Hill Country Blog
There are as many experiences as there are people living here. This is our story, about our special places, activities and taking life day by day. See more stories to the right in our Blog Listing.
Hurrican Ike - Sep 13, 2008
Like nothing we have seen in 100 years -- Austin was in for a storm, a tropical storm. Hurricane Ike would move inland from Houston to Austin, before veering North East. The University of Texas game was postponed. Our Dripping Springs High School game was moved to earlier in the week. We were expecting 80-100 MPH winds and we would need the gym to house evacuees from Houston.
The storm continued to chug toward Houston, at 12 MPH, it's 5-day cone of projected impact shifted. Austin was now expected to get 40-50 MPH winds and some thunderstorms.
I searched online for ways to prepare. We were three hours from the nearest shore and I had no idea how to prepare for this type of storm. I guess you store water, make sure to have extra batteries, candles and food. I stopped by Costco and picked up frozen food and milk. In retrospect probably the worst choice for survival food. I admit it, I'm not a survivalist. If we lost power, everything would spoil in the heat.
Another day passed, it was now Friday morning. Hurricane Ike was expected to hit land by this evening. I got online and checked the path of the storm...it looked like the impact would barely brush up against us. I hoped for a nice little thunderstorm and headed off to work. By the end of the day, clouds had rolled in and a hot, humid breeze was blowing in. I moved quickly to my car and headed home, hoping to be safely inside before the storm hit.
Friday evening, we got into bed and waited for the rain to come and lull us to sleep. Saturday morning arrived as dry and as hot as Friday. Still no rain. I popped out to get my hair cut, many others had cancelled their appointments in preparation for the high winds and rain, but my hair was in dire need. Saturday night fell, no winds to speak of and only a dank, heavy humidity hovered. No rain. No tropical storm. No nothing.
Hurricane Ike had crashed straight into Houston with flooding and winds and then head North, missing Austin completely.
Drive Times
Getting from one place to another takes time in the Hill Country. Texas is a big state and there's a lot of land to traverse. I've put together a drive time grid of how long it takes to get from one place to another.
Monthly Calendar
Interested in what's going on up to the minute...check out our monthly calendar for events by town.
