After boarding up the house, we left Cape Coral, Florida on Monday, October 7 at 12:30pm to escape from Category 5 Hurricane Milton. Interstate 75 north bound was already filled with fellow evacuees. It seems some have no sense of urgency during evacuations because no less than 30 times I am following a car in the left lane as they drive 10-15 mph less than the permitted 75mph. They would leave gaps in between themselves and the next car anywhere from 2 car lengths to 10 car lengths. Maddening!
Normally the drive from Cape Coral to Tampa would take 2 hours. This time it took 8. I had enough of I-75 and decided to divert west to the Suncoast Parkway parallel to the Gulf of Mexico. Thankfully, the governor had removed the tolls and we flew northwest through the big bend area of Florida…until we came to more stop/go traffic at various spots. There was a backup of 30 miles due to…something. There was another 30 mile backup for no reason. We tried to bed down a couple of times but only managed an hour nap in the car. This area was hit by Hurricane Helene not more than a week ago and the evidence was all around us. We pressed on to the rest of the rural Florida panhandle until we hit a massive rest stop west of Tallahassee. Technically, we were in the clear after a monotonous, frustrating 20 hr drive, having been awake for 30 hours and maybe 3 hrs sleep. After this, we raced to the Florida/Alabama border and began to feel even more at ease. While en route we drove through Milton, Florida just as hurricane Milton was geographically positioned below us in the Gulf. Haha, not today you don’t get us.
Having crossed Mobile Bay, and observed the U.S.S. Alabama battleship, we drove under the city through the Bankhead Tunnel and joined in with the other driver’s in the echoing song of car horns. All of us shared a smile through the windshields.
Tonight finds me on the Mississippi gulf coast line. No clouds, beautiful blue skies. We gorged on boiled and/or blackened shrimp, and fixings until we popped. After we have cleaned ourselves up, we stretch out onto a bed, finally, after two days.
Milton will arrive either Wednesday or Thursday between Tampa and Cape Coral. Evacuating our new home was a smart decision. I just pray that when we return, there will be minimal to no damage to it.
She’s asleep, now it is my turn.