So there I was, minding my own business... - by Renzatic
Dia on 1/5/2011 at 13:03
OhMyGod Matt! I am sooo glad you and your family are alright! It's one thing to see videos and pics on the news of the tornado, but to see the pics and hear the account of a friend who's lived through it is another thing, totally. Those pics of the ridge were humbling, to say the least and the enormity of that twister boggles the mind. Once again, I'm very happy you're okay.
I live at the northeastern tail-end of Tornado Alley and twisters up in my neck of the woods don't happen very often, thank God. I've been in a few myself, but never saw the actual tornadoes; it was scary enough just hearing them pass through. I can't imagine the terror of seeing and living through an F4! Just, o.m.g.!
Mr.Duck on 1/5/2011 at 16:31
Sheeeeeeit, negro....that storm was harsh. Thank God you came out pretty well, sorry about the rest of your neighborhood.
Still, two good things came out of this thread:
1. I finally know who the eff you are of my Facebook contacts.
2. I added dethy to my Facebook.
Still, damn....rough day, eh?
You don't fuck with Mother Nature indeed.
heywood on 2/5/2011 at 11:42
Glad you're OK. You were VERY fortunate. Those were some pretty sick storms. I was amazed at the pictures of the carnage and shocked at the unusually high death toll. Thankfully FEMA has improved a lot since Katrina.
It seems like severe weather and natural disasters have been marching their way around the world this year. Where next?
Matthew on 3/5/2011 at 12:06
Shit Renz :wot:
Glad to hear you made it through OK.
the_grip on 3/5/2011 at 20:19
Ditto! Wow, I can't imagine what that was like... we get tornadoes quite a bit here in North Texas, but nothing like that.
A friend of mine lives in Huntsville and he was describing how beautiful historic homes that he grew up near (not in Huntsville) are literally gone. No rubble, no nothing. He followed up by saying how hard it is not to think of the folks and children that were in those homes when they disappeared.
70 miles of property that the University of Alabama owned is no mas.
This kind of damage is insanely hard to visualize. The media doesn't help.
I'm glad you are okay man!
Martin Karne on 3/5/2011 at 23:42
Lots of damage in there I guess there were areas that were affected even worse than yours (by the shots you had it light compared to other areas), impressive nonetheless, oh about some irony, is that NO TRUCK PARKING sign some kind of a joke for that car dealer?
Renzatic on 4/5/2011 at 21:35
Quote Posted by Martin Karne
Lots of damage in there I guess there were areas that were affected even worse than yours (by the shots you had it light compared to other areas), impressive nonetheless.
Oh yeah. I was incredibly lucky. Other than the house at the end of my street, which was only halfway demolished because a huge 200 year old Oak tree fell on it, my neighborhood just got tree damage. We've already got everything back up and running as usual on this side of town. Besides the phone lines anyway. They're still down.
Quote:
oh about some irony, is that NO TRUCK PARKING sign some kind of a joke for that car dealer?
I always assumed they were never too bright over there. I mean comeon. They're a Dodge dealership.
And whoever said so before was right. Nothing looks quite the same anymore. Now that they've come in and cleaned off the streets, you can drive around and really appreciate how much was leveled during the storm. Everything seems more barren now, and you can see farther off than you could before. I have a feeling that even after everything is rebuilt and back up to standards, the town will have lost some of its character.
Oh well, it could've been worse.
Now all I have to do is wait, and ponder why the FBI is still here, even after the situation has been stabilized. And why they've still got the town cordoned off, even though you can drive through it no problem. It's a huge pain in the ass, and makes things alot harder than they should be.
Tocky on 5/5/2011 at 02:04
The FBI are likely keeping out looters and gawkers. You can get around easy because of your county plates but anyone non local will get stopped and turned around. Imagine all of the family heirlooms lost, scattered over miles, the pictures that were one and only and perhaps over a century old. And, as awful as it is to imagine, the people not yet found who have been carried into a distant stand of trees. You don't want a bunch of tourists kicking around in your personal stuff.
