Rita - The Trek to Safety

[Terry Schultz]

Let me start off by saying, I feel sorry for all the folks hit by Rita. God speed to all of you for the upcoming recovery.



I live on the mainland south of Galveston Island. Like the other million, or so, people I fled for safety. My wife. daughter. and her very elderly parents left last Tuesday to San Marcus, about 200 miles away.



I left on Wednesday at noon going to I-10. After 17 hours of driving, I acutally traveled 55 miles. After I slept for 1 hour and looked for gas for 3 hours, I reentered I-10. My poor ST did its best to keep me going, but on Thursday I ran out of gas. Bought 5 gallons from someone on the freeway, god bless them. I then, after several hours, moved about 15 miles up the road, then had to get off for lack of gas and slept in a small town. The next morning, I just waited near two gas stations for gas to arrive (none showed ). About noon, a closed gas station that was for sale ( was closed for some time because the grass was grown up very high ) opened by its owner and let all he could buy 15 gallons. This was more than enough for me to get to my wife and family. My ST or me never gave up or got depressed.



It took me 52 hours to go 200 miles. I came home late last night with little traffic and plenty of gas. It took 3.5 hours.



Sorry for the long post and do not feel bad for me because I made it to my family, many did not and had to stay in a strange place alone with no family.



I blame no one and was impressed with everyone on the slow trek down the highway. Everyone was very patient, no yelling or complaining. no honking the horns. WE WERE ALL IN IT TOGETHER. TIRED TEXANS HANDLED IT WELL.



Terry



PS: I had no damage and everyone is safe.

 

[Gypsy me]

TSSS, I totally can understand, my sis lives out that way took her 26 hrs to get to Fort Worth to get away. From 730am to 7pm next evening on I 45 she had only gotten 46 miles! She is on her way back today (against my better judgement *she is stubborn*)



Good luck to you and any of you in TX and LA that did not fair as well as my sister and family. I know it was very scarey for all of you. Was for me and I am in AZ.

 

[Boodrodon Dykes]

Getting to your family safe is all that matters. Hope all is well when you go back home.







Boodro

 

[Terry Schultz]

Thanks GM -- Me and my family do not need good luck -- we have gotten it. All others need the luck.



I even made a sign before I got the 15 gallons and just sat parked, holding it up. The sign said " Need 10 gallons of gas to get to my wife "



I showed it to my wife after we were together -- she will not give it back to me.



It was harder on her than me since we talked on the cell phone all the way. We both acted very postive during the trek, but melted into each other when we got together :wub:



Now I have to live with it forever



Terry

 

[Deleted deleted]

Glad to hear you made it through everything safely.



Watching all the news reports, I couldn't help but ask myself, "Why don't these people get off the Interstate and take the back roads?" There had to be a dozen different ways to leave Houston, why take the Interstate?

 

[Terry Schultz]

Darin --

As an after thought, I agree. I have fled many other storms from here in my 50 yrs. The worse evacuation was, I think, hurricane David. I got on I-45 and the traffic was slow -- about 20 MPH. After about 100 miles -- was OK to go !!



We get spoiled by the interstate system as the quickest way from point A to B. Even the traffic jam would have been OK if there would have been gas for all. Never had to worry about gas before ( not counting the embargo ).



Do we always look to the map for ways to avoid traffic or how to go from here to there.



It is so easy to say do this, after it happens, where experience says, do this, its not been a problem before.



Terry

 

[Gypsy me]

Wonderful TSSS, happy for both of you





now, are you two coming to the meet?

 

[TomT]

TSSS. How's your house? I live in Sugar Land and we got very little of Rita. I can't believe all the people just in my area that fled. I think that's what contributed to the awful traffic, all the people leaving town that were not in an evacuation zone. I thought briefly about leaving bit after seeing all the traffic on the news I decided it wasn't worth it and I'm glad I did stay. Of course If I had been living in Galveston or the surrounding area there would have been no question about leaving. I guess we should be thankful our area was spared.