Forum: HoseHeads Sprint Car General Forum (go)
Moderators: dirtonly  /  dmantx  /  hosehead

did i some how stumble onto the grove message board by mistake? lol.

So, to prove a point, I ran my own little experiment tonight. I just finished my latest 3 hour shift. This one at Mercy Hospital. A valiant effort by all that is still going on, but all patients are being evacuated. There is water up to chest level at the emergency room doors, water in the elevator shaft, and water in the corridor where all the power units are (scary when you're down there slinging sand). No matter if I was filling bags, or in a line slinging sand, I got the crowd talking about racing. Not just racing, but there were quite a few people there that go to Nationals every year. We were making plans on finishing up our midday shifts on Saturday, finding a car/boat (random talk) and making our way to Knoxville to see the races. Regardless, the end result is that the group I seem to keep ending up with are trying to pull together a cellular network card from someone so we can put it in my computer, plug in my speakers, and listen to the races at Huset's and Knoxville. Not sure we can do it, but we're going to try really hard.

Long story to get to this point. Even in the face of utter disaster (and if you've been downtown to Cedar Rapids, you could call it nothing less), a lot of people have racing on the brain. It doesn't mean they don't care. On the contrary, they are the people out there sweating and trying to help the people of their community and they just want something fun out of their normal lives to remind them that all is not bad. Although I have to admit that seeing the people of your community hearing nothing more than "We need sand over there" and just lining up and slinging it makes you proud to be one of them. I know there are good people everywhere, but even the national media is bored with us Iowans because they can't find any looters. I think it's great.

Oh yeah, since I've already made this really long, kudos to Menards for donating all of the bags we're filling. When we had the bad ice storms, I went on a rant about how with power out, Target and Menards (who both sponsor race teams) plugged in generators and operated to make sure people had what they needed. Wal-Mart (who doesn't sponsor a race team) closed down.

The Mermaid

I wanted to come and help once it was on the news that Mercy was under water. Though I took my break and had a few drinks. I checked on everything on the friend front and picked up my now WAY WAY drunk woman. I would have swung by to help bag but they won't let me since I had 3 Captains.

I get off work tomorrow at 6 pm so I am going to swing by some places and see if anyone needs anything. When I drove by a car lot here on 16th ave sw on my way home i saw people bagging sand and loading it into several $4 a gallon gas hog trucks to take to downtown. People a mile from flood area and yet spending time and gas to bag. Fuck FEMA! They ain't got shit on Iowa and HEART!

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A healthy diet of dirt in my nachos and beer.

Oh! I saw a small meaningless gas generator that might be able to run 6 motor homes pluggeded into a box at the corner of Wilson and 6th st. This is Iowa and somebody instead of just plugging it into his house went to the corner, called the energy company, and plugged his generator in to run the block.

Those boxes on street corners just don't run street lights people...From what I got they can be plugged into and blocked off so a block can run with them. Bless The midwest and people sharing energy.

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A healthy diet of dirt in my nachos and beer.

Sorry jackhole, I just had to give you some crap about how strong your Captains were mixed after watching you try to spell pluggeded... er, I mean plugged. But, seriously... I wish the best for everyone affected by the flooding in Iowa right now. We, in the Red River Valley of the north, are no strangers to the flooding devastation that Mother Nature can bring... aka 1997... The best thing about living in the upper midwest is the people around us that live here and work together and get through these type of situations...

Fenders are like vacuums... they both suck.

Thanks Rebel. I would take your spelling advice more serious if you didn't have such a Northern Canadian draw, doncha know? I thought you were from N. Dakota not Manitoba...

It is going to crest at 32ft above level at 7 am. Flood is 12 ft.

See you at the (boat) races.

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A healthy diet of dirt in my nachos and beer.

I said Fargo because everyone knows where it is... but I am actually from Moorhead, MN... same town, just borders the Red River. Just wanted to point out that I'm not from ND, but I am from Minnesota... EH ?

Fenders are like vacuums... they both suck.

I would be proud to let people know I'm from More head, Mn

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A healthy diet of dirt in my nachos and beer.

Hey, living in a town where the girls give where they live really isn't all that bad...

Fenders are like vacuums... they both suck.

