Ice Storm (Bangor, Lincoln, Hope: house, living, price)

[Northern Maine Land Man]

Today's weather is a reminder of The Ice Storm of 98 when Maine people were without power for up to three weeks. It's an inconvenience. Back then WVOM out of Bangor was on 24 hours a day with local programming. Charlie Horne did a great job. Food and medicine got delivered wherever it was needed. WVOM's transmitter is on Passadumkeag Mountain. They were the only station on the air. 100 pound propane tanks were brought up the mountain two at a time behind Yamaha VK-540 snowmobiles with carbide studded tracks. When the governor found out who was brining the tanks up the mountain he got the National Guard to deliver them by helicopter. Who had delivered the tanks for eight days? The Militia.

There was a public kitchen where anybody could stop for a hot meal. There was a very large stainless kettle full of soup. It was called "miracle soup" because the kettle never went empty. People brought vegetables, diced venison, moose and beef. I know one guy who took not of what was in his bowl of soup. He saw potatoes of course and carrots, onions, beets, corn, peas, barley and everything else you find in good soup. He even found a lima bean in there. The militia ran the food kitchen and kept the kettle full for nearly three weeks. Who are these folks? They are your neighbors.

Our power came back on, but this has happened three time today since 10 AM. It only lasts for a few minutes until another tree come down. This ice is not going to melt off the trees for a while. When I went out for the mail the wind was picking up and ice was falling off the trees as the trees swayed. There was a constant showering of ice onto the crust below. In 1998 this went on for weeks.

[AustinB]

Misted and lightly showered here today. It got cooler around 6pm and we got a light dusting of snow. With the temps in the 30's today, that will be all gone shortly.Power didn't even flicker.

Now about the roads...

[mollysmiles]

We got all rain, all day, until late in the evening we got a "dustin". Thank goodness it wasn't like the ice storm! I haven't been out yet today... hopefully the roads aren't too bad now.

On WABI last night, right before he signed off, Jim Morris reviewed the areas that could be without power overnight, and reminded people to check on their neighbors. Two things struck me when he said that: first, I wonder how many newscasts would you hear anything like that on? and then, most people will do that without the reminder.

[Three Wolves In Snow]

Originally Posted by Northern Maine Land Man

Today's weather is a reminder of The Ice Storm of 98 when Maine people were without power for up to three weeks. It's an inconvenience. Back then WVOM out of Bangor was on 24 hours a day with local programming. Charlie Horne did a great job. Food and medicine got delivered wherever it was needed. WVOM's transmitter is on Passadumkeag Mountain. They were the only station on the air. 100 pound propane tanks were brought up the mountain two at a time behind Yamaha VK-540 snowmobiles with carbide studded tracks. When the governor found out who was brining the tanks up the mountain he got the National Guard to deliver them by helicopter. Who had delivered the tanks for eight days? The Militia.

There was a public kitchen where anybody could stop for a hot meal. There was a very large stainless kettle full of soup. It was called "miracle soup" because the kettle never went empty. People brought vegetables, diced venison, moose and beef. I know one guy who took not of what was in his bowl of soup. He saw potatoes of course and carrots, onions, beets, corn, peas, barley and everything else you find in good soup. He even found a lima bean in there. The militia ran the food kitchen and kept the kettle full for nearly three weeks. Who are these folks? They are your neighbors.

Our power came back on, but this has happened three time today since 10 AM. It only lasts for a few minutes until another tree come down. This ice is not going to melt off the trees for a while. When I went out for the mail the wind was picking up and ice was falling off the trees as the trees swayed. There was a constant showering of ice onto the crust below. In 1998 this went on for weeks.

I can't wait to get to Maine. Life how it should be. Thank you for sharing this...I'll tuck it in my mind to get me through yet another work week as I save up to get there.

[starwalker]

Originally Posted by GatorMama

I can't wait to get to Maine. Life how it should be. Thank you for sharing this...I'll tuck it in my mind to get me through yet another work week as I save up to get there.

We were without power for only 26+ hours. Back on, at least for now. Still no water though; the heat lamp under the house was out overnight, and the house got a bit chilly. We don't have our wood burner installed yet (price of triple wall pipe was over budget this past fall when we got the stove) but the little propane space heater did its job. We had water stored, the propane stove works no matter what (but not the oven) and at last check stuff in the freezers were still frozen sufficiently.

