Greetings, fellow Avilones. February is upon us, and I bet you know what’s coming. This is the month we celebrate Valentine’s Day and President’s Day holidays. And, of course, my wife’s birthday. For the past 13 years two of these dates were enjoyed with our now deceased, but not forgotten dog, “Dodger,” so it will be strange/sad not having him around to help shop for greeting cards and presents. For some reason he always insisted on purchasing a supply of doggie treats for his “mom.”
By the time you receive this publication, about three weeks will have passed since the devastating January storms roiled Avila Beach and other parts of SLO County. Avila was hit particularly hard with water rising above the creek, spilling onto the main roads into town, and swamping businesses at Avila Village, Avila Bay Athletic Club and Avila Beach Golf Resort. Sadly, a life was lost during rampaging flooding on Avila Beach Drive near Sycamore Mineral Springs. And if all that wasn’t bad enough, the greater Avila communities were without power for nearly two full days!
While we cannot control all effects of Mother Nature, how we respond always leaves an impression. And I have to say that I was NOT impressed with what my wife and I experienced on the evening of January 9th. I share this debacle with you to vent my frustration. After languishing without power the entire day, we ventured out to South County to pick up some prescription medication and grab some dinner since it wasn’t raining very hard at that time. The “circus” began when we tried to drive back home on the 101 after entering the 4th Street onramp. Things looked good as we headed northbound towards Avila. We knew the Avila Beach Drive offramp was closed, thus planned on taking the San Luis Bay Drive offramp. No such luck, the northbound freeway was closed, and all vehicles were forced to exit at Avila Beach Drive. What!!!!
We quickly came upon a line of cars and freight trucks that exited before us, as well as the flashing lights of patrol cars ahead blocking further travel. There we sat for several minutes, then inched closer to the front of the line, which we knew to be a dead end. Drivers were being re-routed back onto the southbound onramp to head where? Who knows? Finally, as I began approaching a patrol car to get some information, word came via loud-speaker that in order to travel north into San Luis Obispo or beyond, drivers should head back to Price Canyon Road, take it to Hwy 227, then find their way back onto the 101. Not one word about how we could get back home to Avila. Did they close the San Luis Bay Drive exit as well? Fortunately knowing our way around, we continued along HWY 227/Broad Street to South Street, to Higuera Street, to Madonna Road, onto southbound 101, then were able to exit on San Luis Bay Drive and make our way home.
So, why the heck was San Luis Bay Drive exit closed coming from the south and not from the north? From what we could view, no flooding reached that exit side. Thus, what could have been a 5-minute drive home became a very circuitous 2-mile, one-half hour detour. I suppose one could find a comical side to this story, but all in all it left a sour taste in my mouth. Most striking was the lack of information or direction. Some signage on the freeway forewarning drivers would have been helpful, but none was seen in either direction, at least not so on our routes. Likewise, patrol officers on the scene could have been more helpful than just sitting in their squad cars with lights flashing. I worry what will happen when a greater disaster visits the area. Are the responders we rely upon truly prepared to act? I imagine that question won’t endear me to our friends in public service, but I feel it must be asked. I do so not in my capacity with the Avila Beach Community Foundation, but as a citizen of San Luis Obispo County.
That’s all for now, fellow Avilones. See you at the beach!
By the time you receive this publication, about three weeks will have passed since the devastating January storms roiled Avila Beach and other parts of SLO County. Avila was hit particularly hard with water rising above the creek, spilling onto the main roads into town, and swamping businesses at Avila Village, Avila Bay Athletic Club and Avila Beach Golf Resort. Sadly, a life was lost during rampaging flooding on Avila Beach Drive near Sycamore Mineral Springs. And if all that wasn’t bad enough, the greater Avila communities were without power for nearly two full days!
While we cannot control all effects of Mother Nature, how we respond always leaves an impression. And I have to say that I was NOT impressed with what my wife and I experienced on the evening of January 9th. I share this debacle with you to vent my frustration. After languishing without power the entire day, we ventured out to South County to pick up some prescription medication and grab some dinner since it wasn’t raining very hard at that time. The “circus” began when we tried to drive back home on the 101 after entering the 4th Street onramp. Things looked good as we headed northbound towards Avila. We knew the Avila Beach Drive offramp was closed, thus planned on taking the San Luis Bay Drive offramp. No such luck, the northbound freeway was closed, and all vehicles were forced to exit at Avila Beach Drive. What!!!!
We quickly came upon a line of cars and freight trucks that exited before us, as well as the flashing lights of patrol cars ahead blocking further travel. There we sat for several minutes, then inched closer to the front of the line, which we knew to be a dead end. Drivers were being re-routed back onto the southbound onramp to head where? Who knows? Finally, as I began approaching a patrol car to get some information, word came via loud-speaker that in order to travel north into San Luis Obispo or beyond, drivers should head back to Price Canyon Road, take it to Hwy 227, then find their way back onto the 101. Not one word about how we could get back home to Avila. Did they close the San Luis Bay Drive exit as well? Fortunately knowing our way around, we continued along HWY 227/Broad Street to South Street, to Higuera Street, to Madonna Road, onto southbound 101, then were able to exit on San Luis Bay Drive and make our way home.
So, why the heck was San Luis Bay Drive exit closed coming from the south and not from the north? From what we could view, no flooding reached that exit side. Thus, what could have been a 5-minute drive home became a very circuitous 2-mile, one-half hour detour. I suppose one could find a comical side to this story, but all in all it left a sour taste in my mouth. Most striking was the lack of information or direction. Some signage on the freeway forewarning drivers would have been helpful, but none was seen in either direction, at least not so on our routes. Likewise, patrol officers on the scene could have been more helpful than just sitting in their squad cars with lights flashing. I worry what will happen when a greater disaster visits the area. Are the responders we rely upon truly prepared to act? I imagine that question won’t endear me to our friends in public service, but I feel it must be asked. I do so not in my capacity with the Avila Beach Community Foundation, but as a citizen of San Luis Obispo County.
That’s all for now, fellow Avilones. See you at the beach!
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