topic Re: Any California drivers affected by the Mudslides? in Community Chat

Any California drivers affected by the Mudslides?

Puzzle Piece — Sat, 17 Oct 2015 18:13:13 GMT

I've watched the local news and have seen all the flooding and mud, rocks, debris, dirt and sand and yuck, overpowering the roads and the vehicles. The I-5 closed for hours and another main artery going north is also closed and backed up for at least today. More rainfuall is predeicted and some folks already have their homes up to 3-5 ft of mud surrounding them.

I am not in that area but feel for so many that are. I saw the animals (horses) overcome by the sudden water/mud flow and couldn't watch as people helped dig them out and hope they would survive.

Everyone take care and stay safe.

Re: Any California drivers affected by the Mudslides?

Q4u — Fri, 16 Oct 2015 19:58:16 GMT

OMG... I grew up in So. Ca and lived there until 5 years ago. Am VERY familiar with the Grape Vine. Nasty enough drive with the height and all the drivers! Not to mention that it's a main artery north and south! Unbelievable .....horrible.... stay safe~!!!

Re: Any California drivers affected by the Mudslides?

ValuSkr — Fri, 16 Oct 2015 21:50:59 GMT

Sorry, but what is the Grape Vine? Also, is the rain helping the drought situation? TIA

Re: Any California drivers affected by the Mudslides?

NoelSeven — Fri, 16 Oct 2015 22:06:07 GMT

@ValuSkr wrote:
Sorry, but what is the Grape Vine? Also, is the rain helping the drought situation? TIA

**************************

Highway 5 in CA, almost a straight shot, fast driving capability.

Re: Any California drivers affected by the Mudslides?

NoelSeven — Fri, 16 Oct 2015 22:07:16 GMT

The southern CA end:

Re: Any California drivers affected by the Mudslides?

Puzzle Piece — Fri, 16 Oct 2015 22:27:46 GMT

@ValuSkr The Grapevine is the name the old I-5 was given due to it's many twists and turns - like a grapevine. In the past, many delivery truck would loose their brakes from so much slowing down and going around curves - they would go over the sides and down the canyons often with fatalities. It is still called that today. It runs from Castaic through the bottom and up through through hills (re-done for safety) to about Weedpatch more or less. The hillside just gave in and covered Tractor trailers up to their windows. The alternate route highway 58 is closed until - who knows when. It is also overcome by mud and many delivery trucks are backed up several miles.

This rainfall is but a drop in the bucket Much more needs to fall before we ever pull out of this drought.

It's Friday and the faumous 101 is now shut down both ways due to a person threatening to commit suicide on an overpass. What a mess.

Re: Any California drivers affected by the Mudslides?

NoelSeven — Fri, 16 Oct 2015 22:12:03 GMT

They are predicting a really wild El Nino hitting mostly southern CA.

I wonder if there's a way of predicting the danger areas? Most likely to flood.

Re: Any California drivers affected by the Mudslides?

Puzzle Piece — Fri, 16 Oct 2015 22:17:26 GMT

Thank You Noel for the map.

Re: Any California drivers affected by the Mudslides?

evelyner — Fri, 16 Oct 2015 22:22:33 GMT

I live in Norhridge, not far from the grapevine. We had no rain here, and are still waiting.

Re: Any California drivers affected by the Mudslides?

NoelSeven — Fri, 16 Oct 2015 22:39:49 GMT

Still no rain to speak of in the Bay Area.

Re: Any California drivers affected by the Mudslides?

kdgn — Fri, 16 Oct 2015 22:42:07 GMT

State Rt 58, or Highway 58, is going to be closed probably for a week according to the CHP. Alternate routes to and from Tehachapi but hundreds of trucks are stranded at the moment. It's the east-west trucking route, much as I-5 is the north-south route. Mud up to and over pickup trucks; CHP said it would take a few days just to retrieve the vehicles that are enmeshed in the mud.

Friends live in the Tehachapi area and they were told all hotel/motel rooms are full, restaurants are packed, grocery stores are busy. But if supplies can't get in because of the closures there are going to be problems-

Re: Any California drivers affected by the Mudslides?

NoelSeven — Fri, 16 Oct 2015 22:48:09 GMT

@kdgn wrote:
State Rt 58, or Highway 58, is going to be closed probably for a week according to the CHP. Alternate routes to and from Tehachapi but hundreds of trucks are stranded at the moment. It's the east-west trucking route, much as I-5 is the north-south route. Mud up to and over pickup trucks; CHP said it would take a few days just to retrieve the vehicles that are enmeshed in the mud.

Friends live in the Tehachapi area and they were told all hotel/motel rooms are full, restaurants are packed, grocery stores are busy. But if supplies can't get in because of the closures there are going to be problems-
+++++++++++++++++++++++

Maybe air-drops?

Re: Any California drivers affected by the Mudslides?

house_cat — Sat, 17 Oct 2015 01:46:18 GMT

It happened just a few miles from where we live, and not a drop of rain here. The drive over the Grapevine is harrowing on a good day. I can't imagine the terror those people must have experienced.

