Another long post while I reflect on everything…
Everyone was out last night.
Every person is dealing with things in their own way.
I’ve never seen the local businesses so full, even in areas where the power has been restored for most people. We’re all seeking out some sense of normality again. We’re searching crowds for the faces we used to take for granted.
Some of the things I heard on the street last night:
“Yeah, we’re good, we’re good…”
“We have SO MUCH right now…”
“I was just worried about everyone else here…”
“Oh – is that my order? I was just…”
“Well it’s all around us, but we were alright where we’re at…”
–
When you come, please be respectful. Be patient. Be kind. Keep to safe roads. People are going to be wrestling with the trauma of this horrible situation for a very long time. You’ll speak with one person distracting themself and trying not to cry, another one losing their temper, another one who’s sweet and smiling with their favorite earrings on. Whatever you think is important from a customer service perspective – just reconsider from their own perspective. Remember when you’ve gotten through a work shift on a bad day just to take your mind off of things. That’s every day right now for a lot of people, including business owners.
If you’re not quite there yet, I’d highly recommend finding a place to bring donations or to volunteer for a few hours before making your way to the local open businesses. Put it this way – you’ll appreciate every other experience a heck of a lot more after you see things for yourself.
P.S. Hwy 176 is open up to Tryon, but has some flood mud parts around Campobello to watch out for. The farmland down that way got hit hard by Motlow Creek flooding. New Cut Road is partially washed out by flooding. 176 is NOT open where it turns towards the Saluda Gorge, and may be closed through January (a lot of people live down there by the way!) I’m seeing as of this morning that Saluda itself is accessible again from I26. Can’t wait to take my favorite drive in the world again when it opens back up.
P.P.S. There are photographers who have done crucial work to document the devastation of the storm and its aftermath. Those photos are so crucially important for us to understand what happened here. I have chosen to take photos that show recovery and life. That’s my decision, that’s my contribution.
[see original post for photos]
Clearing up some misinformation about myself lol:
I am not a journalist.
I live in Spartanburg, SC, 12 miles from the NC state line, which is also an affected disaster zone.
Yes, this is the foothills of Appalachia, also called the Upstate. No, Spartanburg is not in the Lowcountry.
Yes, we got hit by Helene – actually we took the vortex immediately before it hit the mountains. Yes, there is widespread tornado and flood damage even in my neighborhood.
I have crossed into WNC and back 5 times since the storm and made 3 successful supply runs. I don’t have any special pass. I just use Google Maps to check road closures and try not to act stupid.
There are two URGENT needs for volunteers in the mountains right now:
1. Folks to sort donations at supply distribution sites. (Especially if they are temporarily pausing donations because they are full and trying to sort what they have.)
2. Folks to assist with constructing emergency shelter in the worst affected areas. (Swannanoa, Black Mountain, Avery County, Yancey County, Mitchell County, Watauga County, Ashe County)
If you are bringing children with you, please strongly consider #1, and consider what “worst affected” means here.
If you are a licensed contractor, or have the necessary experience and tools, please consider #2.
There is also a CRITICAL need for RVs, generators, portable toilets, and tent insulation in Swannanoa and throughout the rural High Country at this time.
There was never a guidebook or class on how to handle this, so we are all just doing the best we can day by day.
Thank you everyone
Please keep yourselves safe and avoid scammers when you come out to an unfamiliar region to volunteer. Every request for assistance should be accompanied by all relevant information:
WHO are you dealing with?
WHAT is your role?
WHERE is it happening?
HOW are you getting there?
Be wary of anyone who asks for your support, but refuses to provide this information except under certain conditions.
You have to consider your own safety as well. Secure your own oxygen mask before helping others.
BE SAFE. 
I hope this poem brings someone comfort today who is dealing with grief and survivor’s guilt. You’re not alone. Let yourself feel all of the emotions.
This land is well familiar with tragedy and hardship throughout history, and that’s why strength is in their blood and steel in their spines.
I took this photo at the Saluda Train Depot Museum. I don’t know the name of the author.
The town has been badly affected by the storm; please consider visiting and supporting their downtown just off I26 if you are passing through WNC. Drive safe!
Once again I’m hearing nonsense about checkpoints at the “border to WNC” and such… do ya’ll just need directions?
These are road conditions as of tonight, as I have personally witnessed and driven. Let me know if there are any updates:
**UPDATE 10/19 @ 22:47 – Hwy 80 is NOT CLEAR. 
** UPDATE 10/22 @ 4:41 – I-26 and I-85 are CLEAR BUT DANGEROUS due to traffic in/out of WNC 
some of ya’ll have absolutely no business pulling a trailer.
** I-40 is CLEARED as far west as Maggie Valley, and nobody can really say when the portion at the TN border will be driveable again. 
** UPDATE 10/22 @ 4:41 – Hwy 19 is CLEAR to Spruce Pine, but recommend to keep to inside lanes, especially with large vehicles. Watch for roadwork.
