It was 25 years ago today...
- Thread starter groveChuck
- Start date
When I was in high school, we had to start the Introduction to Computer Programming course by learning about the binary code. At that point, it was actually very interesting.
As to Irma, it's picked up even more speed (up to 176, from the 9 PM advisory), as its outer bands are just making their way over Cuba. For us, in South Florida, the news is a lot better because the projected eye has shifted westwards, toward the Keys. Most folks there should have evacuated by now. Where it goes next is anyone's guess but a crawl up the west coast of Florida appears likely.
Samir Patel
Active member
Stay safe! The storm and the aftermath will not be pleasant but a reminder that we are only human. Sadly as much as I would like the storm to push more to the West I am reminded that only puts friends in Northern Florida at more risk. It's sad. This will affect ALL of Florida. Too many people are going to have to rebuild 
We have both problems, heavy rain can give problems here too. One solution for that was to give the rivers more space, no more straight channels but meandering wide rivers.
But then again, these hurricanes would destroy the Netherlands completely. (some people here live 3-6 meters below sea level).
As a result we have to be organized and pay a lot of money to keep dry feet. We follow your struggle. And of course some former Dutch Islands (st Maarten) suffered too.
Wish you all the luck!
But then again, these hurricanes would destroy the Netherlands completely. (some people here live 3-6 meters below sea level).
As a result we have to be organized and pay a lot of money to keep dry feet. We follow your struggle. And of course some former Dutch Islands (st Maarten) suffered too.
Wish you all the luck!
groveChuck
U-matic Member
After chasing probably 20 hurricanes over the first 25 years of my career, I've changed roles... and become an evacuee out of Miami. Between my wife's strong pleas and the images and info of Irma's approach, I spent a half day packing and taking photos of all my gear, getting serial numbers and emptied the home office, putting it in storage (and other safe spots).
Then hit the road.
Avoiding the backed up traffic of I-75, I-95 and the Florida Turnpike, I took the old US-27 highway up the center of the state.
It was practically deserted (almost eerie) for a couple of hours, then slowed down south of Orlando, where nearly all gas stations were out of gas, and the few still open had lines of 12+ cars. Still having half a tank, I began looking, not knowing what was ahead. Got in a line with only 5 cars, but when I got to second in line, they ran out.
Gas Buddy came to the rescue, and I got off the main road and joined a line of 3 cars, filled up, then avoiding backed up traffic ahead, cut east to I-95, hoping Google Maps' green was accurate. It was, and only at the FL /GA border did it slow down,3 times, but for less than 15 minutes each.
Made it up to central Georgia to spend the night in Statesboro, and woke up with a case of the Statesboro Blues (or was it the Zacapa rum?).
Then got back on the road and rolled into Asheville NC today. After 3 days here, my wife and I hit a cabin on the edge of Smoky Mountains National Park for 2 days, to have a hurri-vacanation.
Irma's late turn hopefully spares Miami serious damage, but looks like the Gulf Coast will get it bad.
But I have no regrets leaving. It beats the alternative- regretting not leaving.
DLD and Samir- hope you're well, and hope the loss of life and property on the Gulf is not horrific...
Then hit the road.
Avoiding the backed up traffic of I-75, I-95 and the Florida Turnpike, I took the old US-27 highway up the center of the state.
It was practically deserted (almost eerie) for a couple of hours, then slowed down south of Orlando, where nearly all gas stations were out of gas, and the few still open had lines of 12+ cars. Still having half a tank, I began looking, not knowing what was ahead. Got in a line with only 5 cars, but when I got to second in line, they ran out.
Gas Buddy came to the rescue, and I got off the main road and joined a line of 3 cars, filled up, then avoiding backed up traffic ahead, cut east to I-95, hoping Google Maps' green was accurate. It was, and only at the FL /GA border did it slow down,3 times, but for less than 15 minutes each.
Made it up to central Georgia to spend the night in Statesboro, and woke up with a case of the Statesboro Blues (or was it the Zacapa rum?).
Then got back on the road and rolled into Asheville NC today. After 3 days here, my wife and I hit a cabin on the edge of Smoky Mountains National Park for 2 days, to have a hurri-vacanation.
Irma's late turn hopefully spares Miami serious damage, but looks like the Gulf Coast will get it bad.
But I have no regrets leaving. It beats the alternative- regretting not leaving.
DLD and Samir- hope you're well, and hope the loss of life and property on the Gulf is not horrific...
Run&Gun
Veteran
Asheville is a great place to hang out. Too bad you're there under the reasons that you are, but you might as well enjoy it while you're there. I recommend going to The Biltmore House, if you've never been. Lots of cool little bars and restaurants around. Sunny Point Cafe is a great little place for breakfast and dinner. Get the bacon. Trust me. If you like desserts, try the French Broad Chocolate Lounge. And you can just go hang out in the bar at the Grove Park Inn.
