For those of you who haven’t noticed, a hurricane is currently bearing down on Texas. Well, technically it’s not quite a hurricane yet, but they’re expecting it to be a category one or category two by the time it makes landfall tomorrow. Of course, it’s heading pretty much directly at Houston. I live in Austin, so typically this wouldn’t be much of a problem for me. We’re supposed to get a lot of rain, but that’s about it.
But guess where I’m supposed to be flying out of to head to Europe? And guess which direction Trainer lives, where Henry was supposed to go while I’m gone?
Yeah. Pretty convinced the hurricane is my fault.
Henry’s “week of learnin'” has already been cancelled, because if he’s gonna sit in a stall for a week he might as well do it here instead of there. That’s going to leave me scrambling a bit when I get back, to get him ready for our mid-September horse trial, but it’s not the end of the world. At this point I’m much more concerned at how Houston is going to fare during all this. Mostly because I have a lot of friends down there and I’m hoping they’re able to adequately prepare. But also, if I may be selfish and have a major #firstworldproblem about my European Dream Vacation for a minute, I’m not so sure my flight out of Houston is going to happen.
It’s supposed to make landfall late Friday, and then basically just stall out and sit there all weekend. Hence the crazy projected rain totals. My flight is mid-day on Monday, which will at least miss the worst of the like… HURRICANE parts of the hurricane. But by that point I’m betting everything will be pretty well flooded, and it’s not really supposed to stop storming until Monday night.
Aside from the whole “driving to Houston in a flood” thing and the “strong thunderstorms and heavy rain” forecast thing, our layover in Atlanta is only 50 minutes. If we don’t leave Houston on time, we ain’t making it, and the next flight out of there is a whole 24 hours later. I called Delta yesterday to see about switching to an Austin to Atlanta flight instead… I can see the flight available, and it has plenty of seats open, and it would get me to Atlanta in plenty of time for my connection to Brussels. But of course they haven’t issued a travel advisory for anything past the 26th yet, so she said my only option at this point is to pay $8,000 to switch my flight.
HAHAHAHAHA you’re funny, Delta agent. This was a $368 flight. Total. Round trip.
So all I can do now is wait and see if they issue a travel advisory. But of course, Michelle is flying out of Midland, and literally the only connection from there to Atlanta takes her through Houston. Therefore I’ve kind of just already resigned myself to the fact that we’re likely to end up getting to Brussels a day late. Which effs up our timeline a bit, but we’d still be there in plenty of time for Bundeschampionate. It just means we’d have to cut off the whole France leg of our trip, basically.
Of course, for me it’s mostly just an inconvenience (unless I really do have to drive to Houston in a flood, then maybe I should invest in a boat). For the people in the storm’s path, they could have some serious issues to contend with. I hope everyone down in that area who is susceptible to flooding is able to go ahead and get their horses out now… I know there are lots of barns in Austin that can take some in, if needed (contact me if you’re looking for somewhere to go). Everybody else, batten down the hatches!
At this point there’s not a lot I can do about it except wait and see what happens, and hope that this thing isn’t as monstrous as they’re saying. Let’s hope it ends up weaker and faster-moving than they’re predicting at the moment.
I just want to GTFO of here and go pet some European ponies, man.
breedrideevent.com 
i bet they do the travel advisory soon. Keep checking!! And maybe it will fizzle. It happens..
UGH I remember evacuating from Houston to Austin (luckily I had no horse then) and the dogs and Mark and I piled in the car and went to a friend’s in Austin and it took 8 hours (YES EIGHT) to get there. Gridlock roads anyone? Then we sat up all night wondering if our house would still be standing (we lucked out just lost fence at our house whew oh and some trees) but it is scary how low Houston and the surrounding area gets! UGH poor everyone in Texas.
I assume you are flying out of the big airport north right? That helps a bit UGH Only you!! LOL Sorry not laughing really. I don’t think this is your fault, I think it is Henry’s he was like week of learning…..eff that 🙂 COME ON STORM 🙂
Fingers crossed it is not that bad for any of you Texas peeps!!
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Ugh, that’s no fun. I was in SC last October when we were supposed to take a huge direct hit though and things turned out (mostly) okay, so here’s hoping they’re wrong. Definitely scary for anyone having to evacuate horses.
The real question is if Jim Cantore has shown up yet. When he shows up, you know shit’s getting real.
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Oh yeah, Jim Cantore has been there for a couple days already LOL
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lame 😦 maybe the predictions will be wrong and the hurricane will peter out sooner than expected?
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Well once Jim Cantore arrives it’s serious. I’m so sorry, this really sucks. Mother Nature is SUCH a bitch sometimes. Hope everyone stays safe and it passes more quickly than expected.
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I really hope this doesn’t substantively interfere with your tack shopping or write ups thereof. I WANT THE EURO DIRT.
