@Summitt Dweller’s Personal Blog - Consolidated

The Derecho: Consolidated Posts and Microposts: August 10 thru September 6, 2020

Mark McFate — Sun, 25 Sep 2022 20:12:49 +0000

The following is a chronological consolidation of posts and microposts from August 10, commonly known in east and central Iowa as “The Day of the Derecho”, through September 6, 2020.

The derecho hit my home in Toledo, Iowa, at about 11:30 AM on Monday, August 10, 2020. Straight-line winds were clocked at nearly 140 miles per hour, and sustained for more than 20 minutes across a path almost 40 miles wide.

The power is still out here, almost 10 days after the derecho knocked it out. So many power restoration predictions have come and gone, I’ve lost count. Still I’m told that what we need is a one-man, 15-minute fix. Perhaps in the morning I’ll stretch our broken power line across the street and pitch a tent next door until an Alliant truck stops and gets this done. I know they are busy, but 15 minutes of one lineman’s time a week ago, when it was first “promised”, would have been so nice. I fixed my own Mediacom connection more than a week ago, and there’s evidence tonight that their service has been restored. So, if I had power, I think we would also have TV and internet. IF.

→ 2020/08/19 11:45 PM

  posted from Toledo, IA

It’s the start of day number eleven, and still no power. Checked the forecast and it’s getting hot…so am I!

→ 2020/08/20 8:21 AM

  posted from Toledo, IA

Eleven days and seven hours without, but the power is now back on at 104 W. Summit Street in Toledo. I’d estimate that for the duration we burned about 105 gallons of gas just to keep the fridge, my CPAP, one lamp, and two fans running. Glad to be back in the 21st century. Now, what’s all this I hear about a deadly virus and some political scuffles?

→ 2020/08/20 7:48 PM

  posted from Toledo, IA

Iowa's 2020 Hurricane

Posted on 2020/08/20 10:18 PM

  from Toledo, Iowa

Derecho Follow-Up - Saturday, August 22

Posted on 2020/08/22 9:45 PM

  from Toledo, Iowa

And so begins day number 11 without power. I think I have watched at least a dozen Alliant energy trucks Drive by the house already this morning. I honestly don’t think they know where we are.

→ 2021/08/21 9:28 AM

  posted from Toledo, IA

Today, Sunday, August 23, 2020, marked the start of what looks like another schorching heat-wave here. So I pitched in during the morning at the home of my “scurry” partners Jeff and Mary Fasse-Shaw, to help with cutting up some of the deadfall along the creek on the west side of their property. We got a good start, but there’s a lot of fallen timber to be cleared there!

→ 2020/08/23 5:33 PM

  posted from Toledo, Iowa

Tama-Toledo Parks - Derecho Follow-Up for August 24

Posted on 2020/08/24 11:20 AM

  from Toledo, Iowa

Last of the Clean-up? - Derecho Follow-Up for September 6

Posted on 2020/09/06 7:52 PM

  from Toledo, Iowa

August 2022 - Geocaching's 20th Anniversary Celebration Event

Mark McFate — Sun, 25 Sep 2022 19:55:13 +0000

The following is a chronological consolidation of posts and microposts from August 6 through August 25, 2022.

Westbound to Seattle - Day 1

Posted on 2022/08/07 4:57 PM

  from Toledo, IA

Westbound to Seattle - Day 2

Posted on 2022/08/07 4:58 PM

  from Toledo, IA

Westbound to Seattle - Day 3

Posted on 2022/08/07 4:58 PM

  from Toledo, IA

Eastbound from Seattle - Day 1

Posted on 2022/08/07 9:13 PM

  from Toledo, IA

Eastbound from Seattle - Day 2

Posted on 2022/08/08 1:39 PM

  from Toledo, IA

Eastbound from Seattle - Day 3

Posted on 2022/08/08 2:44 PM

  from Toledo, IA

Waiting for my ride to Johnston.

→ 2022/08/12 7:37 AM

  posted from Toledo, IA

Departed for Seattle a few minutes after 6 AM.

→ 2022/08/16 6:14 AM

  posted from Montour, IA

Lunch at Culver’s in Brookings, SD.

→ 2022/08/16 11:52 AM

  posted from Brookings, SD

Got my first North Dakota geocache find a few miles back down the road.

→ 2022/08/16 2:18 PM

  posted from Wahpeton, ND

Passing through the outskirts of metropolitan Fargo.

→ 2022/08/16 3:10 PM

  posted from West Fargo, ND

Headed west across North Dakota for GC 551, the state’s oldest active geocache.

→ 2022/08/16 5:24 PM

  posted from Steele, ND

Arrived for the night around 9:25 pm in Miles City, Montana, about 70 miles past our intended stop.

→ 2022/08/16 9:52 PM

  posted from Miles City, MT

First cache of the day: Headed to GCHGZZ in a rest area in Montana.

→ 2022/08/17 6:43 AM

  posted from Rosebud, MT

GCKHRJ: Was not on our original list but a really quick stop and well worth the time out.

→ 2022/08/17 9:46 AM

  posted from Big Timber, MT

Just departed from the headwaters of the Missouri river state park in Montana and the state’s oldest pair of geocaches. Check my track logs on https://hikes.summittdweller.com for more details.

→ 2022/08/17 1:21 PM

  posted from Headwaters of the Missouri River, Montana

Stopped for dinner in Coeur d’Alene at Rogers Ice Cream and Burgers.

→ 2022/08/17 6:13 PM

  posted from Coeur d&#39;Alene, ID

Excellent company for the reviewers lunch after the APE geocache at Snoqualmie Pass, Washington.

→ 2022/08/18 2:32 PM

  posted from Snoqualmie Pass, WA

Relaxing and catching up in the hotel (the Maxwell near the Space Needle) after a great day of geocaching, hiking (10 miles or more) and lite travel.

→ 2022/08/18 9:46 PM

  posted from Seattle, WA

No time to blog! Attending the Geocaching 20th Celebration.

→ 2022/08/20 10:38 AM

  posted from Seattle, WA

Southbound on I5 to the Original Stash SE of Portland.

→ 2022/08/21 5:55 AM

  posted from Tukwila, WA

Grabbing a quick lunch at McDonald’s.

→ 2022/08/21 1:59 PM

  posted from Madras, OR

The apex of an epic road-trip!

→ 2022/08/21 7:11 PM

  posted from Davis Creek, CA

Winnemucca ETA is 11:35pm. Never have I seen so many stars.

→ 2022/08/21 10:09 PM

  posted from Denico Junction, NV

Tom’s reaction when we popped over the hill to see the Bonneville salt flats was “holy shit”.

→ 2022/08/22 11:22 AM

  posted from West Wendover, NV

Posting an updated itinerary for eastbound day 3.

→ 2022/08/22 7:22 PM

  posted from Rawlins, WY

Planning a lunch stop in Grand Island with Heartland Cacher and then on home to Iowa so Reviewer Smith can get back to Illinois this evening.

→ 2022/08/23 8:42 AM

  posted from North Platte, NE