Foothills Flooding. Did You Ignore The Clues?

The last few years here along the Front Range in Colorado have been filled with disasters. First, wildfires, and now an epic flood.  While one can feel compassion for those affected, in the background is the question, “What did you expect? Did you not think through all the factors involved in foothills living?” Obvious answer for most is no.

As a child, my father was a section foreman on the old Denver and Rio Grande railroad. We moved often and lived, at various times, in several foothill locations, Plainview, Pinecliff, Rollinsville, and East Portal.

My parents were children of the Great Depression and had close to “The Grapes of Wrath” life growing up. They were preppers long before the term became common. I clearly remember my father backing up a pickup to the front door of an Arvada, CO grocery store and filling it. This happened two to three times a year. That store manager liked to see us. Quite often our neighbors would accompany us for the same reasons.

When we moved to a new place, my parents focused on four things. First, water. Where did it come from? How dependable was the source? Second, fire hazards. None of these places was big enough to have a fire department, even a volunteer department. Third, heat for the winter. Fourth, access in and out. My parents also believed in the old West saying, “High, Dry, and Windy.”

So you want the mountain lifestyle. You move to an area that has a history of embedded thunderstorms dropping rain in huge amounts (recently, Boulder received 17”). Your only access is a two lane road along side a stream running through a narrow canyon. You can easily see the stumps of fire killed trees from an earlier era. You ignore the volumes of information on making your homestead more fire resistant. You don’t store any water. You have maybe ten days of food on hand. You have no alternative way of heating or cooking, except that decorative fireplace for which you have a few bundles of split softwood for fuel. You are probably in the upper socioeconomic scale as mountain property, and living,  is expensive. So what are you excuses for not being prepared?

 Ever think of some of the other hazards?

Now your life is turned upside down. Good luck with your insurance as you probably didn’t buy flood insurance.

I need to stop kicking people who are down. Hubris is doing a fine job on it’s own.

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You Never Know When - Prepping

Youngest son and FDIL (favorite daughter in law) are stationed at Dugway Proving Grounds and live in Dugway, Utah with their five children.  Something of the ultimate gated community with armed guards at the only entrance. The place is remote.

Being in the military, and moving often, it is difficult for them to do traditional prepping though they stockpile food and essentials.

There is an ongoing fire, the Patch Springs fire that has wiped out power lines into Dugway leaving the housing area without power, perhaps for days. In response, son and FDIL tapped into their savings, went to the nearest large town, and bought a generator and necessary accessories. They have power to their essential appliances.

Dugway Proving Ground (Official)

UPDATE SATURDAY AUG. 17 2:55 P.M.
The Patch Springs Fire destroyed about 12 power poles in the Willow Springs area. Some Dugway facilities are operating on power generators. Housing is without power. It remains unknown when power will be restored to housing.
Repair of the line will take some time, owing to the remoteness of the burned poles and lines.
Efforts to bring in a large amount of ice to distribute to residents are underway, to help preserve their refrigerated food.
The Willow Springs Resort was destroyed by fire, as were all the trailers on the south side of the lot. Trailers on the north side survived with little or no damage. The old house across the road from Willow Springs Resort survived with little or no damage.

I don’t know why I ever worry about them; they are two level headed financially prudent people. FDIL plans things out at about a Brigade level. A trip plan to Disneyland filled a three large three ring binder.

Needless to say, I am quite proud of them.

SHTF Warning

Today, had a glimpse of what I might face in a home town SHTF scenario
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Main East-west four lane street was blocked for two hours for the high school home coming parade.  Traffic was diverted to residential side streets. Chaos. Drivers blowing through four way stops, ignoring pedestrians in marked cross walks, driving past “Road Closed” signs and barriers, etc. Then, to add to the misery,  the Union Pacific had two trains passing which takes about twenty minutes. All this without a fear factor. My abode is right in the middle of this clusterfuck.

I’ve always had an escape plan but need to review it. Looking now at dropping the neighbors fence to access the alley which leads to side streets. Forcing my way onto the street by the house will only put me in gridlock.

Unlike most people, I don’t plan  to “head for the hills”. Too few roads and only three year around passes over the Rockies.  Instead, I will head East towards the Great Plains. First obstacle, an Interstate Highway with four bridges. Past that, numerous all weather dirt county roads and farm land with lanes give lots of escape routes.

There are scores of windmill supplied stock watering tanks. Probably potable water but I have my purification equipment.  Lots of folds in the land to park and conceal a vehicle and pitch a tent if need be. Go to ground for a few days and let the panic wash by. At least, that is the current plan.