Dan -
You know me and know I'm in Austin which is 2 hours west of Houston. We got lots of rain here but life is back to normal. But everyone here has friends, family and/or business in Houston. Many have homes along the coast.

We see a steady stream of rescue vehicles and power company trucks heading that way. They are leveraging everyone with boats, air boats, pontoons, etc in the rescue effort. Many of our local law enforcement is there assisting. We are all gathering donations of things like baby food, trash bags, hand sanitizer, bleach, etc.

It is the largest amount of rain for any US storm in history. The homes affected will not be inhabitable for months if at all. This storm did not discriminate- wealthy golf course and lake front homes are gone as are dense urban low income housing.

It is stunning. But also stunning is the scale of generosity and humanity on display. I you haven't seen it, Google the video of cowboys driving stranded cattle to safety, or the Louisiana "Cajun Navy" rolling in with countless boats to help out.

I encourage all Slowtwitchers to give through their charity of choice towRds this effort. It is suffering on a massive scale and frankly the worst is not over yet.

Thanks,
-Doug

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It is the mind itself which builds the body.
-Joseph Pilates

50" of rain is no joke. That was unreal. I live in Cypress, a northwest 'burb of Houston, and home to two creeks prone to flooding. My subdivision was completely underwater until today. I live in a new subdivision so it was well built to handle drainage and all that and it did its job. I haven't heard one report of flooding inside any homes. The streets were like swimming pools and it's unnerving seeing the water rise like that and start creeping up your yard and driveway. All the water receded and we are bone dry right now. Amazing how quickly the drainage system works when it stops actually raining.

I know the surrounding area is really messed up so I count my lucky stars.

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Favorite Gear: Dimond | Cadex | Desoto Sport | Hoka One One

thanks. i'm thinking about the shops i know. webster bicycle. bicycle world (a few of them). johnny z and his group. i'm assuming things in the woodlands are a little better?

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Dan Empfield
aka Slowman

Parts of The Woodlands flooded, but most of us were lucky to stay high and dry. I know Bicycle World in Magnolia looked to be fine earlier today. It's the only shop I've passed by lately though. We haven't ventured out too much. Lots of creeks that flooded around me, so waiting for the water to go down before getting too adventurous.

I heard that Costco here in Madison, and I assume nationally, will match donations. It's a good place to put your money....

We live in the Clear Lake area. We got 45 inches of rain here, and the bayou crested at a record high. We consider ourselves very lucky. The last several days have been difficult, but this morning there is some blue in the sky, and there are hummingbirds in the back yard.

We have been stranded the past few days, but our house is higher than the flood waters. We got lucky. I have never seen anything like this. I kayaked through our neighborhood to check on people. We are on the north side next to the Woodlands. It is amazing seeing the outpouring of help and support through the community. We have been trying to volunteer at shelters, but every place has more than enough help. I hope we are able to get into the city soon to help people who are less fortunate.

I think the real work will begin after in helping people recover and rebuild.

I added some pictures of my neighborhood on my Instagram.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BYWVmlZn214/?hl=en

yikes thanks for sharing those photos they really show a bad scene

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They constantly try to escape from the darkness outside and within
Dreaming of systems so perfect that no one will need to be good T.S. Eliot

I live in the Dallas area, but I have quite a few family members in the surrounding area, mostly east towards Beaumont and Vidor. They have all been (mostly) lucky---in that their streets and yards are flooded, but the houses are high enough above the terrain that they are dry inside (just trapped at home). That said, one cousin on my wife's side was almost done building a new home, and a tree uprooted from the soft soil and winds, then fell onto the unfinished house.

Other houses in their neighborhoods weren't so lucky, and many of them are now staying hunkered down with my family members.

All good over my way (TC J and I-10). Never had any flooding, power or internet go out or anything. Bit of cabin fever is about as bad as it got thankfully.

We went down to the convention Center to donate a bunch of toiletries and other things but like everyone said, the Red Cross is taking all donations and volunteers. Thanks for asking though

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the world's still turning? >>>>>>> the world's still turning

wow. looking at those pictures, and in looking at how both modest and stately homes are victim to the rising water, i am reminded of that verse in the book of matthew: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

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Dan Empfield
aka Slowman

I live on the southwest side of Houston in the Sugar Land/Missouri City area. Subdivision is dry so far but is in a mandatory evacuation area due to concerns with the Brazos River cresting over the many levees in Fort Bend County. The estimates for the river high point had been lowered but we won't know until Thursday at the earliest if we have dodged a bullet because of the flood waters that have to drain out from all the surrounding areas continuing for the next few days. Offices and schools closed until next week at least - and now a new storm in the Atlantic. I am done with Harvey

Thanks Dan.

