Total Eclipse of the Sun visible in USA - plan ahead for August 21, 2017
Sep 1st, 2016, 08:37 AM
#21
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I'm glad that everybody has their own, random-seeming-to-me places for watching the Eclipse.
Driving around tiny roads during the wee hours to be sure and get to a vantage point on time may seem like the pressure... but then you're there, and here come the two minutes... and you think you owe it to yourself, or to SOMEone, to have any idea just what to DO during the two minutes... (when you have no idea, really)...
so whatever you do may amount to little more than what was documented of ancient solar eclipses on the walls of caves somewhere, except in your own, strangely-satisfied mind (mine included).
They could run a whole Kentucky Derby during the period of totality (near the center line) but not much more...
PS - upon reading some of the data more closely, I was amused to see that the only spot in Montana which will see totality is one to which there are NO roads.
""The first of the two states where no populated areas see the shadow. We're not kidding here - there are no roads, no towns, no named areas of any kind that will see totality. Only a tiny chip of a tiny fraction of a tiny part of the tiniest southwestern tip of the beard of Montana will see totality. No, not Monida, Lima, or Dell - we're talking much further southwest than that! Less than eight square miles of this monster state lie in the path. Only trees - and critters - will see this eclipse from here.""
Driving around tiny roads during the wee hours to be sure and get to a vantage point on time may seem like the pressure... but then you're there, and here come the two minutes... and you think you owe it to yourself, or to SOMEone, to have any idea just what to DO during the two minutes... (when you have no idea, really)...
so whatever you do may amount to little more than what was documented of ancient solar eclipses on the walls of caves somewhere, except in your own, strangely-satisfied mind (mine included).
They could run a whole Kentucky Derby during the period of totality (near the center line) but not much more...
PS - upon reading some of the data more closely, I was amused to see that the only spot in Montana which will see totality is one to which there are NO roads.
""The first of the two states where no populated areas see the shadow. We're not kidding here - there are no roads, no towns, no named areas of any kind that will see totality. Only a tiny chip of a tiny fraction of a tiny part of the tiniest southwestern tip of the beard of Montana will see totality. No, not Monida, Lima, or Dell - we're talking much further southwest than that! Less than eight square miles of this monster state lie in the path. Only trees - and critters - will see this eclipse from here.""
Sep 12th, 2016, 10:30 PM
#22
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St Louis and Kansas City are two large cities which have close proximity to the path of totality AND which have lots of hotel reservations still available.
Just perused Expedia again, and found a Days Inn at Eddyville, Kentucky asking $555 for that one night, and a Days Inn at Paducah, KY (35 miles away, with Eddyville near the center line, and Paducah halfway between the center, and the outer edge) asking just $53 for the same night!
CLARITY: THE ECLIPSE happens on the morning of Monday, August 21, 2017
(up above I randomly wrote the date incorrectly)
(the night of greatest interest, hotel-wise, is Sunday August 20
Good luck at predicting the other people !!
Just perused Expedia again, and found a Days Inn at Eddyville, Kentucky asking $555 for that one night, and a Days Inn at Paducah, KY (35 miles away, with Eddyville near the center line, and Paducah halfway between the center, and the outer edge) asking just $53 for the same night!
CLARITY: THE ECLIPSE happens on the morning of Monday, August 21, 2017
(up above I randomly wrote the date incorrectly)
(the night of greatest interest, hotel-wise, is Sunday August 20
Good luck at predicting the other people !!
Oct 29th, 2016, 09:19 AM
#23
If I'm not working for the USFS or otherwise scheduled I'll plan on finding a couple of geocaches a few miles north of Madras OR. I might even be nice and put a couple of the eye protectors in 2 different geocaches before the event.
It's usually not too hard to get a motel room in Madras or Redmond.
It's usually not too hard to get a motel room in Madras or Redmond.
Oct 29th, 2016, 11:05 AM
#24
tom, I was curious so had a quick look. Booking.com has two hotels with rooms available for August 21 if you search Madras. Both are in Bend, 41 miles away: the Dunes Motel for $765 and the Rodeway Inn for $999.
