Baton Rouge Beatdown - Gustav Breaks Red Stick

To see all of the after-effects of Hurricane Gustav first hand, I know I am very fortunate to come through it relatively unscathed compared to so many that are so very close. I did lose the backyard fence, which was totaled on all sides by winds strong enough to snap the metal posts and/or pull up the concrete they were planted in, but my home suffered zero structural damage.
A short drive around Baton Rouge, however, shows house after house, yard after yard, and businesses all over town with signs of property damage or trees downed, now lying chopped up in sections waiting by the street for removal service to take them to happy suburbia wasteland.

These pix I took driving around the other day, not long after the storm. I have scores of images like these, but I thought these said the most. This storm, in my estimation and experience, was definitely worse than Katrina, and even Andrew, as far as impact on Baton Rouge specifically. The flooding of New Orleans after Katrina made that storm seem so much worse collectively, but Gustav's impact on Baton Rouge from where I'm standing makes it without a doubt the baddest of the bunch. Perhaps it's time I should start considering relocation. The natural disasters are getting worse and more frequent around here. It's been a long time coming I had been gone.

Hasta luego, amigos.

Hurricane Preparedness TV Ad

I'll probably buy a case just because I like this ad so much!

New Orleans, Old Routines.

Hola compadres.
Well things are finally starting to look & feel normal again in Baton Rouge, after three weeks of intense cleanup and repair of the devastation caused by Hurricane Gustav. I have several thoughts and images of that monstrous storm's effect on our Capital City to share a bit later, but this post is dedicated to the one and only Chocolate City. Fortunately for the city of New Orleans, and his honorable Mayor Ray "Willy Wonka" Nagin, the flooding and subsequent chaos & disaster post-Gustav were nowhere near as catastrophic as what followed Hurricane Katrina. I still can't believe all that went down.
"I don't care what people are saying Uptown or wherever they are. This city will be chocolate at the end of the day." --New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin

While the 9th Ward and other areas did suffer flooding again due to Gustav's storm surge and heavy rains topping the levees, the Bayou Babylon was this time spared such grotesque and morbid flood-related scenarios as floating dead bloated bodies, rooftop helicopter rescues, waterlogged coffins set adrift, contaminated water, sludge-filled homes, and mob rules looting. And I won't even get into the unspeakable heinous crimes that evacuees-turned-refugees were exposed to when seeking shelter inside the Louisiana Superdome, which literally became a house of horrors with violence, theft, and even gang rape running rampant and unchecked. I am very thankful, to say the least, that for residents of Chocolate City, Hurricane Gustav seemed routine.
Kerouac's "greeneries and river smells of Old New Orleans at the washed-out bottom of America" weathered the storm, again. But it's still on the verge, a city in rehab. Garfish keeps reminding me of his old fave tune by the Tragically Hip, everytime another storm out in the Gulf of Mexico has New Orleans in its crosshairs. It goes a little something like this:

Bourbon blues on the street, loose and complete
Under skies all smokey blue-green
I can't forsake a dixie dead-shake
So we danced the sidewalk clean
My memory is muddy, what's this river that I'm in?
New Orleans is sinking man and I don't wanna swim.

Late.

Wrong division, we ain't Michigan! LSU wins.

In the words of Flava Flav, "Don't believe the hype." I can't believe it in this case. I can't believe the Big Blue Michigan Wolverines actually lost to this team in their season opener last year. This team being the Division 2A Appalachian State Mountaineers. No wonder there was so much hype surrounding that loss last year, and now around the 2008 season opener for the LSU Tigers, which ESPN picked up to broadcast for the obvious fan appeal. It made sense, of course, because both teams had won their respective championships in 2007. Defending National Champions LSU versus Division 2A National Champions Appy State.

The results of this colossal showdown were less than spectacular, and the game was essentially a blowout exactly as most predicted, even furthering the humility for the Michigan football faithful. LSU took care of business and beat Appy St. handily, proving the separation of classes as the elite of SEC football barely breaking a sweat against the lesser division's best squad. That's what should have happened last year, but Michigan became the example for underdogs everywere by bumbling and fumbling to an 0 - 1 start. David had beaten Goliath, and ESPN capitalized on the story all season long. The hype machine was hard at work leading up to this game, but LSU ain't Michigan! They defended their title before a national audience, like they were supposed to, winning 42-10 and putting the Mountaineers in their place.

This is Death Valley. SEC Football. The Eye of Hurricane Tiger. You can't come in here like the Geek Squad thinking you're gonna hand us an L like we're some played out Big Ten has been. See that flag whipping in the wind? 2007 National Champions. DEFENDING National Champions. We ain't believin' the hype!

Next victim...

Death Valley Daze, two weeks ago.