We're up in The Woodlands a few blocks from the IMTX swim start and thankfully high and dry. Our daughter though, also in The Woodlands, wasn't so fortunate. Much of her neighborhood flooded, including her street and house. The one good thing for her is that she rents the garage apartment so her belonging are fine. She'll be staying with us again until she finds a new place. We spent the day today cleaning out her house (first pic) as well as her neighbors house (second pic).





The small lake behind these houses sits about 50 feet behind the house and about 15 feet lower.

Several things were really cool as we were working today. There was a group uniformed officers from Arlington, TX in the neighborhood helping whoever need help clearing out their house. There were also groups of teenage boys going house to house lending their strong backs to the efforts. Teenage girls were walking the neighborhood with coolers full of drinks passing them out. About every 20 minutes or so someone would drive up with sandwiches, homemade cookies, pizzas, fired chicken, coffee, etc. The support was amazing.

oh, man. that's going to just be rough. it's going to be rough on those who don't have flood insurance. i just bought earthquake insurance on my home and if we get a big one, most of the folks out where i am don't have it. (we're overdue for a big one).

it's just heartbreaking. i have been hearing from my houston peeps. lars finanger is okay so far where he is in the woodlands. johnny z sent me a text. they're okay. they're doing some distribution of goods out of their location from what i hear, but are unhappy about the inability to do any training. i think a lot of houstonians are going to have to deal with training disruptions. for those who have that as their biggest worry, they're lucky.

damned good thing your daughter's a renter.

very nice to hear about the local support. i'm on the lookout for stories like that.

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Dan Empfield
aka Slowman

Dan, I'm not sure if it beyond the scope of this forum but figured I'd make the suggestion / offer: I have triplet 7 year olds (two girls and a boy) and have a bunch of clothes I can spare (sizes 4-5, 6-7) if anyone is in need.

For the sake of clarification, I'm offering clothes to anyone with little ones in need, not my kids. :)

Please PM me if you fit this category.

I live just north of Austin and am lucky to just have had my fence blown down.

  
I live in the Meyerland area of Houston. Our area was hard hit with the flooding a couple of years ago. This year we again were above the flood waters but our daughter and her family were not. On Monday morning my wife and hiked a half mile to her house. We had cross a creek with water about chest (my chest) level and a moderate current. We crossed the road on the South side feeling that if we were swept away we could catch the guard rail on the North side. We had to make two trips. First trip I carried my 2 1/2 year old grandchild across. My daughter Melissa was hanging onto me and crying. Cynthia (my wife) was hanging on to Melissa. I pulled and carried all of us through the water. I carried Evelyn (grand daughter) in one of the chest harnesses. I tried, successfully, to make it game for her as we waded through. She laughed most of the way. The deep water crossing was only maybe 150 yards but the rest of the trip was about knee deep. We had to pass two overturned port-o-potties that were upstream but I figured all that waste had probably washed away by the time we went through.

The second trip we carried the two dogs in a raft (that we did not have access to the first trip), and Melissa's partner. I also carried what felt like all of their belongings. The second trip I realized: why am I wearing a rain coat?

Our house remained above flood water but the roads were not passable until Wednesday morning. Melissa's house had water in the garage and the laundry room and lost power. We lost internet for a few hours.

We walked them back home Tuesday evening after helping clean the house. I worked out Tuesday evening, the first time since Thursday.

I have pictures on the home computer. I will post when I can.

Thanks.

Edited to ad picture:



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Once, I was fast. But I got over it.

Wishing you all the best from Austin. Is there anything you need at the moment? I don't have room to spare but am a damn good cook and would love to talk tri and share a meal/beer. Family first. In this case, family is the our Slowtwitch family, the Texan family and the human family. Cheers, prayers and hope for a lot of sunny days to come,
-Doug

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It is the mind itself which builds the body.
-Joseph Pilates

 

Thank you for your offer. We are all doing ok now. This evening is my first day back at work since Saturday. It is good to get back into the routine.

