Came home from a business trip to Philly on Tuesday night at Houston/Hobby Airport. We live in League City i.e. north Galveston County. I pulled into my neighborhood and saw all the men working together, helping each other board up their houses. I was so glad to see this and was genuinely surprised. We live in yuppie suburbia (homes $150k - $300k). I was obviously behind on preparing and my nextdoor neighbor let me borrow his extension ladder so I could get started on the second story windows.

Lesson 1: In the event of an oncoming hurricane, your yuppie neighbor who progams computers or installs composite roofing won't shoot you in the face and steal your food, he'll probably help you.

I went to bed Tuesday night and finished boarding up the house Wednseday morning. The wife came home from work early, at noon and I told her she had two hours to pack everything she wanted in the Explorer. While she packed, I prepared my looter-protection kit. My choices were an assortment of the following:

1. 16" AR
2. 30-30
3. 12 GA
4. 300 Win Mag boltgun
5. 10/22
6. 22 pistol
7. Beretta 92
8. 357 GP 100

With thoughts of Katrina in my mind, I wanted to be prepared for anything. I soon realised that I couldn't arm anyone but myself from my trunk and hastily grabbed the 92FS and six loaded magazines.

Lesson2: When moving from a 3500 sq. ft. home to a Ford Explorer, you're probably gonna take one, maybe two guns and a crapload of photo albums.

We got on the road yesterday at 2 p.m. It took us ten hours to get to Grandma's house 220 miles away. Yeah, it was a long, slow drive. Yeah, we made it here safe and I get to sleep with an unloaded pistol nearby rather than Lord knows where with it strapped to my side.

Lesson3: Leave early. Leaving early ONLY ADDS 6 HOURS to your drive rather than leaving when the .gov says to.

Don't believe evetything you see on TV. We krept along at a slow pace, but in the end we made it here. Police presence was very strong last night and accidents were moved to the side quickly. I commend the men in blue for doing a great job with traffic as long as they could. Gas lines were forming, people were stressed but polite in that Texas sort of way. Many long caravans of nursing home residents passed us by, something very nice to see.

My perception is that the .gov did everything they could, and what you are seeing now is the fruit of people who watched TV too long and didn't get out when their gut told them to yesterday.

Great narrative. Thanks.

What did you do with the rest of your weapons?

Quoted: Great narrative. Thanks. What did you do with the rest of your weapons?

+1

Hope you have an effective safe.

We took lots of pictures for insurance. We didn't have time to do much but move some things to the second floor. The guns were left locked in the closet. I'm reviewing our homeowners policy to see how much coverage we have. I know it's more than enough to cover our contents, but I'm checking now to get exact numbers.

Lesson4: If you have money tied up in guns have a safe, or a good insurance policy.

Glad you guys have pulled together to help one another.  It would be neat if one person stayed behind as a town marshal to watch over the 'hood - but that would be asking too much.  

BTW, when I had to evacuate from my home, I took my Sig P220 plus 4 extra 8 round magazines as well as my AR with half a dozen 30 round mags and 200 rounds of ammo.  I figure if there were looters, I'd convince them that my area was not worth their trouble.

Our home is about five miles from the coastline. Anyone staying behind probably values his stuff more than his life. When crunchtime came and I had to fit everything in a 3 x 4 x 6 ft space the priority was:

1. Photos
2. Jewelry
3. Guns

Yeah...we have way to many pictures.

Lesson5: Have every picture burned on cd, even that framed one from the 1970's. Had we done this, we would have had more room for guns/reloading equipment, computers, etc. Taking twenty photo albums from the '70's and '80's took up half our room.

Quoted: Our home is about five miles from the coastline. Anyone staying behind probably values his stuff more than his life. When crunchtime came and I had to fit everything in a 3 x 4 x 6 ft space the priority was: 1. Photos 2. Jewelry 3. Guns Yeah...we have way to many pictures. Lesson5: Have every picture burned on cd, even that framed one from the 1970's. Had we done this, we would have had more room for guns/reloading equipment, computers, etc. Taking twenty photo albums from the '70's and '80's took up half our room.

+1.. all our 'memorabilia' that can be digitized, has been, including video. Instead of boxes of photo albums and video tapes, I'd have to grab 2 DVD's and I'm out. I also have all our important legal documents scanned to PDF and burned to a DVD.

