Continued from page 4

Dunkerton. We started going house

to house along this rural road to
see if people were OK.”
Today, with the popularity of
storm-chasing reality TV shows,
a growing number of adventure-
seekers are heading out on Iowa’s
country roads in hopes of catching
a photo or video of a twister.
follow
the chase
Follow Iowa storm chaser
Nick Weig and his team
as they provide real-time
weather information, on-the-
road observations and, when
possible, live video feeds and
chats on their website, www.
Digging Iowa history
Join an archaeology dig this summer
Volunteers welcome to help
uncover Indian artifacts near
Cedar Rapids.
BY valerie van kooten
lage and live in family groups,” she
says. “They would come and camp
along the Cedar River here, and the
locals began calling this ‘Wickiup
Hill.’”

W
iowachase.com. You can also
A few of these storm chasers like the Iowa Storm Chasing hen you think John Doershuk, state archaeologist
are hobbyists looking for an adren- on Facebook or on Twitter at of digging at an based in Iowa City, says volunteers
aline rush, but many are trained @IAStormChasing. archaeological site, will be concentrating on two main
professionals using sophisticated you probably think sites at Wickiup Hill. One group will
technology to track the storm’s of the Pyramids of Egypt or a castle be excavating the possible wickiup Iowa students assist with archaeology
path. example of doing it right. They in Europe. But Iowans will have a — a structure of bent saplings or digs at Wickiup Hill near Cedar Rapids.
submitted photo
had the warning, they had the chance to help investigate the his- poles covered with bark or reeds,
Holben says many of his storm- media telling them there was a tory of our own state this summer and the other will be digging for
chasing colleagues travel the storm coming, the sirens were through a dig in northeast Iowa the artifacts from the three time periods Iowa Archeological Society ($25
Midwest to capture tornados on going off well in advance, and end of June and beginning of July. represented there, looking for pot- per year) and pay $15 per day,
video, which they sell to national these people took cover. They did tery and tools. Professional archae- which will help provide funds for
TV networks. One of his friends it right.” Wickiup Hill is located about ologists will be on site to help ama- cataloging any artifacts found.
sold a 6-second video of a tornado 15 miles from downtown Cedar teurs know what they’re doing. Information on joining the soci-
for $300. “It’s becoming a big busi- Holben insists he doesn’t chase Rapids; the natural prairie and ety can be found at www.uiowa.
ness,” he says. storms just for the thrill or the wetlands that began life as a coun- The dig will take place from edu/~osa/IAS/index.html.
money. He does it to help warn ty park is now expanded into a 260- June 25 to July 9, seven days a week.
Holben says he saw about 50 the public by providing on-the- acre education center overseen by Volunteers are asked to commit to Participants line up their own
other storm chasers on the road scene reports back to the National Linn County. a minimum of three days. A typical transportation and lodging and
when a tornado ripped through the Weather Service. day will run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., bring their own lunches. To sign
western Iowa town of Mapleton. Gail Barels, conservation edu- and a variety of jobs are available. up, contact John Doershuk at john-
“It’s more for me than the excite- cation specialist for Wickiup Hills, “Participants can be as strenuous doershuk@uiowa.edu (strongly
“Now we’re running into traffic ment. That’s the power of God right says “wickiup” is a traditional as they want to be,” says Doershuk. preferred) or call him at (319) 384-
jams...,” Holben said. “It’s actu- in front of you, literally. And that’s Meskwaki name given to winter A total of about 24 volunteers per 0751.
ally what kind of happened in something that can’t be messed homes constructed by the native day can be used.
Mapleton. They were all going after with,” he says. peoples in the area. “It was tradi- Van Kooten is a freelance writer from
the same thing at the same time.” tional to break up the summer vil- Participants are asked to join the Pella.
And despite his childhood fear of
Nowadays, when storm chas- lightning, Weig says it’s impor-
ers are celebrities, and Iowans
have grown accustomed to hear-
tant to document severe weather
and relay as much information E85 Fill up at these locations!
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