Bill Stoneberg Posted September 22, 2005 Share Posted September 22, 2005 Even though I live 50 miles from the coast, I am getting ready to head into Central Texas tommorrow morning. I have boarded up the house to protect it from the big tree in our backyard and we have our suitcases and picture albums packed.Its really hard walking through a house trying to decide what to take and what not. In the end, we took 1 suitcase apiece and 1 picture album apiece and a cooler full of foor and drinks. Both Dee and I feel that they are only possesions and our lives are worth more then they are.I am leaving all my chrome and car parts in the house and trusting God to protect it.Houston is closed the next few days and all the roads are full. The gas stations and grocery stores are even worse, but everyone is being polite. You haven't heard of anyone getting shot over gas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest my3buicks Posted September 22, 2005 Share Posted September 22, 2005 God be with everyone in the path of Rita. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest sixpack2639 Posted September 22, 2005 Share Posted September 22, 2005 Have a safe trip Bill and everyone else "running" from Rita. Our thoughts and prayers are with you all. Carl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
50jetback Posted September 22, 2005 Share Posted September 22, 2005 Bill, Have previously had to make similar decisions here with bushfires and know what your going through. My best wishes go to you and Dee and all your fellow Texans.Hoping all goes well and we can still catch up for that beer next month.There's an old Australian saying " she'll be right mate " , lets hope it's true on this occasion. Stuart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest imported_MrEarl Posted September 22, 2005 Share Posted September 22, 2005 My heart goes out to all of you in the path of Rita...I've been living with her for 24 years. I'm sorry, I just had to go ahead and get that out. Seriously my heart does go out to everyone who will be affected by this storm, especially those who are going throuh it a second time. May God bless and take care. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest invicta592 Posted September 22, 2005 Share Posted September 22, 2005 Good Luck, and I hope that you, and everyone else affected, are back home soon.Best Wishes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reatta Man Posted September 22, 2005 Share Posted September 22, 2005 Bill, Good luck and be safe. Even though we are 100+ miles inland here in the San Antonio area, EVERYONE is taking this one seriously. The emergency generator is gassed up, and I only have one last run to make to get some emergency supplies. Ironically, the Katrina evacuees have been moved out of the Houston Astrodome because......it has a GLASS roof!What a strange year!Joe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deltawingpilot Posted September 22, 2005 Share Posted September 22, 2005 Alot of folk's are headed here to San Antonio, Tx. and the traffic on the east side of town is horrable. So if your headed here, alow lots of extra time. I am so proud of my town, we still have an unreal amount of people from "Katrina" and now more are coming! I still say that's why the "Spur's" are so great.We have a town that has a Heart and this town has so much to offer bcause of it's wounderfull people! Bill, if your coming here let me know in a private msg maybe we can get together fo a cup of coffe. Hans Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Stoneberg Posted September 22, 2005 Author Share Posted September 22, 2005 I have made it to my Sister's house this afternoon in Temple Texas this afternoon. Its only 180 miles from home but it took us 10 hours to get here. It would have taken us longer but I know back roads.All the freeways leaving Houston are full, 14 - 20 hours from Houston to Dallas 12 to Austin and San Antonio.I guess that happens when you try to evacuate 3.5 million people in 3 days time. I am glad I left when I did.I ran into some great people on the road, including a family from the east part of town who had left 6 hours earlier then I did. Theyt were makig sandwhiches, so I traded cokes for sandwhiches. I also met this great fireman who unlocked my car door after I locked myself out while getting gas. All in all not a bad trip except for the time it took.Now time to get a frosty mug....Stuart, I will let you know whats going on after the storm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Judd Posted September 23, 2005 Share Posted September 23, 2005 Bill Good move! We are 60 miles from the coast and 100 miles east of where the eye wall was but still had tree on the roof and fence down with Katrina. