[Coco] Gustuv

[Roger Taylor]

The worst nightmare seems to be in progress again, folks.  Let's all 
hope that Boisy and his family will stay safe and well during this 
unfortunate weather event.

To those who aren't following the headlines, this hurricane is 
forcing another massive evacuation of millions of people.  I can't 
speak for those who are from south La but the East Texas area did in 
fact get major side effects from the last two big hurricanes that hit 
the gulf... Katrina and Rita.  Rita's oute r borders reached right 
into my area and caused quite a bit of damage although nothing 
compared to the damage done from the eye as it reached land and 
before it faded away, from either of those hurricanes.

One huge side effect of these terrible hurricanes is that all the 
freeways and some major highways end up with bumper-to-bumper traffic 
for many hundreds of miles.  In 2005 I drove into La to get my kids 
and bring them back to Texas but couldn't get back in time before 
I-20 was jam packed all the way through Dallas and beyond.  I 
remember it taking about 6 hours to make a 2.5 hour trip.  The Guard 
had shelters set up at the rest areas and they were all jammed... 
clothes, water, food, and other needs were brought in on pallets and 
dropped all over the place as buses and buses full of La folks 
arrived around the clock.  I've never seen anything like it, but even 
that doesn't compare to what happened with those two 2005 hurricanes 
or what could happen during Gustuv.

My city is in the late projected path but we're hoping the worst we 
get is flash flooding.  Who knows.  If it's a 4 or 5 when it hits the 
gulf and keeps its strength for long enough we'll be in a similar 
panic, although nothing like being near the coast.