I’m writing this series to benefit Golden Harvest Food bank. This organization has boots on the ground in Augusta to help victims recover from Hurricane Helene.
Contribute here today to help these folks get back on their feet.
I went to bed last night convinced I need to leave town for a generator and gas can. The hunter tendency is strong right now. That urge gets me through a heavy calisthenics workout. And it makes the cold shower more rewarding.
My wife reminds me my parents have plenty of gas on hand at their house. I will be more productive if I stay local.
I still don’t have enough signal to check inventory at hardware stores. But a trip down the street won’t empty my gas tank, either.
I take my oldest daughter on another trip to Home Depot. There are several parking lots each filled with 100-plus line trucks and wood chippers at street corners on our route. They have been busy since yesterday.
Power was restored to all the gas stations and most of the traffic lights on two of the main roads along our route. Downed trees are carved up and fed into the wood chippers as they clear more travel space and liberate power lines. Lines are queued around the corners of all of the gas stations, not just confined to a couple in the area.
It’s a welcome relief to see all these agitated drivers dispersed. It gives my daughter enough hope to make plans. New tea shops have opened nearby, and she looks forward to trying them.
Success!
I pull into Home Depot’s parking lot. A beautiful sight greets me as several customers leave with generators in their vehicles. We rush inside and, yes, Generacs are rolling off the truck.
Compared to yesterday’s waiting game, an in-and-out trip with high success is a pleasant change. I remember what dopamine feels like.
Of course, a 200-lb generator is not something I can strongback on my own into a Suburban. An older couple stops to help us. With some crafty leverage and many hands, we secure our load.
I take another chance on my luck to head to Lowe’s. Unfortunately, there are no gas cans here, either. But I could pass on to a fellow disappointed customer where generators were in stock around the corner.
The smile on his face is priceless.
Too Little Information
With generator in hand, we still need a way to power it. My mom has extra gas cans. I drive to her house through another back road.
Communication is still spotty. I can send text messages on the road, but there’s no guarantee my mom or my wife will get any notice on our change of plans.
(credit: Derek Rinaldo)
We also heard the night before through different apps that a friend’s house has been destroyed, but we can’t download more than a banner notification for details. There’s still not enough bandwidth to download mail or other online resources at will.
Our local radio station offered information on local assistance yesterday. Today, they’re completely off the air.
No other radio station seems to be playing anything but ads and music. NPR’s description of a widening kinetic war in Lebanon is sad, but hits tone deaf at this point.
We receive a text from a charity asking for money to serve Hurricane Helene victims. They don’t realize we’re in an affected zone and need help.
We arrive at my mom’s house and she invites us in for breakfast. They have a gas stove, which they can start with a lighter. It makes a fruity, nutty oatmeal much better than our powerless electric range at home.
As we catch up, I learn there’s a national Verizon outage. This is on top of most of the local cell phone towers being destroyed.
We coordinate gas runs to keep ourselves supplied as my stepdad hands me some cash. I’ll make sure to have more of this on hand in a safe place for the next outage.
Between that and having a generator, I have a new sense of control over life.
Rev It Up
My stepdad joins us at our house to help get the generator to the backyard. Again, we use creative leverage and my Gorilla Cart (another great investment) to move it from the car.
The generator sets up easy enough out of the box. My stepdad heads out to fill up some more gas cans. Leaving me on my own to wrap my head around startup.
After 20 pulls of the cord, I have flashbacks of the really nice snowblower I used to have in Indiana. I couldn’t start it but once in two winters, and ended up defaulting to a snow shovel to get to work.
This time, there’s no hamster wheel to fall back on. The instructions taunt me with the option of an electric starter. The consequences of urgency, supply, and demand in getting this generator make me doubt myself.
I go OCD on the manual just as many times as I pulled the cord. Then I realize there are two power buttons. I flick on the second button. It starts like a charm.
New Dawn
The world is now full of possibility. What are we going to connect first?
Well, the fridge for starters. Canned food is no longer mandatory for a picky audience. I’ve bought more time to work through the meat from Thursday’s Costco run.
Recharging our phones and battery banks are no longer limited to drives. We can now plug those in and even have fans moving air inside the house.
That dishwasher full of dishes since Thursday? It can run!
We look at our murky fish tank and realize our pets need a little help, too. They welcome the return of a running pump and rejuvenated ecosystem with frenetic disbelief.
With the new tool comes a new variable to the calculus of our daily lives: how do we keep feeding this generator?
Venture with Leisure
My stepdad arrives in the early evening to drop off a couple more cans. Gas in our cars seems less desperate now. But it’s still worth another trip to fill the cans before the 7 PM curfew.
(credit: Derek Rinaldo)
The Circle K’s that were open this morning have all run out. The first Kroger I visit has caution tape wrapped around the pumps. It takes me several minutes to realize the stoplights managing entry to the parking lot have collapsed.
There’s better luck at the second Kroger and police on scene managing traffic. It only takes 30 minutes to get through the line, but they’re rationing to the point where I can only fill my van or gas tanks.
At least I have an opportunity to respond to voicemails and messages that have come in through the day and check on friends.
A vendor had flown all the way from Louisville, KY to the Augusta airport to service equipment at the plant. He didn’t know why there weren’t any hotel rooms in the area. Even people with internet access had no idea what happened here.
New Frontiers
My kids asked for s’mores, so I go inside after filling the cans. Luckily, this Kroger is taking cards unlike yesterday.
There’s four bars on my phone. Didn’t I have trades that were supposed to close Friday? I check on them and take the chance to tighten my stops.
It dawns on me how dependent these side-hustle, money-making schemes rely on stable internet access. The advice from all the gurus who flourished during COVID lockdowns has proven its worth.
I also make some quick social media posts to let friends know we’re ok.
As I search the aisles, there are still plenty of dry goods in the store. But the meat aisles are bare from demand. It looks like they lost their frozen sections, too. Marshmallows, chocolate bars, and a jug of lemonade are enough for this trip.
Simple Pleasures
Work still will not have power tomorrow, and I don’t need to be there. I come home and enjoy my first cold beer in days with the sausages my daughter cooked. The marshmallows are almost too big for my youngest ones to put in their mouths after we toast them over the side burner on the grill.
The generator lets us hook up a lamp. Of everything we connect, this restores the most dignity. We’re no longer scavenging around the living room by flashlight on these last nights of a waning moon.
(credit: Derek Rinaldo)
Inflating a mattress puts the finishing touch. I’m not longer sleeping on a toddler bed or camping mat. Fans help us fall asleep downstairs for the first time in the warm, humid night.
Reports of looters are starting to come in from Nextdoor. I noticed a group of young men on foot while returning home, so I take it more seriously. I find locks for the gate and chain the generator to the post on the back patio for the night.
I’d still rather deal with this set of problems than wondering how many days of water or meals are ahead of me.
Interested in helping other victims of Hurricane Helene in Augusta? Many areas are still without power or easy access to food.
I’m sponsoring a fundraiser for Golden Harvest Food Bank. This group offers direct help in my area. Contribute today to get these good people back on their feet.
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There’s more adventure to come. See what happens on Day 5.
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