The Forestry Forum

 Looks like we may have to cut and run, if this next storm doesn't turn.  ::) ::)  Predictions indicate the storm will pass right over our house.  ::) ::)

  Headed to camp for a couple days to gather logs and then stow the boats and see where the storm is.

  Anybody want some company for the weekend ???  :o :)

  Tom and Tom and Rusty, Crosscut, rvrdiver, BigDogPC, pay attention and GOOD LUCK.  ::) ::) Y'all on the East Coast, hang on. It's predicted to be a "4" when it hits.  :o :o ::) ::)

Heck, pack everybody up and come on over here.  Welcome anytime! :)

Bring Tom and Tom and Rusty, Crosscut, rvrdiver, BigDogPC with ya.  (might need to bring sleeping bags or blankets)

 Thanks, CK. I got yer phone #.  ;D ;D ;D

You know you're always welcome here. Accomodations are a bit sparse, with just the one spare bedroom, but I can stand it if you can. :)

Just saw the weather report. This thing looks scary! :o  Sustained winds are already 135mph. Now looking for it to go more northward, maybe to the Jacksonville area.  HEADS UP all you Toms and Rusty.  Tie your stuff down and get ready to run.
Spoke to Billbobtlh on the phone a while ago. He has space available for refugees, too.

If anyone has a sudden need, contact me at 850-510-2668 and I'll do my best to find a place for you.

Just spoke with Harold's wife.  FDH and Swampy are in Palatka tieing down and headed back south asap to evacuate the family if necessary. Ol' Harold has seen these things before. He knows what to do and, if you'll notice, has wasted no time in getting busy.  Smart one, that guy. :)

DanG,  If he was very smart he would have stayed in the Ozarks ;)

You guys down that way are on my mind and in my prayers.

Mine too!

I just checked the weather here and don't see any hurricanes in the local forecast so you're welcome to come up and stay in da thurdy-room house till it blows over. I've even got a couple of logs to be sawed so you won't get homesick.

Thanks guys. I'm suggesting that they all run to here, then if the bloomin' thing follows them, we have more choices of directions to flee further. :P

Noble, I'm sure he'd agree with you right now, but try tellin' him that in January when he's sawing lumber in his b'mooder shorts and flippityflops. ;D :D :D

I want to second Noble and Mark's comments.  Everyone in Florida is in our thoughts and prayers.

It definitly is a major hurricane, your in my thoughts and prayers.  I can handle a tornado much more than I could a hurricane.  Take care all!

https://forestryforum.com/images/03_21_04/hurricanefr.jpg

It doesn't show the hurricane yet but it will if and when it gets closer to land fall.  You can just click on Florida and it'll give you the area radar, click on "Radar Loop" it'll give I think about a two hour mini clip of the direction it's traveling.

Link >>>  http://weather.gov/radar_tab.php  <<<

This link can also work for other parts of the country.


Hoping and praying for you folks down there.

take care,
pappy

Here is the latest projected path

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/ftp/graphics/AT06/refresh/AL0604W5%2BGIF/311513W5.gif

Several years ago when the last #5 hit land I ALMOST headed down to see it come in. Didn't go and was kicking myself for a looooooooooong time!!!!!!!!!!!! :-/
I swore that the next #5 to hit land, I'd be there!!!!!!!!!
Now I KNOW this thing is going to a #5, and it's KILLING me not to be on the way there right now!!!!!!!!!!!!
Might just get suicidal and see how far I can push the truck, never know!  ;D

Anyways, hope everyone makes out Ok. Be safe!!!!!!

Don't even think that way Furby.  I got to meet Ms. Camille along about 1969 up close and personal in Biloxi curiosity of the USAF.  Something I would have gladly passed up.

You guys are in my thoughts and prayers.  Take care.

Be safe you all.
God Bless
EZ

Sorry Larry, that's just me.
I hope everyone gets out of the way, fast! But I STILL want to be there!!!!!! If that was the way things ended for me, it would be the way I'd want it to, but I STILL want to see it!!!!!
Was just offered a car for the trip! Now if only I knew they could afford to replace that car (they can't).  :-/

Furby, I was just telling Tom how much i had come to enjoying your posts after the rough start we had on here way back in the olden days. I still do, but I gotta say, YER A BLOOMIN IDIOT! ;)

I love to watch a storm too. And like everybody else although nobody admits it, I like to watch the replays of the crashes at a Nascar race, BUT I would not want to stand in the middle of the track if I new there was going to be a crash at that spot!

