Bob Collins
Flood fatigue. It’s been only one week since Moorhead residents like Vikki and Bruce Johnson of Riverview Circle first learned they had to start preparing for the worst. That’s two fewer weeks than they had in 1997. You may recall earlier in the week, Bruce said that when they were out sandbagging last Saturday, the river was so far away they wondered why they were out there.
Photographer Jeff Thompson took this picture Friday morning and I think it captures everybody and everything pretty well.
I was relieved to hear from Vikki (in comments in the thread upstream) this evening:
Hey Bob, Bruce and I are fine. Bruce stayed behind when we evacuated earlier today. I went back home around 8 tonight. Our dike is strong and our pumps are working. Brian Cole, Moorhead Orchestra teacher is manning our pumps so Bruce can sleep! Another one of those theatre guys to the rescue! The battle is not over – the river has not won! We will continue to fight on!
Vikki and I talked earlier today. I encourage you to listen.
A few minutes later, Donna and Todd Morse were planning their strategy for the day.
When the big equipment isn’t moving, the volunteers aren’t around, and when the sun goes down, I imagine it can get pretty lonely. So reader Jeff Olsen’s picture tonight provides a good reminder that plenty of people are still sending help.
Shortly after the evacuation, I was on All Things Considered.
Driving over to Rothsay (the only motel I could find a room available), I saw three empty buses from the Twin Cities, a lot flatbed trucks, and some construction equipment heading toward Fargo-Moorhead.
The latest projection for a crest looks like this (See updates here)
The crest stays through April Fool’s Day.
It looks like I’ll be back up on Riverview Circle later on Saturday morning. It may be the last day I’ll be in the area. I’ve got to restock and then return. These people can take a punch. And they can throw one.
Until I get back up there, I hope family members will continue to post updates below. Vikki, Bruce, Todd, Donna, John and Jeanie and their families have a lot of friends they’ve never met.
