At first glance, Tom Conway looks like the typical Florida State fan tailgating on a Saturday morning.
He calmly sits in a garnet lawn chair. A cup of coffee in hand, he sits outside his recreational vehicle, thumbing through messages on his smartphone. Conway's RV setup allows him to watch television from outside his motor home.
The TV is turned to ESPN's "College Gameday" and, per usual, the show's banter is about the week's biggest games in college football.
"It's background noise because I'm sitting in this chair, talking to people," said Conway, a Sarasota resident, who along with his wife and daughter left their home because of Hurricane Irma. "A little while ago, we have friends from around the country worrying about us and want us to be safe.
"The background is just a distraction for the rest of the day."
Residents across the state of Florida are seeking what they feel is the best place to ride out Hurricane Irma. A spot some have chosen is a familiar one -- the booster tailgating lots near Doak Campbell Stadium.
Families from locales such as Sarasota and Tampa spent anywhere between 10 to 20 hours on the road to reach Tallahassee. Even then, the refuge is only temporary. Irma will hit Tallahassee sometime between Monday and Tuesday. For now, it appears the area could encounter Category 1 or Category 2 conditions at that time.
Conway and his family were one of at least 10 RVs that were camped out in the lot off Lake Bradford Road, which is southwest of the stadium.
"Because we tailgate in the booster lot, our ticket rep called us and said we're welcome to stay [in the tailgate lot]. The game's cancelled, but you're more than welcome to stay there," said Debra Dees, who traveled with her family from Punta Gorda. "So we came here and we stayed last night and today we're leaving to go to Georgia. One of our friends, who also tailgates with us in the 'B' lot, they live on 100 acres.
"They have a barn where we can put our RV, and we'll stay in their pool house."
Dees said ever since Hurricane Charley struck the state in 2004, she's always decides to evacuate.
She said Charley devastated Punta Gorda and surrounding areas. The devastation was so great, it left a lasting mark on her community.
Dees traveled with some of her family but said most of her relatives -- including her elderly parents -- opted to stay and ride out the storm. Punta Gorda, which is in Charlotte County, is in Irma's direct path.
"It's nerve-wracking because once you've been through a storm, you know how terrifying it is," Dees said. "The aftermath is so horrible. We'll never forget it. We were without power for 2 1/2 weeks. The cleanup took forever. We have four schools in Punta Gorda, and three of the four were destroyed."
Anyone driving down Lake Bradford toward Doak Campbell Stadium could have missed the group of RVs in the lot. They were tucked off to the side and were spread throughout the grounds.
This was far from a regular Saturday in the fall. Usually, this is one of the more active tailgating lots near the stadium. At times, it can be a spectacle.
Not today. It was quiet. A bit too quiet.
"It's insane. We watched it shift from the west, to the west, to the west. The latest report is it's coming right down our house," said Perry Hubbs, who drove with family and friends from Tampa. "I live on the water, and I don't even know if it's going to be there when we get home."
Hubbs said though they were watching "College Gameday," they really don't care about football at the moment.
They're more concerned with finding the best place to wait out the storm. He said their group plans to drive west to Panama City, which is not expected to be in Irma's footprint.
"I didn't sleep a wink last night," Hubbs said. "We're just doing what's best for our families. Unfortunately, I have a lot of family in Tampa that decided not to evacuate with us."
Conway said they tried having a mini-party on Friday evening in the tailgate lot, but everyone's mind was still on the hurricane.
Like so many, Conway is worried about his family, friends and home back in Sarasota.
His situation, however, is different than most.
"I'll have to get back to work because I am an electrical distributor, and all these customers are going need power," Conway said. "I've had people calling me left and right right now, trying to get into our shop. But we've already boarded that up."
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Talk about this story with other Florida State football fans in the Tribal Council
