Chapter 4: Evacuating Hunsinger style/gas panic/next steps

We had two days at the Hard Rock.  First night, as you can imagine, was drinking ourselves silly, eating an awesome meal (truffle tuna sushi and beef negima--OMG).

CNN/Weather Channel and my iPad are going full time.  We got massages. Yes. We. Got. Massages. 

Forecasted track from Cuba has shifted to Miami/East coast area. S. Florida evacuations ordered and the downfall of civilization begins.

Hoarding of gas and water.  Price gouging. Panic. Walking Dead. You name it.

New app that was out of control useful:  gasbuddy.com  Works great until you lose cell service.

Our flight out of Fort Lauderdale was cancelled, and Tim started frantically working flights out.  Because we only have a half a tank left in our car, and that isn't going to get us to even Orlando.
Gas shortages being reported.

But, it winds up, Orlando it is.

Now, I reconfigure all of my data feeds to inform me about gas delivery.  I even go out looking for gas. Crazy. Completely crazy.  I remembered vaguely of the gas shortages in the late 70s. 

So, another bonus for Hard Rock, SECURITY. Security driving through the parking garage. We even went to check our car to make sure gas hadn't been siphoned out.

We planned on heading out very early Thursday morning, went to bed early and prepared for the next days excitement.

We hit the road before daybreak and went immediately to the closest gas station on the turnpike.  The governor kept stating that the turnpike gas stations would be kept full. GasBuddy was reporting it good.

All I can say is-WOW.  Well done Florida Turnpike Services and Florida Highway Patrol.  As you pulled off the turnpike you were channelled into a queue, once you got to the front of a line you were directed to your pump. Only vehicles could be filled, no containers.

Getting there early paid off because we had no wait.  Everybody was super nice.

Tim filling up while news crew sets up in background.
And check out the family truckster behind us.
Older gentleman all alone fully loaded with food/water/fuel.

Once again Google Maps helped us out by telling us to get off the Turnpike and onto I-95.  Evidently everybody was taking that to get to I-75 which heads to inland Georgia whereas I-95 hugs the coast.  Since we just needed to get Orlando, not an issue for us.  Saved two hours on the road! 

Watched hurricane prep as we headed North.  Never realized that the highway lights actually get pulled down via halyard and rest at the bottom of the pole.  Also, crews were going around cutting slashes into the vinyl billboards to create flowthrough.

By now some of our friends and family are bugging out and telling us to just drive home. And the path of the storm is now starting to drift back west. F*ck.

We arrived in Orlando in plenty of time for our flight that evening, so we found a day room at the hotel and chilled.

Orlando airport was chaos at EVERY airline counter except for Southwest.  Southwest RULES.