FEMA, you owe me a hurricane.

Yes, we evacuated.  No, I don't think this was a rash or panicked decision.  Here's why.

When we left the storm was tracked to make a direct hit on Galveston.  We've got trees and the house was VERY likely to be damaged.  That plus the power outages and I didn't really feel like messing with all that.  We didn't have boards for the windows.  It could have been a mess.

Plus my lovely wife has never been in a hurricane.

Also, category 5 hurricanes are nothing to mess with, even if you live across town like me.

 

But after 16 hours on the road (2 of them in Livingston looking for gas, 4 stuck in traffic in Livingston) the radio guy said the storm turned toward Beaumont and Lake Charles.  So, being on the north west side of town, we decided to cut it back home and relax for the weekend.  16 hours out, 1.5 hours back.

And we didn't even lose a branch.  Storm passed 100 miles to our east and was downgraded to a cat-3 by the time it hit land.

Of course, we can say it was a dud all we want.  The fact is that the folks in Beaumont and points east who got socked pretty hard don't think it was a dud.  They're hurting, and we're there for them.  If you're sitting without electricity or water, it's a pretty bad hurricane. 

The fact is, though, it could have been worse.  Much, much worse.

 

All in all, I think it was a pretty good job for the first ever mass evacuation of the city of Houston and surrounding parts.  That's a lot of people to put on the road.  Good job.  And next time, LEAVE THE SECOND CAR AT HOME YOU FREAKIN MORONS!  IT'S A CAR!  IT'S JUST A FREAKIN' CAR!  You and your 5 SUVs for 6 people are part of the problem, not the solution.  And enough of the topping off every 5 miles.

 

The good news is that I got a ready made excuse from God not to run!  Whoohoo!!!!

A friend e-mailed me and asked if I was worried that I wouldn't be able to run this weekend.  I replied that I wasn't exactly "worried"...  more like jubilant.

 

20k coming up this weekend.  Am I ready?  I'll tell you Sunday.