Hurricane Irma thread - (renamed)

[gregblow]

Irma is heading right for us. No riding out on A1A on Sunday. This one looks like it's for real. If you live down her in South Florida, stay safe and good luck!

[MattTuck]

This storm is a killer. Get out of there if you can. Harvey was bad because of the shear amount of water falling, and collecting in flood prone areas.

Irma is going to cause structural damage beyond anything in recent history. Based on what I'm reading, people are going to be talking about this one like we in New England talk about the Hurricane of 1938.

[Louis]

I don't want to make light of a deadly serious situation, but I do have to wonder what it would be like to try to ride with an 185 mph tail wind.

Assuming the bike hardware could take the speed, at that speed the turbulence would most certainly be too much to handle since your lateral stability would not be very good. I would be willing to try in, say, a 75 mph tailwind. I know that many of my wheels have been up to 55 mph for very short periods in the steep downhill leading out of my subdivision, (my pb gravity assisted speed) but I don't know how long the hub bearings could stand it.

[Veloo]

My customer told me that his friend is stuck in Florida cuz they've run out of gas in the surrounding stations.

[Ralph]

I live about 200 miles N of Miami, on NE side of Orlando. We know we will get some damage. Even if it stays off the coast.....pools screens and roof tiles at risk. If one tile comes off up the street, it becomes a missiles, hitting next house, and two tiles come off, and so forth, then you have all these projectiles of roof material, pool screen material, garbage cans, and tree limbs and anything else the wind can grab, flying up and down the streets. it gets dangerous out there.

One can still find gasoline if you don't mind sitting in a line, but too late to get much at the grocery store or HD. Roads already clogged going N as everyone flees the low country of GA and SC, so time to hunker down, and do some bike maintenance on our fleet.

[AngryScientist]

as ralph describes, once you get beyond pretty basic preparation, it mostly boils down to luck.

wishing all of you folks down there the best of luck, stay safe!

[weisan]

Originally Posted by Louis

I don't want to make light of a deadly serious situation, but I do have to wonder what it would be like to try to ride with an 185 mph tail wind.

Assuming the bike hardware could take the speed, at that speed the turbulence would most certainly be too much to handle since your lateral stability would not be very good. I would be willing to try in, say, a 75 mph tailwind. I know that many of my wheels have been up to 55 mph for very short periods in the steep downhill leading out of my subdivision, (my pb gravity assisted speed) but I don't know how long the hub bearings could stand it.

http://www.steephill.tv/players/720/...663874&yr=2017

[bikinchris]

Originally Posted by MattTuck

This storm is a killer. Get out of there if you can. Harvey was bad because of the shear amount of water falling, and collecting in flood prone areas.

Irma is going to cause structural damage beyond anything in recent history. Based on what I'm reading, people are going to be talking about this one like we in New England talk about the Hurricane of 1938.

Once again, the wind gets the headlines and the water is what's going to kill people.
The storm surge and possible high tide could put everything under 20 feet of water, not counting waves.

[MaraudingWalrus]

It's spooky. We're on the space coast of FL. Bugging out tomorrow morning with my parents (50s/60s), three grandparents (85+) with varying levels of alzheimer's and general old people-ness, and my mentally handicapped aunt and uncle. I can't even imagine how disorienting and scary this is for my grandmother with alzheimer's.


I topped up with gas at about 8pm this evening, no line or anything at any of the gas stations on the barrier island. Publix this afternoon was out of almost everything bread-like besides some random bagels. Grabbed a couple packages of plain bagels and some peanut butter to add to our boxes of stuff we're taking.

No plain water at all. Some sparkling water - maybe like five cases. Some vitamin water, tons of sodas, not much gatorade/powerade.

We're only going as far as Orlando, which looks like it will still get potentially devastating wind, but at least won't get the 1-3 meters of swell in the intracoastal waterway that was projected as of the 5pm update according to the local papers. That puts about 1-2 meters of water in my parents' house, similar amounts in my grandparents' place and in the bike shop at which I work.

I was fully mentally expecting during hurricane Matthew last year to have no house, no job, and my car which we had to leave behind all destroyed. Was lucky then, who knows this time.

I know there are other paceliners here on the spacecoast, as well as other parts of florida..hopefully everyone is as prepared as they can be, and is able to get outta dodge and to somewhere with relative safety.

[Ronsonic]

Here in Tampa we're getting ready and mostly holding tight. Some areas on the coast are going to be evacuated. We've been lucky on wind and flood control is actually good in this region.

If no trees land on the house Sonic-Wife and I will be okay and we've plans B and C if we aren't.

[LJohnny]

Originally Posted by Ronsonic

Here in Tampa we're getting ready and mostly holding tight. Some areas on the coast are going to be evacuated. We've been lucky on wind and flood control is actually good in this region.

If no trees land on the house Sonic-Wife and I will be okay and we've plans B and C if we aren't.

My in-laws are up in NC as of today, from Tampa. It seems that the course has Irma going right through that area as of now. Hard to know the wind damage once it goes inland. Rain may be the big problem.

Good luck!

[AngryScientist]

threads merged and renamed to keep the discussion centralized.

[AngryScientist]

i'm sincerely wishing the best for our Paceline pals down in the path of Irma.

Stay safe folks, do what you know is the best thing for you and your families.

Sometimes it's hard to get it to the forefront of our consciousness, but we all know bikes and heirlooms and stuff are all second tier priorities compared to the safety and health of souls.

be safe, check in here when you can.

[bikinchris]

You people bugging out are smart. Unless they get the track wrong, there will be a long period after it passes where there will be a low quality of life. No good water, electricity, gasoline, services etc. Get out and wait it out a while before coming back.

[Elefantino]

Heading back to Jax next Thursday for long weekend. Outdoor wedding. Probably doing some cleanup.

Then Cuba at the end of the month. Hoping Havana and environs are spared the worst.

Hunker down, Florida. (Yes, I know that is a Georgia thing.) Hoping for the best for all of you!