Wooo, what an ending!

[Hillary]

LOL. Nope. But I dare not mention 'radio' to my fiance -- he'd probably start building a station right in the basement right this minute.

Hmm, wait a minute -- he might be a good person to consult; he used to run the emergency radio in our area for the Red Cross during disasters. I will ask him about what's involved and get back y'all, and to Anne!

[wwsmith]

I was at the Tracy/Jim performance when they said they would take a break, and at that time I turned my chair on it’s side and ran to the merchandise tent. I stayed there, with the water getting deeper and deeper, until we were told that we should go to our cars but not try to drive anywhere. I did just that, but was disappointed that many people did try to leave, many of them having problems getting stuck in the mud.

I was disappointed with the people who tried to drive away, realizing there was a reason we were told to stay put. A car getting stuck in the wrong place could block an emergency vehicle from entering or leaving. Fortunately it wasn’t needed, but had the ambulance needed to get get someone to the hospital quickly, a stuck car blocking it’s way could have spelled disaster. We need to be more patient in an emergency situation, and realize that we are given instructions for a reason.

For what it's worth, I was also in the merchandise tent when the announcement about going to our cars was made. I didn't hear the part about not going anywhere, and I'm sure I wasn't the only one. About one third of the people in the tent were behind the person making the announcement and only caught words here and there. In fact there was a fair amount of discussion with my neighbor's about what exactly had been said. And when I got to my car, there certainly wasn't any indication from other people's behavior that we were suppossed to stay put. I was with three other people that were not in the merchandising tent and none of them had heard anything about staying put either. In retrospect, it makes sence that that would have been a good thing to do, but its not the sort of thing that could possibly work without most people being aware of it.

[john r]

just got this info. glad i did not know it during the storm:

Hillsdale-area historical tornado activity is significantly above New York state average. It is 13% smaller than the overall U.S. average.


On 5/29/1995, a category 4 (max. wind speeds 207-260 mph) tornado 7.6 miles away from the Hillsdale town center killed 3 people and injured 24 people and caused between $5,000,000 and $50,000,000 in damages.

On 8/28/1973, a category 4 tornado 11.2 miles away from the town center killed 4 people and injured 36 people and caused between $5,000,000 and $50,000,000 in damages.

[PaulC]

From the towns website and history of Hillsdale:
http://www.hillsdaleny.com/hillsdalehistory.htm

Newcomers to Hillsdale soon found that, however pleasant

the summers, the region was far from immune from the climactic

extremes of upstate New York. The mid-80s became notable

for a few such events. A rainstorm on July 23, 1887, hit hardest

in the West Hillsdale and Craryville area, and resulted in “great

creeks running where streams were never heard of before; barns

overturned or swept away; bridge timbers strewn all over the

lots, embankments swept out from in under the railroad tracks

leaving them suspended in the air.” Mills along the Roeliff Jansen

Kill were mostly destroyed. Two men, a Mr. Haywood and a Mr.

Brusie, were at work at the nearby plow works when the flood

struck. They barely just managed to live to tell about it.14 The

following year, just as folks were enjoying a balmy spell, the

same snowstorm responsible for dumping the famous Blizzard

of ‘88 on New York City hit Hillsdale in mid-March. Drifts,

powered by seventy-mile an hour winds and fed by up to thirtyone

inches of snow, piled up to three feet, making roads

impassable, and taking perhaps scores of lives.15 Nor, just a few

months later, did nature spare the area from further damage. A

July cloudburst north of the hamlet dropped a devastating foot

of rain in less than an hour, destroying bridges, mills and houses.16


In 2002 I can remember having to buy winter jackets in Great Barrington because it got so cold at night. It is amazing the extremes of weather Hillsdale gets.

[kc1ih]

Hmm... with a generator and a bare-bones broadcasting setup in a central 'safe place' (maybe a shed near the medical tent?), you should be able to stay on the air through pretty much anything, shouldn't you?

