The coast is just getting through with some of the cleanup from Gustuv, folks are headed back home or are already there and now we get another projected nsty one coming. I've got friends in Mobile and Kenny in LA. Having been caught in 2 nasty Hurricanes in 79 The one that slammed South Carolina then a week later Alabama, I know how un-fun they can be.In both cases, I was far enough from the coast not to have to deal with storm surge, but the sideways rain Hurts when it hits you

My fear is for the oil rigs and refineries. For Gustuv we got a 14 cent price increase just based on fear. It has since come back down. So now what this time.?

It seems the older I get the more I detest these things. When you're forecast to be on the east side of the storms, there is nothing like sitting and waiting on what you know isn't going to be pretty. It's like staring down the barrel of a shotgun. You're either going to get a part of it or the full force. Either way, it stinks.

I've already called Renee and told her to pick between my aunt's house in Natchitoches or my cousin's in Monroe. Even if it wobbles and heads south, the path this storm is on means trouble for Galveston and especially for Houston.

Crap.

Yep...

We have seen it here on the news the trail of destruction the trio has made so far: Gustav, Hannah and Ike! And there's anlso Juliet forming up...
It's one of those things that we can not control, just have to take cover and hope for the best.
Stay safe!!!!!!

Rui

Today's track takes Ike south with landfall somewhere between Corpus Christi and Brownsville, Texas. The hurricane expert on the Weather Channel last night said that if Ike keeps his speed up, the track may take him as far down as the Mexican coast.

Kenny

Well, I don't wish this on anybody, mate, but I'm glad that it is changing course...you guys down there have had enuff....

Amen!

Not that I want anyone getting hit, but just so they stay away from Cozumel until after November 13th.

Good to see this one is taking a different path.

Lets not get to wishing for too much now. Big gasoline refinery around Brownsville. bad enough that it will shut down a couple of days but a direct hit in the area could cause power outs and enough damage to shut it down for a month or so. Then that will give gs companies to shoot cost of gas up 40 or 50 cents.

First effects. It looks like HOuston Galveston is going to take brunt. Biggest gas refinery in US is there. "Cane due to hit the coast in 12 hours. Gas prices in Dallas jumped 20 cents in 2 days. By Sunday I figure at least another dime. Sure glad I filled up Wednesday before price jump and I'll get 2 weeks of driving before refill. Folks here are bracing for 60 MPH winds and 8 inches of rain. They are closing the plant where I work, of course I am security thereby making me a secondary citizen in "Who the hell cares if you are in danger". So I get to report in. I figure to be there before weather cmes in and by 8 PM it ought be calmed down. So I'll sit around and read a book or two this weekend. and hope that my house which is further west by 12 miles gets a lessor force coming through.

Good luck Steve

I filled up yesterday morning and paid $3.79. I noticed on the way home last night Regular had gone to $4.19.

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?????????????????????

After watching the news reports, I certainly pray that all our members down that way are safe and sound and start reporting in soon.

I'm here. A little worse for wear with some tattered nerves, but we're safe and with no damage. The storm surge pushed up the Calcasieu River and the bayous some 30+ miles to flood the surrounding communities. The flood waters were higher than Hurricane Rita, and that was a head on shot.

Kenny

Here in dallas, well I've had worse thunderstorms pass through. After all the hype and freak out. We got maybe a half inch to an inch and wind running around 40-50. Just another rainy day in the metroplex. Gas is up 30 cents and appears likely to hang around that price for a bit. There is a gas shortage you know....in Houston. The gougers at it again.

Houston got the crap beaten out of it and Galveston Island which sits about 8 feet above sea level well there wasn't too much standing there anymore. Considering that Houston is not below sea level, I would say was hit much harder than New Orleans. If it had been a bowl like NO, man, I would hate to have seen the devestation. As it was, it blew out windows in most of the skyscrappers and sucked the roof off of the football stadium as well as flooding some of he low lying areas. Luckily evacuation had started early enough and peple took it seriously enough to get out of town. We've got around 20 K statshed in and around the metroplex that came by bus. I saw dozens of POV's loaded down.

Here's some shots of the flooding caused by the storm surge in Lake Charles. Sulphur got some of it too.

Mind you we are 30+ miles inland.








And here's a refugee...

Good grief! It looks like Scotland in summer!

... Apart from the wee Croc thingy.

Hope you chaps are all safe and well!

Hey! I know that bridge! I'm glad that you were spared the brunt of it again and made it through ok. Maybe this is the end of the season....


Natchitoches...Nice people there. Some folks took pity on us out there on a convoy control point one day and brought us BBQ! yum yum.

The photo of the baby gator...is that down by the civic center?

I saw it in the news and the scary predictions on Galveston (those images on the waterfront looked scary as s***) - as well as the USCG saving the two guys and the dog, before Ike hit the coast - but those are really impressive images, especially because you're so far inland!
Those waters should be filled with those little gators (and their bigger brothers too, right?).

Keep safe Kenny

Rui

At 12:45am, Sulphur Police responded to a possible intruder call here in town. When they showed up, it was a 10ft alligator sitting on the guy's back porch.

Special Visitor

Kenny

They like hot dogs. George, at Fort Polk, preferred Oscar Meyers..... The occasional road-kill cat ..and the General's ducks.

Thanks for article Ken.