Brother Dave, one of my most favorite philosophers, was asked one time where he wanted to be if an Atom bomb was set off.

He replied, "Somewhere where I can say, What was that?"

That's kinda how I feel about these hurricanes,.  

Been there, Done that. :D

Furby ,I feel sort of the same way. The power of nature is an awesome sight to behold. But after living on a boat for a couple of years I've beholded enough to know I wouldn't want to be there unless I had a cement bunker with 1" lexan windows.
Here's hoping that it turns away this time.

 ;D
Yep!

I know!   ;) ;)

At the races you can sit on the sidelines and still feel the raw power of the cars, and see the crashes.
We don't get to see much of a storm like that by the time it gets way up here. I love tornado chasing, just don't get many around here. TV sure as heck isn't as good as the real thing with something like this.
Besides, can you honestly say you have NEVER wanted to be down with the pit crew ??? Come on, the truth now........
Kinda sounds like you'ld stand in the middle of the track if ya didn't know a crash was going to happen right then???
It's same thing, just different.  ;D

Mother nature at her best...............and worse!!!!!!!!!

Tom, you are welcome to hide out here, I'll keep an eye on your place for ya!  ;)

  Just   got    in.  What   a     day. Drive   200   miles  to the camp.  Set up the   resaw and   made 120 sq ft of  Red   Cedar, 3/8ths thick.  Stripped the Big  boat and tied  it  up  good  we  hope.  Went to   Palatka  and  saw   a friend  at  a  cabinet  shop.   Got a  Red  Cedar  log  and Patterns  for  Teri  to Scroll saw.   Got back  and threw  the log  outta  the  truck. Ran the  Swamp  Rat to the  ramp and loaded  it on  the  trailer. Drove  back 200 miles.  I'm  bushed. ZZzzzz  Zzhuupphh  Oh yeah, thanks for  all  the   offers   for  a  place  to  stay. Really  apprec i  a t  i  Zzzzzzz  zzzzzz

Furby, let me put it this way.  If that hurricane hits the coast and it is a catagory 4 or 5, the last thing authorities need down there is someone else to take care of, watch out for or save.  For their sake, stay home. Now, if you want to go down afterward and help people get things upright again. That's a good thing.

If this thing hits Florida like it looks like it will the good folk of Florida are going to need all the help they can get.  I cannot recall a time when two major storms hit within such a short span of time.  
Head for the high ground fellas!

We are all pulling for you folks in the "line of fire" from out here on the West Coast.   Everyone is in our prayers, for sure. :)

 :o  Hey Harold don't sleep to long or ya might be awaken this way !

Hope the thing stays off shore...... be praying for all of you!

DonT worry about Furby coming down and getting in the way, fellas.  If a hit is getting pretty definite, ALL roads will be converted to one-way, going north. Nobody will get in without a REAL good reason.

Also, if you want to help out with the aftermath, contribute to some relief organization. Too many scam artists and looters have come in pretending to be aid workers, so now, everybody has to be part of an organization. Arborists and construction folks have to prove that they are licensed and bonded before they are allowed into damage zones.

One of the worst things about hurricanes is the tornadoes that pop up all around them. I remember well in 1985, H. Kate hit Tallahassee. It was a pipsqueek as far as hurricanes go, but 17 tornadoes were documented inside the city limits. The whole town looked like a war zone. They weren't picky about what sort of homes they hit. The upscale neighborhoods faired worse than the trailer parks.

Dan, you need to keep an eye out also. It might get the whole state ???  The weather service is keeping mum about the exact impact zone. So far, Sebastion, Vero, Melbourne. ??? ??? I still think it will stay a little offshore. Can't find a weather map showing the high's and lows and their locations ???  That's what will guide the storm.

Bummin FDH
I know that area well,as my Father in law used to live in Melbourne. If Frances decides to hit Merrit Island,Sebastian might not be the only inlet on that stretch of road. I have not been through there in about 7 years,but I know the area from Melbourne down to Sebastian Inlet was really in the growth mode then. Can't imagine the damage to all the shoreline and river side development. Let's hope she takes a right long before she gets to land......keep us posted!

Sandmar

You fellas duck and cover. Hold Fast.

How about a roll call on this thread when it blows over?

Good luck, We are pullin for you

WS

I say get yer butts to Michigan. I'll find a place for you and roast another pig.

