# howdy, preparing for Ike



## RonInSpringTX (Sep 12, 2008)

hey, all been a while since I've contributed, had to replace half of the back fence, plus took a vacation to Corpus Christi, then I had to get ready for a craft show. Now, this fricking hurricane, we're trying to hunker down as well as we can. Got ice, 7 frozen 2 liter bottles for "block ice" flashlights, batteries, crank up radio, got the backyard secure, I hope, 5 bbq pits chained up, patio chairs etc. roped up to the deck. Got gas in the truck, but wife wants to pull it into the shop (garage) so I gotta move all my machines to one side...UUUGGGHHH. Anywho, gotta tape the windows munyana, and see if anyone got anymore ice, (got 2 bags, but who know's ???) Hopefully it will take a turn hard left or right, but we don't have any control over that!!  It looks like it's taking a left, I just hope so, the farther south or north the better. Well, wish us luck...will try to let ya know what happens.  
Later

Ronnie  Spring,TX


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## snowman56 (Sep 12, 2008)

Ron
Look's like landfall will be south of Galveston at a cat three in the am on Sat. I Live in the Beaumont area we are expecting 80/90 mile per hr. wind by landfall. We are staying as well as alot of other's in the area.


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## Monty (Sep 12, 2008)

Ron,
I'm staying in Pearland for the duration. I'll do final preps this morning. Dion (dntrost)and Rob (great12b4ever) are in Conroe and George (Old Wrangler) is staying in Spring also.


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## Rojo22 (Sep 12, 2008)

You guys stay safe.  They are talking the surge with this storm is going to be massive, somewhere between 15 and 20 feet.  The weather service has issued a very blunt and direct statement to those folks close to the coast.  1 and 2 story buildings are not expected to make it through the storm surge.

Let us know how things are going for you if you can.  Stay safe.


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## altaciii (Sep 12, 2008)

Ron,
We were hunkered down here in Corpus, then he goes and veers off.  Officials here saying "leave your boards up, wait till he passes".  Good luck up there, keep your head down and we'll say a prayer for everyone up there.


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## Verne (Sep 12, 2008)

Hey all, we are hunkering down just east of Alvin at my Sons. We "think" we are ready. Our house in Houston has never flooded before but this one looked a little worse than those before. So, here we are. Keep good thots till we come out the other side.
Just a really nice breeze this morning. Can't imagine those that have passed before us without all the news and communication. Just a beautiful day and WHAM!
Everyone in the path stay safe, we will pray for safety for all,
Vern


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## dntrost (Sep 12, 2008)

Lucky all of those that Monty mentioned are out the surge area and pretty far inland.  But the wind, rain and tornados are what we need to watch for.  Thanks to George and Monty I am as prepared as we can be. We are not asked to evacuate we are told to shelter in place which we will do!  We have put anything that can fly into our garage and my daughter who lives downtown (very prone to flooding) is here with us.  As long as we have power we will keep everyone up to date....
Thanks for thinking about us...


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## TellicoTurning (Sep 12, 2008)

I'm keeping all fingers and toes crossed for you guys... I went through Allison, actually wound up spending nearly 24 hours at a funeral home on between the beltway and I10.. that's a far as I got on the way home.. we had 2 feet of water in the parking lot and probably a foot in my car.  I saw people wading out walking chest deep in the water.  

I sat in Humble with all my possessions packed and stacked in the garage waiting for the moving truck with Rita... we had just sold the house and was due to do closing on Monday after Rita came through... just got a little rain and wind.  

Keep safe and let us know how all are as soon as you can.


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## OldWrangler (Sep 12, 2008)

At 70, I have lived through a bunch of these storms. I've had 9' of water in the house in 1994, I've had a limb through the roof in 1982 and I've been without power for as long as 2 weeks one time but we always survive and come back. This one looks like it is right on for hitting us and might be really bad so we'll watch and run if we have to but meanwhile it is life as usual. 

Good luck to all of us in "harm's way".

Besides I got so much of Mannie's CA that if things get really bad, I'll just drizzle everything together!!!!!!


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## Jim15 (Sep 12, 2008)

Good luck Ron and all others in the path of the storm. Prayers coming your way.


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## DocStram (Sep 12, 2008)

We'll be praying for you guys and your families.  Good luck!


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## TBone (Sep 12, 2008)

To all of our friends in Texas, especially the ones in the direct path.  My prayers are with you for a safe return to normal.


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## Rudy Vey (Sep 12, 2008)

If those who decided to stay and out-ride the storm, get out as long as you can leave safely. I just read an article on the internet that a cop recommended to people that decided to stay that they should write their names and SSN on their arms - for easier identification! When they heard him saying so, they decided to get out!


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## bitshird (Sep 12, 2008)

Good Luck folks, may the great one keep you in his hands


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## workinforwood (Sep 12, 2008)

Yes, I hear about writing your SSN on your body too!  That's crazy stuff.  Throw your lathe in the back of the truck and come on up to Michigan.  I have an extra bed in the basement, lots of wood in the shop, food, beer, whatever you need.  If the storm comes up this way, it won't be anything more than a 3/4 inch rainfall by then.  On the other hand, both my neighbors have been gone for ever, their houses are nice, and they are vacant.  They wouldn't even know you were there!  Just move in, squatters rights!