Wow nice attitude there 25! I guess you know that I have been personally battling my own flood problems at home, on top of 10+ hr work days, the wife working nights and while trying to entertain my 3 year old I have a garage & family room flooded that I have been trying to get cleaned up, My first opportunity will be tonight after work I am going down to Fredonia to help a friend with the flooding across from Col Junction. Not that I needed to explain myself on your assessment of what I should be doing with my life I believe I am making at least up to par use of my time. Have a nice day Dick

Bill

Hwy 22 I believe is closed East of the Casino where the Iowa crosses and closer to home on the Cedar, it is very close to going over, The next bridge following the main bridge, a backwater stream called Pike Run the water is pounding the upper side pretty darn good at the railing and the lower side of the bridge is churning it out to full capy. A friend from Nichols is going home from work here shortly as they are telling him they could be closing it at any time. I don't want to sound any more selfish than I already have but I guess now I should wonder about next weekend as we have planned a 3 day camping trip for the whole family to see the Midget Nationals. I shall repent.

My thoughts and prayers are will all of you in the flooded areas. I've got a number of friends in the Cedar Rapids area who work at the General Mills plant. Since I'm retired, I haven't heard if the plant is affected, but I imagine it is. That's a fairly low area. I seem to recall the warehouse we use over along 380 was flooded in the past, so imagine it's under water again. Wonder how much cereal we lost this time?

So far all of my relatives in Iowa are dry, but those that are farming are surely suffering from the cold, wet spring. Can't imagine the corn is growing much at all.

I'm headed to Knoxville next week, and seriously considering coming a few days early to see if I can help any of my friends. Unfortunately, I doubt the water will be gone from a lot of places by then. I've go some limitations due to health, but I should be able to shovel mud if I take it easy.

Stay strong!

If Knoxville does race this Saturday it will be intersting to see how many fans or drivers will be there. Many of Iowa's roads are closed and it will just be impossible for many to make it.

What we are seeing in Cedar Rapids and parts north is that the river has either crested or is going to crest today (Cedar Rapids expected at 31.8 feet late this afternoon). Of course we are on a water ban for what could be a couple of weeks, so I'm afraid there's a BO problem hanging over the town. It looks like some of us can get to Knoxville this weekend (whoo hoo!) As much as we want to see the race, priority 1 will be getting a hotel room and taking multiple showers!!!!

Have I mentioned how proud I am of the people in my community with all of the help we're seeing? And no looting! This is truly a disaster, but it is so awesome to see how well we all work together!

The Mermaid

The whole Midwest is facing weather darn near as bad as Katrina, but with proper management of the Officials (except Corps of Engineers) and the work and moral ethics of the Midwest, we are going to survive and be back to normal without the problems of New Orleans.

Disaster after disaster, the Midwest still has the best people on earth.

It does not even take a disaster to know that the Midwest people are of a high quality.

Save your butt, get a colon screening TODAY

For complete line of Sponsor Awards check out 
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Duane Davis

Laser Engraving 
641-751-7777
101 N Center
Marshalltown, Iowa 

For the 410s, most are based in Knoxville, Des Moines, or north and/or west of Des Moines (Sioux Falls, etc). I-80 west and I-35 north is fairly smoothe sailing. Kaley Gharst might have fun getting there from Decatur, IL - but I assume he'll be making the trip over.

The 360s have a few guys from the Cedar Rapids area (Giannetto, Lenz, and J. Hall) that might have some interesting planning/detouring to do - but the rest should be good to go.

Yes a whole lot of fun coming out of Cedar Rapids now that 380 is closed from exit 4 to 10 which means no getting on 80. Sounds like close to impossible to get there with out a 5 hour detour.

What about taking Hwy 30 west to Marshalltown - and going south on 14 from there? I know that 14 north of Marshalltown is closed, but don't see that it is south.

IF 30 is closed west of the casino, there is always OLD Hwy30 which runs through the Meskwaki setlement to the South of Tama through Montour.

Usually that road remains open.

Save your butt, get a colon screening TODAY

For complete line of Sponsor Awards check out 
MarshallTownLaser.com

Duane Davis

Laser Engraving 
641-751-7777
101 N Center
Marshalltown, Iowa 

Paintboss...if you can get to West Liberty from where you are now, I think the only option left is to get on I80 at WL or West Branch. It's only at Atalissa where I80 is closed right now, but you do still have to cross the Iowa and I don't know for sure how close it will be to going over.

34 raceways is racing tommorrow night. Just drive south on 218 and go east on hiway 34. 34 raceways is one of they nicest places you will ever be, very racey 3/8TH mile banked. Hope all are well good luck and try 34.

LETS RACE BOYS