Yo Roger

[flatbutt]

I'm assuming you are well and safe from the fires around Austin?

[PFFOG]

How were the floods your way! Did your rear deck become a dock?

[Steve Carlton]

Tornado?

[flatbutt]

We were cut off from the outside for a bit. The low spots on the valley road were flooded and the road over the top of the mountain was closed due to trees and lines being down.

[Noblehops]

Yeesh, I certainly hope so. I have another friend in a traffic jam trying to get back to his home to see how his house and neighborhood fared. Spent last night in a Red Cross shelter. He *just* moved to Austin about 3 months ago!

[roger albert]

Thanks.

Burning eyes from smoke from 3 different directions, but unlike earlier this summer where my neighborhood lost I think a dozen or so houses, we're ok here. Two neighborhoods in or very close have lost about 20 houses, and Bastrop (about as far again, and roughly in the same direction as the being-built F1 track) have lost over 500 now. You could see it 40 miles away, from either direction. Returning from the track out east last night, I ended up with over an hour detour, as my normal route would drive right through the middle of it. Coming up on the smoke wall was surreal, even though I never got within 10 miles. Like the first time as a kid you drive towards a mountain range, and you can see it from forever away, and it keeps getting bigger.

2 casual riding buddies have lost houses in that one as of Sat eve, and couple more I've not been able to reach. Winds subsiding today, so maybe the poor folks and firefighters will catch a break. They're really stretched.

[twodear]

Bugger, mother nature has certainly turned a malevolent eye towards the 'States, and in such a general way.

Best of luck to those in the disaster zones - I hope that you and your loved ones can be kept safe from threats to life and limb.

[lightfighter]

down under took its lumps last year wasnt it? big floods and fire too?

seems like the big blue marble is mad at all of us.