Good news this morning for those of us staying....Rita shifted east in the night and now expected winds in my area are down from 110+ to 75+ for 10-15 hours. I'm feeling better already

 

nice, i hope it shifts some more... phew... is there a chance it can shift back? or no?

 

I didn't stay, but it did take me 6.5 hours to get to Austin (150 miles away). My parents left at 3am this morning on highway 90 and it took them 6 hours to go 40 miles. The cops ended up turning them around and telling them to "find another way". Way to go po-po.

 

It could shift back, but i keep hearing that it could and probly will shift more towards the east.

Goodluck to everyone, staying or not.

 

I'm staying and there is no telling where it's going or what it's going to do - just this morning it was coming up galveston bay (that would of royally sucked for us here). now it's moved - so i'm just assuming it's still gonna suck here.

 

Damn! I was planning on avoiding I-10 traffic by taking 90A. Why were they turned back?

 

Apparently the police can't handle all the traffic. It was 90 towards 71 West. The traffic on 71 West is so bad that the people can't get on at all. Don't take 90 at all. If you are still around and reading this...the way we took was 59 South to Spur 10 to 36 to I-10 West to 71 West. That's the way that we had the best luck as well. Good luck!

 

Well..... it looks like we cannot leave Sugar Land! All escape routes are blocked by parked traffic. We are gonna have to ride this one out, just like we rode Alicea out in 1988. Any one for a Hurricane Party! My windows are taped up, my liquor cabinet is fully stocked.

 

Traffic is insane. I was considering leaving but not after seeing everyone parked on all the freeways. I think it would take more than 12 hours to get anywhere. Finding gas along the way sounds next to impossible. Leaving just doesn't seem like an option so I spent the day preparing the house for the worst. Good luck to everyone in the gulf coast.

 

I pray for you all...and if you can, dont risk it...just GOOOO Already!

 

it's gonna be interesting here!

 

Im from sugar land, my parents are making a decision tonight. But i think its too late. They think the traffic might flow faster since all I-10 lanes are now open west bound. Either way its gonna take a long time just to get to I-10. Well everyone be safe. Im planing to ride this one out.

 

if you ain't left yet, then don't bother.

the storm still "may" head east and hit more of La. than here - but I don't trust it.

 

well I sure feel better about my decision to ride this out with the eye now due to hit Sabine Pass, we now are on the 'clean' side of Rita whereas this time yesterday we were on the 'dirty' (higher wind speed, higher storm surge)

max

 

hurrican party @ cato's place!!!!! damn I'm in Austin though. maybe next time. someone at work brought up an interesting point mother nature's obviously p-ssed @ New Orleans right now so Katrina came through. most survived and evacuated to Houston. so nature throws another one towards houston. people evacuate and turn to Arkansas. what's nature do? the storm turns east and drives towards Arkansas. not sure how, but somehow the group from New Orleans really pissed off mother nature.




PS - and in case anyone starts sending me hatemail again and thinks I'm saying stuff and joking about everything becuase I'm safe here in Austin, think on this one. my mother live(d) in New Orleans. she's still not sure what's going to happen now. her house survived mostly but that's it. the IT school she was attending is trashed, her place of employment is destroyed. everything around there is gone. so I have more reason to lighten the mood than most