No kidding! Possibly much better deals to be had if you call around directly, but good luck.
No kidding! Possibly much better deals to be had if you call around directly, but good luck.
Oct 29th, 2016, 01:20 PM
#25
If that is the case, try either The Dalles or maybe Prineville or John Day. Dispersed camping is allowed on BLM land but be sure of the ownership before setting up camp.
https://www.nps.gov/joda/planyourvis...gional-Map.pdf
I have stayed at the Dunes and the Rodeway when it was under another name and always stayed for less than $90/night.
https://www.nps.gov/joda/planyourvis...gional-Map.pdf
I have stayed at the Dunes and the Rodeway when it was under another name and always stayed for less than $90/night.
Oct 30th, 2016, 07:22 AM
#26
Yesterday I ordered eclipse glasses for my wife and I. Then I dropped a note, just to say hello, to the hotel in Riverton where we are staying.
They are also buying some for guests and the Chamber, working with the hospitality industry, is planning to buy "thousands" to have on hand.
So, people might want to get their own sooner rather than later. It's possible these could become scarce as the date draws close.
They are also buying some for guests and the Chamber, working with the hospitality industry, is planning to buy "thousands" to have on hand.
So, people might want to get their own sooner rather than later. It's possible these could become scarce as the date draws close.
Oct 30th, 2016, 11:15 AM
#27
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(OP here)
One thing I have a strong feeling for is that there will be plenty of protective eyewear supply for everyone.
That does NOT mean that each interested viewer shouldn't secure his own protective eyewear before embarking on the journey to eclipse land... only that, the things will be mass-produced as needed, and the supply won't dry-up like gold during the waning days of a gold rush.
In other news, I still have NO idea what is right in terms of making eclipse-viewing plans... I'm not inclined to spend a lot of money on any of it, so right now that means motel reservations 150 miles away and driving-in during the middle of the night, which is fine.
For others who are centrally located, you might do well to look at the big cities in Missouri, as both are located very near to the 'path', and each has far more hotel/motel spaces than does Stanley, Idaho (for example).
I would suggest that it is far more important to get your reservations secured early (and maybe order 5 or 20 pairs of protective eyewear now) than it is to worry about them running out of eyewear toward the end.
I perceive that the supply of protective eyewear after eclipse day will be even more plentiful than are Boo Berry, Count Chocula, and Frankenberry on store shelves on November 1. Cereal spoils, and the eyewear will work for a long while, with the sun around most every day...
PS - I loved the updates here about outrageous hotel room prices!
IF only I could forecast in advance how heavily-traveled the local grey roads will be in the wee hours of August 21, 2017...
One thing I have a strong feeling for is that there will be plenty of protective eyewear supply for everyone.
That does NOT mean that each interested viewer shouldn't secure his own protective eyewear before embarking on the journey to eclipse land... only that, the things will be mass-produced as needed, and the supply won't dry-up like gold during the waning days of a gold rush.
In other news, I still have NO idea what is right in terms of making eclipse-viewing plans... I'm not inclined to spend a lot of money on any of it, so right now that means motel reservations 150 miles away and driving-in during the middle of the night, which is fine.
For others who are centrally located, you might do well to look at the big cities in Missouri, as both are located very near to the 'path', and each has far more hotel/motel spaces than does Stanley, Idaho (for example).
I would suggest that it is far more important to get your reservations secured early (and maybe order 5 or 20 pairs of protective eyewear now) than it is to worry about them running out of eyewear toward the end.
I perceive that the supply of protective eyewear after eclipse day will be even more plentiful than are Boo Berry, Count Chocula, and Frankenberry on store shelves on November 1. Cereal spoils, and the eyewear will work for a long while, with the sun around most every day...
PS - I loved the updates here about outrageous hotel room prices!
IF only I could forecast in advance how heavily-traveled the local grey roads will be in the wee hours of August 21, 2017...
Feb 17th, 2017, 01:50 AM
#29
I saw one back in July 1963 and even though I was living in San Diego which was well out of the "totality" zone it was memorable.
This year we'll be in Cornwall on the day and if this thread hadn't been revived I wouldn't have thought of it. I'm sure we'll hear more as the months progress.
