Three weeks ago, heavy rains and winds made their way through western North Carolina. Areas to our west in the North Carolina mountains suffered catastrophic damage that will take months, if not years to repair. Today I traveled to those areas to see what possibilities of service there were and the sights that I saw were never to be forgotten.
I left Hickory just after lunchtime and headed west on Interstate 40. The first remnants of the storm were visible as I crossed into Burke County. Multiple trees had fallen along the side of the interstate. Most of them had limbs cut off to keep the interstate clear. Once I got to McDowell County, the number of fallen trees seemed to lessen. Once I got to Buncombe County, the fallen trees again increased.
Once I entered Buncombe County, I also started to notice signs that the storm had increased its effects in the area. In addition to the fallen trees, many of the interstates had tread wear from vehicles that had been in muddy areas. You could also start to see larger deposits of what the river had carried downstream and deposited along its sides.
As I got closer to Asheville, I also started to notice a lot of heavy equipment traveling in both directions on the interstate. There were front-end loaders, dump trucks, and flat-bed trucks carrying what I assume were loaded dumpsters. More than a few NC DOT vehicles, as well as military vehicles, were headed in both directions.
I had planned on traveling to the areas of Asheville I was most familiar with, notably Biltmore Village. However, I knew the river flowing through had exceeded its capacity and had destroyed many of the businesses along its path. The closer I got to the river, the more noticeable the devastation was. The streets were partially blocked, and many of the stoplights still weren’t functioning. The businesses closest to the river were, understandably, the ones that suffered the most damage. I did manage to take a few video clips of the work being done and am trying to decide whether or not to share those.
On the trip up the mountain, I rolled my windows down and soon began to feel a large amount of airborne dust. I noticed most of the workers removing dust and other debris were wearing full Hazmat suits. Obviously, any work in this area requires some time for protective clothing. I stopped by the Residences at Biltmore, where I usually stay on trips to Asheville, and their parking lots were completely empty.
I returned to the interstate and traveled to Swannanoa to see what had transpired there. Once I got off the exit, traffic was at a standstill. I’m not sure where those in line were heading, perhaps waiting for gasoline or hot meals, but after moving only slightly, I decided to head back to the interstate.
I took the Black Mountain exit and traveled to their downtown area, where I once again encountered long traffic lines. I traveled through several side roads and finally reasoned that it hadn’t been affected as much as the areas I had already been to on my journey. I noticed there were free hot meals and several restaurants that had reopened their doors.
Before my trip, I saw that the areas I had visited weren’t ready for visitors yet. I soon found out that the people who live in those areas are the ones who need to occupy the roadways. Although I intended to find some way to assist, I concluded that the professionals already in place were the best ones for that job. Perhaps at a later date, I’ll get more specific information about where and when more help is needed.
On the way back down the mountain, I once again saw the effects of the storm along the side of the interstate. Once again, there were fallen trees, but I also noticed large deposits of rocks and other debris that the river had picked up on its way down the mountain. It truly was amazing how much the landscape had changed since the storm.
For those who call these areas home, I can’t imagine what it must be like living with that reality each and every day. Seeing how radically the landscape had changed since my summer visit was eerie. For those living in the area, it’s a reality they’re living with every day.
David Lee
David Lee 