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At 9:15 a.m. Monday, just as I sat down at the Towson Starbucks to charge my phone and computer—and my sleepy head—my wife texted me: "Can you get some ice and put it in the coolers so our lunch doesn't spoil?"
I asked a friend, Gerry Fey, 38, of Stoneleigh, to watch my computer at the table we were sharing and said: I'll be back in 15 minutes.
It turned out to be more like an hour and 15 minutes.
Had I told Gerry where I was headed he could have forewarned me. On Sunday, he and his wife went on a futile search for bags of ice to keep the food from their powerless refrigerators from spoiling. They went to Target: no ice. They went to Safeway: no ice. Two Walgreens: nada. Two gas stations: nope. Two Mars supermakerts: you get the idea.
I knew none of this as I headed down York. First gast station: no ice. Second gas station. No ice.
"No worries," I told myself. "The Giant will have ice."
But as I walked in, three people were walking out pushing carts filled with ice bags. Yikes!
I ran in with a cart, stood in line behind three other people and grabbed four bags.
Maureen Todd, 28, of Rodgers Forge, was in the line ahead of me. She grabbed about six bags—causing me some worry that she was going to grab them all.
We spoke in the parking lot about how she's been handling the heat. Aside from the rotting food in her refrigerator, Maureen appeared to be far more cheerful than most of the people I've encountered who have been without power since Friday.
"I was excited when I saw people walking out with ice," she said.
But the interview in the steaming parking lot could not go on much longer—not because she didn't want to talk.
But because the ice was beginning to melt.
Share your stories about finding—or not finding ice—in comments.
Tyler Waldman
1:49 pm on Monday, July 2, 2012
I went on my hunt Saturday night. Towson Place (Shoppers, Target, Walmart...) was out of power. Giant's ice shelves were empty. Gas stations were either out of power or had a note posted on their ice boxes. I struck pay dirt about 8 stops into my hunt at the 7-11 and hauled 20 pounds of ice back to my apartment in Rodgers Forge around 9 p.m. With a book lamp as my guide, I stuffed it in bags and put it in my fridge. Less than two hours later I found out from my roommate that I didn't quite stuff it the right way and it forced the freezer door open and out poured some fast-melting ice. Ugggh.
I'm more than happy to have my power back.
M. Sullivan
2:03 pm on Monday, July 2, 2012
I just got some from my freezer; my iced tea needed a bit more! LOL!
Doug Donovan
4:27 pm on Monday, July 2, 2012
Rub it in!
Stewart G
3:04 pm on Monday, July 2, 2012
Valley View Farms had a note of their sign that they were offering a free bag of ice to anyone without power as of yesterday morning, don't know if it still being offered...
Doug Donovan
4:28 pm on Monday, July 2, 2012
Thanks! I'll check that out. Much appreciated.
—Doug
"Woody" H Wood
3:44 pm on Monday, July 2, 2012
Dry Ice is in much shorter supply. I ended up in Edgewood to get some for my freezer in Essex.
Doug Donovan
4:29 pm on Monday, July 2, 2012
Wow. That's some serious ice hunting. I smell a new reality show coming on: Ice Bag Hunters.
Gerry fey
4:12 pm on Monday, July 2, 2012
This just in, if you're looking for ice in the Towson/timonium area, the Mars on Ridgley and York has a stash. But hurry up, it's going fast. As of 4:04 p.m. Monday it was already down by three :)
Doug Donovan
4:34 pm on Monday, July 2, 2012
Thanks for the head's up.
Tyler Waldman
9:34 am on Tuesday, July 3, 2012
So my power went out again last night, and again I checked five places before going back to the 7-11 on Joppa near the mall and again they hooked me up with 20 pounds for about $4, and it looked like there was plenty left.
SZ
9:36 am on Tuesday, July 3, 2012
The Walgreens at the corner of Harford and Joppa (Parkville) has ice and propane, at least according to their automated sign out front this morning. I would bet the Mars across the street has it too.
Adam
10:28 am on Tuesday, July 3, 2012
I bought ice at the Arbutus Wal-Mart on Washington Blvd as I headed out of town. The Home Depot there had a big sign out front that the were selling generators as of 3pm Monday
A. Lee
3:03 pm on Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Valley View Farms as of 10:30AM 7/3/12 is still offering free ice. The Arby's in Hunt Valley is selling bags of ice for $.99 if you don't mind making a trek north on York Road.