(
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CB4QFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsignalnews.com%2Ffacebook-connects-tornado-victims-lost-items382&ei=5__BTcauOubb0QG8k5W3Cg&usg=AFQjCNEIwRzB-GMAk1qg3ecjz5YNX6ZCzA) This is a place where people can exchange some of thier scattered stuff.
And yeah, it could have been worse like an E5 that went 71 miles at a mile wide like Smithville, Ms. It was a small town before but now it's just gone. Ringgold just doesn't feel very lucky though does it? It has to hurt knowing it will never be the same. But you are alive. Your family is. Those poor folks over the ridge couldn't have made it though. Man, I don't want to even think about that.
I've been trying to think if I've ever been through Ringgold but I can't recall. Was there a store north of town that had a prefab log cabin display in the parking lot? It was small with no roof (for light and walking around in) but put together with maybe three or four rooms for around twenty thousand about five or so years back? Well, I'll never see the place as it was now. I'm sorry, place is such a part of who we are so I know it's going to leave you shell shocked for quite awhile.
Renzatic on 5/5/2011 at 06:08
Quote Posted by Tocky
The FBI are likely keeping out looters and gawkers. You can get around easy because of your county plates but anyone non local will get stopped and turned around. Imagine all of the family heirlooms lost, scattered over miles, the pictures that were one and only and perhaps over a century old. And, as awful as it is to imagine, the people not yet found who have been carried into a distant stand of trees. You don't want a bunch of tourists kicking around in your personal stuff.
Shortly after posing the question, I found out why the FBI and GBI are still running about. Everyone missing has now been accounted for, all good news on that front. The damaged areas of town are blocked off by the dozens upon dozens of work trucks driving back and forth through there. That's not a problem. Anything that could potentially arise would be easily handled by the three counties worth of cops we have floating about right now. I couldn't think of a single reason why we'd still have the area barricaded, by the FBI no less. At least until I asked my dad, who works for the county.
See, there was a bit of looting. It wasn't much. Just two buildings broken into. Unfortunately, those two buildings happened to be pharmacies. Apparently a group of surprisingly well organized individuals decided to take immediate advantage of the situation, and helped themselves to every drug they could find on the shelves. Since we're on the outer northern edge of Meth Country...well...the feds have arrived to do their thing.
Woohoo. Always some drama. As if there isn't enough going around as is. At least everyone else behaved, and helped each other out during the crisis.
Quote:
Those poor folks over the ridge couldn't have made it though. Man, I don't want to even think about that.
Neither do I. I haven't even entertained the thought of going down that way to sightsee. It's too tragic. The only silver lining over there is that one family did survive the direct impact of the tornado without sustaining any grievous physical harm. Their house is gone, but they're otherwise fine. They were the only lucky ones there, unfortunately.
Quote:
I've been trying to think if I've ever been through Ringgold but I can't recall. Was there a store north of town that had a prefab log cabin display in the parking lot? It was small with no roof (for light and walking around in) but put together with maybe three or four rooms for around twenty thousand about five or so years back? Well, I'll never see the place as it was now. I'm sorry, place is such a part of who we are so I know it's going to leave you shell shocked for quite awhile.
Hmm. I vaguely remember that. Was it south of Fort Oglethorpe, below the battlefield? The only other place I can think of that's similar is a little southeast of here along I-75, northwest of Tunnel Hill. I think they sell log chalets, though. Log chalets that aren't modular in the least.
Tocky on 6/5/2011 at 04:10
Damn meth heads skittering about willy nilly with a garbage bag probably. Most people have a thing like that happen and they are stressing to find out how family are but not mr. rotmouth. As soon as they crawl out of the rubble they have to feed the monkey. Must be like an unexpected Christmas for them. Hmmm. Did any banks get hit?
The more I look at a map the more I think it was Trenton but I'm not sure. I often take roads just to see where they go and turn back only when that noise in the passenger seat becomes too loud. Not a log chalet though, just a build your own lincoln log precut in a convenience store parking lot. I thought about getting one and tucking it away on a steep slope someplace but woke up in time.
