Here comes IKE

Dusty · September 12, 2008, 10:10:28 AM

We are Hunkered Down!!!!!

Get ready with the cookies Denise...We may need that care package again like when Rita hit....

phat46 · September 12, 2008, 10:31:45 AM

Quote from: "Dusty"We are Hunkered Down!!!!!

Get ready with the cookies Denise...We may need that care package again like when Rita hit....

Looks like you're on the bad side of the storm where you live. I wish you good luck! I would probably have fled long ago! My wifes sister and our brother in law live in Houston. He's a doctor so they can't really leave. They own land and a sailboat in Galveston that they have already written off....They literally lost land in Galveston years ago in another hurricane, after the storm they went there to see their land...it was gone!

wayne petty · September 12, 2008, 09:43:14 PM

i was just watching ike... and it got geraldo... took him off his feet..

i also noticed... that one reporter on the storm wall reported that the ocean level has been dropping... i am thinking that the storm surge acts just like a tsunami... .. the water next to the coast is pulled out as the storm surge builds off shore...

this could result in a major league problem.. as the reporters may think it is safe as the ocean level is low... then it comes barreling in....

wayne

and right now... on tv in la... a metro link commuter train just went head to head with a freight... the first passenger car overtook the back of the locomotive and impaled it 2/3rds of the way into the passenger car... then it fell on its side...

Crosley.In.AZ · September 12, 2008, 10:01:43 PM

Been watching the news on the storm and the Train wreck.

Wow........ what a mess both are. We hope for the best on both of these

58Apache · September 12, 2008, 10:31:14 PM

Isn't that what Hitler said in 1944?

HotRodLadyCrusr · September 12, 2008, 11:43:15 PM

Dusty, be safe my friend and make sure we hear from you as soon as it's over or as soon as you get power back on.

purplepickup · September 13, 2008, 08:32:36 AM

I heard this morning that you guys got a pretty direct hit and power went out for millions of people but the wind damage wasn't extremely bad. You probably won't be able to read this but we're definitely thinking of all of you in Texas and hope your family and stuff survived without too much damage. You might have to build a fraidy hole like WZJUNK did. Make it big enough for that Triumph too.

By the way, yesterday there were long lines at gas stations with rumors of $6/gal gas because of the refineries in your area being shut down. Prices didn't go that high tho....yet.

unklian · September 13, 2008, 10:22:34 AM

Quote from: "purplepickup"... rumors of $6/gal gas because of the refineries in your area being shut down. Prices didn't go that high tho....yet.

Prices are almost that high here.

:evil:

purplepickup · September 13, 2008, 07:51:37 PM

Quote from: "unklian"
Quote from: "purplepickup"... rumors of $6/gal gas because of the refineries in your area being shut down. Prices didn't go that high tho....yet.

Prices are almost that high here. :evil: :evil:

I know. I feel for you guys. I read where a large portion of the cost of gas in Canada is taxes. I trust that the US will legislate our taxes to catch up with you soon. They say that if they can keep it expensive we will be forced to conserve....plus they get more of our hard earned money :evil:

Grandadeo · September 18, 2008, 10:15:53 PM

Anybody have an idea how Dusty made out with Ike? Hope he made it OK with minimal damage. May not have any power though.

Lee

After posting this I did a google search for "Orange Texas Ike" It doesn't look good. Lots of flooding. We may have an opportunity to help a fellow RRTer out in some way.

Normspeed · September 20, 2008, 11:55:21 AM

I rode the Metrolink train for a lotta years, but the San Berdoo line, not the one that wrecked. You feel so safe and insulated on the train it's hard to imagine how quick that can change. I stopped riding the train just last month when I retired.

Now I hear on the news they think the freakin engineer was text messaging when he blew through two warning signals telling him to stop. Good grief!

Quote from: "Crosley"Been watching the news on the storm and the Train wreck.

Wow........ what a mess both are. We hope for the best on both of these

houston54 · September 23, 2008, 08:56:54 AM

Well I can finally see the light(s) again and am back to taking electricity at the flip of a switch for granted.

I can finally turn off the generator and put away the camping gear.

The experience would have been more uncomfortable without having some basic equipment on hand such as:
Generator (need to convert it to run on natural gas)
Propane stove
Gas Grill with side burner
Extra propane (bulk and small cannisters)
Propane lanterns
Flashlights with good batteries
Battery operated fans
multi-outlet strips with surge protection
Heavy gauge extension cords
Chainsaw with bar lube and pre-mix fuel
Large heavy tarps (just in case of roof damage)
TV with rabbit ears since cable is out typically
Extra drinking water in gallon jugs
Good Igloo coolers that hold ice for 3-4 days

Things to get before next storm:
Quieter generator (tri-fuel would be best)
battery operated lamps (2-3)
better chainsaw
Wire in a permanent back-feed system to house
larger gas cans

Being prepared made the 9 days of doing without easier than it would have been. We were blessed that we did not suffer more damage.

If you live anywhere that could experience power outages due to storms or human error/stupidity, which is just about everywhere, you might want to start collecting some of the equipment listed and putting it away just in case.

At least I had something to keep myself occupied after the storm. I swapped out transmissions on the 54. Just a few minor issues to resolve and the truck is back on the road. Do not know yet if making it to the Texas Goodguys meet is in the cards but we will see.

rooster · September 23, 2008, 07:57:15 PM

Sounds like you could use some solar power! You are located in the sun belt. It dont take to much power to run a couple of compact florscent lights , small tv, effecent fan or a modern gas stove, 9 days is a long time glad to hear your back on the grid. How much gas did you use in those 9 days and was it hard to get?

Grandadeo · September 23, 2008, 08:48:48 PM

How bad was your damage? If you had any interior water damage be ready to deal with mold or better yet keep ahead of it. I had three hurricane eyes over my house back in '04 and '05 so I can relate to what your going through. Any idea how Dusty and the folks over in Orange, TX made out. He's not back on the forum yet so I imagine he doesn't have a gas fired computer. Hope everything get backs to some sort of normal for you soon.

Lee

houston54 · September 24, 2008, 10:56:56 AM

We ran our generator for about 10 hours a day to keep the */frezrs cold and to power other items. No sense listening to it at night as the temps were cool. We had gas staged and full tanks in all vehicles. I filled up a 1st gen camaro tank I was using in the 54 as a bulk container and siphoned from it and the new 16 gallon tank in the 54 when my initial supply was gone. Supplies were tight for the first three days but was available thereafter. Highest price I paid was $3.49 and it is now $3.29 for 87 oct at some stations.

No house damage at all for us. I had my storm boards up on the downstairs glass which probably saved some of them from flying debris from the trees. Lost some good size limbs but I had just pruned the big oaks the week before the storm so only damage was less than what it could have been. Some neighbors lost some junk trees (japanese yupon or sweat gums) but most healthy pines and oaks made it through.

The areas east of the city are the last ones to get attention from the power crews so they may be out until next week or longer.