IKE is going to be TROUBLE

[GentlemanJim]

Think I'm gonna leave my DL unmolested for now, but I do have a coathanger.

At time of this post, despite what the national news services are reporting, we've got sustained winds of 20mph. Whatever we are going to get will probably whack us beginning at about midnight. Expect to lose power sometime in the night, so ya'll will have a repreive from having to put up with me for a while.

Ken

I know you to be a spirited self reliant kind of guy.

But please keep yourself safe!!!!

Jim

[AikiDale]

During

the past hour...sustained winds of 55 mph have been reported on

Galveston Island and a gust to 70 mph was measured at a NOAA buoy

just offshore Galveston Island before it stopped reporting.

[Modoc]

You guys have our prayers. Stay safe and Dry.

[Aircooled6racer]

Hello: All of us that stayed in Corpus did not even get rain. The storm is still causing problems for those inland now. We are going to go out later this mourning to check to see how high the water got up over the last 24 hours. I am closer to the gulf than Benny,Larry and Merlin. I spoke with people in the valley and they did not receive any rain. The people in Houston don't have any power right now. A couple of friends I have in Houston are doing fine but they live inland. Those of you north of Texas will be getting lots of rain and a chance of flooding. Take care and be safe. Thanks, Eric

[LChico]

You gotta love Texas!

While waiting for a take-out order, I was watching the TV over the bar & saw MSNBC's coverage of the damage caused by hurricane Ike. The news staff was interviewing a US House member from the Houston area - I think his name was Culbertson. He was talking about how strong and resilient the people of Texas were and that many had made preparations for the storm. This is an exact quote: "They stocked up on food, water and ammo." It was clear that the Congressman thought this was a very positive thing. The lady news anchor from MSNBC quickly changed the subject.

I love it! I am trying to picture one of our local office holders making that kind of statement. Even the one's that are 'pro-gun' would never make a statement like that. God bless Texas!

Linda Chico (L-2035)

Columbia SC

Edited September 13, 2008 by LChico

[HighVelocity]

On the TexasCHLforum, there have been reports of all ammunition being sold out at every walmart in south TX.

[Aircooled6racer]

Hello: That's why we reload down here I am sure Merlin was reloading during the storm on his 5 1050's and 7 Square deal B's I know I reloaded up some 45's for tomorrows match. Thanks, Eric

[LadyinBlue]

What's the status on all the south Texas shooters...y'all ok?

[1911jerry]

What's the status on all the south Texas shooters...y'all ok?

No problems in San Antonio. It is Sunday at Noon and it just started to rain here.

Jerry

[Larry White]

What's the status on all the south Texas shooters...y'all ok?

No problems in Corpus Christi, not a drop of rain and no more than average wind. Going to be a cold front later today, maybe some rain fron that. we need it.----------------Larry

[Aircooled6racer]

Hello: Just a light sprinkle of rain during our match today on the last stage. Benny, Bruce, Ty and Mark were at the match today. They looked not any worse than normal Thanks, Eric

[mike4045]

I am about 90 miles south of Houston. We got wind of about 40 mph and no rain, until Sunday. I went thru the whole thing of getting ready. When we got up Thru the weather people were announcing that it turned towards Houston. The initial track showed it coming in about 40 miles south of us. We really dodged a bullet this time. Houston got hammered pretty bad. I have to into Houston Monday to check out one of our yards and see how bad it is.

Mike

[STInky]

Hell, we're in northeast Arkansas (about 60 miles from Memphis) and it came through here early this morning....A lot more than I expected. 60 mph winds for several hours. Lots of damage to trees and power lines. Makes you really feel for the folks that took the whole brunt of the storm.

[Flexmoney]

Blew through Ohio yesterday.

As of this morning, 3 dead in Ohio due to the storm. Two on a motorcycle that took a tree, and another that had a tree fall through the house.

Our power went out yesterday afternoon. I decided that I'd deliver a gun (that I was troubleshooting for a local shooter) back to it's owner who lives about 10 minutes away. That was a mistake. Nothing happened, but I didn't need to be out there. Downed trees and power lines...along with the other idiots that didn't need to be out either there...turned the 10 minute trip into 30 minutes.

We didn't get power back until about 4-5am this morning. I am sure that the power crews couldn't go out until the winds died down.

[AikiDale]

Ike came through Kentucky yesterday. There are about 500,000 folks without electricity today. So far there is only one reported fatality. A ten year old boy was mowing the lawn at his home in Shelby County when the wind brought down a tree limb which struck and killed him.

Normally, when a hurricane hits the Gulf, we get a cloudy day or two and some well needed rain.

