Running for your Life... The Hurricane Rita Saga.

 If you have been to my site before you know I live in beautiful Galveston Texas where it is always summer and bikinis are always on sale. The only time this changes is when a hurricane brews in the gulf and thousands of people flee the island in expectation of total devastation. Well, most people...

The locals scoff at the idea of running from a hurricane and usually dig in and brace for the worst the storm can dish out. Usually they are ok because the homes are built with storms in mind and the people are better prepared than your average Joe. This being said, when Hurricane Rita turned into a Category 5 and set its sights on Galveston all the locals boarded up and got out quick.

I left early since my floating home has been out of the water for months being renovated. No extra lines to add or equipment to strap down. I took a picture since I didn't expect to see her again. The Angelina was well laid up and in the best possible location but nothing could withstand a direct hit from a Category 5. The apartment I have been staying at while the boat is being worked on is directly across the road from the Gulf of Mexico. I walk/jog/hobble on the seawall almost every day which is great, however, it leaves the complex totally exposed in the event of a storm. No doubt about it, it was time to go.

Galveston, having done this many times, was on the ball and had everyone out in no time. Getting out of Houston though, tended to be the nightmare.

I know the back roads and within a few hours I was at my rendezvous point in Northwest Houston without having to wait on anything more than a traffic light.  By the next morning when the city declared it was time to leave it was too late. Traffic was snarled in every direction and gas was in short supply. We decided to ride out the storm as it had decreased to a Cat 4 and was losing power. I would have left but I didn't want to ride out a hurricane in a car.

The stores were basically bare and getting supplies to hide out was an exercise in futility. Once you were in a store though it was like you had to buy something. This is how I ended up with a pumpkin flashlight that emitted eerie sounds when you turn it on. Maybe I can find a use for it later.

We decided that if the power went out we would need to be able to use the grill so the guys had gone out a few days earlier when there was food available and bought the necessary steaks, potatoes and other stuff. It turned out the power did go off and we had to crank up the grill. We must have cooked 4-5 meals a day to make sure we used up all the meat we bought before it spoiled in the freezer. By the time everything had calmed down I must have gained 10 pounds.

Finally it was time to go home and as luck would have it, and I'm not used to this type luck, we ended up with no apartment damage to speak of, lost power for only two days, and the Angelina escaped unscathed. What have I learned from this experience? Hurricanes make you fat...