I'm heading in to work tonight, and will refill the water storage (bleach bottles) and get some kero and fill the empty propane tank. My stash of kero lamps, from my off-grid days and subsequent collection of ones that I just happened to like the look of, did their job. I had just trimmed wicks and washed chimneys a few days ago, so they were ready to rock and roll.

Didn't see a soul, though, except a very few vehicles past on the road and after sliding out to tend the fowl, I decided the best choice for me was to just lay low. I must be getting old...

Starwalker

[Three Wolves In Snow]

Originally Posted by starwalker

We were without power for only 26+ hours. Back on, at least for now. Still no water though; the heat lamp under the house was out overnight, and the house got a bit chilly. We don't have our wood burner installed yet (price of triple wall pipe was over budget this past fall when we got the stove) but the little propane space heater did its job. We had water stored, the propane stove works no matter what (but not the oven) and at last check stuff in the freezers were still frozen sufficiently.

I'm heading in to work tonight, and will refill the water storage (bleach bottles) and get some kero and fill the empty propane tank. My stash of kero lamps, from my off-grid days and subsequent collection of ones that I just happened to like the look of, did their job. I had just trimmed wicks and washed chimneys a few days ago, so they were ready to rock and roll.

Didn't see a soul, though, except a very few vehicles past on the road and after sliding out to tend the fowl, I decided the best choice for me was to just lay low. I must be getting old...

Starwalker

I'd take that over a week long power outage after Hurricane Wilma. No way to cool down, long lines for water and ice from those who demanded that the government help them, the government OWED them, don't ya know? Complaining because they didn't prepare in the slightest and angry at everyone who didn't rush to their door to give them baby formula right now!

Long lines at the gas station, blaring horns at intersections because no one was courteous and followed the rules of "person on the right goes first then all go in order and repeat", the anger, the hostility, the stealing and the incessant, non stop noise.

It was my first year here. I bought a wind up radio, (I call it my Gilligan radio), I had fresh batteries and a flashlight, candles, lighters and matches, propane for the stove and oven, filled water bottles 3/4 of the way full as well as Ziploc bags and put them in the freezer, (that way you have ice and when it melts, you still have water), filled the bathtub for flushing purposes in case the water was shut off, (which it was), stocked up on canned goods, had cash in hand, made sure the gas tank was full and pulled out my sleeping bag, put it on the floor of the living room and "camped out" while listening to everyone complain on the Gilligan radio.

The day after the hurricane, I decided to walk around and look at damage and take photos. There was a water/ice distribution point not too far from where I lived.

The line was horrendously long. And people sat, in their cars, with the motor running, while they waited. These would be the same people who would then have to go to the gas station to fill up since they just used up all their gas sitting in a line waiting for water and gas ONE day after the hurricane.

Some people were friendly and I got to know some of my neighbors but most people were downright ticked off and felt that the government and charities should give them everything immediately.

I'd much rather live in an area where people do their best to stock up, get prepared and should things still be rough or go on for longer than they thought, everyone gets together and helps each other out.

NMLM said the power was out for three weeks. Here in Miami, the power was out for one day before people started screaming for assistance.

Much rather live in Maine.

[cebdark]

You'll do fine here then.

Winter in Maine is not for a sissy, but I'd take it over having my house blown down ever 3 or 4 years any day.

[Northern Maine Land Man]

I just came back from Lincoln. Many side roads are without power and will be for a while. There are hundreds of trees down on the wires.

[msina]

We got all rain, all day, until late in the evening we got a "dustin". Thank goodness it wasn't like the ice storm!

Same here. I went into Winn and Lincoln. There was a lot of ice on trees. Birches bent down, lots of branches and a few trees down. Lots of "cratering" in the roads along with "bumps" and "frostheaves" (many pointed out by orange warning signs). There was a power supply line down across rte. 2 in South Lincoln in front of the Baptist Church. The roads were all well clreared.

[Submariner]

We lost power yesterday, 5am to 11:30am, then got it back for a couple hours and lost it again at about 5pm. Today at about 11am we got our power back.

Hope our chicken eggs in the incubator do okay.

Neighbors are fine, a few had their generators going.


On a side note, the pavement has some wicked potholes and heaves. A shock-absorber broke, came loose from it's mount and punched a hole up through to inside the car. My Dw's 08 Chevy. I took it to the dealership in Bangor today. Since the offending part was a shock-absorber it is not covered by warranty and therefore the damages it causes are not covered. We are so glad that we paid for the extended coverage [not].