Incoming

I started my preps two days ago, which turned out to be a day late. Forecasters like Ryan Hall have been talking about the storm for a week, but with the track uncertain I waited. Then Wednesday the governor made an announcement concerning the storm, and the panic buying ensued. The prediction here is for .5-1.3 inches of ice, which coupled with high winds is catastrophic, and all of it to be followed by frigid temps that will hang on next week.

Luckily I was off Thursday and got to the freshly stocked stores in the morning to get some supplies- ramen, canned tuna and crackers, some ham, instant oatmeal, bread, 2-cycle oil for the chainsaw. Most of Thursday was spent shopping unfortunately, which left the hard work of prepping the house for Friday. Blowing the leaves off the back deck, filling that hole in the foundation brick with spray foam, making sure there’s gas in the truck and cans. Unfortunately no one within a few hundred miles has any one pound propane canisters. I have a little left, but was hoping to use my camp stove to cook when the power goes out. Marsha hates grilled food so we don’t own one, but now I’m seeing a decent having a propane grill as an emergency prep.

The last thing I did Friday was change out the filter on our air handler and vacuum out our cold air returns. Our system struggles to keep up when temps go below 20 degrees and every little bit helps.

I did all this and more, but when the afternoon model from the National Weather Service Friday the news was dire. Catastrophic amounts of ice coupled with 30 mile an hour winds, and our place is in the bullseye. We have 12 acres, with a 900 foot long driveway surrounded by trees. Water oaks and sweet gums, the crappiest trees in the South. We will definitely have limbs if not whole trees down. So we made the call to get a hotel room They’re pet friendly. I’ll pack the Jet Boil and some oatmeal and ramen. Waffle House is right down the street. I’ll turn off the water, drain the pipes and hope for the best. I’ll throw out some more sunflower seeds for the birds and squirrels and leave the place to them.

Obviously keeping power at the hotel isn’t guaranteed, but with underground utilities and the substation nearby, the odds are better.

I fully expect a major disaster here. The forecast has only strengthened. We don’t have the infrastructure to deal with a storm like this. This storm stretches from Colorado to Boston, with a vast swath of ice predicted from Texas to Tennessee, Alabama to Maryland, and heavy deep snow all across the middle of the country to the East Coast. Emergency services and all resources will be stretched thin to breaking across 2300 miles of the country. A whole lot of folks are going to be on their own, stuck in the cold with whatever supplies they have to hand.

I’m going to pack a small bag, the Jet Boil, some food, and the pups. I’ll bring my chainsaw, fuel and bar oil so I can cut my way back into the place on Monday. I really don’t want to stay at a hotel, but losing power is certain and we’re just not set up for this despite all I’ve done to harden the place.

Hopefully it’s not that bad. I’ll be taking a good look around on my way out. I’m pretty certain it won’t look the same when I get back.