PASCO COUNTY, Fla. — Patience isn’t just a virtue. Right now, it’s a requirement on many of the roads that lead away from the Tampa Bay area.
Monday afternoon, we caught up with evacuees like Katelyn Malone at the rest area along I-75 Northbound in Pasco County.
“The traffic’s been awful, and there’s no way to avoid it,” Malone said. “We’re trying to find other routes, and they’re all backed up.”
It took her three hours to get from her home at MacDill Air Force Base to the rest stop as she headed toward her ultimate destination, Pensacola. It’s not a fun drive with two small kids in the car.
“Like, I’m not going to lie,” she said with a chuckle. “We have their tablets set up, so we’ve been doing dancing fruit and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.”
But it’s a drive she didn’t hesitate to take. Same for Ken Taraszka and his wife, Angela.
“No way in hell I’m going to sit around and risk a Cat 3 coming at me,” he said.
His Indian Rocks Beach home took on three feet of water during Hurricane Helene. They now worry about what Milton will do to what’s left behind.
Like so many others, they’re feeling anxiety, nervousness, and even nausea.
“I bought three bottles of Pepto-Bismol with me, and my friend just told me on the phone that she bought one too,” Angela said.
“I feel bad wishing it on anybody else, but I sure hope it doesn’t come towards us,” Ken added.
It’s hard to have peace of mind right now, but if there’s any, it’s this: whatever happens, at least they’ll be safe.
There is still time to evacuate since the Tampa Bay region will likely not start feeling the effects of Milton until Wednesday.
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