Report from ground zero... It's BAD here in middle america!

It's easy to forget that these things cut a wide path as the news tends to focus on the place where it makes landfall but the destruction lasts for several days and many hundreds, even thousands of miles...prayers and well wishes to all of you and hoping things are back to normal as soon as possible

 

I just found out that I have a second unexpected day off. It seems that the City of Dayton has deemed it a State of Emergency in the city and therefore allowing only essential traffic.

Yet another day to putter in the garage...

 

Everything there saying is acurate!

I was at dads yesterday Buffing our 63. The wind was getting bad then I heard and felt it in the ground. A HUGE Locust tree feel across the front of the shop just outside the door where I was standing. It was wild! Didn't hurt the shop to bad, ripped an old Coke sign down but somehow didn't break any Gas pumps or globes. It DID crush a 1940's Amish wagon in the front yard.
Within minutes we lost power... Grabbed somme cold ones and watch the tree's fall. Dad lost 5 in all. I spent the day there today cutting and clearing. 90% of Cincinnati is out of power. There saying it's going to be 3-5 days before we get it back. I live between a Police station and a Fire station.. so for some reason we got power.. we always do.

The CG&E guy today said that the 3-5 day outage is partly due to the fact that, MOST of our contractors were shipped south to aid in the hurricanes, so there under manned.

I feel bad for any City workers, and Utility employees in times like these. They do the best they can while people yell and spit at them and give them the finger. Yeah, there making time and a half.. But people need to be patient and have faith. There are people in MUCH MORE NEED OF POWER than most of the cry babies.

I have a car that needs to be done in two weeks that might not make it now, But then I think of the Old folks that depend on Medication, and breathing machines and what not..


Gas is in shortage here only because there is limited stations that can pump it. I counted 5 today... all with Hour long waits.

..and like mentioned above, no ATM's workin. Luckily, I deal in cash only. CASH IS KING, it always will be.


My thoughts are out to all who are involved,

and PLEASE!!! If your in this part of the country and have Older nieghbors,, Check on them. Even if they do yell at you for walking on there lawn!

J Shaw

 

Damn! all we need is a big freakin earthquake here in sunny so cal to be even with you guys...God bless us all...

 

Without any disrespect to the tales of woe, it rained (lightly) here in MN off and on Saturday and Sunday....which is fine, 'cept when you stop to think we're 400 freakin' miles from Chicago...and that rain came from Ike....

We've got guy in Florida at work who wonder how in the hell we can stand it mid-January. Standard reply is that we can always come inside from the cold.

 

I been cutting wood all day. I had to buy a new chain saw. Our power was out for 12 hours and a huge tree fell in our yard and just missed the house. It ripped my neighbors power lines down.
My brother is going on two days with no power and now he has my generator.
I still have wood to move tomorrow.

 

Hey I don't want to be a d*ck, but I don't think a day without power, downed trees and rain compare to the sh*t the people of texas are going through...

 

We got lights back on here in my neighborhood about an hour ago. Still no phone or 'net, so I'm still piggy-backing thru the cell phone. Comperable to an old fashoned 14.4 connection. Text pages load up pretty good, but pics can take forever.

Anyone interested can view some of the carnage on our local TV stations web sites, www.whas11.com and www.wave3.com

For those of you familiar with Louisville, here's a little overview of what I'v seen first hand, and what I'v heard on the local media.

I'm across the street from Bowman field airport. Several planes were fliped over and destroyed there. Bardstown Rd. is closed in 2 locations, and there's no power at all in the Highlands. Taylorsville Rd. is closed a block up from Bardstown Rd with a 100+ year old tree fallen. it took out several utility poles when it fell, and landed on a moving car injuring the driver. 36 hours after the storm, the tree, car, and power lines still sit blocking the road. Hurstbourne Lane was hit extremely hard [where the Olive Garden is]. I-64 and the waterson were closed for several hours after the storm due to wrecks... One of which was the 18 wheeler I witnessed get tossed like an empty beer can.

Wagner High School losst it's roof. Only 5 schools in the entire district have power, so schools remain closed tuesday as well... Basically calling it a "snow day".

UPS did a fantastic job, and is only running 4-6 hours behind world wide because of this. [largest UPS hub in the world here in Louisville]

The GE and Ford plants suffered damage, but they will be running full shifts tomorrow. Churchill downs suffered wind damage as well.

Valhalla suffered extensive damage, but they are confident they will be back up to 100% in time for the seniors cup, just incase any of you golfers were wondering.

It was actually kinda strange seeing neighbors out talking to each other, and kids playing in the streets. Reminded me of my childhood. Louisville has a great sense of community, and officials have been quick to copliment people for pulling together.

Large chain stores were closed for the most part, but smaller grocery stores were open, many of them on generator power, and at least one letting customers shop by flashlight!

I'm sure louisville will pull thru this one. about 80% of the damage is downed branches and fallen trees. The remainder being roofs blown off and what not.

Thanks for the kind words, and keep us in your prayers!

 

And that doesn't compare to the monsoons killing hundreds of Indonesians, Indians and other Far East residents with regularity, etc...
It's all relative. It all ****s. No need to compare **** sizes.

 

Saxonhous, just so you know, I'm a survivor of Camille in 1969. Then in 1974 when my Dad was stationed in Okinawa Japan, I survived the typhoon that nearly wiped the island off the map... And finally in 1995, I was in the first relief convoy into ground zero for Katrina. I'v been thru this **** more than once... Yes, the people of east Texas are suffering more-so than we are, and my heart goes out to them. I suspect we have not yet heard from any of them because their communications lines are down just like ours were yesterday. But I'm here to tell you that the carnage here in middle America is 1st cl*** hurricane damage.

So please dont lower yourself to d*ck status and mock our pain.

Below is my re-counting of my Katrina expirence I posted on another forum back when it happened.

 

Agreed, but there's over 20+ people whipping it out here.