This year we'll be in Cornwall on the day and if this thread hadn't been revived I wouldn't have thought of it. I'm sure we'll hear more as the months progress.
Feb 18th, 2017, 05:43 AM
#31
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deladeb,
While the Smokey Mountains are pleasant and all, I don't know that I'd be too keen to add one more potential layer of (anything) between myself and the sun on that day.
And I think our most important (PURE GUESS) relates to predicting other people rather than the weather or the vantage point.
Getting a bunch of drunken yahoos to stop ruining a moment (or two minutes) for everybody around will probably be a greater challenge in this case than it is at the average football game.
And with a long history of normal people being given the green light to act in yahoo fashion during such phenomenal occurrences, well, you probably just want to get as far away from humanity as possible for your two minutes.
And IF you had to be around other humans... a grade school teacher and her 3rd grade students would be about the best you could hope for.
I guess... just... target a place near to which you can get affordable lodging, and maybe have SOME room to modify your intentions based on near-term weather forecasts, or even hordes of people.
And do what you can, now (this far out) to put yourself in the zone to experience whatever you can, no matter the weather.
(that is to say that nobody can really be sure of your ideal answer there... though I think it wise to lean toward being inland and away from the coasts, JUST because it is probably more likely that clear skies will happen inland, vs. along the seaboards)
I'm SO GLAD this isn't a situation where the eclipse is visible only from, say, one small Hawaiian island or something... at least there is room/hope for society to end up somewhere else. LOL
While the Smokey Mountains are pleasant and all, I don't know that I'd be too keen to add one more potential layer of (anything) between myself and the sun on that day.
And I think our most important (PURE GUESS) relates to predicting other people rather than the weather or the vantage point.
Getting a bunch of drunken yahoos to stop ruining a moment (or two minutes) for everybody around will probably be a greater challenge in this case than it is at the average football game.
And with a long history of normal people being given the green light to act in yahoo fashion during such phenomenal occurrences, well, you probably just want to get as far away from humanity as possible for your two minutes.
And IF you had to be around other humans... a grade school teacher and her 3rd grade students would be about the best you could hope for.
I guess... just... target a place near to which you can get affordable lodging, and maybe have SOME room to modify your intentions based on near-term weather forecasts, or even hordes of people.
And do what you can, now (this far out) to put yourself in the zone to experience whatever you can, no matter the weather.
(that is to say that nobody can really be sure of your ideal answer there... though I think it wise to lean toward being inland and away from the coasts, JUST because it is probably more likely that clear skies will happen inland, vs. along the seaboards)
I'm SO GLAD this isn't a situation where the eclipse is visible only from, say, one small Hawaiian island or something... at least there is room/hope for society to end up somewhere else. LOL
Feb 22nd, 2017, 03:25 PM
#34
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We're now less than six months out... and I just did a quick and random survey. Plenty of cheap motel rooms available in both St. Louis and Kansas City for the coveted night of Sunday, August 20, 2017.
Eclipse is the morning of August 21 upon its arrival on the Oregon Coast... and then into afternoon as it travels east across the central U.S..
(*** side note: I think I read of some spot way out there in the Pacific where the eclipse will be ongoing as the sun rises)
I used the "6 month" barrier to prompt me to order the protective eyewear. I ordered "20" pairs, just for not knowing how (and with whom) things will transpire between now and the big event.
Surely even people outside of the band of totality will have interest in viewing the eclipse through the protective eyewear... lol Portland, Oregon gets "99%" coverage of the sun's surface by the moon, and of course it still isn't safe to view even THAT without protective eyewear.
IT IS safe to look directly at the would-be sun (only)during the two minutes of totality (provided you are in the band OF totality - may be less than two minutes, given your exact location).
As I read yesterday... "you'll know..."
I also read that it could be a minorly interesting exercise to video tape an outdoor thermometer during a 20/30-minute window centered on totality... just to have direct evidence of expected significant changes in temperature.
FYI - ten percent of the sun is a LOT of sun... and is baaaaaaarely recognizable to humans running around society as being any different from a normal day with 100% sunlight.
