Sunday Evening
We are still in the Great Eastern Power Outage. For those NOT at the
convention in Lewisburg, The power from Ohio through West Virginia, Virginia,
DC, Rhode Island and parts of New Jersey and North Carolina, and, in Lewisburg,
went out just as the awards ceremonies at the NSS Banquet started. The weather
was hot but otherwise wonderful all week, but the NSS convention weather
fortune continued on Friday night!
The power went out and killed the projectors and sound after most had finished
eating, and speakers bravely shoutedawards the names of the new Fellows. Then,
when Art Palmer rose to accept his well-deserved award, the Great Gust arrived,
clearing the campground (literally) and blowing some tents over 1/4 mile - we
later saw one flattened tent pinned against the fence around the Fair Grounds
on the East side of the one-way road to the south (just south of the limbs of a
huge fallen tree which blocked the highway). After the wind threatened the
integrity of the doors to the banquet hall, the ceremonies deteriorated
further.
All roads from the "normal" exit from our part of the Fair Grounds were blocked
by numerous fallen trees. By some devious route-finding (and an unexpectedly
unlocked gate), we found our way across the Fair Grounds and out to the one-way
road on the other side, heading north. A bit more devious route finding
across much lesser streets got us successfully to our hotel for a powerless
night. Hotel operators wringing their hands were amazed by our cheery room,
illuminated by several 200-lumen headlamps (operating on low and partial
power).
("Where did you get that??!!", they asked.)
("We are cavers", the reply.)
The next day was also beautiful (Saturday) but the extent of the outage in West
Virginia became apparent - it was NOT just Lewisburg. Refrigeration was out
everywhere, as was all power for any services, including pumping gas. It had
been our plan to re-visit haunts from 56 years ago around Cass, Senica Rocks,
Germany Valley, and Franklin. We had a full tank so headed north. All
services were out. We found one or two rural gas stations where the owner had
a generator, and the lines were 50 plus cars from each direction and rapidly
selling out of whatever gas they had in their tanks. The batteries in the
cell towers ran out and so did that service. Without power, of course there was
no internet. We found lunch in Elkins by going to the hospital cafeteria.
(Bright idea, Mary!)
Our thought was that we would not have any problems once we got east into
Virginia. Bad thought. Most of Harrisonburg and Staunton were either
without power or running on half-power(120 V, not 240v). What few hotels that
had power were swamped with people fleeing their homes. It was HOT! We
managed to find one OK motel with power and AC in a rural suburb, and scored
the last room.
This morning we found the local conditions somewhat improved, topped off with
gas, and headed back west across Shenandoah Mountain to the Cowpasture Valley,
Hot Springs, and Covington. Wonderful rural driving on another beautiful day.
Mary had heard me talk about wonderful West Virginia and this part of
Virginia, and was properly impressed. Power also still out in Covington and
Clifton Forge.
Power seems restored around Richmond and Williamsburg, although the rural areas
are still out. We expect to fly out of Richmond on Tuesday. It looks as if
airlines should be back on schedule.
Conventions are always interesting and often have an unexpected twist in the
weather. That describes this one, quite well.
DirtDoc.
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