71 WRECK PICTURES UP CLOSE

Landon Marino, a neighbor on Paraiso, was next to the truck as it wrecked, and he sent these pictures. Thanks, Landon. These are frightening.

4:05 p.m. — Collision Hwy 71 West in Bee Caves, One Critical Injury

Austin- Travis County EMS is on the scene of a multiple vehicle collision with Oak Hill Fire Department, TCSO and DPS — Hwy 71 West / Spanish Oaks Club Drive. Cell Phone callers reported the incident at 3:10 p.m.

Updates from the scene indicate an 18-wheeler has collided with as many as ten other vehicles, pushing one vehicle from the roadway and into a ditch.

Eight person have been evaluated for injuries. Medic 9 has transported one patient with potentially critical injuries to Brackenridge Hospital. Three other crash victims are also being transported to Brackenridge Hospital, including one 2-year old patient. Their injuries do not appear to be life-threatening.

TXDOT indicates traffic is stopped in both directions.

— From Austin Travis County EMS




Our issues about a traffic light, in this case, wouldn't have mattered as the truck lost its brakes.




If you have a teen about to drive, you might wish to show them these. And remind them that if ever they think they can 'beat' an oncoming car, if their engine misses or hesitates (quite possible with bad gas, by the way), they won't make it. Better safe than sorry. I know you know, but let's all be extra careful!

Below is Eye Opening research from Malcolm Pigform who points out many of the truckers are paid by the load - hence the need for speed, AND that they are likely flooring it to make it up the (next) hill.

Stopping Distances Required for Trucks

Speed
Reaction/Braking Distance/ Total Stopping Distance

30 mph
33' / 67'/ 100'

40 mph
44' / 125'/ 169'

55 mph
60' / 275'/ 335'

60 mph
66' / 360'/ 426'

65 mph
71' / 454'/ 525'


* Above estimates are for 80,000 lb., loaded tractor-trailers traveling on a dry, level road. Source: National Safety Council's Defensive Driving Course for Professional Truck Drivers.

Stopping Distances for Cars Versus Trucks
1: Speed Reaction/Braking Distance Cars
2: Reaction/Braking Distance Trucks
3: Stopping Distance Cars /Stopping Distance Trucks

...................1...................2.......................3
40 mph 44' / 80'.........44' / 125'..........124' / 169'
55 mph 60' / 165'....... 60' / 275'..........225' / 335'
65 mph 71' / 245'....... 71' / 454'..........316' / 525'

* Above estimates are for 80,000 lb., loaded tractor-trailers and mid-size passenger cars traveling on a dry, level road. Source: National Safety Council's Defensive Driving Course for Professional Truck Drivers.

This might not reproduce very clearly here becuase I can't copy tables, so here's the link

KIDS ACT UP!

Spanish Oaks community come see your neighbors Alex, Shelby and Paige Duncan in:

kidsActing presentation

BUGS! a hilarious family musical with original songs by Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Steven Fromholz, The Austin Lounge Lizards, Emily Kaitz and more!

at St. Stephen's Helm Fine Arts Center, 2900 Bunny Run

Sat. Aug. 5 2:30, 7:00
Sun Aug. 6 1:00, 5:00
Fri. Aug. 11 2:30, 7:00
Sat. Aug. 12 2:30, 7:00
Sun. Aug.13, 1:00, 5:00

Tickets are $14 for adults, $10 for children under 12 ($5 if child brings a new book to be donated to RIF -- Reading is Fundamental) Waldorf Students get $2 off regular ticket prices (not good with half price offer).

All the characters in the show are based on actual scientific bug facts!

FYI -- We will be on Natural Gardener John Dromgoogle's show Sunday July 30 and Aug. 6, after the 9AM news on KLBJ AM 590.

Hope you join us for the show!

Dede Clark
kidsActing director and Waldorf mom

New signage

BIG WRECK ON 71

JUST OVER THE BRIDGE OUTSIDE OUR EAST ENTRANCE. It's been on TV and will be in the paper tomorrow. A loaded dumptruck - the long kind - lost its brakes coming down the hill - westbound I think - hit 5 cars and took out the guard rail over the creek and dumped a hundred gallons or so of gasoline. Hazmat crews are there right now (10:30PM) Traffic westbound (I believe) will be one lane till they replace the guard rail.

Traffic was messed up for hours. We talked our way past the police and got to get home with a trunk full of groceries.

Someone was seriously hurt - no details on the TV report we saw.

KEYE-TV report here

"No one was killed, but several people were injured. Thousands were stuck in traffic for hours. People in the neighborhood say on Highway 71, there are a lot more wrecks than there used to be and they are usually pretty bad." KXAN Coverage here

CAT ANYONE? DOG ANYONE?

CAT

Hello, this message comes from our kids Spanish teacher. Teresa Duncan 351-9088

This message comes from our kids

Queridos,

A few years back, I adopted a beautiful stray kitten found on campus. This was before we had decided to go sailing again. Even though we have grown fond of her, we don't feel it would be fair to shanghai her into a traveling life.

She is a wonderful cat and I would like to find a home for her soon.

She is spayed, lives mostly outdoors, is very independent and undemanding. She prefers meow mix to more expensive cat food, doesn't talk much but is very receptive to praise. She isn't litter trained yet, but seems to be ready to try living indoors, and would not be difficult to train. She has Siamese coloring and markings, and blue eyes. E-mail me for pictures.

