Damage Repairs in North Carolina

allen griggs

Here in Madison County the only "industry" is rafting. The French Broad River flows right through the county, and there are 8 businesses that give raft rides, rent out kayaks etc. On a good day in June, at Barnard Park in fifteen minutes you will see 3 school buses with 6 rafts, pull up to Barnard Park and let out 35 river tourists. There is one guide per raft, and 5 tourists, each has paid maybe $65 to ride down to Hot Springs. This is a great industry for my little Bumpkin county. On a good June day, probably 400 tourists launch from Barnard Park.

The main put-in place is Barnard Park. This park was just destroyed in the storm, trenches in the parking lot six feet deep, 35 feet wide, and 120 feet long. Three dozen giant trees floated up and lodged along the shore. Completely unusable.

Two weeks ago the crews showed up and began the repairs. Today, it is unreal, the park is restored. All the trash trees removed. Parking lot all, expertly filled in with 95 pound boulders, then 3 feet of railroad ballast, then one foot of road bond gravel. This park is ready to bring in the Charleston SC rich folks and their rafts and kayaks.

All of y'all who despise and mistrust "The Feds" will be disappointed. All work was done by a National Guard troop out of Winston Salem. The Feds.

Same section of Barnard Park. First one, 3 weeks ago I was on the ground. Second pic I took today from the bridge.

montanajoe

Glad to see and hear of the recovery taking place.

dunbarboyz

National Guard is state. If it were federal Army Corp of Engineers would still be doing a study.

Junkballer

I just got back home from N.C 2 days ago after spending 5 days at a cousins wrecked home, left here with a low-boy trailer and a backhoe and a scraper blade, told her husband to keep it and to keep it busy for themselves and their neighbors. It's been sitting under my barn doing nothing so I really won't miss it. Those people and I mean (many-many) need all the help they can get, destruction is everywhere you look.

montanajoe

Good on you, @Junkballer

Butchdog3

Junkballer, about where were you in WNC, may I ask.

Junkballer

Maggie Valley between Cherokee and Asheville, which believe it or not is in far better condition than many other places, roads were pretty clear on my way up but alongside was devastation, homes, trees, vehicles etc. etc.. Donated dollars are good but sometimes just physical help and equipment is priceless for those of us not in our prime anymore and there's lots of them living in those out of the way places which the media doesn't even know about.

Butchdog3

Know all about not being to do hands on. Try to put $$$$$$ were most needed.

My sons took the reins on the physical parts.

The storm seemed to skip here and younder

mohawk600

good to see