No free ride.

All the local governments have been sending out literature for years to folks living in area's that are in hurricane flood zones, with info as to what to bring and to have GO kits ready. They also tel you to plan to stay with friends or wherever, or to come to shelters, but to make these plans ahead of time. I have made arraignments to stay, if needed, with a friend on the north shore of Long Island. I'm 2 houses north of our evac zone so can in theory stay put. .

I just read on MSNBC that 2.5 million people are evacuating the eastern seaboard and it's a that the government ain't picking up the hotel tab

Thank you for your good wishes my friend. Although as luck would have it they cancelled the Myrtle beach stop and now I am about to take off for a direct flight to Boston! If I don't post again and a spirit airlines plane goes down I wish you all happy cycling! I will either be eternally descending or ascending the ultimate hill climb.

Now let's hope I am riding tomorrow! :P

If things get really bad for anybody, do like I've seen them do in Africa -strap supplies to your bike, which has low rolling resistance and high clearance even if you arn't riding it. It will make a walk-out much easier, with alot more gear.

Hopefully my first (and last) hurricane story:

We recently moved to a town of 79 ft average elevation, 40-60 feet from a river, at the bottom of a hill which is just about the lowest elevation in town. There is still puddles in our driveway, and mud in the lawns, from all the rain we've already had. The river behind our house already broke banks & flooded about 20 feet up towards our ground-floor apartment unit with a big low sliding window-door a couple days ago, and the storm before that I had already had to dig a small trench to drain water off our patio.

After prepping everything we could today and yesterday, I went out for a ride.

I scouted out all the bridges & bodies of water we would need to drive over if we get flooded. Not only did I see 3 turtles and a frog, but I assured myself that both of our planned routes to higher ground were raised at least 6 feet above the current water line.

I know I was being dramatic, but it was reassuring - and I got to relive my childhood, when Jack London and Lucifer's Hammer inspired many a summer game while biking around.

It's nice to know we cross the major river & gain altitude without trusting the dog to the whims of a shelter. I'm glad I aleady had an excuse to have sturdy light rain-gear for the lady and I, too.

'cant wait to laugh at myself on Monday, Good luck everybody!

The City's set up something like 91 evacuation centers in schools and other public buildings. They'll provide a cot and blanket (complete with City Logo) but the accommodations seem to be dormitory style.

http://gothamist.com/2011/08/26/insi...hotel_fine.php

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/refresh/grap...track#contents Irene has lost a bit of wind velocity but the barometer is still quite low at 952 millibars so still well into hurricane strength.

I live 50 feet above Narragansett Bay at mean low tide, second floor. That will be enough elevation. Now I just hope the roof stays on the house.

Evacuation centers are set up at a number of High Schools, including, Locust Valley H.S., North Shore H.S., Glen Cove H.S., Manhasset H.S., and Great Neck H.S. , among others.

All the attention is on the South Shore, but we almost forgot Bayville, on the North Shore.

Quote:
"Those most directly impacted include residents who live south of Sunrise Highway between the Queens line and Rockville Center, south of Merrick Road from Rockville center to the Suffolk County border and low-lying and storm surge areas on the north shore, including the Port Washington peninsula, East Island and parts Glen Cove, Bayville, Oyster Bay and Oyster Bay Cove..."

http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2011/08/...shelters-open/

Be sure to get a good shot of that Pinarello Prince in your living room. (Use Photoshop if necessary).

we're 1600' from the beach and under an evacuation order, but we're about 60' elevation, so we're staying.

http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/b...S/DSC07111.jpg

Got ourselves a cozy spot to ride out the storm...

Just got back from a ride to Battery Park. The city is nice when its deserted like this. Now heading out to find an open restaurant. The worst of the storm won't get here for at least 4 hours. I was amazed to see 2 cruise ships heading out. There was a third one docked at the terminal taking on fuel.

We (I'm in Tiverton) won't be seeing winds that bad...could cut the power but nothing that threatening.

if my commuter hadn't been stolen i was going to go do the same thing. i'm sure the city is absolutely empty now!

Must be a very nice ride! Did you see people moving their stuffs, as people there are ordered to evacuate?

In the 1938 hurricane my parents and grandparents took lots of photos. My grandfather took photos out of the second story of his office in Providence showing the water around five feet deep. My father grew up in Bristol highlands, my mother on the water in Barrington but fairly high on the Rumstick penninsula. My mother her brother and sister were standing at the top of the hill that goes down to Barrington beach. They watched the storm surge water come half way up the hill (Bay Rd.) filled with parts of houses and bodies, from the low land across from Nayatt point. I have lots of photos of Barrington with big boats in roads and yards. Like boats up on top of the Barrington river bridge. And under the bridge was packed with big boats too.

Be careful. I hope you are away from the water and high up.

No one moving. Some windows taped up. Probably people who were leaving already left. Just got back from a local bar on the UWS that was very crowded. I'm sure there are lots of hurricane parties going on. Getting ready to fire up the blender myself. High tide is around 6am. If I can get up I plan on making my way down to the river.

This is the first Storm I ever went shopping for, just brought chocolate cake, water, and 3 canned goods.

All the supermarkets and drugstores are closed. You must have been to a small local grocery?

If it's not for the rain, I would take a ride today. I saw the almost empty streets with only cabs and a few bikes. NO BUSES. It's a little heaven for riding bicycle, much better than the "summer streets".

Just now the lights flickered, then my computer shut itself off. At 6 AM the wind was moderate but in the last two hours it has stepped up quite a bit with strong gusts. High tide is coinciding with the passage of the storm center to the west. This means wind will push the storm surge in the dangerous quadrant into our area. We seem to be far enough away from the storm center to avoid the worst of the wind but storm surge will raise the tide very high.

Well, Irene has left New Jersey. Reports of our certain doom were greatly exaggerated. I'm not complaining.

The sun is breaking through. I think I'll go for a ride.

Be careful, don't be swiped into river or highway by wind ;)

Irene is now headed out of New York City. Irene was downgraded to a Tropical Storm just minutes after she came ashore at Coney Island, about two and a half hours ago.

Now, for your musical enjoyment, a Traditional Folk Song , sung by Willie Nelson:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGd4jkaoHRg

"Goodnight Irene"

I'll take a dud. I said that all day yesterday. Hopefully you all are doing well.

600,000 without power here in CT.

Flooding, trees down. Some have some major cleanup to do.

Doesn't look like too much damage outside, but we haven't ventured out.

I'll take a "dud" also. Considering myself lucky.

Lost power for 7 days when Gloria blew through years ago. Don't want to go through that again.

If anyone is going to ride to Battery Park area or other water front, could you please take some pictures what it's like? Thanks in advance :)

you didn't watch the news? it was lame, water washed up onto the battery and was about 6 inches to 1 foot deep. nothing spectacular and it's probably receded already. Here on the east side we had some light flooding of the fdr and several downed trees on east end avenue. one guys jaguar got a lot of windows busted out from it. otherwise not bad at all. some minor flooding in carl shurz park but appears to be from the excessive rain not from the east river overflowing. I may go try to ride down FDR if it's still empty like it was earlier. definately going for a ride in a little bit, it's quite nice out now, rain stopped around 10am and the wind is helping to dry roads out a bit