Driving Through Hurricane Sandy To New Orleans

Hurricane Sandy was a storm of huge proportions. I feel for those who suffered losses from its arrival. Here is a link to ways to help them. I was fortunate to simply experience some of its range as it took me two full days of steady driving to get through it and its sister snowstorm from the West. I drove a 22-foot truck to New Orleans during the storm with much of my stuff in the back. My trip began near Sandy’s northeastern reach in Cambridge MA. I did not get through the twin storms until two days later south of Louisville KY.

I decided to move to back to my hometown, New Orleans, last spring. During the summer I changed my move date to the end of October. I was eager to get there to start my new life. I also wanted to leave before the Cambridge winter.  This was accentuated by the lack of heat in my apartment, a situation that was helpful in terminating my lease. I picked October 30 to give me an extra day before the end of the month.

Then I saw the forecasts for hurricane Sandy. I closely monitored what was happening as it approached, ironically reminding me of Katrina’s approach at a time that I first thought about moving back home to New Orleans. There were strong winds predicted throughout my intended path. I changed from my original route via Scranton, south through the Shenandoah, and passing through scenic eastern Tennessee before going west. To get out of the storm as soon as possible, I decided to go straight west through upstate New York and on to Cleveland before turning south, where the winds were only predicted to be 50 mph. I was going to drive an unfamiliar truck.

I had decided to rent a truck and drive my belongings myself to both save money and to have them arrive with me. I hired some professional movers to carry my stuff from the top of my third floor walk up (see on the left), load and pack the truck for me. As the storm approached, I moved things forward a day, to the 29^th; I was lucky the movers could handle this new date. Then Sandy moved forward as well. I was grateful that the movers agreed to load the truck despite the weather.  I was eager to get out of town and not be struck for days.

My good friend, Thierry Hubert, helped make the departure reality. My Jeep was already in New Orleans, as I did not want to tow it. So Thierry drove me to the required stops for errands as the wind was picking up. There was a series of good and bad turns. Thierry took me first to the cable company whose Web site said they would be open at 8:30. The truck was to be ready at 10 and the movers would arrive at 10:30. However, the sign of the cable company door said it would open at 10. Concern rose. Luckily in a few minutes, there was a woman standing near the door. I asked to give her the cable boxes, as I had to go get my truck to move. She said I could not come inside but she took the boxes I handed to her in my black garbage bag.

The truck was 30 minutes late and came with no gas. Thierry used his GPS to find a place that had diesel. We negotiated some narrow streets in Somerville and into Cambridge. The movers were waiting. Thierry went out a got some rope to allow the movers to securely tie in the contents. They did a great job, as the load did not shift at all during trip.

I was lucky again as the whole time the movers were loading the truck in Cambridge, it was only misting, even though the winds were high. Some trees fell near us but the rain
held off. There was sense of urgency!  My neighbor kindly let me watch the latest forecast on her TV. As soon as I closed the back end of the truck, at 2:30PM, the driving rain started. So the movers and my stuff missed getting soaked.  I put on Clifton Chenier, the Zydeco great, doing “Bon Ton Roule” as I pulled the big diesel away from my curb. The large windshield wipers were keeping time with his drummer. The truck cab was as high as a semi and passing cars looked like the Matchbox series. I was right to get this size truck, given all I was taking south.

As I drove out of Cambridge, several streets were closed with big trees across the road. There were strong winds and heavy rain until I was half way across Massachusetts. The truck swayed a bit in the wind. I drove slowly and began to get used to the truck. It was a leap of faith or perhaps the desire to go home that pushed me to not stop. Then the strong wind changed to a steady wind.

The service area on the Mass Pike was out of power. Fortunately, the gas pumps and minimart were on a generator. It was the first of many rainy, wet fill-ups at the diesel pump isolated from the regular gasoline pumps and their overhead cover. The food venders were closed with no power; they were about to shut the bathrooms. I bought a bunch of snacks for dinner. I hoped that I could find a place to sleep with power that night. I did have a flashlight, some pillows and a quilt in the cab as a backup.

