Monday, August 29, 2011

A Journal of Hurricane Irene and it's aftermath in Clarksville N.Y.

I started out the day (yesterday) wondering if the new sump pump was going to last...

Devin came home from a double shift so I let him sleep for a few hours while I monitored things. Then the power went out. The pump has a battery backup so I didn't bother waking him until it looked like the pump was incapable of keeping up. It turns out the battery only runs the first pump and moves a minimal amount of water so I gave in and woke him up.




We jury rigged power to his truck and he went out looking for an alternate power supply.

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Meanwhile I sat and stewed 'cause I was without Internet or him or Sarah.

When he finally got back we assembled the Generator he bought for a price I will not discuss here. ("...Last one in Albany County...")



While it started to remove water (...which by then was halfway up the water tank and boiler...) we headed out for more gasoline.













As we were crossing the bridge at the end of Sligerlands Ave. Just up the street we saw rescue workers preparing an attempt to help someone who apparently got to close to the overflowing creek. ("...if you weren't with me I would stop and help but I know you would worry about me...")

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We drove backroads through Onesquethaw and Glenmont to the Walmart's. Devin drives like rescue personal so I spent much of the ride with my eyes closed. We drove through water, around downed trees eventually making it the Walmart's unscathed.




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We got backup gas cans and filled up across the street and headed back in due time. Along the way back we slowed for some pics and video.




This is the Selkirk Train-yards.




This is along Rt 296

The battery on my good camera died so I had to resort to using my phone. Once back in Clarksville we turned up the street to "Jake Moons" for a look at where the creek crosses Delaware Turnpike. The quality is not much but the damage was nasty. :(



Mill Road, or whats left of it... Across from Jake Moon's Restaurant on Delaware Turnpike (Rt 442)




The same location looking up the hill in the direction of Stovepipe RD.
This Video, 'though poor quality phone video should put these two pics into perspective:



(...as they say: "Dramatic Video!" It was actually worse earlier when I tried to go this way and it was washing across the road. Alas I lacked my brain at that point and forgot I had my phone with me! Duh!



I'm posting these now after sending them to my iMac when I got online finally) I couldn't seem to get the iPad to recognize the phone card. :(

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I am right now keeping myself busy waiting for the water in the basement to subside while Devin is out "Playing with the Fire Department". (...Doing "Pump-outs" emptying neighbors cellars...)



That is the assembly manual for that new sump pump with a battery backup. ("...Irony...")

I don't have internet now so I will not be posting this for some time. More than likely the net will not be back up till tomorrow but this is keeping me occupied and keeping my mind off the cost of the new Water Heater and Boiler I am going to have to buy. Ugh! :(

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The wind keeps picking up and the trees are not handling it well. We shall see what the next few hours bring. Hopefully less than the previous hours have wrought.

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Checked on the basement. Down to about six inches left. I managed to run a power cord to the fridge for the time being so the food in the freezer is safe. I suppose I could light stove with a match for cooking but I'm eating things that require no cooking for the now. We may need the propane later so I'll get by with peanut butter on a roll. As long as we have the Generator there doesn't seem to be a rush.

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The Generator has been running through the night and there still is no power in the 'Ville. The Cellar is sumped and the pump is keeping up.

We are only using 14% of the Generators power so I plugged in the T.V. to catch the news. It seems that a neighbor drowned on Slingerlands St. near the bridge when she was looking at the flood waters. No word yet on if they managed to recover the body. :(

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Devin came home around midnight and I slept most of the night on the couch. Sarah stayed in Voorheesville overnight. I managed to contact my siblings before bed and they are all alive and "relatively" unaffected.

I had to live in "The Hinterlands" :')

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Morning. 30/Aug/11 ...it's a beautiful day! Sunny and in the 70's...




Generator still generating, Pump still running, water still coming in, and no power yet. But my feet are dry!




Devin and I waded in several times between shutting things off, trying to collect floating debris and restating the pumps yesterday.







The plan for today is to trace wires and mark them on the panel which the previous owner never got around to doing. If the power comes on I might never know otherwise as I have shut off the Main Breaker since we are unsure as to what breakers go to the Water Heater and The Boiler.

If I get the chance later I will run down to the store for supplies and try to post this from the parking lot on free wi-fi.





Down into the hole once more!


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The Power is back on as you can see. I am using my iMac to repost this with video. Needed a break so I figured I would do this and dry out for a bit... Gotta get back to work around here now though! ...and maybe run out to the store. Which road I will take remains to be seen. :')

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- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad.
obeedúid~