Deluge
I swam home from class last night.
Well, I practically did. I had my three-hour business school class last night. Since there isn't a parking lot attached directly to the building, I found a spot in the lot almost directly across the street and walked over.
About halfway through the class, we divided up into small groups to move to smaller study rooms and debate a case. While my group was engaged in spirited argument over ethical standards and the validity of Friedman's profit-maximizing viewpoint, thunder rumbled outside. It continued for the next hour and a half, occasionally making the lights in our classroom flicker.
When class finally dismissed at 9:30, I walked out of the building into complete inundation. It was raining so hard that the street (across which my car was parked) had become a river.
I found some of my fellow IMC colleagues who had been in different classes that night. They live in graduate housing a 10-minute walk away and were contemplating the trek home. I offered to go get my car and pick them up. I borrowed one of the girls' umbrellas and headed down the steps toward the street.
At the sidewalk, where most people usually cross the street, two cars were stopped in deep water, hazards flashing. I timidly stuck my foot to where the curb should be, plunging my entire foot into warm water.
Not a good sign.
I started walking parallel along the street, looking for a place to cross where the water wasn't quite so deep. When the sidewalk ahead of me finally evaporated into long puddles, I realized my only option was to go directly through the street.
Rolling up my pants legs, I took off my shoes and waded into the street. Yes, I said waded--the water came up to the mid-part of my calf! I splashed my way to the center of the street--which was higher and drier--and then walked down the double yellow line to the parking lot where my car was. Leaping over the full gutter, I landed on the sidewalk and solid pavement.
When I finally got the car started and headed out, I was amazed at how deep the water was. I drove through places I'm certain I should not have. Looking over at the cars parked on the side of the road, the water came up above the bumper on many of them.
My engine never died, but it did threaten a couple of times. Fortunately, since I drive a standard, I was able to shift down into first gear and keep it running. But who knows what kind of damage was done during the storm.
I have never really been in a flooded area before, but even this minimal flooding was insane! The main drag through Evanston--under water. Neighborhood streets--flooded. All from a little rain. I can't imagine what it would have been like in the West Virginia floods of a couple of years ago, or the scummy waters from Katrina.
Wish I had had my camera on me to share photos...
Well, I practically did. I had my three-hour business school class last night. Since there isn't a parking lot attached directly to the building, I found a spot in the lot almost directly across the street and walked over.
About halfway through the class, we divided up into small groups to move to smaller study rooms and debate a case. While my group was engaged in spirited argument over ethical standards and the validity of Friedman's profit-maximizing viewpoint, thunder rumbled outside. It continued for the next hour and a half, occasionally making the lights in our classroom flicker.
When class finally dismissed at 9:30, I walked out of the building into complete inundation. It was raining so hard that the street (across which my car was parked) had become a river.
I found some of my fellow IMC colleagues who had been in different classes that night. They live in graduate housing a 10-minute walk away and were contemplating the trek home. I offered to go get my car and pick them up. I borrowed one of the girls' umbrellas and headed down the steps toward the street.
At the sidewalk, where most people usually cross the street, two cars were stopped in deep water, hazards flashing. I timidly stuck my foot to where the curb should be, plunging my entire foot into warm water.
Not a good sign.
I started walking parallel along the street, looking for a place to cross where the water wasn't quite so deep. When the sidewalk ahead of me finally evaporated into long puddles, I realized my only option was to go directly through the street.
Rolling up my pants legs, I took off my shoes and waded into the street. Yes, I said waded--the water came up to the mid-part of my calf! I splashed my way to the center of the street--which was higher and drier--and then walked down the double yellow line to the parking lot where my car was. Leaping over the full gutter, I landed on the sidewalk and solid pavement.
When I finally got the car started and headed out, I was amazed at how deep the water was. I drove through places I'm certain I should not have. Looking over at the cars parked on the side of the road, the water came up above the bumper on many of them.
My engine never died, but it did threaten a couple of times. Fortunately, since I drive a standard, I was able to shift down into first gear and keep it running. But who knows what kind of damage was done during the storm.
I have never really been in a flooded area before, but even this minimal flooding was insane! The main drag through Evanston--under water. Neighborhood streets--flooded. All from a little rain. I can't imagine what it would have been like in the West Virginia floods of a couple of years ago, or the scummy waters from Katrina.
Wish I had had my camera on me to share photos...
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