy!
In Margaret Mac Nider Park in Mason City, Iowa, is this storm shelter.
Yes, it’s open for business. It is the campground’s regular bathroom facility.
And the view of it you are seeing above is through our dining room window from our campsite.
Inside the entrance is a large space not used for much of anything–except during storms. Bring your own chair.
Next to that area is a family restroom. This is for handicapped people accompanied by caretakers of the opposite gender or for parents of children who should not be sent alone into public restrooms.
It includes all the facilities such people might need.
Then down a hallway we have this:
Men’s room on the left, women’s room on the right, laundry in between, and access to/from the outside at the other end.
The gender specific restroom are large.
The closest doors lead to toilet cubicles and the further ones are shower/dressing rooms.
In addition there are two more rooms in this facility.
I’m guessing the mechanical room includes the generator the park’s website says this building has. I’m sure storage has at least cleaning products and toilet paper. Who knows what other emergency supplies might be stored there.
Have you noticed this building has no windows? There will be no broken glass caused by high winds here.
The lights have motion detectors that turn them on. Which means if everyone settles down at night it could get dark. But, it also means anyone who gets up during the night to go to the bathroom will have that fact announced to everyone in the shelter. Still, better safe than sorry, right?
So if you find yourself anywhere near Mason City, Iowa, during storm season now you know where to go: http://masoncity.net/pView.aspx?id=1242&catid=58. And it’s right down the street from the hospital the Winnebago crew took me to when I broke my face just in case you don’t manage to stay completely safe from the storm.
And after all that, all we got was a little rain.
TTYL,
Linda
What? No cribbage board or cards? 🙂
How interesting! I encountered a Rest Area built like that at the junction of hwy 18 and 84 in eastern Wyoming, just west of the SD border. I wondered about the purpose but it makes sense if it serves as a shelter in severe weather.
I learned something new today. Thanks!
WOW…that is awesome. You two are so smart to look for a place like this. Did you look on the Internet for a campground with a shelter? So glad you are safe.
I hate stormy weather. I have learned that I prefer cooler weather to hotter weather. I can warm up easier than cool down.
What a great find…our plan would be NOT to be in that area during peak tornado season, but our plan has not worked very well, since we have encountered two tornadoes in the past month in totally different and supposedly not in tornado alley areas. Go figure!
Started following your blog since Nick at Gypsy Journal suggested your site as a must read blog, can definitely see why!