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## Monty (Sep 12, 2008)

Got everything boarded up and hopefully secured. At about 5PM Houston time, we are just starting to feel the outer fringes of Ike. Wind is 20-30 MPH and no rain yet. 
  Tomorrow after Ike passes, if I still have a phone line, I’ll post when I have my generator running. Had to lower my antenna for my internet connection.  Man this dial-up is slow. Forgot how slow.
Watching the news, the Coast Guard and National Guard have already had to evacuate about 100 people from the west end of Galveston Island and Bolivar peninsula. People got up this morning to a higher storm surge than they were expecting and couldn't get out.


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## great12b4ever (Sep 12, 2008)

Well it looks like the eye of Ike will pass almost right over the top of my house.  Monty, I live in Cloverleaf, not Conroe.  Cloverleaf is a small un-incorporated area between Channelview and Houston City Limits.  We are just north of I-10 and just west of Beltway 8.  Anyway we have winds and rain now at our house, but no flooding yet, but it is only a little after 5 pm on Friday, so I expect it to get a little worse as Ike gets closer.


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## workinforwood (Sep 12, 2008)

How about that lonely guy all by himself on that island over the hill.  Any Vegas odds on him yet?


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## Verne (Sep 12, 2008)

5:30 from between Alvin and Santa Fe: Just had a really good burst, guestimated at 50 or so, almost blew me over standing straight and a bit of heavy rain. So, He's acoming, I'll try to keepyou updated till the power goes out. Then will have to get the generators up and running. Be safe, God Bless all.
Vern


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## MarkHix (Sep 12, 2008)

You guys keep your heads down.  We are kinda worried about you.  Let us know as quick as you can after it passes that you are ok.


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## scoutharps (Sep 12, 2008)

Prayers going out to all the stormies!  My folks are in Pasadena, a few miles from the ship channel.  Is that direct hit area?  I've been gone so long, i can't remember.


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## OldWrangler (Sep 12, 2008)

Pasadena is at the top of Galveston Bay where they expect 20'+ storm surge. I hope your folks are out of there by now. That is a dangerous place to be. It was under mandatory evacuation orders so they are probably gone.
We are 90 miles from the coast and I am beginning to worry that it is not enough. If we are still here in the morning, I'll be happy. We are just starting to get some periodic wind....just gusts. We're gonna lose limbs and power.
Keep us in your prayers.


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## shull (Sep 12, 2008)

Good luck guys.  Keep you and yours safe and check in when its over...


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## OldWrangler (Sep 12, 2008)

Almost 11 pm and wind is steady at 30-35 mph. A little rain but nothing much. Power has flickered a couple of time, just enough to have to reset clocks. Kathy has flashlites out in all the rooms and our biox of batteries close at hand.

I cranked the generator on the patio and it fired on the first pull. Got plenty of gas for it and our basket of extention cords is close at hand. Trash cans are in the garage with all the pot plants. Shop is closed up as is the garage. What more can we do. 

I guess I'm going to bed and get a couple of hours sleep before I get up to check things.

Stay safe............George


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## OldWrangler (Sep 13, 2008)

Almost 1:40 am and we still got power. Wind is strong, rain is hard and lots of tree limbs litter the yard but we still got power. Will check in with y'all in a couple of 3 hours if we still have power.


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## Gary Max (Sep 13, 2008)

From the news Ike is coming in as a Cat 2-----hopefully it will not be real bad.
Keep us updated


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## DocStram (Sep 13, 2008)

Waiting for your report George.  Where are you?


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## jskeen (Sep 13, 2008)

Well, news flash from Crosby, TX.  We've been in the eye since about 5, It's spooky quiet out there, did a quick walkaround, nothing serious broken, one windshield and a few fence boards.  Power went out at midnight.  Won't see that again for a while.  Anyway, everybody ok, will check back in later.


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## Randy_ (Sep 13, 2008)

According to the TV reports (which aren't always based on the best of information), Houston is getting hammered.  Estimated that 3 million people arfe without power and it might take 3 weeks to get all of those folks back on line.  So we may not behearing from some of our members in the Houston/Galveston area for a while.  
 
Hope you guys are all safe!!!

Houston/Galveston is home to a big chunck of US refining capacity.  there was a reoport that the refinerys might be down for a week,,,,,maybe more???  I think a lot of folks are going to see the price of gas skyrocket, temporarily.


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## Daniel (Sep 13, 2008)

I hates the waiting part!


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## airrat (Sep 13, 2008)

Mannie, Rob, Vern, Wrangler all you Houstonions, please sound off.  Let us know.


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## rherrell (Sep 13, 2008)

Verns power must be out because he's not answering my emails. Looks like Houston got hit pretty hard.