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old-tank Posted September 23, 2005 Share Posted September 23, 2005 Hey BillGlad you and Dee had a safe trip...sounds like an extension of our summer adventure!I cannot believe that anyone from Houston went north. It seems that everyone is on IH-10 going west to San Antonio. Last night on my way home from work at midnight heading east from San Antonio to Seguin 30 miles away the westbound traffic was constant and congested, and it was worse tonight. On my way into work at 2p I could not even get on the interstate and had to take the 'scenic route' and that was somewhat congested also (seems some from Houston have maps and an imagination and will try alternate routes). At least I could go east to Seguin since at Seguin the eastbound lanes had westbound traffic all the way to Katy. All of the service stations had long lines and some I understand have had trouble keeping pumps open. At least the prices have not went up much (3c since yesterday). Cell phone service is sporatic due I guess to overload.Give me a call or come by this weekend if your relatives run out of beer and we can plot an escape route to Katy.Willie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vito_d Posted September 23, 2005 Share Posted September 23, 2005 good luck bill... be safe... god bless...come to arizona if ya need a place to stay...vito Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest imported_MrEarl Posted September 23, 2005 Share Posted September 23, 2005 Willie, I hope you are on high ground. I'm hearing that the storm will likely stall and dump lots of rain up your way. Everybody in Texas is on my prayer list. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 53Nailhead Posted September 23, 2005 Share Posted September 23, 2005 Hey Bill, I've been watching the news & they keep showing the Katy Hwy. all jammed up, so I've been thinking about you & your family. Hope everything works out exactly the way you want it to...God speed!!Les Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old-tank Posted September 23, 2005 Share Posted September 23, 2005 Lamar We are 200+ miles west of the predicted landfall, so we will just get a hot north wind (30mph) and little or no rain.On Wednesday night for the 20 miles I drive east on IH10 I was passed by a constant stream of buses.Looks like New Orleans will get more action...Willie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Stoneberg Posted September 23, 2005 Author Share Posted September 23, 2005 A sad story from the local paper.....CONROE - A young Pasadena boy who was evacuating with his parents and unintentionally left behind at a convenience store today is back with his family, police said.The 10-year-old boy was reunited with his father around 3 a.m. today, said Conroe police spokesman Sgt. Bob Berry."We just kept calling his mother's cell phone,'' Berry said.Child Protective Services in Dallas, meanwhile, got involved and made contact with the father."He made it here, and they turned around and went back to Dallas," Berry said.The family, traveling in a five-car caravan from Pasadena to Dallas to escape Hurricane Rita, stopped at a Conroe store Thursday and forgot to check for the boy before they left, police said.Police received a call from the store about noon and took the boy to the police station, where he stayed until his father arrived.Berry said he did not talk to the father, but said he thinks the parents probably thought the boy had gotten into another family member's car and did not realize he was missing until they all reached Dallas."It was strictly unintentional,'' he said. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imported_buick5563 Posted September 24, 2005 Share Posted September 24, 2005 Bill,I'm glad you made it safely. I ran into a guy tonight who was working on an offshore rig who was dumped in Austin with his 60 lb. backpack and three days per diem. I bought him some "dinner" and some smokes from the Diamond Shamrock, but he was a bit too drunk to offer a ride to. I noticed a bunch more traffic up this way, too. I have a bunch of friends in Houston, who are gonna ride it out. They said traffic was a worse nightmare than the storm. I wish them well.Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Stoneberg Posted September 25, 2005 Author Share Posted September 25, 2005 I am home now with power, food and some gas.West Houston was spared the storm. I hardly got any rain at all out of this, just sprinkles and wind according to my neighbors.I came home back roads again just in case.Would I leave again ? Yes, in a heartbeat. The next time though I will leave earlier.Thanks for all your prayers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jscheib Posted September 25, 2005 Share Posted September 25, 2005 Bill,Glad to see you are back home and safe and sound. I do not recall seeing anything in the prior messages (just scanned them) - what did you do with your cars?. True they are just that -cars, and certainly not a priority when family safety comes first, but it must be difficult to leave these cars behiend.John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Stoneberg Posted September 26, 2005 Author Share Posted September 26, 2005 I left my 88 station wagon and my 98 dodge truck in the driveway. Dee and I did not want to take 2 cars and be seperated, so we took the newest truck. After talking to friends who took 2 cars, I am glad we were together.My 47 is still being fixed in Cleveland and the 50 is still at the woodworkers in Fargo so they were both safe and sound.Thanks for asking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now