I left out from Fairview this morning around 8 am - had to wait for enough light to do some things around the house. Headed down I-26 South but decided against the Shelby/hwy 74 route, instead going further south to the vicinity of Spartanburg.
Turned out I had less than a 1/2 tank and more like 1/3. Figured I could go 80-100 miles. Saw the first open station near Hendersonville - turned around backtracking only to find the line for the pumps at least a half mile long and hardly moving. I kept going.
About 20 more miles down the road I saw another open station (price sign lit up). I caught that exit and didn’t have to turn around and when I pulled up it was weirdly normal. Every pump was in use but no line. I pulled in behind a guy in a big truck (I drive a 2008 Toyota! It’s straight drive and I love it). Guy looks at me and says, “that doesn’t look like a diesel car. That’s all they’re selling here.” I took off.
Then past Inman, SC I saw another lit sign and hit the exit. Place was full but nothing like a half mile. My gas light was flickering. Pretty much had to do this stop. Not enough gas to carry on. After about 20 minuted I was at the pump. And it took cards. I pumped around 9.7 gallons into my 11 capacity tank. It was a damn good feeling. Me and the dogs weren’t gonna get stuck on the side of the road. Young woman with two kids had a ten dollar bill. Maybe they took cash, I don’t know. Didn’t care. I moved my car and she pulled forward and to celebrate I bought her a tank of gas. I asked her to pay it forward.
Never ever felt so good buying gas.
I’m in Strasburg, VA now. I’ll go the rest of the way to nyc tomorrow.
Leaving pretty much had to happen today or never. Staying longer would have resulted in my using more gas to keep devices charged and reducing my range dramatically. Everything was going downhill. I was even growing short on peanut butter. And dog food. Eventually the tub would be empty and I wouldn’t be able to flush.
Just said to myself, “Don’t be an old man” and hit the road.
Pulled together a Timeline of how things went down up to this point...
Just for posterity's sake, here is a timeline that I pulled together of how Helene was playing on my specific situation.
Timeline
Returned to Asheville from NYC, arrived 3:30 pm Wednesday. Taught class, 5:30-7:10
UNCA email informs that classes will go remote for Thursday and Friday: 7:41 am Thursday
UNCA (50 minutes later) changes policy and suspends classes Thursday & Friday. 8:31 am Thursday
Drove out and met the Burkes in WVL 11:15 am Thursday (This couple was visiting from Raleigh and had rented an AirBnB. We talked about the weather and I urged them to head on down the mountain and skip their 'vacation.' Instead they stayed and were trapped until Tuesday when their son had to drive in from Nashville with gas for them to make it back to Raleigh. They had lost all communication with the outside world save for a brief connection that a similarly trapped neighbor had provided. Folks did take care of them).
Rode out Helene at house Thursday afternoon and night - wind was mainly over by sundown
Lost power 4:18 am Friday morning
Lost cell mid-day Friday
Lost water Friday afternoon
Road in to my house blocked by downed trees and an over wash at the bottom on Friday
Trees chain sawed and over wash receded by Saturday morning - road out cleared
Water blocking highway 74 (Old Charlotte Highway) receded - Saturday morning
Drove to campus, 11:30 am Saturday
Prepped to evacuate attempted I-40 heading east. Blocked. 1:30 pm
Returned home
UNCA sends out message that it will be closed until 10/9. Saturday, 4:49 pm
Cell signal returned, Saturday 10:26 pm
Monday morning, 8:00 am, hit the road. Still no power or water. Took I-26 South toward Spartanburg.
I’m a retired teacher and coach and work PT for our local Rec dept. I’m still without power at my house (as of Tuesday 3pm).