I feel like that was the only mistake we made. We left behind 1/3 of our photos. It's hard to justify spending the time to scan in all those old photos, but I obviously wish I had now.

Anyhow, I think the greatest lesson I learned is how much of my crap is replaceable (sp?). I have no emotional attachment to my guns and when I had to, I looked at them as a tool and grabbed what I felt would be the best tool for the job. I always thought I'd be the one with water rising above my heels still trying to pack that last box of rare WW1 vintage 6.5 Carcano ammunition.

Quoted: Quoted: Our home is about five miles from the coastline. Anyone staying behind probably values his stuff more than his life. When crunchtime came and I had to fit everything in a 3 x 4 x 6 ft space the priority was: 1. Photos 2. Jewelry 3. Guns Yeah...we have way to many pictures. Lesson5: Have every picture burned on cd, even that framed one from the 1970's. Had we done this, we would have had more room for guns/reloading equipment, computers, etc. Taking twenty photo albums from the '70's and '80's took up half our room. +1.. all our 'memorabilia' that can be digitized, has been, including video. Instead of boxes of photo albums and video tapes, I'd have to grab 2 DVD's and I'm out. I also have all our important legal documents scanned to PDF and burned to a DVD.

What did you use to do your digitizing? Negative scanner? Plain scanner? etc. Sounds like an excellent plan, scan all your insurance docs, prescriptions etc.

I've already done my yearly briefing with Mrs gorilla that should this sort of situation arise here and we be forced to leave, she should already have in mind the things that MUST go into the trucks. My guns, her animals and cages, our file drawer, and other books and assorted things. We have very little in the way of pictures and family heirlooms, and I like to think we have taken a mostly practical view of necessities. (except for that damn dog and cat!)

Quoted: I've already done my yearly briefing with Mrs gorilla that should this sort of situation arise here and we be forced to leave, she should already have in mind the things that MUST go into the trucks. My guns, her animals and cages, our file drawer, and other books and assorted things. We have very little in the way of pictures and family heirlooms, and I like to think we have taken a mostly practical view of necessities. (except for that damn dog and cat!)

Think of them as a source of fresh meat. It helps.

Glad your safe and thanks for opening my eyes to the burning imports. to disc everything is locked in a safe but just incase.

I live in Pasadena, Texas Southeast of Houston. I boarded up this afternoon. Unfortunately I cannot leave as I Will have to inspect power line damage, and coordinate with the line crews and tree trimming crews to get power restored. Any looters messing with my house will be shot! Here in this area looters are not tolerated. Under State of Texas laws you are allowed to use deadly force to protect your possessions from being looted.

                                                       Bluedevil  

Bluedevil, keep your head down. If it starts to flood, I don't want to see you on TV hanging out at the 45/8 overpass bridge!

Seriously, Pasadena isn't too far from the coastline...be safe, use your head and you should be fine. Keep us posted on how things are going.

Can you check in on some family for us in Pasadena afterwards?  They are the only people still on Llano Street.  They are good people, and I wish they would get out.  I've seen their two homes, and they are built like fortresses, and the son-in-law is armed.

I went threw the same thing.  I live in South Shore harbour in league city, Tuesday I came home from Uof H, my ma said pack your stuff were leaving tonight.  I grabbed all 20 of my guns, and all the ammo I could take.  I also grabbed pictures, clothes, and all my deer antlers.  We left at 1:00 that night and got to Dallas at 7:00 Wendsday morning. I'm sure glad we got out when we did.  I plan on going back as soon as possible, if there is anything left to gaurd I will be well prepared to do so.

Good luck to all who stayed.  

Jason

Quoted: What did you use to do your digitizing? Negative scanner? Plain scanner? etc. Sounds like an excellent plan, scan all your insurance docs, prescriptions etc.

The photos/videos I had professionally done.. the documents I did myself with a regular HP flatbed and Acrobat.

Quoted: Can you check in on some family for us in Pasadena afterwards?  They are the only people still on Llano Street.  They are good people, and I wish they would get out.  I've seen their two homes, and they are built like fortresses, and the son-in-law is armed.

If you haven't already, send him an IM while you guys still have power.

Good luck to you all.