Anyone want to go Ice Skating? Winter storm of 09!

Bibbyman · January 30, 2009, 04:21:56 AM

On our way back north, we meet two tractor trailer loads of big generators heading south.

Larry · January 30, 2009, 07:47:07 AM

Yesterday the news media was saying all power would be restored by tomorrow. This morning they are being realistic and saying most power should be restored in two weeks. I think hardest hit was Harrison Arkansas with 2" of ice. Harrison is about 60 miles east of me and 60 or so miles west of LeeB and Arkie.

Lowes sold a semi load of 186 generators in 30 minutes yesterday. Our downtown airport is still on generator power.

Folks are being stupid...fire department pulled 10 unconscious from carbon monoxide out of a garage where a charcoal barbecue was being used for heat.

pigman · January 30, 2009, 08:25:30 AM

This living without power company power is not so bad after one gets use to it. :

There are some down sides though. I get cold going into our large walk in freezer ( unheated sunroom) to get food and it is cold going out in the morning to the outbuilding to gas up and turn on the generator. My little generator is not large enough to start the water pump, so I have to draw water out of the cistern with a rope. The rope sure gets cold and ice covered after a few minutes. If I didn't have the cows I think it would be a good time to visit one of our southern members for a few days. Maybe it would be better to visit several members for only a day each. :D Got to go now before the generator runs out of gas. :(

Ironwood · January 30, 2009, 09:26:43 AM

I was witness to the the ice storm that hit about 10 years ago up in norhtern NY, and into Ontario. We were bound for Lake Palcid to ice climb (vertical), saw thousands of trucks staging poles at Martin Marietta in Syracuse NY and power co. trucks from all over the country, as well as numerous tracked power line drilling vehicals (supposedly everyone from east of the Mississippi) converging. The swampy and mountaianous terrain made the tracked units a must. An amazing site to see all that man power and capital equipment mustered.

Ironwood

LeeB · January 30, 2009, 11:02:12 AM

We're not quite 60 miles from Harrison, only about 20 as the crow flies. Lindy says Harrison seems to be pretty much shut down. She tried to find a hotel room so her and Paul could take a real bath and shower. No one answers the phones there. No gas to had anywhere close. Hotels are booked up anywhere within decent range. Temps supposed to get up into the fifties tommorow. She is going to try and get out then. Mountainhome is up and running. Maybe they can get gas there.

semologger · January 30, 2009, 05:21:29 PM

Well im back also. Been stuck in a hotel for the last few days. Still no power at the house. We went to a friends house today that got power back so we could free up a room at the hotel for someone else. We was at their house for 20 minutes and they lost power again! We was out of there in a flash we are now at another friends house she has not lost power yet so hopefully she wont. With a 7 month old i am not taking any risk. I made it to the house today i had to take a friend with me so i could cut all the trees out of the road. There are trees everywere snapped in half. Buildings on top of sawmills They saw this is the worst ice storm in at least 2 decades. It will be a few more days till i can get back power at the house i am just lucky i have had a place to go warm. So many have not.

Larry · January 30, 2009, 06:34:33 PM

We have a nephew and his family outside Harrison...they are holed up with inlaws...now a family of eight in a small but warm house. There road is blocked to town. Kathy tried to call them couple times this afternoon to check on the situation...but cell phone service is still iffy.

The Governor and party flew into Fayetteville this morning in two Black Hawk choppers. Spent 30 minutes and off to Mountain Home than Jonesborro. Seems they could have made more productive use of the choppers by dropping off supplies. Guess I don't see the big picture.

The good news is the sun came out bout 1PM and melted all the ice off the trees. Most roads are dry and clear. Country roads are still really slick but should thaw tomorrow.

LeeB · January 30, 2009, 07:38:00 PM

Just made my afternoon call to Lindy. Her and the boy made it out and into town today. They managed to get a couple cans of gas and a meal. They checked into a motel and took showers and got cleaned up, then the power went out in the motel so they checked back out and went home. No sence paying to be cold in a motel when there's a warm fire and TV (generator, just not enough to pull the well) at home. Lots of power lines still down but the calvery has arrived and are workiing to get it all back up. She sounded in much better spirits today. I recon the fever broke. Will still most likely be a while before the get electricity back. We live at the end of the line. They saw several trucks, but all the pole trucks were empty. That may be the biggest hold up. She saw my youngest dayghter while they were in Yellville. She lives in another town about 40miles away. They never did lose power there. Lucky devil.

LeeB · January 30, 2009, 07:40:42 PM

Which way outside Harrison, Larry? The daughter lives iin Greenforest. We're in Pyatt, just a little east of Harrison.

WH_Conley · January 30, 2009, 07:59:19 PM

Lee, what kind of genset and what kind of pump ya got there?

Gary_C · January 30, 2009, 08:34:00 PM

Well, help is on the way. Yesterday I had to drive north on I 35 and saw two semi loads of power poles heading south. There is a couple of pole and post companies north of the twin cities and this storm will probably clean them out. Maybe they will have to start buying pine again.

