Subj : flood stuff was: Vacation To : Nancy Backus From : Barry Martin Date : Sun Nov 17 2019 11:10:00 Hi Nancy! BM>>> those fun side-excursions to ask/find out why but I wouldn't want to BM>>> get deeper than the surface. First question would be "who is BM>>> 'Kimberly'?", and then "we're off!" >> style>. NB>>> It's the sort of thing that a local history section of your NB>>> library probably would have information on... :) BM>> More than likely the Downtown/Main Library in Davenport; I have not BM>> been there but have heard they have an excellent reference section for BM>> Davenport history. (Good news: the Library was not affected by the BM>> flooding.) NB>> Very good news... and yes, that does sound like a good place to look.. BM> So maybe some day. Would be one of those things where I need to get BM> in the 'mood': isn't a higher priority item, nothing's going to change BM> one way or the other (thinking along the lines of researching to fight BM> to save for historical reasons). Actually for that specific area might BM> be more fun to research what's there currently. Corner is essentially BM> a tiny park, though would seem like a good place for a gas station, BM> convenience store (there is one across the street). (We don't need BM> another gas station/convenience store, and overall I prefer seeing BM> the grass and trees there -- cue Joni Mitchell and "they paved BM> paradise".) Next "lot" over is what I'm slightly curious about: largish BM> flattened mound with a short yagi-style sticking out of it. Maybe BM> three feet off the ground; looks like a regular TV antenna. BM> Not-so-secret bunker?! Too far away from the creek to be monitoring BM> that. NB> That does sound like an interesting corner... :) I had looked on Google Maps and nothing identified. Have been told that area used to be road for a gentle curve from the E-W Kimberly Rd. to the N-S one; was modified when the interchange with I-74 was constructed (I think early 70''s -- before I moved out here). Doesn't explain the 'secret bunker' thing. NB>>>> For our 50th we did the dinner at a party house... and had a good NB>>>> time there, too... :) BM>>> Good. :) ...I'm trying to think of a 'party house' around here. Know BM>>> you're not implying the wild college toga event but a BM>>> banquet hall type event in a home environment. ...Probably are some. NB>>> Not so much a home environment... It's a banquet hall that is NB>>> free-standing... and the restaurant there only used for events, such NB>>> as weddings, anniversaries and reunions and the like... Around here we NB>>> call such an establishment a party house.... quite a few of them NB>>> around here, but mostly in the quieter areas of the suburbs... This NB>>> particular one was tucked down a dead end road off a major NB>>> thoroughfare, in an almost rural setting.... I'd brought my niece to NB>>> that particular place for a wedding before we used it for our school NB>>> reunion.... :) BM>> Ah, OK. Regional terminologies. We do have similar sites locally; BM>> OTTOMH not sure about the kitchen but there is essentially a house on BM>> the nearby golf course and park one can rent for receptions, etc. NB>> These will have an extensive kitchen, with a large room for the main NB>> event, and often a smaller room for a bar (sometimes just part of the NB>> main room), along with restrooms... And there is a staff that runs NB>> the establishment and the kitchen, so when you rent the space, you NB>> get full service with it... :) BM> Probably the same here. The few I've been to had the event room, BM> can't recall the bar option, kitchen area, rest rooms. Don't recall BM> the staffing arrangements. Of two I'm recalling better both had an BM> 'overseeing' staff member or two present: familiar with the site and BM> helped the brought-in staff find things. NB> So possibly between what we call a party-house and the more NB> self-serve lodges in the parks here... Another way to describe NB> the party house here is that it's a restaurant that is only open NB> to private parties, not to the general public... :) Right. The ones I can think of out here generally use the word 'lodge' and state available for rental -- almost like there isn't a descriptor, one just knows: "Duck Creek Lodge", "Credit Island Lodge"... OTOH when one says "The Lodge" they mean the former restaurant and hotel. BM>> Davenport has the Credit Island Lodge - yes, that got flooded but had BM>> been rebuilt a few years back due to a fire and the first floor level BM>> is more or less minimal so when it does flood not too much to move out BM>> (to upstairs) and repair. (The island was a site for fur, etc., BM>> trading back in the Indian Days and hence the name.) NB>> Ah, the name does makes sense with that history... :) We also have NB>> lodges (generally one-story) that are available to rent in the various NB>> local parks... those come with kitchen and restrooms, but one has to NB>> bring in one's own food and can cook it there themselves... BM> Right: quite a few of those options around here too. NB> That tends to be rather a common option... :) Was looking up Duck Creek Lodge and for their gazebo area (separate from the house) has a seating capacity of 40 with no additional chairs allowed; the