I have been told by my sources at TxDot that I-45 will become one-way Northbound only at some point today.

While Gatesville is not on I-45, if any of y'all need a place to stay, let me know. I know most of you and that makes it easy to ask friends of mine here in Central Texas to help friends of mine from the Houston area.

I do know that Waco has shelters prepared and will help anyone who needs it, and Gatesville has a shelter as well.

What I am offering is homes being shared to help friends not have to stay in a shelter if needed.

Our high school Friday night football games have been moved to tonight and Baylor University and the Big XII are seriously thinking about cancelling Saturday morning's game.

I will be out of the office this afternoon but will check PMs tonite when I get home. Some of you have my work # and you can call and leave a message if you would like. Those of you who do not have it, take a look at www.kre8itvideo.com.

I don't know if anyone needs a place to stay or not, but I wanted to let you know that we can and will find places for you.

Tim you need to offer FOOD as wellas shelter otherwise no one will come (duh food and shelter avail.)

besides they will come to Austin first .......

quote Originally posted by CenTexIndy: I have been told by my sources at TxDot that I-45 will become one-way Northbound only at some point today. While Gatesville is not on I-45, if any of y'all need a place to stay, let me know. I know most of you and that makes it easy to ask friends of mine here in Central Texas to help friends of mine from the Houston area.

Right now my plan is to hunker down and deal with the 100 mile and hour winds. Our mayor does NOT want to see the Rita evacuation nightmare repeated, so they are telling people NOT to leave unless they are worried about the storm surge. I'm 20 miles from the nearest large body of water so I'm not worried about the surge.

But if that changes my truck is ready to go. If I find myself wandering around central Texas I'll look you up...unless Revin has food then I'll go to Austin.

A generous offer Tim. We'll ride it out here--having been caught in one of those evac nightmares during Gustav's false alarm, I won't go thru another. Both Indy's will be safe, unless my sister's entire garage and my barn blow completely away.

I expect heavy damage to my old home place itself tho. (Uninhabited now) All the wind break has been removed by my logging operation, so I expect the house itself to bear the full brunt of @ least Cat 1 winds. Harris County will be on the NE side of the storm, unless it changes course significantly, and due the the slow movement, & the unusually large diameter of the wind fields, several hundred miles of Texas coast area can expect very strong winds for a period of several hrs--maybe as much as 6 uninterrupted hours of hurricane force winds. Area wise, this is a huge storm. It is similar in size to hurricane Carla, which made landfall at Port Lavaca, but because Carla was so big, it flooded Galveston, parts of Baytown and really affected the entire coast of Texas. Thankfully, Ike probably won't be the Cat 5 storm Carla was. 77520 has been under mandantory evac since 10 am today, which is a good portion of Baytown--including the Exxon refinery, on the Houston ship channel. That's the largest gasoline refinery in the US. Should the storm push water up the ship channel as is expected, that plant will be shut down and gas prices will jump significantly, so everyone might think about filling your tanks now.

I have family that arrived here at 1 am, daughter and 4 grandchildren. They didnt want to get in the traffic this morning. They came up from Galveston county. We are hoping that we are far enough away from the coast to survive the storm here. About 120 miles Rita hit here with 115 mph wind at the Livingston Dam. About 3-4 miles as the crow flies. All you Texas folks have my prayers that are in Harms Way.

Tim thanks for the offer.

Joe Crawford
Texas
In front of " Hurricane IKE"

[This message has been edited by josef644 (edited 09-11-2008).]

From this morning's National Weather Service advisory:

MAXIMUM WATER LEVELS FORECAST:

SHORELINE OF MATAGORDA AND GALVESTON BAYS...15 TO 20 FEET

GULF-FACING COASTAL AREAS FROM MATAGORDA TO HIGH ISLAND INCLUDING
GALVESTON ISLAND...12 TO 16 FEET

LIFE THREATENING INUNDATION LIKELY!

