And now CO floods...
 

Well, it was just 10 weeks or so since we all enjoyed riding the mountains and canyons of Colorado. Fire was the big danger then but tonight Boulder is getting some serious flooding.

Many of the roads we traveled back in June are now closed or washed out! Boulder is largely shut down tonight, and Lyons apparently is pretty well cut off.

-Cal

Just talked with my son Eric in Boulder. Another 8" of rain is expected tonight - inch per hour roughly.

Best of luck to all that are being affected by the storms in Colorado. _/\_

If you are on facebook, check this out.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=567454363313790

Luckily, where I live isn't too bad, but where I used to live was flooded . Thank God I moved.

We only get about 7" of rain per year here. On Monday the same storm that is hitting the front range dropped 2" in Tempe, which is a mammoth amount for here. I can't even fathom 8" of rain overnight, that's crazy.

They need to borrow a couple of duck boats from Boston just for the rescue work. That's an incredible amount of water. NH just go whacked with 5" the night before last.

We've had 77" of rain here since the 1st of the year. No hills other than highway overpasses that the water can run off of. In the hills and mountains, a quick 1" rain can result in a disaster. I sure hope they find some of the 200+ that are unaccounted for.

I've had Estes Park weather posted on my home page since before the National just to see the weather before the ride. I haven't seen a day that didn't show rain into the forecast in the last month! Where is this rain coming from because most of the west is dry as a bone with no "fronts" with moisture in them seem to be the cause of this?

This whole storm has been phenominal in how it has moved or lack there of and dumped these amounts. From reports I've been hearing, most of the houses in the Thompson Canyon are gone that were anywhere close to the river. Highway 34 and 36 are severely damaged and will take major repairs. In parts there is no highway.

I have a cousin in Estes Park and nobody can get in touch with them. Cell phone service is out up there. Most of the unaccounted for are probably in a similar situation as them.

Flooding down the south platte is getting closer to the area I live in. The are evacuating several small towns that are 40 miles away. I don't live in the valley so I am safe. If my house goes under water there are plenty of people in trouble .

Good to know you are ok Joel. I hope the rest of our membes in CO can say the same thing.

Glad to hear you're alright Joel ! That was my main purpose of going online tonight. I don't know anyone else that lives around there.

The flooding is hitting Fort Morgan and will hit Sterling later today. The are 35 miles away and they are now talking about closing I-76 yet. It is amazing about the number of bridges that are out. In fact, a bridge east of Greeley on highway 34 is gone. It didn't look like the one over the South Platte. It will be some time before I can do any riding up in the area. I will have to find some pictures and post them later.

For anyone who has ridden the Big Thompson Canyon, here is a slide show of what is left in the canyon up to Estes Park.

http://kdvr.com/2013/09/15/slideshow...ompson-canyon/

The have said that 17 miles will have to completely be rebuilt. That is half of the road.

Picture at the mouth of the canyon next to where the Dam Store used to be.

https://scontent-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hpho...46349373_n.jpg