house portion has a capacity of 110 but I didn't see mention of who provides the seating, tables, etc. (Probably noted in the reservations section.) ..And then there are two shelters in the park which can be served, and yes, there are rest rooms nearby, BM>>> They might want to get movin': the Mississippi has above flood stage BM>>> by about half a foot the past couple of weeks and predicted to stay BM>>> above for at least another few weeks. Some roads were closed but all BM>>> have re-opened; just some land along the River is home to fishes. NB>>> That doesn't bode all that well for next spring, does it.... BM>> There is a current concern which I hadn't hadn't heard of until BM>> lately. Some of the area rivers including the Mississippi are still at BM>> flood stage and that is causing a potential problem for the roadways BM>> nearby. The road bed is rock, gravel, etc., to allow good drainage, but BM>> that also allows the water from the river, stream. etc., to flow in to BM>> the road bed. Water expands when it freezes, so if there is water in BM>> the drainage bed could expand and damage the road this winter. NB>> Yet another factor.... ;( That sounds like a problem that should NB>> have been thought of before.... but I suppose having the rivers NB>> stay at flood stage hasn't been that big a factor up till now....? BM> The staying at flood stage for so long is extremely rare - closer to BM> never. Normally the rivers, etc., do a normal yearly drop of their BM> water level, which drains the water table to where it belongs and the BM> road beds are emptied. Just lots of rain, enough to keep the water BM> levels up near/slightly over flooding and not drop back to normal BM> river levels. NB> Let's hope that it isn't a new normal... and that things will be NB> back to the more expected next year...! They're already issuing flood predictions for next year; I haven't taken the time to read them yet. NB>>> Is the current flooding less usual, then....? BM>> Generally right at flood stage, so generally no surface problems: BM>> riverside parks and streets are open. LIS a bit ago, some of the BM>> elevated water levels isn't allowing the road bed to dry out. IIRC BM>> the Mississippi has been at or over flood stage for most of the year. NB>> Maybe it IS time to move everything further uphill.... ;0 BM> That would be quite a job! Have heard where it's been done, just not BM> on such a grand scale as would be needed locally. Recall where a small BM> town in the South (Louisiana?) moved a relatively short distance -- BM> mile or two? -- just enough to be sufficiently elevated so as to not be BM> flooded. NB> It would be quite a job, and I was mostly being a little NB> facetious... Even a small town would find it quite the job, I'm NB> sure.... Right. I have seen houses moved -- slowly creeping down the street in two or three portions. (Originally had 'pieces' - seemed not quite appriopriate!) Probably impossible to move most of the business buildings as just too large. Building replacements would be a nightmare: currently the buildings fit together and the business owner makes do with what they have. If moving most would be doing the "it would be nice to have extra room" or sometimes a little less room, so the current jigsaw fit is lost. BM>>> Might be time for me to stop BM>>> considering wearing long-sleeved shirts and start wearing! NB>>> Just might be... I don't think we've had a hard freeze yet, NB>>> although there've been some lows near-freezing... and so far no NB>>> snow here, either, although the forecast for Sat night and Sunday NB>>> contain the possibility of rain or snow showers.... shouldn't be NB>>> sticking yet, though..... ;) NB> And now, we've not only had a hard freeze, but have stayed cold NB> for almost a week now... and got a foot of snow.... which also is NB> still around... As some of announcers have been saying, we're NB> getting January weather in November! Today the high is only 27ø, NB> but it's supposed to be in the 30s again tomorrow and Monday... NB> they were talking about the 40s but that keeps moving down the NB> way more... We've been roughly ten degrees cooler than normal the past and current week. Next week is suppose to be warmer than it has been but still a little cooler than normal. Right now 35ø and last I heard a 3 mile visibility with the fog. Supposed to rain around noon. BM>> Still snowing; snow plow went by about a half-hour ago. BM>> And yes, I did switch over to long-sleeved shirts - for some reason I BM>> do feel warmer! NB>> Well, yeah... one would think.... :) BM> I know and have known a few people who never 'winterize'. One guy I BM> know wears short sleeves all year round. OTOH I've also known people BM> who wear long sleeves all the time and don't get hot in summer. NB> There are indeed all kinds.... :) For me it's just too hot to wear long sleeved shirts in the summer and too cold to wear short sleeved shirts in the winter. OTOH I did wear a suit jacket year round, though a short- or long sleeved shirt underneath depending on the season - unless hot-hot tempertures I was fine -- guess a little air circulation in the jacket sleeve! ¯ ® ¯ Barry_Martin_3@ ® ¯ @Q.COM ® ¯ ® .... 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