ALL NEIGHBORHOODS...AND POSSIBLY ENTIRE COASTAL COMMUNITIES...
WILL BE INUNDATED DURING HIGH TIDE. PERSONS NOT HEEDING EVACUATION
ORDERS IN SINGLE FAMILY ONE OR TWO STORY HOMES WILL FACE CERTAIN
DEATH. MANY RESIDENCES OF AVERAGE CONSTRUCTION DIRECTLY ON THE
COAST WILL BE DESTROYED. WIDESPREAD AND DEVASTATING PERSONAL
PROPERTY DAMAGE IS LIKELY ELSEWHERE. VEHICLES LEFT BEHIND WILL
LIKELY BE SWEPT AWAY. NUMEROUS ROADS WILL BE SWAMPED...SOME MAY BE
WASHED AWAY BY THE WATER. ENTIRE FLOOD PRONE COASTAL COMMUNITIES
WILL BE CUTOFF. WATER LEVELS MAY EXCEED 9 FEET FOR MORE THAN A
MILE INLAND. COASTAL RESIDENTS IN MULTI-STORY FACILITIES RISK
BEING CUTOFF. CONDITIONS WILL BE WORSENED BY BATTERING WAVES. SUCH
WAVES WILL EXACERBATE PROPERTY DAMAGE...WITH MASSIVE DESTRUCTION
OF HOMES...INCLUDING THOSE OF BLOCK CONSTRUCTION. DAMAGE FROM
BEACH EROSION COULD TAKE YEARS TO REPAIR.


...WINDS...

TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS IN EXCESS OF 39 MPH ARE EXPECTED TO
REACH THE COASTAL COUNTIES FRIDAY EARLY AFTERNOON...AND SPREAD
INLAND TO THE HOUSTON AREA BY LATE FRIDAY AFTERNOON. WINDS OF AT
LEAST TROPICAL STORM FORCE WILL THEN POSSIBLY LAST ABOUT 24 HOURS.
PERSONS WHO HAVE NOT EVACUATED SHOULD PLAN TO SHELTER IN PLACE
DURING THE PERIOD OF TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS.

DEPENDING ON THE EVENTUAL TRACK AND STRENGTH OF IKE...HURRICANE
FORCE WINDS WILL REACH THE COASTAL COUNTIES AROUND MIDNIGHT FRIDAY
NIGHT...AND THE HOUSTON METRO AREA LATE FRIDAY NIGHT. HURRICANE
FORCE WINDS MAY LAST FOR UP TO 12 HOURS.

PEAK WINDS OF 100 TO 115 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE NEAR WHERE THE
CENTER OF IKE MAKES LANDFALL. THIS IS CURRENTLY FORECAST TO BE
OVER BRAZORIA COUNTY.

VERY DANGEROUS WINDS WILL PRODUCE WIDESPREAD DAMAGE AND
DESTRUCTION OF MOBILE HOMES IS LIKELY.

STRUCTURAL DAMAGE WILL INCLUDE THE MAJORITY OF MOBILE HOMES BEING
SEVERELY DAMAGED. THOSE THAT SURVIVE WILL BE UNINHABITABLE UNTIL
REPAIRED. HOUSES OF POOR TO AVERAGE CONSTRUCTION WILL HAVE MAJOR
DAMAGE...INCLUDING PARTIAL WALL COLLAPSE AND ROOFS BEING LIFTED
OFF. MANY WILL BE UNINHABITABLE. WELL CONSTRUCTED HOUSES WILL
INCUR MINOR DAMAGE TO SHINGLES...SIDING...GUTTERS...AS WELL AS
BLOWN OUT WINDOWS. UP TO ONE QUARTER OF GABLED ROOFS WILL FAIL.

PARTIAL ROOF FAILURE IS EXPECTED AT INDUSTRIAL PARKS...ESPECIALLY
TO THOSE BUILDINGS WITH LIGHT WEIGHT STEEL AND ALUMINUM COVERINGS.
OLDER LOW RISING APARTMENT ROOFS MAY ALSO BE TORN OFF...AS WELL AS
RECEIVING SIDING AND SHINGLE DAMAGE. UP TO ONE QUARTER OF ALL
GLASS IN HIGH RISE OFFICE BUILDINGS WILL BE BLOWN OUT. AIRBORNE
DEBRIS WILL CAUSE DAMAGE...INJURY...AND POSSIBLE FATALITIES.

NATURAL DAMAGE WILL INCLUDE ALL TREES WITH ROTTING BASES BECOMING
UPROOTED OR SNAPPED. NEARLY ALL LARGE BRANCHES WILL SNAP. BETWEEN
ONE QUARTER AND ONE HALF OF HEALTHY SMALL TO MEDIUM SIZED TREES
WILL BE SNAPPED OR UPROOTED...MOST COMMON WHERE THE GROUND IS
SATURATED. UP TO THREE QUARTERS OF NEWLY PLANTED GROUND CROPS WILL
BE DAMAGED.

quote Originally posted by maryjane: PERSONS NOT HEEDING EVACUATION ORDERS IN SINGLE FAMILY ONE OR TWO STORY HOMES WILL FACE CERTAIN DEATH. VEHICLES LEFT BEHIND WILL LIKELY BE SWEPT AWAY.