With the low power I presume that station runs, a car battery could probably keep it on the air for hours.

[still_avatar]

7 adults along with a 1 and 3-year-old rode out the event on the hill at the main stage under a 10x10 easy-up style structure. We lowered the legs. The 1-year old sat quietly in her father's arms while he sat on the ground in running water. The 3-year old cried through the whole event in his mother's arms. The rest of the adults held the structure down and sheltered the children as much as possible with the tarp and bodies.

Two of the adults have trouble if they get severely cold and as soon as the rain abated sufficiently, the parents, children and one of the soaked adults crossed the river running down the house right side of the pastures and got to shelter in the car parked nearby. The other four of us collapsed the shelter (bent, but not destroyed) and let water collect in the canvas for additional weight. then picked up all the loose gear and hiked back to camp in the upper pasture.

My tent and screen structure, a small one-person tent and the solar shower stall were intact. No water in the tents. One other screen tent (staked but no guy lines) had blown into the nearby easy-up and brought it down as well. (Again, bent, but reparable in both cases.) The other couple said, "Where's our tent?"

They had emptied it before heading down but left it staked. It was found in the woods by the road with only a minor tear in the fly. We eventually found all the stakes as well.

Three of us were originally planning to stay 'til Monday but we packed up all the gear and two people made a run down the hill to retrieve the easy-up and our "evening" tarps from the main stage.

We unpacked enough gear to cook a quick dinner while we waited for for the traffic to clear below us. By the time the last two of us left at 7:05, 22N was open again.

This was my 12th year and this is the worst weather I remember although I did have a screen tent destroyed one Sunday and two of us had to hold down it's replacement in an intense storm a couple of years later at the old site. I was glad I packed dry bags this year. I promise not to complain if next year is hot and sunny the whole time.

[betheddy]

Here's a video I just found online. I think it gives a better sense of the hail and wind than any other one I've seen.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkE_Sbg_DWE

[guy_mendilow]

Hello all,
This is my first real post to this board. We wanted to thank you all for a terrific first time at Falcon Ridge. The kindness and generosity with which we were treated by all, from the excellent stage and sound crew to the good folks at the instrument check-in and the volunteers who helped us cart our heavy instruments in golfcarts, was well appreciated. Of course, thank you to Anne and Bub for having us in the first place. This was a highlight of our summer.
And it ended in quite a memorably dramatic way. It has been interesting and, actually uplifting, to read about many of the accounts of the storm, and, in particular, the ways that so many stepped up to help others and the festival itself. I think that this says an awful lot about the quality of the community involved. It's one thing when all goes well, but sometimes the real measure is when the hail hits the fan.

I've written a small blog entry about the Guy Mendilow Band's experience through the storm. If you're interested, you can find it at http://guymendilow.blogspot.com.

Cheers to all, and thanks for a great time.
Guy

[rhiyaya]

We were evidently on the "safer" side of the tree line, on the lower ledge just on the other side of the 10 acre. We weathered the storm in the car. Luckily we had made a "quick" trip up to the camp to grab some cash before heading back down for Tracy, and when it started looking so ominous I called my husband who looked at the radar. We decided to hang around the camp, figuring that the storm would blow past quickly and we'd be down the hill in time for most of Tracy's set. But then it started hailing. Our canopy and tents stayed in place and didn't take in any real water. I really think the side of the trees we were on made all the difference in the world, as John R's pop-up canopy just on the other side of the trees was destroyed.

[TyteFystedFolkie]

[quote="betheddy"]Here's a video I just found online. I think it gives a better sense of the hail and wind than any other one I've seen.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkE_Sbg_DWE[/quote]

That's the work-shop stage....correct??

[Susan]

Yup - shot by one of my campmates up at the tree line. There were five of them under a tarp until, just at the video's end, a tree fell behind them and they ran for their lives!