When I got to New York State the rain changed to a mist with the steady winds so I was able to drive at normal speeds, although I do not go too fast with the big truck at first. However, I wanted to put as much distance behind me so I drove late. I spent the night in Geneva NY, between Syracuse and Rochester.  The first motel had no water, and the second was full. Third took me in and had wifi. I slept well.

On Tuesday I drove 14 hours from Geneva to Munfordville KY, about 90 min south of Louisville KY. The truck and I were beginning to be friends. I increased the speed more. There were  strong winds and rain. It took me two days to drive through Sandy. This shows the reach of the storm. I drove diagonally across the whole state of Ohio from Cleveland to Cincinnati. I sprinkled Obama dust along with way. I thought about how this one state may decide our next President. There was snow on the ground in mid-state Ohio but not on the road as I went through, only rain. I got caught in Cincinnati’s evening rush hour. I finally got out of the storm south of Louisville and stopped for the night.

The third day was long - 12 hours - but sunny and calm.  I got an early start and watched the sun come up as I entered Tennessee. To celebrate the sun I had breakfast at a Waffle House. It was the only time I sat down for a meal, surviving on hot dogs and fried chicken take out from the various truck stops, not wanting to waste time. I had to stop often to fill the fuel ravenous truck.  I went through Nashville’s morning rush hour and on through Alabama and Mississippi. I discovered there was a governor on the truck preventing it from going over 70, even down hill. It made passing a challenge at times but also made me not worry about any speeding tickets.

I entered Louisiana around 5PM. I drove over the long bridge at Slidell with the sun shinning through mist at a low angle over Lake Pontchartrain. I arrived in New Orleans for dinner at 6:30. As I drove into New Orleans there was a big traffic jam on I-10. I took a chance and got off at the Orleans Avenue exit just as traffic was stopping completely. I drove through Treme, past Dookey Chase’s, and reached North Carrolton, turning left toward the River.

Once I crossed Claiborne I saw the green streetcars I often rode in my childhood. I was home. It felt very comfortable going down the familiar Carrolton Avenue to my new home near my old neighborhood at Riverbend. Each street name was now part of my childhood. I put on Clifton Chenier again and the sounds of “Bon Ton Roule” rode with me down the narrow bumpy street off Carrolton near the levee to my destination. As I parked people walked by in costumes. Then I remebered it was Halloween. Below you can see my rental truck parked beside my new home. 

The next night I walked to the top of the levee near my home and watched the sunset over the Mississippi River. I had a beer in a go cup as barges quietly passed in the red glow. I felt that I had been given early admissions to heaven. 

Comments

[Paul A. Tamburello, Jr.]

Great travelogue, Bill.
Sounds like you had good luck all the way down the long road to Louisiana. Love the lines about sprinkling Obama dust along your route in Ohio, you and your truck becoming "friends" and having Clifton Chenier guide you out of Cambridge and welcome you to New Orleans, your home town. Welcome home!

[bill Ives]

Paul - Thanks - Look forward to seeing you down here.

[Rob Paterson]

What a journey! Thanks for the post and a shout out to Thierry

[bill Ives]

Rob - Thanks - Hope to see you down here and in Quebec next summer.

[VMaryAbraham]

So glad you made it safely through the storm, Bill. Enjoy your new (old) hometown.

- Mary

[bill Ives]

Mary

Thanks. Great to see you at KM World.

[Cheryl Lesser]

Really enjoyed your story, Bill. Thank you for sharing. Wishing you peace and joy in New Orleans.

[Jenny Ambrozek]

A stirring and profound journey Bill. Thank you for sharing. May the joyful promise of your first evening "at home" in New Orleans continue to be fulfilled.

[Bill Ives]

Cheryl and Jenny - Thanks for your well wishes. Hope you both had a great Thanksgiving.