Aug 21 Solar Eclipse

[leehljp]

Anyone going to the Solar Eclipse? Or living directly in its path?

I was surprised recently when I found that several families from my small home town were going to view the total eclipse and it is about 400 miles away from N MS. I will go visit my daughter in Springfield MO the day before and travel to the Total Zone that morning.

[capncarl]

My wife and I plan on watching the eclipse on Lake Kiowe, SC. It will be the grand finale for my Bro-in laws 70 bd party. Really looking froward to it!
We had actually planned a trip across to Yellowstone that week but had to reschedule because EVERYTHING was booked up for that entire week for eclipse parties!
capncarl

[leehljp]

I have a high school friend (medical doctor) in Pueblo CO who is going to Wyoming with his grandkids to view it. He made the reservations about two months ago and had trouble even then finding reservations.

[LinuxRandal]

I live one to one and a half hours drive to St. Joe which is supposed to be both prime viewing area, and nuts.
Business's up there are charging $20 for a parking spot. Everywhere is booked and people are airBNBing tent space in their yards. Parking is going to be nuts that I have already heard about doctors offices being closed for the day and some schools are already planning on closing. Local radio hosts did a thing on it and are planning to be there broadcasting, there is expectations of the drive time doubling or better.
I will be in the general zone (heard something like 85% of what St. Joe is going to see) and will be working. Not worth my time for the two minutes it is going to happen, and if I could take off (short handed right now, some quit, others off due to medical), it would be raining.
I could swear I saw a partial around here in 3rd or 4th grade though, and nobody even said a word until it was happening. Now, they seem to be making a big thing about kids seeing it.

[leehljp]

LR, It will be back in Missouri again in 7 years (2024). On May 30, 1984, I lived in So. Louisiana and we had a total eclipse come directly over us about 11 AM or so. The frogs croaked and the crickets chirped loud just like evening time. For some reason, during that eclipse my mind began to think of Mark Twain's story of "A Connecticut Yankee in King Author's Court" and the eclipse in it.

[capncarl]

I clipped this from the Boston Herald.com site about the eclipse.....Believe it or not, August 21 is also anticipated to be one of the worst days of traffic in history. Because an estimated 25 million live within a day’s drive of the total eclipse’s path, NASA predicts that the population may double on the day of the celestial sight. If you’re planning to make the drive, leave ample travel time and plan ahead. (Sorry to say, but most hotel rooms inside the path of totality have been booked for months or year in many places. If you haven’t booked one already, you’re chances aren’t looking too good!

I found this to be true when trying to book accommodations months ago in Yellowstone area, Mt. Rushmore etc. everything was completely booked, even the small mom and pops! We gave up on this timetable after discovering why it was sold out and decided not to even try then, but the Bro in laws birthday/ solar eclipse party came up and we found accommodations the couple of weeks after the eclipse in Yellowstone area. The lake he lives on is dead under the eclipse path so we have a crowd watching it there. We already proper glasses and I will probably bring some off my special welding glasses.

In my town, which is in the lower .9 magnitude range there are all kind of events popping up for it. One of particular interest is a put put golf party center that is having a big blow out for the kids...... they will be in school during that time.... what's the logic behind that?

capncarl

[Pappy]

I will see what little I can of it from here in Texas. the wife will be in Washington just north of the Oregon border so she will get a great view.

[gerti]

My wife and I are planning to go, either Lincoln, NE (closest) or somewhere around Kansas City, MO, depending on weather. Hotel the night before may be dicey...

[tfischer]

Anyone going to the Solar Eclipse? Or living directly in its path?

I was surprised recently when I found that several families from my small home town were going to view the total eclipse and it is about 400 miles away from N MS. I will go visit my daughter in Springfield MO the day before and travel to the Total Zone that morning.

We will be visiting my sister in Branson that weekend and driving north to the eclipse zone for the day as well. We haven't decided where yet... sounds like there could be massive crowds everywhere. Where do you plan to watch from, Lee?

[leehljp]

We will be visiting my sister in Branson that weekend and driving north to the eclipse zone for the day as well. We haven't decided where yet... sounds like there could be massive crowds everywhere. Where do you plan to watch from, Lee?

My daughter who lives in Ozark and works in Springfield has done the planning. We are going to Meramec State Park which is next to Sullivan MO. It is 2 1/2 hours from Springfield/Ozark, about 2/3s the way to St Louis from Springfield on Interstate 44. We will leave out about 6:30 AM and be there about 9 to look for a space to set up some chairs and have a picnic.

There are other spots that might be closer as the crow flies from Springfield, but most are 2 lane and back roads, which IMO might be better.

My family always picks the easiest travel roads in heavy traffic and bad weather conditions, BUT I generally prefer the roads less traveled. .

[tfischer]

Thanks for the info! I'll pass this on to my brother and sister.

[tfischer]

Sounds like we're going to head toward Columbia. My brother is concerned about the state parks being too wooded and too congested. I'm just doing what people tell me lol.

[dbhost]

I can't. Long story but work requirements are keeping me in Houston.

[capncarl]

I really can't see the point in trying to get directly under the path of the eclipse! I will be there ONLY because of the 70th birthday party, and family get together. I'm really dreading the days following the eclipse because I will be driving westward following the eclipses path,
I've seen several partial eclipses where it got dark like a really dark cloud came in front of the sun, but it didn't impress me enough to drive 3-4 hundred miles to see another.... Maybe see another space shuttle launch of sinking of an aircraft carrier!
capncarl

[cwsmith]

Our son now lives in Muscatine, Iowa, so that's not too off the path for him and his family. My wife and I are, however, just going to view the partial that we'll get here in the Binghamton, NY area. I think I will try out the new camera though, so that should be fun.

CWS