** Hwy 70 is being RE-CLOSED in some areas where it was re-opened; similar situation as 19 I-40 is your best bet.
** UPDATE 10/22 @ 4:41 – Hwy 226 is NOT CLEAR this road risks further damage if people keep bypassing the roadblocks.
** Hwy 74 is CLEAR , 74A is NOT , 64 is NOT [update 10/21 @ 4:41 – 74A is clear to Green Hill only]
** Hwy 18 is CLEAR.
** UPDATE 10/22 @ 4:41 – Hwy 221 is CLEAR to Marion but dangerous past that point; 221A is CLEAR.
** Cut-through roads between Hwy 221 and Hwy 74 in Rutherford County have flood mud. Drive with windows up and watch for trees if it gets windy. Highly recommended to stay on major highways anywhere further west than Cherryville, NC.
**Hwy 29 has recently been CLEARED of tornado damage in West Cowpens all the way thru to Zion Hill, and in East Spartanburg. I do not advise this portion of the hwy in dark or windy conditions. (FEMA crews only fixed us up enough to stabilize and access the mountains from here.)
** Hwy 296 is CLEAR.
** UPDATE 10/22 @ 4:41 – Hwy 9 HAS BEEN CLEARED!!! totally exceeded my expectations!
** Hwy 11 is CLEAR, but near Campobello includes areas of flood mud. Drive with windows up and watch for road closures on nearby roads due to washouts.
** New Cut Rd is NOT CLEAR recommend finding a different route and avoiding flood mud.
** Hwy 176 is ONLY CLEAR as far north as Tryon. Saluda Gorge will be inaccessible until February. I-26 is your best bet.
** Hwy 101 has been CLEARED of tornado damage in Greer.
** Hwy 25 has been CLEARED of damage.
** Hwy 276 is NOT CLEARED.
–
Never drive through a roadblock.
Do you understand how bad landslides are for mountain roads? If you need to be rescued, you are taking away critical emergency services from the community you’re trying to help. If you damage or block a newly re-opened road, you are only hindering relief efforts.
–
And yes… resources were making their way back up to the mountains this morning. Convoys of utility trucks, line trucks with cabling, trucks with DISASTER RELIEF printed on them, trucks hauling every type of equipment you can think of, trucks trucks trucks trucks trucks.
You gotta understand how much stress that much heavy vehicle traffic puts on smaller roads.
Stay safe on the roads and ya’ll have a good weekend
Here’s a reminder for the conspiracy theorists:
If you are very busy telling disaster survivors they should not apply for aid,
while telling volunteers they should not send donations or help out on the ground,
while de-railing every discussion on the topic with a political agenda,
you are doing absolutely no good for anybody at all.
And you should send $750 worth of supplies for every single person you LIE to that FEMA might take their house.
I just came from dropping supplies at Ingles in Black Mountain. There’s a big FEMA sign along the road when you pull in. 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) helped me unload cases of water and other supplies – they were all very nice. Donations are set up in shopping carts in the parking lot. They did not need my reusable grocery bags and they don’t think they’ll need containers in the next few days, but they did accept the water, clothes, gloves, boxes of tea, a set of crutches, and an empty diesel fuel cannister. The bags and containers will end up going to a smaller distribution point.
I drove along I-40 with the sun setting behind me, along the Swannanoa River, through the Pisgah Forest, past Old Fort and Marion. It is so beautiful. It is so devastated. The land bears fresh scars, the cars are coated top to bottom with mud, half of the trucks bear signs that say DISASTER RELIEF or HURRICANE RELIEF. I passed an American flag flying on a fallen tree. I passed by more military vehicles. I passed by utility convoys. Hwy 321 was clear. I-85 is a nightmare.
I’m here at Tommy’s Pub in Charlotte now for a benefit show through JonAlex Richard and I will be bringing more supplies up this weekend. Every single supply run has included donations from multiple folks. This is such a group effort, everywhere, everyone, whether they can physically make it up to the mountains or are supporting from a distance.
Honored to be here tonight. It’s been way too long. Stacy Badger is holding it down tonight and Charlotte already knows she’s the best bartender.
Thank ya’ll. All ya’ll. For everything.
If you see me crying tonight mind ya business lol
Home.
Thank you JonAlex Richard and Queen City Rejects, thank you The Body Bags, thank you October, thank you Tommy’s Pub and thank you Charlotte 
980 x 828 x 864
The psychological whiplash of going directly from dealing with soldiers at the disaster zone in Black Mountain, to a punk show two hours away in Charlotte, was something I cannot describe in words.
To be literally dancing on the edge of disaster…
The bands raised several hundred dollars that night that I was able to put towards warm baby clothes, toiletries, and food items that I brought to Spruce Pine, NC. A lot of churchgoing folk up in the mountains have been absolutely tickled to hear that the punks in Charlotte were doing God’s work on their behalf.
God bless all ya’ll.
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