Speaking of gas, I was surprised that a lot of places here were out even last week. People are panicking and hoarding. I returned from Richmond, VA Friday night(had a shoot up there) and I went to fill my tank back up and the station near my house was out of gas. Thank goodness my truck is diesel. All the diesel pumps were working, but all of the gas pumps(at least 12) were bagged. And it had jumped up .20 gallon since the previous day. And bottled water has been gone since last Thursday.
Just goes to show how fragile our infrastructure, resources, etc. REALLY are.
Speaking of gas, I was surprised that a lot of places here were out even last week. People are panicking and hoarding. I returned from Richmond, VA Friday night(had a shoot up there) and I went to fill my tank back up and the station near my house was out of gas. Thank goodness my truck is diesel. All the diesel pumps were working, but all of the gas pumps(at least 12) were bagged. And it had jumped up .20 gallon since the previous day. And bottled water has been gone since last Thursday.
Just goes to show how fragile our infrastructure, resources, etc. REALLY are.
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Samir Patel
Active member
Thank you groveChuck we made it through in Miami. Cleanup is underway in Miami and Fort Lauderdale already. The Keys however got battered hard. Praying life returns to normal as soon as possible for those people. Hoping people down their did evacuate in time. So Sad!
Hey, a week without the Internet ... then someone told me that, instead of sitting in front of a screen hours at a time, I might do something different anyway ... like walk three blocks over to the beach and take a dip in the ocean ... oddly enough my moderate swimming skills remained at a higher level - relatively speaking - than my typing skills, which have deteriorated over the last six-seven days.
PS. Chuck, hope the drinks up in Carolina were worth the drive. As a coastal dweller, we also had to cope with the storm surge. I am OK, but my bedroom is now an aquarium! (rim shot)
PS. Chuck, hope the drinks up in Carolina were worth the drive. As a coastal dweller, we also had to cope with the storm surge. I am OK, but my bedroom is now an aquarium! (rim shot)
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groveChuck
U-matic Member
DLD, the Pisgah Pale Ale was de-lish, thanks for asking!
Finally back Wed from the extended trip to Asheville, so I Don't Have to Live Like a Refugee..
We gave up windy, soggy SoFla for this (sorry, DLD)
Condo neighbors had water blow in around window frames and flood their bedrooms, we were spared any leakage. Not having had enough adventure though, I felt it necessary to lose my key to interior storage where my gear, cameras, computers and electronics are...
But Dan, how's your place? What did the surge do- break a window, cause a leak or what? How did your window film hold up?
Run&Gun, Asheville was great (been there 10 times), that's why we're trying to move there, just trying to make the crazy housing thing work.
In other Irma news, I have friends in Ft Myers and Naples who got pummeled, all this from a Cat 1.
I would crack a joke about Maria starring in Wet Side Story, but PR got hammered, I have a friend shooting there now, he wants to come home.
Mountains (no earthquake zone, please), here I come...
Our unit is kind of tucked in between several buildings, so wind gusts came from the ocean and they were parallel - rather than perpendicular - to our windows with the northern exposure. I talked to some neighbors with units facing east/ocean and/or south, especially on higher floors, and they were concerned. One said her chandeliers were shaking; another that his storm shutters were shaking as if a burglar was trying to break inside.
On Tuesday, the 11th, I almost got my 15 seconds of (15 minutes of) fame. I was walking back from Milam's with a neighbor I just met there - not a building neighbor but someone within a block - and some dude from a news van came out to us and asked if we wanted to give an interview. The neighbor agreed and the first thing the news dude asked if we really suffered. So, I replied, "Well, of course, we've suffered. My grandma was chased by the White Cossacks during the pogroms of the 1920's and that's not even the worst of it". I don't think that's the story the news dude wanted but the camera man let him down regardless. He said water got inside the camera during their outdoor reporting during the rains and he had to do something to it. I think it was a Panasonic, with a V-lock battery attached (a real pro model, not some consumer camcorder doohickey). Anyway, by the time the camera was ready, I decided to keep on walking home. We had no cable TV/internet until Saturday, so my star turn would have been for naught anyway.
On Tuesday, the 11th, I almost got my 15 seconds of (15 minutes of) fame. I was walking back from Milam's with a neighbor I just met there - not a building neighbor but someone within a block - and some dude from a news van came out to us and asked if we wanted to give an interview. The neighbor agreed and the first thing the news dude asked if we really suffered. So, I replied, "Well, of course, we've suffered. My grandma was chased by the White Cossacks during the pogroms of the 1920's and that's not even the worst of it". I don't think that's the story the news dude wanted but the camera man let him down regardless. He said water got inside the camera during their outdoor reporting during the rains and he had to do something to it. I think it was a Panasonic, with a V-lock battery attached (a real pro model, not some consumer camcorder doohickey). Anyway, by the time the camera was ready, I decided to keep on walking home. We had no cable TV/internet until Saturday, so my star turn would have been for naught anyway.