  There isn't any way to get out of Florida. I-95 is a giant parking lot. Probably the same for the Turnpike. We are going to check the storm path at 7 AM and then board up. I'm headed for Diesel fuel in a few minutes. We will probably head west and south. Depends on what the TV shows us tomorrow. The back side of the storm will be rough, but, not near as bad as the east and north sides.  ;D

  Called Tom today. He lost internet service and is doing the same as us, sittin tight. He mentioned Athens Ga., so, they may be headed there. Anybody all along the eastern shore of the US should be scrambling. This is a HUGE storm. The thing right now will completely cover the state of Florida. ::) ::)

  I will give our plans tomorrow and then it's Adios.

I'm back on line finally.  Don't know how long it'll last.  Power is fragile around here with all the road work, etc.   Got a Super Bowl coming to town and the city fathers aren't worried about the hurricane nearly as much as wanting the streets to look pretty. :D

There is no sense in just doing something when we don't know what the storm is going to do.  You could end up running right into the middle of it.   Our favorite plan, if the road isn't plugged, is Athens, Georgia or somewhere there-abouts.  Have family around Auburn, Ala. too.  The storm either has to commit itself for us to make a move or we will eventually get scared enough to just run. :D  You don't procrastinate much around storms like this.

Jeff called this morning and said I had a bed there.  That storm sure couldn't find me there. :D

I don't know Tom, they are calling for a bunch of rain here from it. But............I guess it won't really be much of a storm by then.  ;)

Rain couldn't be too bad......Y'all got hills. :D

Yep, c'mon up!!!!!!!
Drag everyone else along with ya!!!!!
Ya might just find a nice dry hill along the way, even.

Spooky stuff :o

You all are in our prayers.

In my younger, more foolish days which really weren't that long ago I'd have been right there with ya Furby.  I'd pick ya up on my way through but now that I'm older and wiser ??? ??? older anyway ;D ;D I'm gonna stay here in Northern Lower Michigan and watch it on TV ;) ;D ;D.  I watched a show a while back it might have been on the Weather Channel's Storm Stories about a group of people who stayed in Fla for a hurricane party.  I don't remember which storm it was but only one of the group survived.  The storm surge swept the building they were partying in first inland and then out sea.  The survivor was able to hold on to something inland while the rest including her husband were washed away.  I like a good storm and being from Northern Michigan where we rarely have dangerous weather don't have much fear of it.  Severe cold and blizzards aren't any big deal just put on more clothes if you go out.  Drift busting on the back roads was/is great fun in a 4X4 P.U so what if you can't see ::) ;D.  Thunderstorms are rarely anything to be concerned with here either.  We used to go up on the big hill and watch the storm clouds roll in :o ::)  Last year we lost some maples in one due to some micro burst winds but those were the first trees we've lost in recent memory to such an event.  We lost a basswood to a lightening strike this spring.  Pretty boring up here no hurricanes, few if any tornadoes, no earthquakes, no mudslides....  I'll take it 8) 8) 8)  You guys in Fla be careful with this one.  You're all welcome to come up this way too.  

The famous "Hurricane Party" was during Camille.
But there have been many others over the years that have ended just as you say.


Yeah, it is pretty boring around here! No wonder I like to travel! ;)

Jeff, I think ya havta be wearin a kilt and carryin a religious sign to be out in the race track with da cars. :D

 DanG, this storm is staying as unpredictible as possible. Now, the indication is, Jupiter, in Palm Beach County. That's nearly 2 hours south of us. Dan is right in line, as is Alabama and Georgia. Can't go south, going north the roads are packed. Gonna board up and sit tight a little longer. Got food, fuel and a weak game plan. Check in around noon.

What a terrible storm. It is going to rake the whole state. Almoste at the same time. Be careful D/H!!

http://hurricane.terrapin.com/ATL-06A/ftrack.html

  We are figuring that the storm will hit south of us and travel to Billbob and Dang's area. Too big to miss anyone.  ::) ::) ::)

Florida,

Time for a trip far South!  8)  Come on down, there has only been one hurricane ever hit Costa Rica in anyones memory, and we are 2,500 feet up a mountain.

Fred

I never had any kin in Florida and other than general concern for humanity, didn't get that queesy feeling like I've got now that I've got FF friends there.  I've heard that the eye isn't the limit of the damage, and that out lying areas can actually be more affected.  Be careful, keep checking in if you can, and God Bless You.  

I am completely ready to run.... I am just not sure if I may be better off staying put.  What I do not like is some of the hurricane models are putting it too close to Jacksonville for my liking and this is one mean mother.......

I was going to leave this morning but I saw the track had nudged south / westerly a little and decided to stay but Im getting scared now - just may leave at lunch today  (Thursday)

GOOD LUCK AND GOD BLESS EVERYONE- BE SAFE !!

