About last night ...

New Orleans East - June 19, 2007 Last night’s drive home featured some of the worst weather I ever drove through. The radio was reporting that it was a “fast-moving” thunderstorm and we were under a severe thunderstorm watch until 7PM. This was taken at 6PM just before I got in my truck to head home and it wasn’t raining where I was yet. Unfortunately, the route home was right through those black clouds on the Causeway; about 50 miles of heavy rain and gusting crosswinds. The Causeway portion of the commute is 24 miles over open water. There is nothing to shield commuters from the wind. Full restrictions were in force. No one allowed on the bridge on a motorcycle or without fully functioning headlamps and windshield wipers. No glass trucks.

Stopped for about 20 minutes at Phil's Grill along the way before I got on the bridge to allow it to let up. I planned to get out and eat but the wind and rain never eased up. Street flooding was also becoming a problem so I didn't think it wise to stay around. Street flooding always concerns me because it is so easy to get trapped. Even if you can make it through the high water in your vehicle, the person or persons in front of you may not be able to and you’re stuck. Fortunately, that didn't happen although there were some anxious moments as I drove through 18-24 inches of water behind some kind of import sedan. There was some stop and go once I got on the bridge but the weather heading north was only bad as opposed to the horrendous weather I had just come through. It was a long drive home.