Back in ’95… as the old timers would say (darn that’s me) we had record setting rains. The whole county had record setting rains, in fact several counties.
Being it has been raining off and on the last few days, I keep thinking of ‘rain stories’
Back to ’95…Our neighbor M telling me that we were rained in and could not get out awakened me about 4:30am. That was ridicules, she must have been dreaming. I had to get up soon anyway, so I got up and after doing my usual morning stuff. I put my clothes on and left for work. I did not get far. The only way out of the ranch was impassable with my Saturn. You have to understand that at the time we had our mailboxes that stood about 4 feet tall, just inside the arches that announced “Rawhide Ranch”. Our mailboxes were under water. No way around that…I went back home and called work and said I could not get out and would let them know when I could. (I call it the ‘ranch’ because when we first started coming here in 1988 the resort was called ‘Rawhide Ranch’)
It was still dark, so I walked around and discovered that we had water most of the way up to the restaurant which is on high ground over looking the lake. Or in this case the lake was gone or enlarged which every way you want to look at it. The storage area for the travel trailer used by the weekenders was under water. Some units were floating. It takes a lot of water to fill that big of area.
Several hours later after the sun had come up. I returned home and switched on the TV. The news reporters were keeping everyone up to date with the changing conditions. The whole area was under water. Heavy snow followed by warm rains had made for flooding by the rivers that run through our area. Levees had been built along all the rivers years ago. A 100 years prior, the flooding was common almost every year. The Levy behind the ranch had given way and trapped the floodwater in our lands.
Back to the TV reports………Just after I got a hot cup of coffee, sat down and put my feet up, they showed a flyover by the news helicopter. Darn!! We were an island. The water got to within about 150 feet of our unit. Luckily we were on higher ground.
Later in the day, the National Guard came and wanted to remove any old folks or people with health conditions that may put them in jeopardy. We loaded up a bunch and off they went in the high-wheeled trucks. Refugees of the storm. {one of our members thought it was great, he got feed 3 or 4 times Every time he was moved to a new location, the Red Cross fed him: He kept being moved because the water kept rising….. and off they went again to a new shelter and a new meal)
After the National Guard left, we held a meeting for the remaining residents in the main clubhouse. It over looks the volleyball courts and the lake. The water had covered the volleyball courts. They are a good 15-20 feet above the normal level of the lake. We were discussing what we would do if the water continued to rise. About that time, the levy on the other side of the river broke. We watched the water as it quickly receded. One of the maintance men walked to the middle of the volley courts and helped a stranded fish back to the water. We all cheered our hero……….
The Big House, where the indoor pool and spa are located, had about 3 feet of water on the main floor. Some of the Bed and Breakfast rooms were flood as well. I was told all the furniture had to be discarded. Quite a mess. When the water receded, the sliding glass doors around the pool were forced out do to the pressure of so much water leaving quicker that when coming in. The walls had to be repaired and doors remounted.
It didn’t take long for the water level to lower in our area. The emergency was over for us. It took several days before everything was back to normal. I got to work and clean up was done at the ranch.
The point is, that during the emergency, everyone helped one another, just like ‘normal people.’ We did what needed to be done to protect each other and those units that non-resident members have here for weekends and/or vacations. We are an extended family and try to look out for our own. That is the main reason Ginny and I have live here so long.
Until next time, may your God keep you safe.........
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