What are YOUR plans to ride out the STORM?
 

Poll:
YOUR plans to ride out Hurricane Irma>

Staying. We have young guests from Daytona and their cat. Planning to occupy closets on Saturday night.

staying also- but the WFTV station is saying Sunday into Monday will be the worst time for us...that's the night we probably wont get any sleep....

Riding it out here in our home.
Block home in Gilchrist - not exposed too much. If it gets bad - will go to master bath area, roman shower. Only glass block windows in bathroom on side of home. Can even put an air mattress in the shower and hunker down. Safest place I can think of...

I am also in a block house in gilchrist and plan on hiding in the same place. I could say I'm not terrified but I don't lie.

We are riding it out in our home as well.

Have a lot of work to do to get ready for Sunday and Monday but will be staying for Irma. Not sure where we could go right now that would be safer with the extent of this storm.

Don't depend on the false security of a BLOCK home!

Frame home has same roof as block (wood)

Both have same windows

Just find a room in the center of the structure like laundry or bath room it will pass in a few hours.

It will very noisy and windows may rattle roof vents may may noise.

Just download a few weather apps on your phone like Noaa or news 6 Orlando to watch where the eye goes after you lose cable

Expect wind direction from North


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Our daughter's family is coming with their kitties.

Another point I would like to make is we can look forward to is the response of TV to get things cleaned up and up and running again.

When the tornado hit TV some years back, it was amazing how fast the debris was removed and contractors pulled from every where possible to get living in TV back to normal as quickly as possible.

Staying put. Traffic heading north is bad and no place to go anyhow. Gainesville is now the destination people from south Florida are heading to.

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I was looking at my options in case I wanted to leave on Saturday. I would take 44 west to Crystal River and head north on Hwy 19 to Tallahassee and then jump on I-10 west to Pensacola. I use to live in Pensacola and know the area pretty well and drove hwy 19 many times since I grew up in St. Petersburg. So yesterday, on Thursday I was on hotels.com and looking at motels in the Pensacola area. I could of had my pick, anything from Red Roof for $65, Holiday Inn for $85 to Suite type lodgings for $135. This morning on hotels.com there were no rooms available in Pensacola, everything was gone. I went to Travelocity.com and they had 'call' next to most of those motels, I guess in case of a cancellation, but the rooms were now listed at $179, the same ones that were $79 yesterday. In the town of Crestview, which is on I-10 about 50 miles before you reach Pensacola, there was a motel that had 2 rooms for $79. Within a couple of minutes those rooms were gone.

Contact the Attorney General she said she would enforce price gouging

It may be too late to get out of Dodge due to the highways being a parking lot. Talked to someone this a.m. who came down from Ocala early (5:30) and they said it was bumper to bumper going north. I've heard similar reports re: 301. Best to have left earlier in the week OR to be prepared here for the worst and pray for the best!!

Also heard a warning this a.m.---when/IF the "eye" goes over us or close by it will seem like it's all over BUT it's not so stay inside as it will change in seconds to really BAD again!! Use common sense!!!

Neighbors of ours left at 12:40 pm today (Friday) on 441 by Walmart going north and called at 1:30 and said they were north of Ocala on 441.

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Google Maps - Traffic Conditions
 

For those who still want to try to leave, Google "Florida Traffic Map Google". You will have to zoom in to see the conditions on I-75, 301, 441, I-10, and other highways.

My wife just got back from 441 Walmart and said she was told they would close tomorrow (Sat) at 2 PM and not open again until Tuesday at the earliest - by order of the State.

Probably applies to all retail stores, etc.

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Ask them how their doing at Gainsville?

Like parade rest until north of atlanta

Are you still here? I've been thinking/worrying about you?

News
 

Hello, my Dad Gene Carpenter lives in the villages, in the village of Hemingway. I sent him an email to have some news and tried to call him, without any success. I live in Brussels, Belgium. Can some one tell me if thé villages are being evacuated ? Take care

I think you meant she would prosecute price gouging. :angel:

Not to worry, but thank you. American Airlines made my decision pretty easy; my Saturday night flight out of Orlando was cancelled on Wednesday night. The Orlando Airport is closing at 5:00 pm on Saturday.

It took me about an hour on the phone with an American Airlines person late Wednesday night to find an available flight, but I got a flight last night from Orlando to Charlotte, change of planes, then Charlotte to Chicago, landing in Chicago at midnight. The Orlando airport was very busy yesterday, and I can only imagine what it is like today. The lady sitting next to me on the flight from Charlotte to Chicago was from Fort Myers, and she was quite concerned about her home, but her children insisted she come back to Chicago at least for a week. Keeping all of you in my thoughts and prayers.

The Villages is not being evacuated as of Friday 3:00 p.m. Eastern time. I have not seen any news or warnings of evacuation here.

On 441 in Alachua (16 miles north of Gainesville) at 3 PM. In a drive thru getting food. Said pretty clear sailing.

(I would head west to Perry, FL from there and then north towards Montgomery)(I don't know what their plans are?)

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The Villages is not being evacuated and the storm is not expected to impact here until Sunday.

I've seen models where it will be a CAT 3 when it gets to the Villages and other models that show it diminishing to a CAT 2.

If your Dad is not answering the phone it's not because of any weather problems here.

Not to diminish the consequence of this storm to folks on the coast as this is a big deal for them. In The Villages, IMO, if this storm was not at midnight to 2AM, I would likely have a hurricane party...

I hope I am right... I am sure many will disagree...

:wine::D

No evacuation
 

I live in an adjacent Village to Hemingway and we have not been told to evacuate.
Jeanne

The Villages is not being evacuated as of this typing and most likely will not be.
A warning has gone out to those who have manufactured homes or the old traditional "trailers" as we called them....to go to a shelter or neighbor.

Call the Villages community watch (352-753-0550) and have them do a wellness check. I can't imagine not knowing where my dad was. Good luck!

We are going to close the front door

staying in ou 50 yr old home in Orlando with our 2 big dogs.
If we lose our home will be at TV next week. Otherwise
moving in in December as planned.

I am going to a softball field with my pitcher friend. I'll be hitting with the wind. I always wanted to knock it out of the park and over the fence at Saddlebrook. This is my one chance.

I was returning Tuesday, but unsure if MCO will be open. Airlines are giving a free cancel, or change flight to later date. Since everyone on TOTV is so helpful, I will know what has transpired, in TV. Our insurance company already sent emails with phone number, and online to get claims rolling.

So stay safe everyone it's only a house, what ever happens, there will be someone willing to help, have contact information, and offer their thoughts and prayers.

TV is a large community, but an still feel like a small town with thoughtful and caring people

Did you find your dad?

The Villages is not being evacuated.

Got a suggestion....Get 3 guys to load the bases...then whack it out of the park...." Good Luck " :plane:

Got a case of Chopin Vodka and a case of Johnny Walker Black--plenty of fuel to keep us under control before,during and after

As they now forecast the storm to remain a Cat 3 to Gainesville, I may bug out within the hour to calmer skies. Hope the forecasters are wrong. Please be safe!