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## Fitz (Sep 13, 2008)

My youngest son and his pretty little wife live in Pearland, TX just south of Houston. He called 2 hours ago on a neighbors cellphone. They have lost power and had water damage from wind stripping their roof in places but other than that they didn't have much damage. A few trees down across streets but not as bad as he expected.


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## airrat (Sep 13, 2008)

I just got through to Mannie (Monty)on the phone.  He and his family are doing good, everyone is safe. They are located in the Pearland area.  They lost power at 1230am.  Some minor damage, trees down and fence torn up.  He is taking the boards off the windows so they can have light inside and see.  Starting to clean up what he can.

He is going to try to get online tonight and post.


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## Gary Max (Sep 13, 2008)

Update from Houston--------just got off the phone with Rob (Great12b4ever)----they are fine---house and shop are intact. Telephone poles are down --streets are covered with trees and of course no power but they are safe.
The eye of the storm passed right over them----115 mph winds
Rob has already spotted several trees that is going to harvest for blanks (true woodworker).


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## Monty (Sep 13, 2008)

We made it through OK. Been with out power since about 1AM. Have the generator running and two of the small AC units from my shop in two of the bedrooms so we can sleep comfortably. No major damage, none to the house. Lost about 200' of wood fence, three trees down (lotsa pen blanks) and lotsa broken branches. May have to take a few more completely down before I'm through Got one of the hack berry trees that went down cut up. Looks like it may have some nice spalting. Another one has some mistletoe growing in one of the branches. Can hardly wait to see what it looks like inside.
I'll check in at least once a day to keep up and post some picts when I get may fast connection back.
Any orders for glue may take several days to fill right now so please be patient.


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## el_d (Sep 13, 2008)

Glad to hear you guys are OK. Hopefully others are well too.


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## DocStram (Sep 13, 2008)

Thanks for letting us know how you guys are doing.  Wish we could be there in person to help with the cleanup.


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## RMB (Sep 14, 2008)

Glad you're alright! Hurricane Ike penblanks should fetch a good price, I didn't want to suggest it because it might seem unfeeling,.... but since nobody seems hurt, go get those downed trees!!!


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## Verne (Sep 15, 2008)

Aye Captain, Vern, present and accounted for. 
We just got our phone lines bnack a while ago and checked on over 100 emails. Of course many were BS.
Anywho, spent the evening at my Son's house near Santa Fe. Got really exciting aobut 1am, we had already lost power about 8. Thot we whould have to evacuate because of the rising water and rain was about up to the house. But, it didn't make it. We had some freinds call and ask whatsup cuz our answering machine at home was working. So I drove up to the house Sat eve and lo and behold we had lights. Trees in the front of us, trees in the back of us but nary a tree on the house. Just a very messy yard and the fence was down, maybe 120ft. Good news, son's a fence contractor/builder. 
Anyway, all is well, thanks for the good thots and prayers. We were surely blessed during this event.
Later,
Vern
Oh, Monty, I'm up for a meeting as soon as I get the yard cleaned and the fence up!


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## rherrell (Sep 16, 2008)

Glad you made it through Verne. I was worried there for awhile. It seemed like every TV channel had a reporter in Houston describing how bad it was.


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## rjwolfe3 (Sep 16, 2008)

I didn't think that living here in Ohio that Ike would affect us that much but the remains blew thru here on Saturday.  We had winds over 60mph.  Had no power for the last 2 days.  Just came back on this morning.  I never would have thought that a hurricane could affect us all the way up here.  The radio said over 200,000 in Ohio lost power.  They had to recall all of the crews they sent to LA and TX.  Lots of trees down and me with no chain saw.  But I'm glad all you guys in TX are ok.  I had a good friend living in Pasadena(sp) that I was worried about.


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## Monty (Sep 16, 2008)

rherrell said:


> Glad you made it through Verne. I was worried there for awhile. It seemed like every TV channel had a reporter in Houston describing how bad it was.


Houston and close by areas had some bad areas and alot are still without water and power. But I was really shocked last night when I saw the devastation on Bolivar peninsula, Gilcrest, Crystal Beach and other small beachside communities on highway 87 between Galveston and High Island. Those areas were literally blown off the map......complete destruction with maybe one or two structures still standing. 

Galveston looks as bad as New Orleans after Katrina - http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/hurricane/6003880.html

They rescued 50 survivors from the area yesterday. So far no deaths, which, after seeing the video, is nothing less than a miracle.

My mother-in=law talked to a friend of her's in the Beaumont/Port Arthur area yesterday. They said the destruction and flooding there was worse than Rita in '85.

You can read more about the aftermath of Ike here - http://www.chron.com/


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## Gagler (Sep 17, 2008)

Mannie is right, this one was bad and scared the *$&% out of me riding it out a few miles west of him.  The worst part was listening to the tornadoes and not being able to do anything.  I thought my damage was bad until I emerged and observed what happened to my neighbors - they have it a whole lot worse than I did.  3+ days without power was also an experience.

Here is a pretty extensive collection of the images taken from Bolivar for those interested:

http://jakeabby.com/cb/


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