8:30 pm – well, that was the longest 12 hour town trip I’ve had in a while. Besides what I reported below, it started snowing on South Coast Ridge Rd. and covered the road and the surrounding area with snow. Been a long time since I drove in the snow, and in the dark, too? I can’t remember the last time, if I ever have.
People driving on N-F Rd. are idiots, they don’t believe in staying on their own side, so be very cautious around the turns. As I said in one of my posts, MoCo is on the road coverage this weekend. Saw the grader this morning and talked to the guys. This evening, saw the grader parked at the Ranger Station near the summit, so available to go east or west. Yay!!
I will be checking on the necessary reports, updates, etc. and then I have some photos to upload from this morning. My day was too busy.
Everyone, check-in here with reports of where you are, what is happening, and keep us all advised of conditions as they develop.
If you have been following me today, you know I am on the road, picking up my Jeep in Watsonville. I am currently stopped at the intersection of 218 and 68, heading back to 101, King City for supplies, gas, and home.
I just went through a down pour between Moss Landing and here that was a nightmare. Highway One was awful. 218 is flooded. I hydroplaned once.
I have emails re conditions in CV and elsewhere, which I cannot respond to right now. I need to get to King City asap, and then home. When I do, I will post again. In the mean time, all ETs out there – phone home below in the comments.
Will check back in when I get home.
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Should be this way the whole weekend. I wish I'd known you were in Watsonville. I would have invited you to come by for a beer, coffee, martini, whatever.
Heavy rainfall here on Garrapata Ridge. Rain rate was just under 2" per hour for a good half hour. Current rain rate holding pretty steady at .55" per hour. He had very high winds, followed by heavy rain with hail and lightning. Accumulation since around 2 pm is just over an inch.
I am about 2 miles from the Rocky Creek slip and slide. The heavy rain is not going to do good things for that hillside.
That was suppose to read "We had very high winds" not "He had..."
3:50 just returned to Pfeiffer Ridge from a fill up gas tank trip, get mail, and more eggs and onions for French Onion soup run.
At Ripplewood Chevron gas station (as I pumped gas) the heavens(?) opened with a deluge. By the time the tank was full I was 3-4 inches (think ankle high) deep in running water and SOAked!.
Asked Blaze about UPS & FEDEX deliveries and they said (understanding but not certainty) that UPS will NOT be delivering during road outage but FedEx will get to Big Sur once a week. I'm sure we'll know more soon.
The Post Office is closing at 2:30 (not 3 as I had heard) so our intrepid mail man can get our outgoing mail into the USPO process each day.
HAd dinner with friends at Deetjens last night.... so many locals! What a wonderful community this can be when we work together.
The rain at Hawks Perch (Local Color, River Inn) coming down in periodic buckets. The garbage guys left wherever at 2 am and did a pickup around 1 pm here, blee 'em. Everybody seems more challenged than despairing. Thanks to Lynne and Julian I'm eating chocolate cake and drinking Jack Daniesls. The lights flickered once but came back. Life is good. Aren't we all fabulous. Love you Kate, get home safe.
4:45 pm - I just arrived at the Safeway in King City. It has been variously dropping buckets, and drizzling, all the way down. I found old "short cuts" Rocky taught me when the bridge was out in 1995. I am anxious to get my shopping done, my gas topped off, and up N-F Rd. to the South Coast Ridge Rd. and home. It would be absolutely wonderful to make it there by dark. I'll check in then.
Wishing you God speed and angels to guide you safely home!
4:00 pm...driving north on 101 from teaching Art today at San Lucas School. Hit the storm just above King City, and by Greenfield, heavy winds and hail. Then just ahead of me off the right lane, a blinding flash as a lightning bolt hits a power pole.A shower of sparks cascade down at me from the exploding transformer. Holy S---!!! Rain gauge at the mouth of Carmel Valley reads 1.05" from this frontal passage. Pondering the numerous trips over N-F Road ahead goin' to Pacific Valley School. The other day, as I approached FHL, I could have used my newly-found jade tomahawk to obtain a turkey dinner. But I decided to let the gobbling flock pass by my truck. Tonight, I'll check to see if I glow in the dark from radiation. Never a dull moment!
So glad you are home Kate. We keep an eye on you as well. Sleep well and thanks for all you do for us.
Love, Pam
I don't know Dave Allan but he is a TROOPER! PV kids lucky to have him!