DMC707

Duty calls --- I may not regale the C&V kingdom with tales of ebay wrong doing or major parts bike scores for a little while

My vocation , )and what keeps many Oklahoma C&V machines alive ) is claims adjuster and I just got the call to go to Baton Rouge to help

I take for granted the fact that i'm pretty fortunate overall despite my complaints
My late summer/early fall plans included lots of downhill MTB'ing in NM and CO, as well as plenty of C&V Tomfoolery

Duty calls instead ----- after trying to make contact with a number of my policyholders to set times to inspect and hearing about people with 4', 6', 8' of water in their homes -- I had to shake it off by saying
-- "My job is an extreme sport - just a slow burning one "

Waiting for flood waters to recede so you can help someone put their life back together can be fulfilling in its own way --- even though, as an insurance company "stooge" - I will get dog cussed 50 times before this stint is over

I'll likely check in when things start to level out down there ---

merziac

Good on ya, when the powers that be give the green light its a beautiful thing right when people need it most.

randyjawa 

Helping others is a very rewarding way to invest one's time. Kudos to you and best of luck with helping those in need.

oddjob2

For those families and businesses not in flood plains, I wish them the best. For those in flood plains, I hope they have flood insurance and wish them the best as well, but I think they really need to understand the inherent perils of living where they live and consider relocating to higher ground for their own safety and peace-of-mind.

I know nothing about LA building codes, but I would hope it incorporates Federal standards which require new construction or major rebuilding to be raised above flood stage and that your client, the insurers, or Federal flood insurance will pay for that added construction cost.

qcpmsame 

As said above, doing good for others is a worthwhile project/profession. Take care while you are down there, like my location, it gets some kind of hot and humid, and with the flooding it will be even worse, now. Be safe and let us know how things are should you have a chance.

Bill

Velocivixen

Bless the souls of all those in LA. Thank you for your help. Be well.

USAZorro

Be safe. Carry DEET.

Spaghetti Legs 

Best of luck, be safe.

I have to ask. I'm sure the occasion arises when you're surveying some unfortunate damage and you see a nice bike, maybe gathering dust in the rafters of a garage. Do you ask about it? "Nice bike, get out on it much?"

Ex Pres 

+1

DMC707

There is some assistance for that -- but there are a lot of slab foundation homes in this area (can't be raised ) and older homes were built before the flood zones were mapped that don't require being brought up to compliance -- so mostly its just repairing what they have and moving on



Thanks
packing the truck now --- Florida is overdue for a hurricane as well -- i'm already tired so i'm keeping my fingers crossed it doesn't happen this year




Will do --- DEET and a Camelback --this is a cycling accessory I get a lot of use out of for hot muggy home inspections as well


It hasn't happened as often as one might think --- in this case, Louisiana is even less cycling friendly than Oklahoma -- I doubt i'll see much . I keep my eye out but I don't know how I would ever broach the subject about liberating their dusty gold while at the same time handling their insurance claim

Last week I did see a formerly high end GT Avalanche XT equipped mtb from 1990 (I remember wanting one back then) leaning against the back of someone's home, and had been for years -- was a nice bike once and sort of a classic MTB model- such a waste , but after looking at all the alloy bits that were chalked over with oxidation and a chain and freewheel welded together with rust and corrosion on all steel fasteners , - I just shook my head and kept walking

I do recall a customer in Baltimore with a nice Pinarello and his whole house was decorated with cycling-centric framed posters , --- when his claim was concluded, we had beers and seafood a couple of times at a neighborhood pub. I'm currently trying to renovate a loft over my garage in a similar fashion

Another customer in Colorado with a pair of his n hers fillet brazed Ritchey mtb's from the very early days which were supposedly brazed by Ritchey himself -- alas, i'm 5'9 and these machines were for tall folk-- but they were just hanging on the guys' garage wall , unridden for 25 years or more

BAton Rouge in particular - DOES have a velodrome though-- its tucked back into a city park somewhat like San Diego's -- you would think there would be some dusty old track bikes lurking about

Spaghetti Legs 

Yeah I wondered about that. " Well, if you're looking for a way to recoup some of your deductible"

romperrr 

Good luck, you're doing good work.

lotek 

Be safe,
watch out for snakes, fire ants, gators and other displaced wildlife.

Marty

Jadesfire 

Just as an FYI, the areas that were hit hardest have never flooded like this before. Tangipahoa Parish is not in the major floodplain- it is not the Mississippi River that is overflowing. There has been so much construction in these areas, especially around Baton Rouge, due to people relocating from the higher-risk areas farther south that there is no where else for the water to go now and rivers are quite literally flowing backwards in some areas. And no, quite a few of them do not have flood insurance because they were not living in a flood-prone area. Our local news is reporting that 75% of the homes in Tangipahoa Parish are rendered unlivable now.

Lascauxcaveman 

If you want some inspirational (and somewhat harrowing) reading material for your trip, I recommend "Zeitoun" by Dave Eggers, a totally gripping real-life story of a guy who stayed behind during Katrina and the post-hurricane ordeal that he endured.

qcpmsame 

Any particular reason for bringing up our now overdue status for a fresh hurricane? I still cringe from 2004-2005 with Ivan, Dennis, and Katrina raking us over. And even '95, with Erin and Opal hitting us dead on, still gives me the willies.

At least I won't have to help the Navy stack aircraft in the hangers like I did in way too many of the 95-09 storms, while we were working on the hangars, and ATC tower, at NAS Whiting Field.

Take care, and listen to all of us advising you to be safe, please.

Bill

DMC707

Hi fellas ! --- I'm sort of back

Ive been to Louisiana and seen things that will stay with me forever, but sadly, as an insurance adjuster, --- my participation requires people to have insurance for flood ---- (a lot of areas of Baton Rouge were never projected to flood )
So this trip was relatively short ----- I checked the forums on my I-pad periodically at bedtime , and even commented on a couple, --- but I dare say my ebay Tom-foolery slowed down to a crawl

-- I am back home now, but am actively monitoring the Florida situation

---- Very very poor C&V pickins' on the local BAton Rouge and even New Awlins CL --- BAton Rouge has a velodrome that didn't flood -- I wrongly figured I could pick up a track bike at a modest price to get some spirited exercise on the boards (well .... not boards anymore .. concrete 333m)

I have spent many days at that 'drome in the past so I was glad to see it was still alive and well

Anyway --- i have resumed my normal activity ---- current challenge is trying to outfit my 90's era Italian machines with Campy branded pedals --- Fun Fun