For the first time in 60 years folks are not saying "I like Ike!"

[ken hebert]

Greetings from Beaumont fellow shooters. My drivers liscence is still unmolested and I hung back up that coathanger. If you have been watching the national news you have probably already seen the wind and storm surge damage to Galveston, High Island (boy, big misnomer there), Bolivar Peninsula, and surrounding areas. It's FLAT. Kinda like when you step on an ant bed... Yeah, just like that. Thankfully most of those people got out, but some didn't, and at last report IIRC there were 31 dead. But, officials still aren't letting news crews overfly some parts of Galveston and that leads me to believe that rescuers still haven't searched some areas. So the number may rise. They should have left, all have to say.

In my area we did expierence high winds and about 6-7 inches of rain. Lost power at about midnight. We had went to bed at about 10pm and ended up sleeping through until about 8am. My apt complex where we live and my wife manages came through literally without a scratch, all 5 buildings. Downside is that the local electrical provider has released an estimate of three weeks before complete service is restored, so late Sundy afternoon I packed up the wife and animals and went to Pearland (suburb of Houston) to bunk with my closest family. I do not regret staying through it, as the area where I live was above the projected storm surge area. If not for the overly long time in which the storm stayed on top of us I don't believe we would have as much damage to the power grid and would not be without power for as long, so I would still be at home.

Downside, my work location took structural damage, when I will be back to work is questionable. Upside, I have 3+ weeks of vacation left to use before Dec 31, so I've got income coming and don't have to raid savings/401k/sell stocks ect. Funny enough is that in my packing to leave my range bag, belt, ammo, and limited gun managed to make it into my trunk, so I will be looking for a match this weekend!

There is the usual ammount of trees blown down and roof damage to be associated with such a storm, but the surge from the Gulf was bigger that I've ever expierenced. Areas of Port Arthur, Bridge City, and Orange each had between 5 to 18 or so feet of water in certain areas.

I'm off to go cut some trees at a family members house, but I will check back in later tonight. Thank you all for your thoughts during the storm, I could feel them. Ya'll keep it up, we appreciate it.

Ken Hebert

[LadyinBlue]

I am soooo glad to hear that everyone is ok!

The news is reporting a devastating situation down there on the coast.

Prayers go out to all the families who have been affected by Ike.

[Chris Conley]

Still no power and lost 1/2 my roof in Owensboro, KY. Might have it on tonight. I hope so.... The moral of the rest of the family is beginning to sink. Prayers go out to all you folks on the Texas coast. I'm not going to complain about a thing.

I've got plenty of fire wood and beer if anyone wants it.

Chris C.

Edited September 16, 2008 by Chris Conley

[ken hebert]

Chris, very sorry to hear of your troubles now. Hope you have an insurance adjuster like Merlin!

It's kinda funny in a way, but down here we only hear of the hurricane wrath in our area, even on the national news it seems like. I had no idea that Ike had left such a widespread footprint across the nation. It's unfortunate that it couldn't have spent most of its energy here on the coast, as we are already greatly damaged and relief efforts and rebuilding could be concentrated in one area instead of such a large swath. This will surely slow down the return to normal that all of us are soo looking forward to.

Keep your guns dry and oiled. And ready.

[AikiDale]

It all works out. The Louisville power company sent much of its crew to help out farther South. With hundreds of thousands of folks without power after the remnants of Ike came through here, power companies from up North have sent hundreds of folks down to help out here. See? We can all get along.... we just need to get our asses kicked first.

[ken hebert]

Hurray for me. Today I get to go home, sleep in my own bed. Power is restored in my neighborhood and groceries are available. Gas is still kinda spotty, but no biggy.

Thanks be to the power crews, both local and out of town guys, who have been working some SERIOUS overtime since Saturday morning.

Now I just get to go and find the cat, been somewhere in my aunts garage for a few days now, haven't seen her since we got here. Wish me luck...

[Modoc]

Aki is right,

We DO pull together when something happens. We are still seeing fire crews here in Northern CA that are working on the fires that started in the End of June. Just today, I saw the Fort Apache Hot Shots at one of the local air-bases. No matter what the disaster/isiue we reach out to help others.

[BigDave]

Best of luck to everyone in their recovery efforts. I don't think we've even begun to understand how big this storm was (although you Houstonians and Galvestonians might argue otherwise right now).

And if I might do a PSA for my brothers and sisters who help you folks recover from these unexpected events: please, please, please be as patient as you can with your adjusters. I know they are busting tail to help you all. But, if you don't think you are being served properly, by all means, contact your state department of insurance. That is why they are there - to protect you and make sure we (the collective we) are operating within regulations.