Don't ya just love "happy news?"

Wow - they just are just gonna say it like they want to ain't they? No "Glass is Half Full" with this storm.

---Just got word that the Baylor vs Washington St game has been moved to Friday night. I feel certain I can get some free tickets for anyone that wants to come.

Well it will be our first Hurricane. Eduard doesn't count since nothing happened.

According to the maps and the evacuation routes we are located outside of evacuation zone C by about a mile and a half. So, even though the apartment complex has thrown all of the patio furniture into the pool we're goint to stay and ride it out if it doesn't exceed a Cat. 3 storm.

Cat. 4 or 5 then we are advised to get the H3ll out of Houston. Luckily we have family in Austin, with food. And some friends in the Dallas area as well. But how much rain will these areas get as the hurricane dies down? The path touches these places as it heads out of Houston...according to the forecast tracking.

awwwww calling me family now!??!?!? how sweet

Humm maybe someone will have to leave behind their chop top and it will float to austin to me!!!


Good luck all !!
call me if needed.

quote Originally posted by IwannaIRM: we're goint to stay and ride it out if it doesn't exceed a Cat. 3 storm. Cat. 4 or 5 then we are advised to get the H3ll out of Houston.

That's my plan...as for rain, if the hurricane keeps moving we may get less rain than a normal thunderstorm. Rain won't be an issue with Ike. If you are away from the storm surge area then this is primarily a wind event. Most well built structures can withstand 100 mph winds. Flying debris is another story, so if you have the time and energy then board up. Me? I'm just too tired for all that work, I'm going to play the odds. The chance of the eyewall hitting your house is extremely slim. This storm is not intensifying which is good news.

Tim, thanks for your kind offer.

Jeenifer and I will be happy to evacuate to your house this wekend.

quote Originally posted by blakeinspace: Tim, thanks for your kind offer. Jeenifer and I will be happy to evacuate to your house this wekend.

You beat me to it. Anyway, Illinois is a little far.

quote Originally posted by blakeinspace: Tim, thanks for your kind offer. Jeenifer and I will be happy to evacuate to your house this wekend.

Evacuate?

quote Originally posted by blakeinspace: Jeenifer and I will be happy to evacuate to your house this wekend.

You are welcome to come here and enjoy the storm with me....bring cookies!

BTW - My neighbor took pity on the Indy and invited me to park it in her driveway instead of on the street. I took her up on her offer.

[This message has been edited by jscott1 (edited 09-11-2008).]

Are any Houston are Fiero owners still on-line???

Still dry here south of town, right now the winds are from the North on the clean side. So good so far, but it's going to get a lot worse before it gets better.

Looters are already prowling the area...Good thing for the 2nd Amendment...and in Texas you can use deadly force to protect your property.

quote Originally posted by jscott1: Looters are already prowling the area...Good thing for the 2nd Amendment...and in Texas you can use deadly force to protect your property.

And, your neighbors. Lock and Load!

Ron

quote Originally posted by blackrams: And, your neighbors. Lock and Load! Ron

Exactly...you can "Joe Horn" somebody if you see them prowling around your neighbor's house. Since my Fiero is parked in my neighbor's yard I have two reasons!

[This message has been edited by jscott1 (edited 09-12-2008).]

Just be sure to position them coming at you..

quote Originally posted by chane: Just be sure to position them coming at you..

As Joe demonstrated, that's optional.

We left Beaumont yesterday @ 1130 am we arrived in Fort Worth around 942 pm
Move my cars to my trigger happy neighbor

[This message has been edited by BMTFIERO (edited 09-12-2008).]

Good Luck down there brothers!... I don't know if your believers in the faith, but I will be praying for you.

Jon... we may not have a hotel (or a beach for that matter!) to have an event in October.
Watching the news... I think the whole island is going to be covered...

Wonder what they did all the beautiful warbirds at the Flight Museum on the island?

They usually take them to Harleington/Brownsville or Ft Worth. Out of "Harms Way".

When Rita came for a visit a while back, we lost all power at 11pm that Friday night. The center eyewall is supposed to pas within 40 miles of my home here on the lake. Then move north up IH45 to Dallas an Oklahoma City. So If you guys don't hear from me for a while, I'll catch you guys , and gals Amber, when we are back up on the net.