[Gilliland]

That's where I happened to be when the storm hit - backstage at the workshop stage chatting with Lindsay Mac. Needless to say, everyone there quickly got to work - holding tarps against the wind, moving instruments and microphones to safety, and trying to make sure that everyone and everything was safe. I've never seen hail that big. I quipped to the fellow next to me that I was sorry to have purchased ice that morning - I could have just left the cooler open and let the storm deliver it.

Apparently the fellow who wrote the Berkshire Eagle article was back there as well. So were a lot of folks.

Once the storm let up, I went back to find that my tent had been trashed and all gear and clothing soaked. I packed up as quickly as I could and headed for home. Apparently I got out ahead of most because they had just closed the route to the north and I had no trouble with traffic heading in the other direction.

I assumed that the festival had ended at that point, but I didn't really know for sure until I read this thread this evening. Based on the youtube videos, though, it looks like Anthony, Steve, and a few others had a good time playing impromptu song circles in the storm's aftermath.

I was able to order replacement tent poles for those that got broken, so all my gear is ready for next year!

[ohitscassidy]

i have bruises from the hail!

everyone at my campsite was freaking out
and almost crying, it was really bad
and i wanted to see gandalf murphy sooo bad !

[germania]

This was My 6TH Year at FALCON RIDGE. It RAINS at Least one Day EVERY YEAR.
The Following are some Suggestions that Could Help Other Campers.

After Arriving at the FARM, Find a Place, PARK your Vehicle and DO NOT START YOUR CAR UNTIL YOU LEAVE. Too Many Campers Start Their Cars everyday and use them as Shuttles to Ferry Water and Such. This is LAZY. the Smell and Noise from the Cars are disturbing. Vehicles Tear up the Fragile Road Surface. {Ever See what the Road Looks Like Monday Morning after the Festival is Over}?
We should all bring the MINIMUM of Supplies, Trying to Make as Little Waste as Possible, {this saves the Festival on Disposal Fees}. I Myself Fast for Several Days.
The BEST MUSIC is All Around you in the CAMPSITES- not on the STAGES. Often times some of the Onstage Artists will Play in Song Circles Spread About the Farm.
We RESPECTFULLY SUGGEST Cuting Back on the Number of Paid Performers for FRFF in 2009, and Allowing Local and Up and Coming Artists to Fill the Bill. HOME GROWN MUSIC IS BEST!

With Admiration......From the HALO FARM TENT, TRENTON NEW JERSEY!

[tealcosmo]

This was My 6TH Year at FALCON RIDGE. It RAINS at Least one Day EVERY YEAR.
The Following are some Suggestions that Could Help Other Campers.

After Arriving at the FARM, Find a Place, PARK your Vehicle and DO NOT START YOUR CAR UNTIL YOU LEAVE. Too Many Campers Start Their Cars everyday and use them as Shuttles to Ferry Water and Such. This is LAZY. the Smell and Noise from the Cars are disturbing. Vehicles Tear up the Fragile Road Surface. {Ever See what the Road Looks Like Monday Morning after the Festival is Over}?

Agree for the most part, or else force people to park farther away once they've unloaded (other festivals do this)

We should all bring the MINIMUM of Supplies, Trying to Make as Little Waste as Possible, {this saves the Festival on Disposal Fees}. I Myself Fast for Several Days.

Unrealistic, most people cannot fast and dance. People should be encouraged to use re-usable forks/knives/plates etc though.

The BEST MUSIC is All Around you in the CAMPSITES- not on the STAGES. Often times some of the Onstage Artists will Play in Song Circles Spread About the Farm.
We RESPECTFULLY SUGGEST Cuting Back on the Number of Paid Performers for FRFF in 2009, and Allowing Local and Up and Coming Artists to Fill the Bill. HOME GROWN MUSIC IS BEST!

Disagree highly. Many people come to the festival to dance and those bands are all paid performers. I also know many people that ONLY go to the music saturday night when the music is most applicable to all tastes, not just the ultra-folkies.