I have been doing some work at a friend's house who lives downtown and close to the zoo. I made the zoo parking lot my temporary home while I used my friend's car to commute from the bus to her house. I had never stayed the night before but this time I took a chance and decided to camp there for the night. Just as I expected, Greenville City police came knocking after I had been there less than an hour. I answered the door as I pulled my belt through the loops of my jeans. Clearly I was not just there to grab a bite to eat, I had been ready for bed. The officer had a restrained grin and shook his head as he told me that this was not a campground. I think he quickly sized me up in the matter of seconds and figured I wasn't some hoodlum or a terrorist, so he added that he would let me stay here just this night. Wow, I didn't even ask. I assured him I would only stay this one night.
The next day the rain I was expecting came and I used the time to run errands and spent some money I had recently earned. The weather was cold and the rain was unrelenting. But I was in a good mood because I had a nimble jeep cherokee to drive around for the day and I had things to get for the bus. My most exciting purchase was a nice small microwave from Goodwill for $10! I was out and about taking my sweet time, enjoying picking up stuff for my home. I decided to return home (bus at the zoo parking lot) around 4pm so I could load up, return the lent vehicle and move the bus before the officer friendly came back. When I pulled onto the road leading to the zoo I noticed the creek had risen substantially, interesting. A little further down the road, the police had barricaded the road and I saw why, the river past that point had flooded over its banks and was now a flash flood. And my bus was just 300 yds beyond the road block. My thinking became real intense, what to do... I approached the officers and told them, while pointing, that my bus was over in the zoo parking lot. They said nobody could go past them and with a little too big of a smile asked what kind of ground clearance did it have. I then explained that I had my cat on it and I was concerned. (I had taken Nala in the jeep since she loves riding in the car). They said I could park across the street and walk/wade to my bus and see if I could drive it out. So that's what I decided to do. I had a camera phone on me so I snapped some shots as I made my way.
From where I parked the jeep, across the from roadblock.
Here is the view of the picnic area in front of the zoo.
The area I had to cross to get to the bus.
It is unnerving to walk in muddy, moving water and try to remember where the curbs of the islands are. Not to mention I had to take off my boots and socks, roll my jeans to mid thigh and plow through cold water.Self Portrait wading in the water
View of back of boots, legs and leafy water
Making my way to my home.
To get some perspective, remember my tires are huge, 18 wheeler sized and the water has risen halfway up them. Crotch high, in people language. The water has filled the lower half of the basement area and I am seriously wondering about the integrity of my fuel line fix a month ago. It would now me in the river. Not to mention the air brake lines and brake pads, lower transmission. I was very, very pleased when my bus cranked right up and stayed running. I took a quick photo of the water overlapping my second step onto my bus. 8 inches of my door is under water.
After about 4 long minutes of letting the air brakes fill up, I disengage the parking brake and test the bus mobility. It moved. Now I was trying to remember again where the curbs were, luckily I did something right because I didn't find any. The sound of the bus pushing through water was surreal. Like I thought this was part amphibous craft. Although I couldn't see behind me, I am sure I was leaving a respectable wake, like a boat near a marina.
I made it to the road and the police opened the barricade to let me out.
What a day!
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