We're battening down as good as we can.  Still don't feel comfortable with any "long term" predictions.  The short term ones are only good enough to let folks try to hide.  I hope there are enough strong public shelters. They will surely be used.   My son's wife works for a big hospital and he is putting his valuable on two small trailers and they will head for the hospital's parking garage.  That's probably the safest place around.  There's lots of concerned folks in Florida today.

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  We have everything done we can do. Lots of gasoline, Charcoal, wood ;D, Diesel fuel, batteries, and food.  Got the generator-welder ready to go. Got the 2 way male plug extension cord (12/2) to plug into outlets in the house and backfeed the circuits. Windows boarded up. Going to the shop and cover the machinery with plastic, just in case the roof blows off. Got the wood piles tied up to prevent spear chucking. May be hot without A/C, but, we mightbe OK. ;D  Down here, the Interstate and Turnpike are FULL of cars. 1 wreck and they are dead meat.  ::) ::)

  I will stay on-line as long as we have a tele.

  FRED, I'm planning on February. Got a BUNCH of Peterson's and such that will be at the Georgia show. Should be an "Expert"  ::) when I get down there. Watch out for the Volcanoes. ;) ;) ;D ;D

Just looked at the track of the hurricane - you are right, it is not looking good. Run for high ground!  (which probably means leave Florida.  ::) )

What the issurance companies call "Acts of God" are pretty scary things. Anytime I see a mudslide or volcano here in Costa Rica it gets me a thinking for sure.

Last year I was in Fayetteville NC when the huricane was inching toward the coast. At first they thought it was going to be really bad, but thankfully it calmed down.

 Well, it's time for breakfast. Breakfast of Southern Champions that is.

(https://forestryforum.com/images/03_21_04/FDHfood.jpg)

  Whatcha got here is, Diced sweet onion simmered in Bacon Grease, from the small pile of Bacon. Break a few eggs into that mess-o-onions and sautee until golden brown. Add a large Dollup -o-grits with Bacon grease and butter, lightly salted. MMmmmmmmmmm

But what is the stuff next to the fork? Perhaps fried chicken?

You are just making me hungry!

Of course, I'll have to admit, when I first saw the picture, I thought perhaps it was a radar picture of the hurricane. I can still see some similarity.

The hurricane and your breakfast, both destructive forces...  :D

  Fred, I have a real need to go to Omars and get a quesoburgesa. He definitely makes the best one in San Pedro. Add Ceviche, of course  ;D ;D ;D

  That Fried chicken is actually fried Piggy flank, BACON !!!

  The fluorescent lights turned the whole pic yellow  ::) ::)

  Yer right about the destructive forces.  ;D :D :D :D :D

Well, I have lost about 10+ pounds in the last month and half down here. In the North, I was always trying to tell if it was going to be too hot, too cold, etc.  Here, all I do is check to see if I need the umbrella - and for about 8 months, it is just safer to take it with you - everyone else does. I have this umprella that is a golf one, it is big enough to cover me and about 3 Ticos. Long enough to work as a walking cane.

The breakfast looks like it would put 5 of the pounds right back on me!

 I always lose weight down there. Good food and no fat. Best Coffee in the world.  Them umbrellas are great for poking the taller folks in the eyes. Them Tico's are just the right height to getcha. Ever notice how the street sighs just graze yer scalp ??? ;D :D

I just figure nothing is right for my height down here, except the ceilings, they make them high so that it gets rid of the heat. It is about 78 for the high here in San Carlos.

Well I still can't belive this thing is still a cat. 4 storm (as of noon today), it should have been a 5 by now. The DanG thing is almost dead center of the projected path as of over a week ago. Yeah, this is one weird storm!

So you all are staying put, huh??? Good Luck!!!

The local red cross sent 20 or so volunteers down after Charley, and still have 10 - 15, still in Florida.
Local news reported that they are requesting local vehicles for the cleanup effort.

Holy Cow, I just checked the hurricane radar.. :o
Be safe all you guys, and let us know if we can help in any way.

I HAVE SEEN IT ALL. Been helping the neighbor get closed in. His wife went for some 2 X 4's and came back with stuff made in, y'all ready for this ??? ???  The CZECH Republic.  :o  What's wrong with this picture ??? ???  We have a border dispute with Canada and we import from the Czech's ??? ???

Harold,

You gotta be "sheeting" us..........