Just two weeks ago things around here were much nicely different. Two of the most challenging, self-actualizing, physically trying weeks you could imagine have passed since that fine Saturday in the South. Baton Rouge was at its finest hour, as the season-opening home football game for the 2008 version of the LSU Tigers was the order of the day, and the tailgating was in full swing. It was different that day though, as the threatening Hurricane Gustav was still churning away out in the Gulf of Mexico, charting a b-line for the Baton Rouge area. What we know so well now, this storm was so immense that the city was under official hurricane warning with massive community preparations going on simultaneously with the Saturday tailgating. It was all going on much much earlier in the day, however, this particular weekend. Rather than postpone the game while much of the state was under mandatory evacuation, Governor Jindal and LSU authorities agreed with league officials and ESPN network reps to move gametime of the contest against Division 2A opponent Appalachain State to an unprecedented 10:00 am kickoff. A morning kickoff earlier than any other in school history, changing the bill of fare for fans from bargbeque, beer & bourbon to bloody Maries, bacon & eggs.

Two weeks ago we were whining & moaning about having to get up so early for tailgating, and bitching about how such an early game really disrupted our normal LSU weekend style. HAA! A week later I was begging the Entergy Gods for air-conditioning and hot water. Funny how fast things can change after a badass hurricane invades your personal space.

The morning yielded beautiful weather for the first game of the 2008 season, and the Tigers were in fine condition, as prepared for their opponent as Baton Rouge was prepared for Gustav.
Defending National Champs were back in action and life was all good in the neighborhood. Pregame atmosphere was electric. Many had partied all night, tailgating all Friday night right on up to gametime. The band marched into the stadium as usual, and sounded fantastic, setting the tone for game one. The championship flags were hoisted one by one, snapping in the soon-to-be tropical storm-force winds swelling the pride of the sleepy-eyed Tiger fans filing into the stadium seats. For the time being, there were no worries in the Tiger Nation. Two weeks ago everything was hunky-dorey.

LSU vs. Troy 9/6/08 Gameday postponed.

Due to the aftermath of Hurricane Gustav, we missed out on one of our most beloved events here in Baton Rouge, as yesterday's tailgating festivities were canceled when the LSU v. Troy home football game was postponed. You know the damage was serious if it preempted LSU Gameday at Death Valley. Here's a taste of what should have gone down yesterday, and hopefully next weekend we are back in action! Next Saturday, Sept. 13, Baton Rouge.
THE Defending National Champion LSU Tigers
versus
the always formidable North Texas State University Mean Green.
Can you say "BLOWOUT!"? Prediction: LSU 49 NTSU 0

Winner winner chicken dinner!

That's a bittersweet win on The Over, and a bet I would have preferred to lose. I had thought Entergy would get everyone hooked back up sooner this time, having had rebuilt the week links after Katrina. But I also knew Gustav was packing a bigger punch, so I was already prepared in my mind to go well beyond the Over/Under of 4 days. That was easy money, but somehow, I don't feel like a big winner. I feel like I am trapped in some 3rd world country.
I decided to take a break this afternoon from the controlled chaos here in Baton Rouge. It's really been a trying week, to say the least.
The efflorescent Red Star Bar is so graciously providing wi-fi, air-conditioning and all of our favorite Happy Hour beverages of choice this afternoon, right up to the mandatory curfew tonight. Yes...curfew. It's been set at 8pm all week since Gustav blew us to bits, but today is Friday, and the powers that be have extended the curfew to 10pm tonight! And folks, they mean business. Of 77 arrests in Baton Rouge just last night, 52 were for violating curfew. The others were either DUI or looting. Looting! Who invited that jackass to the party?

The electricity has been knocked out over the entire area since Monday, going on day #5! Rumor has it my neighborhood will be restored sometime during the weekend, but I'll believe it when I feel it. It's slowly being restored in various spots all around town, and lines for gasoline have diminished, restaurants are beginning to open back up for service, and major intersections are getting streetlights back on & such. I have so much to talk about...a bunch of pictures to share...shots of the remarkable damage just in the few areas I've ventured out to over the last few days. It's been not so much fun trying to get back to the routine of working for a living. And just as I suspected, my company is back online and fully operational, under their own generator power of course, while myself & co-workers are having to rough it without power at home.

I would like to report one thing...it is a noteworthy feather in the cap of mankind under duress. Everyone here is a victim of the storm in some way, and we are all feeling the effects of the worst natural disaster in these parts since, oh, just 3 years ago. This one was worse for Baton Rouge. The thing is, though, every individual has a story of their own post-storm trials and tribulations, and everyone is doing their best to maintain, but we're all at the point of sparing each other the bitching and complaining, and are just ready to lend a helping hand. We are one, feeling the same pain, and efforting towards the same goal: to get back to normal life. And to that I raise my glass. We made it through, and the damage is manageable. It ain't fun, but it is tolerable. We are Louisiana. No matter how bad it gets, "Let's all pass a good time!"