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the shopping was planned in the latter half of the trip, so hopefully we still get there with enough time to appropriately distribute the shopping fund.
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Was that your flight to Europe for that price? What the hell…. how did you do that lol
I will be sending positive anti hurricane vibes yours way!
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Yeah that was to Brussels and back. Scott’s Cheap Flights!!!
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Well, the good news for you, is its direct path has now moved further south to Corpus and instead of turning east back to Houston, its projected to do a westbound U-ie, and head straight back to Corpus… still lots of rain expected for Houston but not as much as originally predicted. If your flight doesn’t get changed, could you maybe drive to Houston a day early and get a hotel room, so you aren’t having to make the long drive in a torrential downpour? It’ll all work out! 😊
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I think I’m going to end up driving to Houston in a torrential downpour no matter what, since it’s supposed to rain all weekend! We’ll see. I’m hoping it either dissipates a little or keeps turning away. Or both. Go away, Harvey, you jerk.
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That´s rotten.
I hope you catch your flight with no trouble.
..and that the hurricane peters out.
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Argh. Travel + Weather is the WORST. I hope it all works out. Weather forecasters have been known to be wrong a time a or two…
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I really hope they’re wrong!
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If you know of anyone in the storm path that needs a place to evacuate their horses to high ground inland, Brenham area, use my contact info in the blog registration to get in touch. Might have a very good safe place for them.
Your trainer is on high ground, as I remember. But if the rain creates area flooding they could lose power as has happened in the past. Hopefully she’s on well water.
Having grown up & lived near Houston for several big storms, I would frankly wonder about leaving the car in an airport parking lot that may have high water. Will it be waterlogged on return? Hopefully that is over-reacting !!!
Move along storm, move along !!! Don’t just sit there raining on and flooding everybody. Boo. 😦
I so hope the barns in Houston that have repeatedly had horses in danger, even drowned, during past high water incidents are doing a much better job of pro-actively protecting their horses. These were not eventer or show barns … it’s the one(s) closer in to the city that have been there forever … people in the area will know which one(s) I mean. 😦
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Luckily since I’m leaving Monday, I think if they’re gonna be waterlogged at the airport, it’ll already be that way when I get there. I guess we’ll find out in the next few days.
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Hey at least you’re not on a cruise down there.
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If I was on a cruise I’d be hoping for a hurricane to put me out of my misery. 😉
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Undeniable proof that God doesn’t like you very much. I mean, sending a hurricane to ruin your vacation?
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for real.
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it’s probably because i’m friends with you.
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i dont know Bobby manages to have cool vacations with no hurricanes. Unlike you 🙂
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Good luck – hoping the travel advisory happens in time, and/or the storm doesn’t pan out.
Wouldn’t worry too much about the proximity of Jim Cantore – known around these hurricane prone parts as Jim Can’tellya. After he got the bejesus scared out of him in Katrina, he has generally stayed out of the actual danger zones. He dislikes being isolated and inconvenienced. I met him a few storms back, and mostly he complained about how boring our town was, and how bad the snack selection was at our one and only grocery store. 😉
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So you’re the one I have to thank for the HDS rated show being cancelled with no refunds because it’s an Act of God. Obviously I didn’t need that money anyway. 😀
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Yep! You’re welcome!
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All the horses in my barn have just been moved to other barns that are higher up because my barn flooded last year and my trainer is at aec’s this weekend so there was a little panic this morning trying to figure out where all the horses were going.
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This happened to me last year when I was going to Atlanta Pride! I went to college near Savannah, GA, and this was about the time when Hurricane Matthew blew down the east coast. I got stuck in Statesboro, and my friends who managed to leave before the traffic clogged up the interstate had a great time at Pride, no rain at all. Keep in mind, I had friends come from coastal Georgia to my tiny house. I lived in a one bed, one bath duplex. We had four people, three dogs, a kitten, and some chickens all crammed in my house for four days. I was not a happy camper.
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Why not just book a one way flight from Austin to Atlanta for Monday? And grab your flight to Brussels at ATL — this is assuming your flight from Houston is not simply having a layover in Atlanta.
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Not sure if I’ll be able to get out of Austin either. Trying to get out through Dallas, although Delta is still being an asshole about it. BUT, if I left “one way” through another city, I’d be screwed when I landed back in Houston and had no transportation to get home. It seems very simple to me, to just let me leave and come back via Dallas instead, it’s a huge hub, but they still won’t issue a weather waiver. Apparently a Cat 3 hurricane isn’t enough.
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Stupid hurricane, ruining everything!! I hope is all comes together for you!
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Have a lovely trip to Europe. Jealous much!!! It’s a 20 something hour flight from down here so I will go one day. $368!!! wow. Enjoy yourself and I am sure the weather will subside for your flight. We are all sending you positive vibes.
Blog all about it when you return
Happy Riding & Keep Smilng
Mel x
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