Gustav

[ole dude]

Hey Wayne, I recon you are on watch--- be safe Partner.

[Rondo]

Wayne- Looks like you better put pontoons on the new MH you have or start treading water! Take care bud and hope all goes well down in SUNNY Texas!!

[Waynem]

Well, DW deserted me and went to a conference. Of course, it's just in Houston and she is at the Westin Galleria enjoying the camaraderie of her fellow platoon members from back in 1960. She said she is coming home tomorrow, so I'll be able to pack the necessities of sustenance.

I finally got the basement organized today with all the stuff from the Hanna. Hot, hot, hot, is all I can say. I had 50amp service installed and it has been plugged in with the "central" air running. I had to move the thermostat up to 80 degrees because it was to cold in there. (Oh! Sorry! Bragging again!)

I'm ready to head out, and head out we are going to do if there is a good indication it is heading our way.

The Texas City Emergency Management System broadcasts by telephone any important information. They have had two broadcasts, one to activate the system and tell everyone they are on-line and monitoring. The second one was about an hour ago stating that no action was required at this time but to keep monitoring the path of Gustav. They have buses staged at the high school parking lot to take anyone who wants to evacuate should the need arise.

I hope this does not turn into the "Rita" trip I took. We went 150 miles in 15 1/2 hours. That sucked big time. And that was in a car.

Edited: I'll be on-line if we evacuate with the lap top and will keep you posted as to the whereabouts so y'all can stop by and visit, and I can brag.

[Waynem]

Emergency Management just broadcast another message that they are watching the track of Gustav (Yeah! Me to!) and at this time there is no action required.

[Exnavydiver]

Just got off the phone with friends who have a new Anniversary Model, and haven't joined yet but they live in New Orleans on the west bank and when I talked to them they were in northern Mississippi going to relatives. Drove up in the truck and left the rig at home. I guess they got it into storage on high ground, if there is any around there. She said the traffic on I-55 was not bad at the moment. They left early so they did not have to rush or fight traffic.. Dave

[Waynem]

Houston is a gateway for New Orleans. Evacuees are already streaming in. Beaumont is also being evacuated and at 0600 tomorrow morning it will be made mandatory.

There are 200 buses in the Texas City High School parking lot waiting to assist those that need transportation.

I'm still watching closely. If DW were here we would be on the road already. I will not be getting up on the Interstate. I'll take back roads, like Hwy 6 to Alvin, 1492 to Hwy 36, to US-59, to US 87 to San Antonio and points West, South, or North.
I think Dallas would be a wrong choice as once Gustav hits it will probably head in that direction. Never can tell though.

I hope your friend did find high ground, but New Orleans is below sea level. There is no way I would want to live there, or be there during any type of major storm, including just tropical depressions. I read your post earlier in the week and had talked to my self and said, "If I still had the F350 I'd run over and pick it up for him." But, I don't have it so can't do it.

Everyone stay safe!!!

[JimF]

Wayne, be safe, wish you guys were still up here with us. Will call you later.
Jim and Joan

[Wayne and Carolyn Mathews]

Wayne is like a fish swimming upstream against the current, except that he's actually headed downstream (south) against the flow of evacuees heading north to escape the storm's possible path. He's on his way to Wharton (Texas) to help get things set up for the living auction of the contents of his mom's home there next weekend. Wharton is about an hour south of Houston and Galveston and about the same distance north from Matagorda. He left Dalhart early yesterday morning (Saturday) and called in the late afternoon to say he couldn't find a room anywhere to stop for the night. In the past, we'd think nothing of driving from Raton to Wharton in one haul, but since his heart attack 2 years ago, that kind of marathon is out for him.

Early last night, he called from Bastrop to say he was going on to Wharton because he was wasting time getting off and on the freeway to look for a place to stay. (Should have pulled the Montana instead of our cargo trailer! And, if the cargo trailer weren't packed wall to wall and ceiling to floor, he could have slept in that.)

On the bright side, it's good to see that people in the path of the storm are getting out early this time. We've been in several bad hurricanes down there, including Hurricane Carla in the 60's. I'd be heading north, too, if we still lived in the eye of the storm.

Carolyn

[Waynem]

We are fortunate again. Forecast for the next couple days is "Chance of Thunderstorms" with 30% chance of rain.

From here, it's keep a watch on Hanna. Well, we are more prepared now. This year I had storm coverings made for the stick house. Put them up last time and only took down a few the DW wanted down for visibility, but the majority of them were still up. Yesterday I put the remaining ones up in about 30 minutes and they are going to stay up until we see what Hanna, Ike, and "J" are going to do.

Well, at least we have warning and can prepare ahead of time. I guess every where has their problems.