2604.4 miles door-to-door & back, using 121.4 gallons of regular gas
in the Eurovan Camper (1999 VR6), so the average was 21.45mpg. We set
the cruise at ~75mph most of the way. I am sure mileage down was worse
than back as we were packed-full with clothing and other relief items,
coming back only the tools we brought.

On our "Free" day we drove from Gulfport to New Orleans, about 75
miles. And about 75 miles of devastation... Neighborhoods, apartment
complexes, shopping centers, schools, businesses blasted and open, a
very few boarded up but most 'as left', cars in all stages of as-left,
trees still down, and roads still torn up.

Those merchants we spoke to in the Quarter told us that business is
down 50%+, and the population is down by that much or more in some
areas. The Museum stated that attendance was down by 30%.

But our group leveled, framed, wired and plumbed one house, painted
another and installed new roof structure, sheathing and shingles on a
third. There are over 40 'approved' applicants still waiting.

Peter Wieck
Wyncote, PA

On 12 Feb 2007 07:33:41 -0800, "pfjw (AT) aol (DOT) com" <pfjw (AT) aol (DOT) com> wrote:

Welcome back home to the great state of Pa. ( rendell was busy while
you were away).
less of a rubbernecker because it's hard believe the pain such disasters
inflect.
it comes heart felt. Thank You
down vs. back

On Feb 12, 12:54 pm, samst... (AT) aol (DOT) com wrote:

It does not take an Agnes to make Flood Damage relevant. In the Great
Rains of last June, we got 37" of water in our summer house, which was
constructed 16" above the so-called 100-year flood plain (per the FEMA-
approved tables). At least our house is still standing and
structurally intact. One of our neighbors was erased, another pushed
some 3 feet off his foundations, and a third had 14' of water
(slightly further downstream and not raised as ours is). One of the
famous "Twin Bridges" was also erased.

We more-or-less built for and planned for the conditions, however. So
other than furniture and finishes as well as the under-floor
insulation, we lost very little. And it is a summer house after all.

Thank you for your response!! There is much to be done still, but
Katrina (and Rita and Wilma) are "old news" now... If 1/3 the energy
wasted on Hollywood muckraking crap (for only one example) were
diverted to the Gulf Coast, that area would not only be cleaned up,
but vibrant. And I am deliberately avoiding other obvious wastes...

Peter Wieck
Wyncote, PA