Bibbyman · January 30, 2009, 09:51:16 PM

Mary and I went over to Columbia, Mo today on business. We seen a convoy of electric utility trucks heading east on I70. Mary questioned why they were heading east. I mentioned that the area from St. Louis to the boot hill was hit hard and by going east on I70, they could turn south on I 55 and be right where they were needed.

pigman · January 30, 2009, 10:51:39 PM

I don't need any poles, I need wire. The wire is down in two places just along my private drive. The wire just broke from the weight of the ice, no trees on the wires. My neighbor said that the wires are down on his farm also. Must be that cheap Chinese wire they installed back about 1950. :D

WDH · January 30, 2009, 11:07:58 PM

Wow Larry, those pics were ~~awesome~~ fearsome. I really sympathize with y'all for having to deal with all the mess that the ice has made. Be careful clearing out the road, and keep us posted.

LeeB · January 31, 2009, 01:14:11 AM

WH, its a 6000watt genset and the well pump is 1/2hp 220volt. It pulls 6amps. I figure the genny will pull the well just fine but Lindy is always scared to death that something will go wrong and burn up the pump or it won't be wired right and burn down the house or some other such so I just leave it alone. If I remember right 220v x 6amps = 1320watts. No load at all for the genny.

LeeB · January 31, 2009, 01:16:14 AM

I haven't seen any pictures of home. Lindy won't plug the computer in to the generator either. Much easyer to humor her than incur her wrath.

Larry · January 31, 2009, 08:10:40 AM

Quote from: LeeB on January 30, 2009, 07:40:42 PM
Which way outside Harrison, Larry? The daughter lives iin Greenforest. We're in Pyatt, just a little east of Harrison.

There northeast of Harrison a little bit on Hwy 7. They can get to town now and have reliable cell service but were told yesterday they may not get power back for 3 weeks.

WH_Conley · January 31, 2009, 08:55:37 AM

Lee, just think if something did burn up, within the next 6 months. Ya would still be to blame. :D

pigman · January 31, 2009, 08:56:16 AM

LeeB, I am running a ~~6000watt~~( maybe next time I will read the owners manual) 4000watt generator and it won't start my 1/2 hp pump. It is a shallow well pump so I can hear the motor try to start, but just not enough starting amps to get the motor started. :( Tried to get the wife to go down to the creek to take a bath, but she grew up a city girl and made me take her to her mother's for a shower. The ice is only two inches thick on the creek, she could have broken it if she had really tried. ;)

LeeB · January 31, 2009, 10:22:02 AM

Six months, ha. I'm still catching it for things I did 30 years ago. :D

ARKANSAWYER · January 31, 2009, 12:04:00 PM

I am back up at the sawmill. I am on the main highway and just power back last night. It was to cold to start the computer. 8) 8) 8) 8)

It only took me two hours to saw my way out 2 miles to the highway. I had about 15 people helping pull limbs but it seems I was the only one with a running chain saw and gas.

This is the new "smoke house I was building for the guys. The large limb just missed it and the outhouse.

This is the new pump house here at the mill the other was crushed. I had to replumb just about everything and fix the busted off pressure swith from the pressure tank. Then I had to replace the pipes in the outhouse after they froze and busted.

We are going to need about 500 poles according to Entergy and there are over 1,900 lines down. It will be another week or two before we have power at home. I live on a mountian and just about do not have a tree left standing. I have two on a hunting truck of mine and several on the house and barn. Fences are down but we pulled all the live stock in so they are close. Most of the stems are cracked and split. There is going to be a large loss of timber here. Most of mine will not be fit to saw. But it will make it easier to make firewood out of. NOW WHERE IS FEMA? ???

Warbird · January 31, 2009, 12:52:42 PM

Quote from: ARKANSAWYER on January 31, 2009, 12:04:00 PMNOW WHERE IS FEMA? ???

Don't worry, Obama will save you. ;D Glad you are okay and back up and running. Sad news about all the timber lost.

Larry · January 31, 2009, 01:51:16 PM

Quote from: ARKANSAWYER on January 31, 2009, 12:04:00 PM

NOW WHERE IS FEMA? ???

There all over here in comfortable headquarters making really big plans to help us out and improve our lifestyle...I'll be more than happy to point em in your direction just to get em out of our town. ;D

BTW, nice pictures...keep your chin up.

Hey, Lee my nephew's generator won't start there pump either. They found a new use for the swimming pool...its used to provide water for the flush toilets. I don't need to worry bout those problems...flush toilets or swimming pools. :D :D :D

Tom · January 31, 2009, 01:56:32 PM

I know that ice is miserable and tears things up, but to us, in Florida, your pictures are beautiful. Thanks.

The top four will make great post cards. Too bad you didn't have a Santa hat to hang from the sign. It would have made a great Christmas Card.