Any takers?
Rosa

DOG!

Hi folks,
Ebony, our bouncy, smiling, playful, eager black lab mix needs a new home. She is about 2 and a half and has been spayed. She's an indoor/outdoor dog, housebroken, eats dry food (the cheap, HEB brand supplemented occasionally with something more nutritious), and likes grapes, cheese, cat food and chocolate when she can steal them. She plays with cats, little children and teenagers, and loves running,
swimming, chasing balls -- and she's a good catcher although she's not very good at bringing them back.

Any help finding a family with more time than we have would be greatly appreciated. I don't want to put her on Craigslist or take her to the pound.

Thanks.
Ann Coltman
AWS mom

FINALLY!! RAIN!!

Saturday afternoon a couple of really good thunder cracks announced the cold front (ha!) and the storm that came with it. You could almost hear the greens (or formerly-greens-now-oranges) gasping.

Don't know about you, but I wouldn't mind a few solid days of rain.

Some of those lightning hits were close. Hope all is okay.

SPIDEY IN SPEEDO?

Let's have a critter photo contest, what do you say? You'd be surprised what's out there!

SPY SIGHTED

Cleverly disguised spy from Seven Oaks spies on Spanish Oaks as the battle of the upscale communities escalates!

THOMAS MERCADO

My name is Thomas James Mercado. I have lived in the central Texas area all my life.

I was born on July 3, 1975.

I enjoy reading self improvement, history (prefably ancient Mesopotamian, Egyptian, Greek, so on), and some Sci Fi (Star Wars) books. I like watching the History, Sci Fi, National Geographic, and Discovery channels, as well as PBS and some of the regular channels. I have been doing security work for about 2 years. I worked at Spanish Oaks as a security guard with Allied Barton then was hired with IZON in December.

TWO FIRES

In the past few weeks there were two fires here on the east side of Spanish Oaks. One appaently from kids playing with fireworks (and the fire truck couldn't find the right place on Musket Rim (which goes up and down and around); another in a home's outdoor kitchen. No one was hurt.

This brings up the need for members on a safety committee. So we can assure good response times and educate those who serve us with the neighborhood. Talk to HOA owner rep Donald Abrams if interested.

ANOTHER POWER OUTAGE

From about 4:20 to 5:09 today. A transformer caught fire on old Bee Caves road. We assume the events were related as they happened at about the same time.

Don't know about you - but I had about 12 things open on my computer, most of which are gone now...

BACKUP. Boy it's a sick sound when the hard drive winds down and you got stung...

POWER FAILURES

Here on Overlook Pass I counted 6 of them today. Just so you know your clocks or whatever are not broken if wrong. I don't think it was heat related as most of them were in the evening.

MASSAGE ANYONE?

Happy summer neighbors. Dick and I have a fantastic Massage Therapist that comes to our house once per month. I wanted to let all of you know in case you wanted to have this joy in your life as well! Teresa Duncan

Brandi Clark
Massage Therapy
512-477-3311 office
512-736-8567 cell

brandi@aya.yale.edu

COPTER?

I was right - nobody cares or has any desire for input into what pictures would capture Spanish Oaks. I got only one suggestion. Read below if that makes no sense... the post about a web site. Always open for any ideas, though.

Hey - does anyone have access to a helicopter? I'd love to get soem angles you can't get from the land.

And we'll all be impressed.



And... why is the grass on SO Boulevard orange in so many places? A tribute to the U or bad landscaping?

Cactii in Spanish Oaks

BIG QUESTION

Here's a good question for you - at this point it's only theoretical. We have discussed putting up a home owners website (HOA sponsored). Several of those on the opt-in list for the weekly E mails have responded with some great ideas on what should be included in the content.

I know from more than 30 years in radio and marketing that most folks don't answer the call for creativity. But I'd like to at least try to poll you.

Assume for a moment that the website would have a beautiful picture of Spanish Oaks across the top (usually called a header.) The question is...

What should it show? Put another way - what do you think would be a single view which shows the essence of Spanish Oaks? Or: What's the prettiest picture we could come up with?

I assume you wouldn't want to see a site under construction. Or traffic backed up on 71. Sorry. Mister Sarcasm was loose.

It's a fascinating question to me - would it be ONE home? Which one? The Verde Trails fountain (on the SO official website)... The golf club?

Obviously perhaps, we could change it from time to time, and I think that'd be cool to show the progress and season change.

Personally, I find montage pictures at that size and resolution too blurry and small. So, my rules, my question. Humor me. What one picture would show it best? Drop me an E - address is on right side... rwood, etc.

Thanks!

GAS OUT.

The propane tank that feeds us all went dry today. The alarm failed. It's now refilled but you (or Sharp Energy) will have to relight your pilot for your hot water heater.

ALBERT A PADRON

In security for 6 years, I am also attending school for medical training. I am interested in learning foriegn languages. Am fluent in German and Spanish. Lived in Spain from age 3 to 7 then Germany to the edge of 16, when I moved back to where I was born: Austin. I love music. I went to school for music in San Marcos and am now in a band in which I play the guitar and am singer-songwriter. I have an orange belt in Kung Fu and plan to get my black belt this year.

I am father to a beautiful girl who is the love of my life - she is 5 now.