Hurricane Isaias evacuations turn Florida getaway into grueling trip home for Kentucky family

DANVILLE, Ky. (LEX NEWS) — What was supposed to be a relaxing October beach vacation along Florida's Panhandle ended early for many visitors as Hurricane Isaias prompted evacuations and sent travelers crowding highways out of the region.

Among them was Brooke Ramsey of Danville, who packed up with her family on Thursday and began the trip back to Kentucky ahead of the storm.

"We packed up yesterday morning and left," Ramsey said. "Had no issues really getting off of the 30-A area, but as we got closer to I-65, it just, it was rough."

Traveling with her 3-month-old daughter, Ramsey said the family's drive north on Interstate 65 became a slow-moving ordeal through much of Alabama.

Traffic crawled for hours before the family stopped for the night in Huntsville.

Watch: ‘Electric Company trick to pronouncing Isaias

"It was chaotic for sure," Ramsey said. "We got onto I-65 and it was just moving 30 miles an hour at best for roughly eight hours. It was terrible. It was really terrible."

The heavy traffic extended beyond the highways and into gas stations along evacuation routes, Ramsey said.

"There were lines all over the place," she said. "People were parked blocking entrances and exits. It was hectic for sure."

Although gas stations were crowded, Ramsey said her family did not have trouble finding fuel.

Watch: Gulf Coast communities are bracing for Hurricane Isaias

"We didn't have any issue actually getting gas," she said. "There was plenty of gas, but there were tons of people at the gas stations."

While disappointed that the family vacation ended sooner than planned, Ramsey said her thoughts remain with residents of the Panhandle facing the storm's impact.

She also said the experience taught her a lesson should another evacuation become necessary in the future.

"If there's a next time," Ramsey said, "we'll leave much earlier."

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