Irma!

[SunstateSMB]

My husband and I loved the idea of having our van as a quick escape vehicle. Unfortunately, as we ended our 7000 mile trip this summer, we pulled into our driveway to discover our rear axle coming apart. Also found a small leak in the roof, which was added to the "Fix eventually" list.

Now the "We'll get around to fixing it soon" line has come back to bite us in the rear. We have Monstaliner waiting pointlessly in the garage, and the parts for the axle fix on hold at my dad's shop. So much for having an escape vehicle.

We are riding it out, as well as our SMB Vinny Van-go. I'm honestly more concerned losing the top of our van versus our house roof. Irma is going to laugh at the water resistant cover we've draped over top.

At the end of the day, it's all replaceable stuff, but I just love that van too much to lose it!

Sorry to ramble, facing down a CAT 5 storm rattles the mind a little bit. Good luck to any fellow SMB'ers who are in the path of Irma!

[gcvt]

Here we go. Lights out in Key West.

My Mom made it from her house in Orlando to my Brother's house in Orlando earlier today. He's on slightly higher ground, slightly newer construction, whole-home generator, etc. Mostly boarded up but not completely. Bro and SIL bought where they did because the area had older established large trees - they didn't want to wait and watch trees grow. That could turn out to bite them in the ass.

The SIL brought all their outdoor cats inside and my Brother is very allergic. That should be fun.

Some live webcams still streaming here: http://www.ptztv.com

[Wbp]

We got lucky on my side of the state not so for others. We packed the van and left Longboat with the boat rode it out in town and got back on the island next day to find out how lucky we were not to get the tide surge. We have some power on the island but no power to any of my places. Today I am going to try and setup for the long haul at the house without power. I am glad I have the van was able to pack a lot of supplies and could have lived out of it for a while. Thanks for good friends and neighbors life is good in the neighbor hood.

[achop]

OMG jacksonville, bbasso. Hope you were above water.

It was extremely gratifying to be driving a 5 ton high clearance 4x4, heading in to Ocala where the storm arrived later and weaker than expected.

The NATO-spec jerry cans didn't leak a whit of gas fumes. Brilliant, as they were bunjied inside my vehicle. No cargo box yet.