The road to Jerusalem Ridge
As you can see in the photo, the road leading to the Monroe Homeplace was almost washed away in the flood last week.
It’s the worst I have seen it on that particular section between the railroad and Hwy 62.
I had actually fixed that same erosion about a month ago with the Bill Monroe Foundation’s little blue, New Holland tractor, but the February flood damage wasn’t as bad then.
The road department is supposed to be repairing it this time around. Good thing, too, because my repair work obviously didn’t last.
I parked my truck by the hole to add some scale perspective to the photo. I put the orange cone there to warn people to stay away. If one of your wheels slips off in there, you’re stuck—no getting out by yourself. Tow truck time!
I was talking with Marty Hayse last week about it. Marty lives in the Monroe Foundation doublewide with his wife Robin. They are the caretakers of the Homeplace.
Marty was wondering how Robin would get home from work if Hwy 62 was flooded. I gave him a couple routes she could take.
As we were talking, I told him about a flood that came when my family lived in Charlie Monroe’s house in the 70’s, somewhere between ‘72 and ‘75.
I remember Dad taking me and my brother Kevin down the hill in the dark to where the flood water was roaring through a gap it had cut through the road.
The gap appeared, to my little eyes, a mile wide. In truth, it was maybe ten or fifteen feet across, four or five feet deep.
And there on the other side was Mom. She couldn’t get home from work.
She ended up spending the night with relatives while Dad, Kevin, and I went back to the house without her. Sad.
I sure wouldn’t want that to happen to Marty and Robin Hayse—two lovebirds separated by a flood (might be a song in there).
I think about that night without my mother every time storm water rises and rushes over that road.
Maybe this time the road department will make it where it can’t erode like that again. Maybe add a little concrete or something.
Definitely—maybe.
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