| Author |
Message |
sherryd4104 (216.81.96.75)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, August 14, 2004 - 10:35 am: | |
Just spoke to a fellow busnut and he told me Jack Conrad lost a roof and another lost their home. We have several bus families that live in Arcadia and it looks like it hit them hard. Wish I had more details..Sherryd |
Ian Giffin (Admin) (69.156.209.218)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, August 14, 2004 - 2:00 pm: | |
I know of Jack & Paula Conrad and Ace Rossi & Susan. I've just phoned them both but no answer at either. I'll keep you posted.
Ian
www.busnut.com |
Robert Wood (Bobwoodsocal) (4.46.108.60)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, August 14, 2004 - 5:36 pm: | |
sure hope they are OK, Charley was no picnic, they will be in our prayers, Bob |
Sojourner (68.60.169.142)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, August 14, 2004 - 6:34 pm: | |
I just talk to Jack’s fire dept. and was told Jack went home to be with wife while eye of Charlie went over or near their farm.
Dept personal said that a corner piece of metal roofing blew off or open and trying keep thing in control around the buildings.
Also said to leave a message if Jack calls dept to call me if he has any major damage so I can come down from Michigan to help.
I have my “Sojourner” (busconversion project) there to finish sometime soon.
Hope and pray everything is ok for Jack and Paula.
Arcadia’s landmark… tall silver water tower is now gone…broken on ground as per MSNBC TV video report.
Arcadia is 10 air miles straight north of Jack’s farm.
Also no power and phone service as of 4:30 pm est. in Punta Gorda, Cleveland, Fort Ogden and Arcadia.
Sojourn for Christ, Jerry |
Jim-Bob (205.188.116.136)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, August 15, 2004 - 1:00 am: | |
I meant to e-mail Jack this morning but go distracted.
Just now got back from a 12 hour round trip expedition from West Palm Beach to Punta Gorda to rescue my 84 year young Uncle Sammy. He & everyone in his "manufactured home" park survived, six people at the next park south were not so fortunate. Latest I heard there was 50+ dead FOUND so far in Punta Gorda/Port Charlotte area. National Guard are controlling downtown Port C. as that part of town was devastated. We counted almost 100 utility & 47 tree trimming trucks rolling in from other areas.
We approached Port C from the south of Lake Okeechobee as the storm had almost no effect there but we had been told that almost all East/West highways north of the lake were closed. We were fortunate that Rt 80 & I-75 were open & no traffic jams. We drove the bus right to his door. (Tiptoeing around trees & house parts.) The devastation is incredible. Almost everything you look at is damaged in some way (and this area is on the outskirts of Port C.).
Nearby at the clubhouse (damaged), the other residents were having a huge communal barbeque with the contents of their freezers that were melted after 24 hours with no power. They haven't figured out tomorrow's menu yet. Most think the park's management will be getting the power and water back on in a couple of days (looking at the utility poles etc. down, we think more like a month.) The phones mostly worked 'till this morning but not now and cell phones do not work, no signal.
I was expecting a lot of resistance but it took only about 5 minutes to talk Sammy into visiting our house for a week or so.
Leaving the damage area on the way home we found that restaurants as far as 70 miles away were running out of food & closing. Motel rooms scarce as hen's teeth all the way over to Palm Beach. Gas stations either have no power or no more fuel. (Kind of neat in the bus, we filled up this morning before leaving & had gen gas for 60 hours & fuel for 1200 miles)
I realize this has nothing to do with Jack & Paula & the Arcadia folks but thought the bus-eye view might be interesting. |
Ian Giffin (Admin) (69.156.209.218)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, August 15, 2004 - 8:07 am: | |
Got a return email from Ace & Susan. Although they and nearby family received "very little property damage", Ace's dad's house in Lake Wales (dad not living in house anymore) was a total loss.
Lakeland, North Port, South Lakeland and Jacksonville families are all ok.
Ian
www.busnut.com |
TWO DOGS (4.227.114.159)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, August 15, 2004 - 9:41 am: | |
WOW !! this is better 'reporting' than t.v. |
Ace (24.28.44.58)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, August 15, 2004 - 5:59 pm: | |
You can view some pics I took this morning if you go here!
http://groups.msn.com/AceRossiMotorsports/dadshomeaftercharlievisited.msnw?Page=Last |
Cliff (Floridacracker) (65.33.16.120)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, August 15, 2004 - 9:14 pm: | |
Ace,
Thank God your Dad's OK, I have lived in Florida all my life and this "Charley" sent a chill up my spine before it made its East turn. We were originally on the business side of the projected path.
Cliff |
Ace (24.28.44.58)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, August 15, 2004 - 9:54 pm: | |
Thanks guys but actually my dad was pretty lucky since he was spending time in a Lakeland Rehab facility (nursing home) which is about 30 miles from his home!
He has nor had any intention of returning to his home as we were slowly fixing it up for re-sale. Now all we can do is haul it off and sell the 2 lots he owns. After showing him pics and video, he took it better than I thought. I guess him seeing the other homes around his made him realize it wasn't JUST him and HIS home! Everyone suffered losses!
Ace |
Sojourner (68.60.169.142)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, August 15, 2004 - 11:40 pm: | |
Ace; Thanks for sharing sad photos of your dad's former home, however prasie the Lord he home safe.
Sojourn for Christ, Jerry |
Tom Caffrey (Pvcces) (65.74.66.104)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, August 16, 2004 - 8:09 pm: | |
Well, guys, they're OK. I just got off the phone after talking with both Jack and Paula and they sound real chipper.
Orange Blossom II is in good shape, as well. They had quite a bit of damage, but I don't think that it's too bad. Jack said that compared to many, they were really pretty fortunate.
They did lose a lot of roof, but the main part of the house held fine. Their big worry now is the afternoon thunderstorms. So far, they've been lucky.
He was watching the radar at the station when the eye wall passed over his place and they were able to estimate the wind speed at 125 mph when that happened.
He says that Horizon Coach is a mess and it remains to be seen what will be recovered there.
They only have the power that's in the bus, so for the most part, that's where they're living, now. Jack says he expects it to be two or three weeks before power is restored.
He said that he will be at the fire station tomorrow and thinks that he will be able to get on the internet then.
I'm really glad they're OK.
Tom Caffrey PD4106-2576
Suncatcher |
Stephen Fessenden (Sffess) (65.154.176.156)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, August 16, 2004 - 8:51 pm: | |
Take a look at the following site:
http://www.wunderground.com/tropical/ and note the rose pink colored segment that was in Charley's path. I am sure it did not show that color last Friday when I looked at the site. It was only red. Looks like the water temperature chart was off last week, because Charley acted like it crossed really hot water.
The Gulf has been unusually hot this year, starting in June with it already 87 degrees off St. Petersburg, so it is a year to watch for (more) extreme hurricanes. Note that if they go over the Yucatan, they also go over slightly cooler water. In July, the water temperatures were shown rose colored all the way to Alabama. Good thing we did not have a July hurricane.
I find this site excellent for hurricane watching. |