A couple of decades ago I was in St. Louis during a 90% solar eclipse, and I took photos of the Gateway Arch reflected in a glass building during, and after that, and there was just a bit of haze in the shots during the 90% period.
I hope to find out, eventually, that people spread themselves rather evenly across the entire expanse of the path of totality on the U.S. mainland, so that no particular spots are completely ruined because of other people.
Today I read one news account of what to expect, and it suggested naked hooliganism not unlike Mardi Gras.
LOL
Eclipse is the morning of August 21 upon its arrival on the Oregon Coast... and then into afternoon as it travels east across the central U.S..
(*** side note: I think I read of some spot way out there in the Pacific where the eclipse will be ongoing as the sun rises)
I used the "6 month" barrier to prompt me to order the protective eyewear. I ordered "20" pairs, just for not knowing how (and with whom) things will transpire between now and the big event.
Surely even people outside of the band of totality will have interest in viewing the eclipse through the protective eyewear... lol Portland, Oregon gets "99%" coverage of the sun's surface by the moon, and of course it still isn't safe to view even THAT without protective eyewear.
IT IS safe to look directly at the would-be sun (only)during the two minutes of totality (provided you are in the band OF totality - may be less than two minutes, given your exact location).
As I read yesterday... "you'll know..."
I also read that it could be a minorly interesting exercise to video tape an outdoor thermometer during a 20/30-minute window centered on totality... just to have direct evidence of expected significant changes in temperature.
FYI - ten percent of the sun is a LOT of sun... and is baaaaaaarely recognizable to humans running around society as being any different from a normal day with 100% sunlight.
A couple of decades ago I was in St. Louis during a 90% solar eclipse, and I took photos of the Gateway Arch reflected in a glass building during, and after that, and there was just a bit of haze in the shots during the 90% period.
I hope to find out, eventually, that people spread themselves rather evenly across the entire expanse of the path of totality on the U.S. mainland, so that no particular spots are completely ruined because of other people.
Today I read one news account of what to expect, and it suggested naked hooliganism not unlike Mardi Gras.
LOL
Feb 22nd, 2017, 03:32 PM
#35
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Oh, and IF this website lets me post this YouTube link, here is a music video taped during a total eclipse of the sun on a small island between England and Iceland a couple of years ago.
It benefits from modern recording devices far more capable than were the drawings on the walls of caves inhabited thousands of years ago, to give you a real-seeming idea of what a total solar eclipse may have in store for you.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=feR12pQ8dXc
And the drunks gathered far too nearby to your own gathering may even be playing that music???
PS - I'm guessing they got the video done in one take !
It benefits from modern recording devices far more capable than were the drawings on the walls of caves inhabited thousands of years ago, to give you a real-seeming idea of what a total solar eclipse may have in store for you.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=feR12pQ8dXc
And the drunks gathered far too nearby to your own gathering may even be playing that music???
PS - I'm guessing they got the video done in one take !
Feb 23rd, 2017, 07:28 AM
#37
P.S. Seriously, we want to avoid the scene the OP describes and our plan is to seek out a remote county road somewhere, then maybe walk off into the brush. We'll have a few days to scout it out beforehand.
The party folks will still have plenty of room for their events.
We all hope for clear skies at our location. The musicians in that video got amazingly lucky in that regard, exactly two minutes in. Impressive.
The party folks will still have plenty of room for their events.
We all hope for clear skies at our location. The musicians in that video got amazingly lucky in that regard, exactly two minutes in. Impressive.
Feb 23rd, 2017, 08:32 AM
#38
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Nelson,
I like your plan, although something needs emphasis:
PARK YOUR CAR AWAY from said country road
(lord knows that IF there is a whisp of a cloud in the sky, SOME fools will be driving around at warp speed, trying to move said cloud out of their view, with even less regard for the roads and others than is their lacking norm)
I like your plan, although something needs emphasis:
PARK YOUR CAR AWAY from said country road
(lord knows that IF there is a whisp of a cloud in the sky, SOME fools will be driving around at warp speed, trying to move said cloud out of their view, with even less regard for the roads and others than is their lacking norm)
Apr 16th, 2017, 02:55 PM
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