Joe & Cathy Crawford
Lake Livingston, Texas

All is well at:
702pm
800pm Tornado watch issued. Center is still 125 miles away. Strong winds outside
920pm power came back on. Was off for 10 min's
1014pm Signing off,see you guys tomorrow ?

[This message has been edited by josef644 (edited 09-12-2008).]

Stay safe all. I'm inside for the duration now. This is going to be quite bad I am afraid, and I fear the worst for Galveston and Baytown as well.

We're still here. The wind has picked up some and we get some off/on sprinkles.

We think we have all the provisions we need. A lot of water and dry goods. Our biggest worry is when the power goes out. We'll see what happens.

quote Originally posted by IwannaIRM: We're still here. The wind has picked up some and we get some off/on sprinkles. We think we have all the provisions we need. A lot of water and dry goods. Our biggest worry is when the power goes out. We'll see what happens.

My 4th or 5th hurricane, or Tropical Storm . Be prepared for several days of no AC. It took us 8 days to get power back on after Rita hit.

[This message has been edited by josef644 (edited 09-12-2008).]

Just lost power... I have about 5 minutes before the UPS craps out and I lose the internet... See you folks on the other side.

May God Keep you and all those that are on the road or have deceided to batten down the hatches and waited it out.
Our prayers are with you.

This hunkering down Sucks!... the eyewall is going right over me.Posting by cell phone. I've moved into the closet. &fraid something is going to poke through the window. Proud 1 &nd Proud2 are fine. Pray for the Indy.

quote Originally posted by jscott1: This hunkering down Sucks!... the eyewall is going right over me.Posting by cell phone. I've moved into the closet. &fraid something is going to poke through the window. Proud 1 &nd Proud2 are fine. Pray for the Indy.

Closet?--Get down to Galevston with the surfboard and catch some of the waves while they are good.

Wishing all is well for everyone... watching it on tv now, looks scary

You are all in my prayers. God Speed.

We are still thinking about you. Let us know if everything turns out okay. The storm is clearly inland at this point.

Best of luck to all. You're in our thoughts.

We made it through with no damage. No electricity since 3am. I am on my laptop using dial up. jscott1 I think Galveston Is deceased. Major damage there, but no loss of life reported yet.
Joe & Cathy Crawford

Glad to hear you made it. Little worried about maryjane and calamityjane. They were just on the east side of the eye when it went through there.
Pics on TV from Houston don't look too good either.
We are getting wind and rain from it up here now and the rain still hasn't quit in Houston!

I made it through...but I have no electricity and probably won't have it for weeks. I barely have cell phone service.

No major damage...Zi lost about 70% of my fence Fiero 4 and 5 took minor damage. Proud 1 and Proud 2 are fine. Proud 3 (Indy) got wind driven rain, but so did my house. Thanks for the good thoughts.
I don't think Galveston Ruckus is realistic for 2008.
Blake will have to make an executive decision.

Glad to hear that you are safe.

quote Originally posted by 2farnorth: Glad to hear that you are safe.

+1

Been watching the news on and off all day -- amazing to hear that, so far, only two fatalities from such a massive storm. Good to hear that the news here on-list is coming in good so far. Maybe all the positive thoughts and Zen did do some good

Sounds like it's all over but for the cleanup now.................


-jeff d

quote Originally posted by jscott1: I don't think Galveston Ruckus is realistic for 2008. Blake will have to make an executive decision.

Glad to hear you are okay, we watched til 3am last night with our fingers crossed.

As for the Ruckus, not realistic due to actual storm damage in Galveston or because of other issues you will have to deal with? It looked to me that alot of the tourist areas of Galveston might be alright (and the Flagship survived!), but it's hard to tell. If it's a planning issue, that's certainly understandable... but could we not just show up and play it by ear? That may not be a popular idea, I was just really excited about Galveston. Are we thinking move it or postpone it? I for one would vote to move it (if need be), rather than postpone as I know many people have taken off work already. Any ideas where we would move it to?

I'm happy to hear that so many are checking back in.
I've been watcing this unfold on the news all day, and have been checking in, here, looking for good news.

Y'all are in my prayers.

I know this is of little concern to most people, right now, but Ga Power (and Alabama and Mississippi, I'm sure) will be rolling crews your way by Sunday morning, to assist in the power restoration efforts. (I certainly can't claim credit for this. I'm just relaying info that comes across the emails.)