These dang storms.

[Blue88Comanche]

Sunday dad and I are headed to Church in Tuscaloosa to bring up the supply donations we have collected.

[jeepdoggydogB]

I hope everyone down there is ok. I did two rotations in Alabama for work in February and March. I based out of Alabaster and Anniston and met some really nice people. We are sending out two planes tomorrow morning to map the damage. On a side note I saw some video on FoxNews that showed a red swb Comanche that was somehow spared while everything around it was leveled, this was in Cullman County.

 

Cullman county is the next county west of me. They took a hard hit. I had to drive 100 miles south today in the MJ to find gas for the generator, and the devastation was horrible. The power lines were still on the roads but the trees had already been cleared. Several line crews on-site from NC, SC, VA, etc. giving our local boys a hand. Man, I've been thru the Mt. Pinatubo volcanic eruption, Typhoon Paka that leveled Guam, and numerous other typhoons, and this ranks right up there. 280 body count so far and many more unaccounted for. And dead animals and birds everywhere in the fields. Damn vultures and turkey buzzards survived though. We were very lucky in my area, just trees transplanted, but the main TVA feed from N. Alabama that 90% on the rest of the state was completely wiped out. I think we're in for many many more days w/o power. The Inet comes on maybe 1-2 hours a day, so that's good. We're stocked up pretty well on food, have water, and the generator will power the fridges to keep stuff from rotting. And the brew cold. :cheers:

Don,

I cannot even imagine anything worse than Paka on Guam! Sounds like your area dodged a big one let's hope no more storms are coming to your area, the South has endured more than its fair share of misery this year. Best of luck and if there is anyway I can help PM me. :cheers:

[HOrnbrod]

Don, I cannot even imagine anything worse than Paka on Guam! Sounds like your area dodged a big one let's hope no more storms are coming to your area, the South has endured more than its fair share of misery this year. Best of luck and if there is anyway I can help PM me. :cheers:

 

Thanks Joe. I was in Japan TDY when Paka hit Guam, and could not get out for a week to go home as the Guam civilian airport runway was closed due to debris. Finally got a ride back on a C130 to Andersen AFB. Mama handled it alone with the kids and did well as always. We were w/o power for over two months in that ordeal, but was a piece of cake compared to Pinatubo. :ack: Always had a generator since those times.

 

Still no power here except via generator, but at least now I can get gas locally by waiting in line for a couple of hours. They're talking more storms coming thru Wed/Thurs next week. Took a long ride thru the boonies today on the bike and after all the wreckage I saw, we were very fortunate here. Ran into an all-black line crew from Sumter, SC down here clearing trees and restoring aerial power lines, and stopped to thank every one of them. Great bunch of guys busting their @$$ to help. Was a wonderful experience talking with these dedicated guys in the middle of nowhere, AL.

 

My daughter recovered her car today from her ex-house in Tuscaloosa, lots of dents and scratches from the fallen trees, but it's drivable. Lots of looting going on down there as there always is by the scumbags. Curfews in place and the cops are doing a great job. UA has cancelled finals and is letting the students out early as they are nearly dead in the water power-wise. She's been out leading her AF ROTC troops helping out in the more devastated Tuscaloosa civilian community areas and hopefully she will be coming home in a few days. She's tough as nails because she's been through a lot worse in some of the places she where grew up and learned well. Ah well, we be making it. :cheers:

[jeepdoggydogB]

Don, I cannot even imagine anything worse than Paka on Guam! Sounds like your area dodged a big one let's hope no more storms are coming to your area, the South has endured more than its fair share of misery this year. Best of luck and if there is anyway I can help PM me. :cheers:

 

Thanks Joe. I was in Japan TDY when Paka hit Guam, and could not get out for a week to go home as the Guam civilian airport runway was closed due to debris. Finally got a ride back on a C130 to Andersen AFB. Mama handled it alone with the kids and did well as always. We were w/o power for over two months in that ordeal, but was a piece of cake compared to Pinatubo. :ack: Always had a generator since those times.

 

Still no power here except via generator, but at least now I can get gas locally by waiting in line for a couple of hours. They're talking more storms coming thru Wed/Thurs next week. Took a long ride thru the boonies today on the bike and after all the wreckage I saw, we were very fortunate here. Ran into an all-black line crew from Sumter, SC down here clearing trees and restoring aerial power lines, and stopped to thank every one of them. Great bunch of guys busting their @$$ to help. Was a wonderful experience talking with these dedicated guys in the middle of nowhere, AL.

 

My daughter recovered her car today from her ex-house in Tuscaloosa, lots of dents and scratches from the fallen trees, but it's drivable. Lots of looting going on down there as there always is by the scumbags. Curfews in place and the cops are doing a great job. UA has cancelled finals and is letting the students out early as they are nearly dead in the water power-wise. She's been out leading her AF ROTC troops helping out in the more devastated Tuscaloosa civilian community areas and hopefully she will be coming home in a few days. She's tough as nails because she's been through a lot worse in some of the places she where grew up and learned well. Ah well, we be making it. :cheers:

Thanks for the update Don, glad to hear you, Momma, and the children are OK. :cheers: Let me know if the beer gets low!

[fiatslug87]

I read there were fatalities in Arab, glad you're O.K. Don.

[HOrnbrod]

My daughter came home last night from Tuscaloosa. This video her and her AF ROTC mates helped shoot. She's heading back tomorrow to help out with food, clothes, etc.

 

[HOrnbrod]

WE HAVE POWER!!!! YAY!!!! :jump:

 

 

Power was down from Wednesday night until Monday night. But over 1/2 of the state is still down. The olde Harbor Freight generator performed flawlessly. IB a happy MOFO now. :D