Re: Any California drivers affected by the Mudslides?

shoekitty — Sat, 17 Oct 2015 04:57:07 GMT

The grapevine, although an unincorporated area by a pass in Ca, usually refers to the road. It escallates to a high altitude, is windy, windy, either scorching hot or cold. It is a trucker route as well, and scares the bejeezus out of me. Going down it into the valley I feel like I am on a roller coaster road. I grip the handles, closes my eyes, and ppphtt pppphytt air between my teeth. My husband is a tail gater, LOL. I have a stiff neck by the time we hit low ground! Here are some pics of the "Grapevine"

Re: Any California drivers affected by the Mudslides?

shoekitty — Sat, 17 Oct 2015 05:03:36 GMT

Here is another pic during a little traffic jam, which is often

It can snow in a small area, maybea 5 mile stretch

Re: Any California drivers affected by the Mudslides?

shoekitty — Sat, 17 Oct 2015 05:13:59 GMT

@Puzzle Piece

I heard 101 was a mess. and will be for days. GD had to spend 65 mins to go 6 miles a few hours a go! Yikes.

Re: Any California drivers affected by the Mudslides?

hennypenny — Sat, 17 Oct 2015 05:19:58 GMT

The scene from Santa Barbara- on the coast with highway 101 running through town.

We had lunch downtown today and saw an unusual amount of traffic heading south on the freeway from the patio of the restaurant. Then we headed towards home and decided to make a costco run. it is fifteen minutes north of our home. We decided to take the back road to avoid the traffic. We saw tons of southbound traffic almost to a standstill. Got to costco and everyone was on his/herphone trying to figure out what to do. We had forgotten that 5 was still closed. We bought mr henny's new tv and some harrys tomato soup for me and headed home. We skipped the back road, skipped the freeway. Took the main road from Goleta to Santa Barbara. (Hollister to State st.) Two hours later we arrived at a little restaraunt. mr henny was worried about my diabetic eating time table. We had dinner and it took half an hour more for us to get home.

We felt so sorry for everyone trying to get to ventura or Los Angeles. It was crazy.

The ground is like clay. there is no moisture,and most of the ground cover has died. We might be in really serious trouble if el nino infact does bring us rain. That incident on 5 is just a sample of the trouble ahead.

I hope everyone makes plans and prepares.

P.s. I hate the grape vine on a good day!!!!!

Re: Any California drivers affected by the Mudslides?

Puzzle Piece — Sat, 17 Oct 2015 15:53:31 GMT

@hennypenny@shoekitty Yes it was a commuter nightmare for thousands. Henny Penney, the alternate route through Santa Barbara is always mentioned as an option by the local news so folks will head your way. Shoekitty, that's a lot of time to just go a few miles. Sometimes, daily traffic takes that long.

The forecasted El Nino may actually take place. As you posted, we've had drought, dried up and dead vegetation, so now the soil will flow in many places. Here, the local news is sending out the get prepared warnings - sandbags, food storage, light sources in case of loss of electricity and so on. Of course most will ignore unless something does happen and then they will cry out for help.

Now, our news is reporting that sea snakes are coming on shore in our beaches and this is an odd occurrence - maybe a sign of the storms to come?

Re: Any California drivers affected by the Mudslides?

Moonchilde — Sat, 17 Oct 2015 16:04:38 GMT

@house_cat wrote:
It happened just a few miles from where we live, and not a drop of rain here. The drive over the Grapevine is harrowing on a good day. I can't imagine the terror those people must have experienced.

When I drive north, people's first assumption is that I will take I-5. No - not unless I'm driving to the Bay Area. As you say, the Grapevine is a horrible stretch in good weather. And after you get through that, miles and miles and hours and hours of flat and ugly.

I felt sorry yesterday for anyone who really *needed* to drive north yesterday. The 101 became the only other main north-south alternate, and it became a parking lot. The radio traffic people were saying - just don't even, for both routes.

Re: Any California drivers affected by the Mudslides?

Moonchilde — Sat, 17 Oct 2015 16:08:42 GMT

@hennypenny wrote:
The scene from Santa Barbara- on the coast with highway 101 running through town.
We had lunch downtown today and saw an unusual amount of traffic heading south on the freeway from the patio of the restaurant. Then we headed towards home and decided to make a costco run. it is fifteen minutes north of our home. We decided to take the back road to avoid the traffic. We saw tons of southbound traffic almost to a standstill. Got to costco and everyone was on his/herphone trying to figure out what to do. We had forgotten that 5 was still closed. We bought mr henny's new tv and some harrys tomato soup for me and headed home. We skipped the back road, skipped the freeway. Took the main road from Goleta to Santa Barbara. (Hollister to State st.) Two hours later we arrived at a little restaraunt. mr henny was worried about my diabetic eating time table. We had dinner and it took half an hour more for us to get home.
We felt so sorry for everyone trying to get to ventura or Los Angeles. It was crazy.
The ground is like clay. there is no moisture,and most of the ground cover has died. We might be in really serious trouble if el nino infact does bring us rain. That incident on 5 is just a sample of the trouble ahead.
I hope everyone makes plans and prepares.
P.s. I hate the grape vine on a good day!!!!!

At least you know some of the back roads ;-) I got stuck once for hours driving north starting at Summerland because there was an accident. And people don't realize that it's at most a 2 lanes in each direction area. That's the icing on the cake :-(