Floods!!!!

[ny biker]

How is everyone doing with the flooding in the northeast and mid atlantic?

I took one more vacation day today after being in Nevada for a week. I lucked out -- yesterday the worst rain was in Maryland, so I was able to fly into Dulles Airport and drive home in northern Virginia with no problems. Today I was hoping to go for a quick bike ride and/or go to the gym, but with all the reports of roads flooding in northern VA I stayed home. Flooding in Reston, Manassas and Falls Church, part of Alexandria evacuated, Rt 50 flooded all over Fairfax, southbound I-95 closed at the Wilson Bridge to prevent people from driving into a flooded highway in Virginia -- it's crazy.

And then there's upstate NY -- Binghamton is under water. I have relatives in that part of the state.

Anyway I hope everyone is okay. And I wish there was a way we could send this rain put out those fires in Texas!!

[carlotta]

I'm not really affected by it at home (the basement/storage lockers flooded in our apartments, but I'm not as much of a packrat as the old ladies so I don't have anything down there), but it took me over 2x as long to ride to work yesterday as usual-- detouring around flooded trail/road and trying to come up with a new route on the fly.

Coming home was great, as the main roads are still closed to cars (debris and the pavement is buckling) so I rode up two major roads that are usually not available. It's funny, because the bike trail parallels both of them, but it's so much nicer to ride on the roads (especially the one with the gradual climb over 2 miles whereas the trail is pretty flat then really steep at the top).

The roads are still closed this morning, so I'm looking forward to a great ride to work once it gets a little lighter :)

[rubysoho]

took these after the worst of the rain yesterday:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v679/daisiesofthegalaxy/photobucket-2630-1315529699424.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v679/daisiesofthegalaxy/photobucket-2601-1315529574176.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v679/daisiesofthegalaxy/photobucket-2236-1315529734485.jpg


Fairfax Co. schools are closed today though govt. offices are open (with unscheduled leave allowed).

[ny biker]

I got an email from my cousin in Windsor, NY, near Binghamton. She said the water just seeped into their basement. Fortunately it was only about 6 inches deep.

My parents were going to call another cousin in Binghamton today. Haven't heard from them yet.

The Susquehanna is a beautiful river -- I love crossing it on I-95 -- but it certainly is doing some serious damage right now.

[bmccasland]

The Susquehanna is a beautiful river -- I love crossing it on I-95 -- but it certainly is doing some serious damage right now.

I saw an article in today's paper (over here on the left coast) about the flooding. The article mentioned that the bedrock isn't that far down in the Susquehanna valley, which greatly contributes to the propensity to flooding. :(

Hope you and yours are OK.

[Koronin]

I hope everyone effected by the flooding is alright. It is just so sad.

[bluebug32]

There are so many roads and bridges that are washed away here (Upstate NY) that it's hard to map a bike route without coming across Road Closed signs. The power of water is just incredible. Entire culverts were washed away and guard rails look like twisted pieces of pasta. The Catskills and Schoharie County suffered greatly. Irene forced people's stuff out of their wet houses and then the flood last week swept what little they had away. Even FEMA had to evacuate the town I grew up in. I've been helping with cleanup and donating as much as I can, but it's just absolutely heartbreaking.