Pre-Ike Preparations

Pre Ike Pictures

As Ike brews out in the gulf and the CNN broadcasters proclaim certain disaster, the fine folk of Houston prepare themselves for the worst.

Friday morning - While many people are still at work, the grocery store smash'n'grab becomes intense, with water, ice and bread disappearing fast from the shelves....that is if you can find a cart to put them in. Despite city announcements to 'shelter in place', massive lines also form at the gas stations until all but the most expensive are out of fuel.
Businesses around the city close down by noon and board up their windows - the city starts to take on an eerie appearance...

Friday afternoon - all businesses are now closed and everyone is making preparations for the coming storm. There's now no doubt that the storm will directly hit Galveston and Houston - though the sky continues to look normal, everyone occasionally casts an eye upwards waiting for a sign that things are changing. Many people take this last opportunity to head out of town to safer ground in Austin or Dallas.
For those still in Houston, with food and water acquired, yards cleared and windows secured, there is now little left to do but head to somewhere safe and wait...

Instead I head to the bayou to document the pre-hurricane water levels and am surprised to see them already rising as the incoming storm surge forces water inland. In downtown, few buildings have taken precautions, with the Wedge Tower being one of the only ones to board their doors.

-Nicki

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Friday morning, Linds and I woke up and decided "How about some bike riding?". We went straight for the bike trails considering we'd probably not to get to ride them for a while after the storm (downed trees, muddy ruined trails). Well, trails were great! Apparently quite a few others had the same idea. While out on the trails, we're getting calls from the mothers "Are you sure you're okay?!" Yes, Yes, we'll be fine. I knew we'd be staying with adventure racing friends, and what better way to make sure we're safe but to stick all of our racing survival skills together to pull through this.

That afternoon, we started packing up and headed to Jason and Alan's. We gathered up the beer, food, water, some clothes and toiletries. It felt like we were going camping. We get there and sure enough they've already got the movies and storm watching going. That begins our hurricane party! Power went out about midnight. We must have stayed up until 4am just watching the wind blow up and down the streets, and slowly watching the trees take their place on the ground.

Quite an interesting night pre Ike.

-Andie