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- Oct 7, 2018
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- West coast....of illinois
Hope all the Big Birds got out this time…………….
That is my thinking. I suspect based on my experience with Andrew in 92 on the Turnpike extension, I75 by Tampa will have numerous road blocking overhead large signs down, whereas the east coast I95/Turnpike will have lower wind speeds and less potential water surge. etc, so your idea of going around the Lake on the east side has a lot of merit, we'll see.Maybe Saturday? I was going to say when the storm starts moving offshore Thursday since you’re so far away, but who knows what the roads will be like. 75 by Tampa will be a nightmare. So would going around Alligator alley. Maybe take 95 to SR 70 and take backroads from Okeechobee. They said that over 5 million people evacuated, most didn’t go as far as you did.
What surprised me on my trip thru Georgia (I HAD to visit Summit in McDonough) on late Sunday night was all the rather vacant looking hotels as I crossed the Georgia line. I found out early Monday morning many of the interstate nearby hotels were damaged and not rentable with extensive roof damage etc from the recent hurricane.I live 30 mi south of ATL and there are no hotel rooms left on the south side of ATL. Atlanta Motor Speedway has camping for those with Rvs or with just tents. They have a huge camping area used for the races, with big shower houses/bathrooms. Tent camping is free and sites with hookups are only $35 a night.
Hope everyone stays safe down there.
Might want to check weather in Ocala. The storm is getting larger. Also, night time driving after powerful storm is risky. It will be hard to see downed trees, signs etc. Shoot, I remember back in 2004, I watched this guy drive right into a low hanging traffic signal. I went over to check on him and the signal went through his windshield and was sitting in his passenger seat (good thing he didn’t have a passenger. Oh, btw, apparently we now have a Waffle House closure index.That is my thinking. I suspect based on my experience with Andrew in 92 on the Turnpike extension, I75 by Tampa will have numerous road blocking overhead large signs down, whereas the east coast I95/Turnpike will have lower wind speeds and less potential water surge. etc, so your idea of going around the Lake on the east side has a lot of merit, we'll see.
Coincidently, I have had a hotel reservation in Ocala on 10/10 Thurs for weeks for a now canceled outdoor auction. I have been toying with the idea staying there and sneaking in behind the storm late Thursday, and getting on the road heading south way before sunup and others get on the road.
I was in Orlando and had a similar strategy heading south in 2007 with Irma, no cars on the Turnpike, but had a frightening experience in the dark when I struck a felled overhead windshield height cable stretched across the turnpike. Got off and had lots of trees down and had to retrace a lot of my backroad routes, took 6? hours, even with no traffic. Even my own street was blocked.
And right through Lakeland. You staying?Headed straight for Tampa/St Pete and the I-4 corridor, all the way to Daytona.
View attachment 1737773
Out ahead of the storm near Lake O. Apparently same tornado that crossed I 75