Thank you for being a valued part of the CNET community. As of December 1, 2020, the forums are in read-only format. In early 2021, CNET Forums will no longer be available. We are grateful for the participation and advice you have provided to one another over the years.

Thanks,

CNET Support

General discussion

Hurricane Michael and Panama City

Oct 13, 2018 6:54AM PDT

Been there since July 2. Left there at 5:30am the day of hurricane, drove up US-231 to I-10. Thankfully LUV's still had gas, so filled up then headed west on I-10 till I got out from under the hurricane at Loxley, Ala.

Stayed there a night, then back the next day toward Panama City as hurricane moved through quick. Waited in a line 2.5 hours on US-231 back into Panama City, only to have all of us turned back by National Guard, Sheriff's, Police. Only emergency allowed back in. No wonder many decided to stick it out, realizing they'd get locked out of the city. Left with half tank back to I-10, but gas line at LUV's was about 4-5 miles long.

I remembered a Trucker's America going toward Tallahassee and drove that direction, but they had no gas. Continued to Tallahassee and first exit they had a 1-2 mile long line at a Pilot gas station and cops keeping line so no cut-ins etc. I was sitting on empty, when I got in line. Finally got to pump, and my van holds 16 gallons. I filled up and it was 16.29 gallons. Whew, that was sitting on fumes left only.

Got back on road to Jax, and arrived 1am EST.

I'd been on road that day for 16 hours, also in 3 different lines for hours. One was near De Funiak Springs when we were dumped off I-10 which was closed onto US-331 toward Freeport. I found fl-20 and drove it back east till I got to US-231. That's how I ended up in the second line for a couple hours, then the final was gas line at Tallahassee. I'd stopped before then where I'd seen lots of flashing lights thinking the BP was open with gas, but turned out that line was for the NG giving out water and MRE's to locals.

Nobody I know there has phone service, so can't check on my place. Probably head back up to my main home in Maryland, time to be with wife and last kid at home anyway. Maybe I'll wait till March to visit Panama City again, and have some friends who can check my place there, make sure it's secured or get some repairs for it if needed.

I checked an aerial map online done AFTER the hurricane and my place looks OK on it, but the woods next to it are flattened. Odd how that works. Later I might put some pics onto a server which I took while on road, especially on fl-20 and US-231.

Chillin' out at my FIL's place in JAX for now.

Discussion is locked

- Collapse -
Sounds like quite an adventure
Oct 14, 2018 5:34AM PDT

If a similar opportunity ever presents itself to me, I'll pass. I'll presume you'll take I-95 back to Md. Be sure to wave to Pedro as you pass by him. (no one else here will get that one Happy )

- Collapse -
Yes, waved to Pedro in South of Border
Oct 16, 2018 8:54AM PDT

Interestingly, it's the first time anyone I knew in PC had cellphone service to contact me. Verizon had comm trucks going around the areas, but they'd be in an area, then seem to move. First news I had of the destruction at my property. Amazingly, our bayou with the constricted opening didn't suffer much storm surge, but did come up to bottom of floor on a neighbor who lives by seawall and drowned his AC unit and soggy all his underfloor insulation, but the doublewide held up.

- Collapse -
Wow James
Oct 14, 2018 8:05AM PDT

Such a whirlwind tour ! Glad you had a good vehicle to make the trip and your'e safe !
I wonder how many folks vehicles broke down during the great escape ?

- Collapse -
Pics of Damage to my property there
Oct 16, 2018 12:09PM PDT

It's in a PDF file, about 30 megs large. Self explanatory. Maybe later I'll find some images of what it looked like before Hurricane Michael and post. I did see a number of people walking roads with gas cans, looking for anyone who had some to buy or share. When I went by Milton exit on I-10, I pulled off for what I thought was a gas line, but turned out it was for bottled water and MRE's from the National Guard. I'm just glad I'm back in Maryland, and wondering what to do about it all. I'd like to stay here till April, but may have to go back sooner. I have no idea what sort of govt assistance may be available for the disaster and those who took damage and loss. I've urged my renters to do see if they can get any govt assistance to make the places liveable at least. One renter I've not heard from yet, but a friend said he'd spoken with him and half the roof is off the home in Panama City near Jenks and US 98 area. It's a place in uncle's estate, so I can deal with it later, no rush. I think that renter is going back to family in Miami area anyway.


http://www.glenburniemd.net/ParkerFla_2017/HurricaneMichael_Damage_Marigold.pdf

- Collapse -
Pictures I took along US-231 and FL-20 day after hurricane
Oct 19, 2018 9:06AM PDT

Each of these files are 5-7 MB in size and contain 5-7 images each zip file.

I took these pics while on FL-20 while driving from US-331 across to US-231, and on US-231, because the I-10 had been closed at US-331 (De Funiak Springs area) all the way to Tallahassee. The single lane road is FL-20 and the 4 lane with divider is US-231. My goal was to get back into Panama City area, but as you can see even more NG trucks coming down road from behind me, in a couple of pics, National Guard was all over the place making deliveries and along with sheriff deputies, turning people away at a checkpoint on US-231, and all other entry areas back into town.

Thousands of evacuees were then stranded outside their homes, if even their homes remained. Many of them were people on low incomes such as disability SSI, welfare mothers with children, older people on SS, so couldn't afford motels for a week or longer. The motel I stayed at (Wind Chase - Loxley) near Mobile Ala, was filled with families, their pets, vehicles with trailers full of belongings, having fled westward to safety there.

http://glenburniemd.net/ParkerFla_2017/HurricaneMichael_Hiway_fl20_US231part1.zip

http://glenburniemd.net/ParkerFla_2017/HurricaneMichael_Hiway_fl20_US231part2.zip

http://glenburniemd.net/ParkerFla_2017/HurricaneMichael_Hiway_fl20_US231part3.zip

http://glenburniemd.net/ParkerFla_2017/HurricaneMichael_Hiway_fl20_US231part4.zip

http://glenburniemd.net/ParkerFla_2017/HurricaneMichael_Hiway_fl20_US231part5.zip

- Collapse -
Thanks for these snaps.
Oct 19, 2018 10:25AM PDT

Didn't mean to make a pun there.