While I know that this isn’t motorcycle related, I thought I would give an update to those who are curious about me and my house…post-Hurricane Ike.

I know several people that stayed behind through Hurricane Ike, my brother and his family, and a good friend that is a county Sheriff’s deputy in the county we live in. Between the two of them, I have a good understanding how bad the hurricane was. My brother who has steadily refused to evacuate for a hurricane for over 20 years, has decided that the next direct hit from a hurricane… he’ll be the first to leave. And he was prepared. He bunkered down with his in-laws that built their house to withstand a direct hit from a category 4 hurricane. They had plenty of food, generators for the whole house and then some, and fuel. But the emotional fear from the hurricane has given him a reason to evacuate next time.

The friend that is a Sheriff’s deputy has the task of searching for survivors and casualties in the area of my house. As he passed by my house (he knew no one was there) he saw some damage, but I faired better than some. One pine tree was topped with its crown spread across my driveway. An oak tree just behind my house lost 2 major limbs, 1 destroying the back porch roof, and 1 crushing the front wall of my storage shed. And finally, a broken window in a front bedroom.

Yesterday (2 days after Hurricane Ike), my brother made it to my house. While the exterior seemed to be just cosmetically damaged, he checked inside. Water damage from a leaky roof in 3 separate rooms. He brought plastic with him to seal front window and just in case on the roof. Upon climbing on the roof, he found the asphalt roofing gone, thus the leaks. He covered the worst holes and window. He called me later last night to give me the bad news. In his opinion as a contractor, the insurance company will likely total the house.

[Update- 10/31/08- insurance adjuster just left, and yes my house is totaled. The insurance company is going to write it off.]

Around 1 AM this morning I was done with work, and I hit the road traveling towards Dallas. From Baytown I took back roads that I am familiar with to get to I-45 near Huntsville, TX. It went quick, until I-45, where traffic was at a stand-still. I turned around and headed north on TX-75, where I was the only vehicle around. I stayed on TX-75 until it merged with I-45 over 100 miles later.

By time I merged onto I-45, the traffic was moving but there was a lot of traffic. Stopping just south of Dallas for a final break before experiencing the morning commute through Dallas.

I arrived at Dad’s apartment on the north side of the I-635 loop just before 7 AM. This is not bad considering it is normally a 4.5 – 5 hour ride from my house. The first 180 miles were ridden at normal highway speeds (60 – 70 mph), and the last 125 miles averaged 20 – 30 mph. Considering morning rush hour in the Dallas area and the extra traffic on the highways from the evacuation, I made better time than I thought I would.

Living in the Houston area, hurricanes are a fact of life like blizzards in Wyoming. Unlike those blizzards, motorcycles are still an option as long as you get out early enough. Many people, especially those in Texas remember Hurricane Rita (September 24, 2005) and the massive traffic jams that proceeded it. Many Texans were (and still are) bitter about this experience and have declared loudly and often that when the next storm comes, they are just going to ride it out. Nearly 3 years later to the day, those of in the Houston area have another hurricane bearing down on us, Hurricane Ike. Myself, I have no desire to ride out a hurricane and the problems that follow. Because of where I live, I was without power for 17 days following the near miss of the category 2, Hurricane Rita. As I write this, I am preparing to go to work and to evacuate as soon as I get off work. Which will work for me because traffic should be less after midnight.Packing for an evacuation is different from packing for a road trip. Sure there are things like water, a first aid kit, and a rain suit. But the clothing choices will be different, along with “essentials” that you need to bring with you. And of course, evacuating on a motorcycle is not for everyone… family considerations and all. I am single and no kids, so there is no reason to bring a vehicle that can carry more people.

My packing list included: 3 days of clothing (including what I am wearing), my laptop, my back-up drive from my desktop computer, insurance paperwork, photos that can’t be replaced (mine are all conveniently stored on my laptop), 5 bottles of water, a rain suit (though leaving before the hurricane will almost assure you that there will not be any rain), spare quart of oil, spare fuses, a basic tool kit, cash (more the better), and in my case firearms (I did not want to leave them in case the house is destroyed). I have debated whether to bring my full face helmet instead of the 3/4 helmet just in case of rain on the return trip, but I am wearing my 3/4 helmet and risking the possibility of rain. Then there are those things that I never leave home without: cell phone, iPod, wallet with credit cards, etc.

My destination is Dad’s house near Dallas, and in addition to the obvious route of I-45, I know most of the back-roads in between, especially when I am equipped with the on-board GPS navigation system on my Goldwing. I will publish another post once I arrive in Dallas.