 :D  :D  :D  :D

It's probably cut from logs we exported to there, they cut them and sent them back. Do you think they came on U.S. ships?? Doubt it. We only have about 200 U.S. flagged ships..

  I can get pics.   I WILL get pics.
 NOW wadda ya think ??? Here's the Commie 4 X  2    ;D ;D ;D :D :D


(https://forestryforum.com/images/03_21_04/FDHcommie.jpg)

That's what happened when they put those tariffs on Canada.  It opened up new markets for other countries.

Its hard to believe that they still can compete with the dollar in the dumper compared to the Euro.  

And to top that off, some here in the Pacific Northwest are selling their number one clear Douglas Fir to Japan etc. so that they can have the clear vertical grain.  Hey, you folks in the line of fire, sure wish I was closer with my
Fir lumber and could send some in an economical manner to help.   I am only in to boards, not plywood, sorry. :'(

Looks like it was cut in Austria. Wonder what thier forests and forest industries are like?
Yeah , me too, wish I could help tou guys in Fla. I'll be thinking of you. Find something cement to hid under.

Got a stepson in Edgewater- can't get him on the phone- hope it's 'cuz he's somewhere safe.
Hoping all in the path keep your heads down.
'Bon Chance" from the Nor'East.

  Storms nowhere near Edgewater. Won't get serious until Sat morning. MAY try an end run around the storm and head for Miami. We will see come daylight. Somebody tell me when it's daylight. All this Plywood has made it very dark in here.  ;D ;D

My offer stills stands if ya have to run out a state. I hear it's much safer around here than Arkansaw.  Fewer snakes!   ;D

Don't get me started, Harold. Aintcha been to Lowes lately?  If you should happen in there, look at the bunks of lumber that is in its shipping wrap. Almost all of them are shipped from Kiev!  Now, the Florida Building Code, with which I am becoming familiar, states that framing lumber must be inspected and graded by a US licensed grader under supervision of a recognized lumber grading association. Yet, this crap from Russia is automatically accepted as good enough to put in my house, while the good ol' yeller pine from my own mill is not. >:(

Enough of the ranting! :)  I spoke with my son tonight, and learned that he and his wife will be riding the storm out in their apartment in Boca Raton. :o  I had expected that they would be in Tallahassee, but they say evacuation is now not feasable to attempt. He said that the Florida Turnpike and I-95 were both gridlocked for 30-60 miles with no movement for hours. I'm afraid many people may ride the storm out in their cars on the slab.

On the up side, Bill & Jen are in a sturdy building 7 miles inland. Theirs is in the interior area of a fairly large complex, and will either be protected by the other buildings, or clobbered by them.  If Frances continues as it has been, they will be on the southern fringe of the Hurricane force winds, and any northern turn will take them out of it.

Thanks to all of you for your concern and prayers. Don't worry about me, I will run early and fast, if it threatens our area. I am deeply concerned about family and friends that are on the firing line, though.

It's down to a cat. 3 but moving real slow.
They are saying the all the debris from Charley is going to turn into a lot of projectiles.  :o
Gas stations are either out of gas or closed, so making a retreat now will only get ya as far as what ya have in the tank.
All our local plywood and OSB shipments were rerouted several days ago, for the SE.
I don't shop at Home Depo any more then I need to, but after seeing their new comercial today, they have loss my business all together!  >:(

WHat did homedepots commerical say I missed it.

Got most of my shutters up now. I'm glad I'm so lazy since I had taken them down after Charley but had left them by the windows. Sure gets old fast though. The bright side is that it looks like we'll be on the  south west side  of Frances instead of the north east as we were for Charlie. That means the wind will blow just the opposite direction so maybe it'll blow some of these trees back upright...............

It is such a rare occurrence to have a tornado or hurricane in England we find it difficult to even visualise the devastation and terror it can bring. Could I just say very sincerely that our prayers and thoughts are very much with our American cousins at this time.

 I would like to thank all the folks that are concerned about Florida's residents. We have had offers of places to escape to, but, the roads have been bumper to bumper for 2 days. A normal 3 hour trip takes more than 15 hrs now. No way were we going to be stuck on the open road.

  Just starting to get the first effects of the rain. Predicting between 10 to 20 inches of rain. We are on high ground, so, that won't affect us, other than the ground being soggy and the trees just blowing over. It's going to be interesting, to say the least.

  I will check in periodically, as long as we have power and phone lines. Y'all come !!  ::) ;D ;D

FDH and you other FL folks keep your heads down and covered...from the looks of the rain predictions FDH,you may be glad you have scuba gear :o

Sandmar