Look for me at the races!


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Once, I was fast. But I got over it.

Let's not forget that this Hurricane affected more than just Houston. Port Aransas and Rockport got the brunt of the hurricane winds and friends who have property there indicate almost no structure was immune to some degree of damage. Flooding affected the lower Colorado River regions from Smithville (50 ish miles east of Austin) on down to the Houston area. My cousin's farmhouse in La Grange was flooded, as the river crested 28 feet above flood stage there.

So while we all think about Houston, let's not forget the rest of the damaged communities. Thank you.

A friend of mine lived not far from IAH. She showed me the flood damage from a year and a half ago, when I was down there last year. Today, her entire townhome is gone. Totally gone. Only three of the six units standing and water still up to the main level. The garages were the lower level. Her husband and her, smart enough to leave and they finally found out today how they fared. The photos were utterly devastating. I expect it will be years as they say. I had plans to race down there in two months which is the least of my concern now. I still plan to go if flights are somewhat back to normal but let all my friends know I expect to be put to work when I am there.

you're so right. i think it's the other side of houston that's getting it now. beaumont and port arthur. maybe worse than houston?

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Dan Empfield
aka Slowman

Excellent to hear that you are 'dry'. All the best to the rest and hopefully you guys all come out OK

I live in the west Pearland area, where we ONLY got 30-36 inches of rain. We have a drainage ditch behind us that got to within a few inches to the top, but the house was all dry. The worst for us was simply walking the dogs in rain. If that's all we had to face, I'll take it any day compared to my neighbors throughout the region. I have a coworker in Dickinson who had at least 2 feet of water in his house, another in Friendswood with one room with wet carpet, but that is about it for my direct coworkers. Even a coworker who lives a few blocks from one of the bayous was dry, yet just a couple of blocks closer the streets were at waist level or higher with water. Was able to get a ride in this morning in the west Pearland, Manvel, and Iowa Colony area and aside from some houses in rural Manvel and Iowa Colony, things looked good. Ike, from what I remember, was much worse obviously for the wind damage but also water. We got lucky.

The way the water is flowing is really weird. I would have expected record crests of the Brazos up and down the river. While I believe it's supposed to reach a record level near Richmond, closer to me (~25 miles) in Rosharon it's expected to crest 3-4 feet lower than the record which was set last year.

Heard a few helicopters this morning and poked my head out to see what it was. Quite surprised to see a Huey - hadn't seen one in years in this area.

Wishing all the best to those who were actually impacted, and in particular the people between Houston and all the way to the Beaumont/Port Arthur area.

Counting my blessings for having missed 4 bullets now - Allison, Rita, Ike, and now Harvey.

I've lived in Houston for five years and this was my first hurricane. The "progression" of the storm was not at all what I expected (and probably atypical). It made landfall in Rockport / Port Aransas on Friday as a Cat 4 on Friday night; things were relatively calm in Houston at that point, with just some of the outer rain bands. Saturday was actually reasonably pleasant in my area (League City), but was just the "calm between storms"....that night was one of the most unnerving of my life with constant flash flood and tornado warnings blaring on my phone. My whole neighborhood lost power and we basically lived on an island for a day, with lots of street flooding, but thankfully no house flooding. Surrounding neighborhoods were not so fortunate (with Dickinson, less than a mile away, being completely flooded and under mandatory evacuation)....my neighbors and I stayed outside for most of that day since we didn't have power -- we watched helicopters fly around, rescuing people off their roofs. It put things into perspective....if the worst we had to deal with was the inconvenience of not having power or being able to get out of the neighborhood, we were doing pretty well.

The next couple days hit the areas north of us pretty hard, with bayous, creeks, dams, and other bodies of water filling / full / overflowing, resulting in massive flooding in those areas. And in the days since then, Harvey has moved east, wreaking Havoc on Beaumont, Lake Charles, etc. It's been an ugly storm and I hope not to have to see myself through another one again in the future.

But then there were the amazing parts of people helping complete strangers survive and pick up the pieces....people like JJ Watt fundraising over $10 million dollars!


Also, I know that Johnny Z's place was high and dry (they're on the second story of a strip mall in Clear Lake) and Shama Cycles also had no flooding or damage to the shop. I haven't heard of or checked out others in the area, but hopefully they were as fortunate.....and if not, you can bet there are many people helping them clean up and rebuild.