Make your plans for August 2017. Total solar eclipse

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GopherT

Joined Nov 23, 2012
8,009

wayneh

Joined Sep 9, 2010
17,496
I've made my reservations and will be visiting a National Park on the way to the totality band. To my great fortune, I have a niece-in-law that lives smack dab in the center of the path. I'll get there Saturday night so I don't have to travel on Sunday. I read an interview with an eclipse expert and he said that if you don't want to watch it from the interstate, you'd better be in place on Sunday.
 

nsaspook

Joined Aug 27, 2009
13,079
I've made my reservations and will be visiting a National Park on the way to the totality band. To my great fortune, I have a niece-in-law that lives smack dab in the center of the path. I'll get there Saturday night so I don't have to travel on Sunday. I read an interview with an eclipse expert and he said that if you don't want to watch it from the interstate, you'd better be in place on Sunday.
I've got 99.4% of totality in the backyard, that plenty good for me.

http://koin.com/2017/07/24/eclipse-in-portland-is-pretty-darn-close-to-total/

It may be a good idea to stick close to home: ODOT officials said the eclipse may cause the greatest traffic jam in Oregon history.
 

nsaspook

Joined Aug 27, 2009
13,079

Reloadron

Joined Jan 15, 2015
7,501
Had a good friend call me yesterday asking if I wanted to take a ride down from Cleveland, Ohio down to Tennessee so we could view the total eclipse. Here in Cleveland the estimate is about 85% but for less than a 12 hour ride we can get 100%. :) I declined wishing him a safe trip. This is a friend who lives out in the country and actually built a small observatory in his back yard. Pretty cool stuff.

Ron
 

spinnaker

Joined Oct 29, 2009
7,830
Had a good friend call me yesterday asking if I wanted to take a ride down from Cleveland, Ohio down to Tennessee so we could view the total eclipse. Here in Cleveland the estimate is about 85% but for less than a 12 hour ride we can get 100%. :) I declined wishing him a safe trip. This is a friend who lives out in the country and actually built a small observatory in his back yard. Pretty cool stuff.

Ron

Nothing wrong with making a 12 hour drive to see a friend. Also nothing wrong with using the eclipse as an excuse to finally visit a town you have been wanting to see anyway. Making a 12 hour drive and / or spending hundreds to thousands of dollars just to see the moon move across the sun is insane. I wonder what these people are going to do if the weather is bad? I am surprised no one has offere eclipse insurance in the event of poor weather.
 

spinnaker

Joined Oct 29, 2009
7,830
Eclipse could bring major wildfires, fuel or food shortages, fights or civil unrest, even a disease outbreak.

http://www.oregonlive.com/eclipse/2017/08/eclipse_2017_miles-long_traffi.html

Civil unrest??? Are the people of Oregon savages with zero scientific education?

"Officials worry about the potential for more fires from lightning strikes or campers." I can understand the camper part. More people camping more potential for fire. But lightning strikes??? Why would lightning strike any more during a eclipse as opposed to a normal day?
 

spinnaker

Joined Oct 29, 2009
7,830
Did anyone get a pair of eclipse glasses or have a pair of welding glasses they are going to use? I could not find any place here that sells them. I opted not to order figuring it will likely be overcast anyway and all you really see is basically a shadow.
 

nsaspook

Joined Aug 27, 2009
13,079
Eclipse could bring major wildfires, fuel or food shortages, fights or civil unrest, even a disease outbreak.

http://www.oregonlive.com/eclipse/2017/08/eclipse_2017_miles-long_traffi.html

Civil unrest??? Are the people of Oregon savages with zero scientific education?
The people from Oregon are not but the 1 million possible visitors to the state just might be.

http://www.opb.org/news/series/solar-eclipse-2017/oregon-marijuana-sales-increase-expect/
“Tourism already to Oregon, plus an eclipse, is doubling up. And that means customers are doubling in our doors,” said Mike Drevecky, a budtender at the Little Amsterdam Wellness Center in Portland. “I mean we’re swamped this morning alone.”

Authorities warn that driving under the influence of marijuana is illegal.
...
Approximately 1 million people are expected to travel to Oregon to watch the eclipse, the only state in the path of totality with legal recreational marijuana.
 

Reloadron

Joined Jan 15, 2015
7,501
Nothing wrong with making a 12 hour drive to see a friend. Also nothing wrong with using the eclipse as an excuse to finally visit a town you have been wanting to see anyway. Making a 12 hour drive and / or spending hundreds to thousands of dollars just to see the moon move across the sun is insane. I wonder what these people are going to do if the weather is bad? I am surprised no one has offere eclipse insurance in the event of poor weather.
I thought about that. Going to Tenn likely would have been a good time, even if the weather got ugly. There is always a few beers and good conversation. Not that I would fly to Nova Scotia to see a total eclipse of the sun. :) I told Steve around October I would come out to his place for a weekend. Right now I just have too many things going on including a battle with the city over trying to build a garage, you have to love small town politics. As it stands now we should see things well from here in Cleveland just not a total eclipse and at this point a relatively clear sky.

Ron
 
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