Oregon/Washington mudslides/flooding

I was starting to get worried...

The water was rising in the parking lot outside my garage, approaching the garage door.
I was trying to devise a way to lift my VFR on top of the rafters!

Then I remembered a time on my FJ12 in Sacramento, commuting to work.
As I approached my workplace the entire road (industrial park) was flooded.
I didn't realize how deep until I was motoring in 1st gear, with my feet up about where my top triple clamp was - the water came almost to the top of the wheels!

No, no real problems.
It was coming down torrentially for a couple days, luckily coincided with my days off.
I stood staring out the picture window with a cup of coffee, wondering if one of those 100ft evergreens next door was gonna land in my lap at any moment...

 

Glad we don't have a drown rat on the forum. That would be bad. Glad folks are good.

 

My sister lives in Vernoia and she got out of there just in time before both roads to Vernoia were shut down to mud slides. Her house became flooded in 3 to 4 feet of water. I am going to call her to find out if her home insurance policy has flood insurance. Hopefully she does and she can get a new motorcycle and maybe upgrade as well.

 

http://vfrworld.com/forums/anything-goes/11755-think-rained.html

 

Yeah, Vernonia is definitely the local Disaster Area.
Completely devastated.

I know quite a few folks in Vernonia and surrounding area - I wonder if I know your sister.(PM me her name, I'll give you some info)

I feel so bad for all the people that I know there.
In fact, this evening I saw one wonderful lady acquaintance on the local news.
She was bordering on tears.
It was surreal for me; I've been in her home many times and to see it devastated was just tragic.
I can barely imagine what everyone is going through.

I know other folks that live right down near the Nehalem River.
I know they must be wiped out.

For others: Vernonia is an old logging town, one of the first in Oregon.
The logging industry is now all but gone, so not much money in those parts - NOT a high-dollar area.
I'm sure many people have little if any insurance, and likely no flood insurance for most people.
It's mostly cattle farming around there now.

It's a beautiful area to ride motorcycles.
Many of my favorite local twisties are in and around Vernonia; every road with breathtaking scenery.

Just a great group of people - real help-thy-neighbor country folks.
I really enjoy the time I spend around there, and the people I talk to.


JRotten - Please let your sister know that others are thinking about Vernonia, and praying for the best for them.

 

We lost a section of the tarmac about 2 blocks from my place. I learned my lesson from my 1st house and bought the 2nd at the top of the hill this time.

 

Wow!! Several cities in both Oregon and Washington were hit hard by floods and mud slides. Highway crews and National Guard are working over time to get roads accessable.

I have experinced a flood a couple years ago and was very fortunate to have an upstairs appartment when it happen. My VFR exhaust was filled with mud and it took me days to clean it up. I remember seeing those who appartments that became flooded had to relocate for several months until repairs were completed.

I have to try to see some good from this being a optimist. Fortunate for my sister, she had flood insurance and has relocated to a somewhat near-by relatives home until her home is repaired. However, there is a big hassle with the insurance company in determing what belongings inside her house can be compensated for.

For those without adequate insurance will most likely be burden finacialy the most from this.

With all the natrual disasters that has happened over the last five years, it is hard to see just how much money insurance companies have to pay out for claims. I still hear the New Orleans area is still rebuilding after 2 years.