Making any travel plans for the Solar Eclipse April 8th?

[greenthumb59]

Hi Everyone - I am a longtime lurker who decided to start posting recently!

I live in one of the states that will experience the solar eclipse later on this spring.  I have a nephew who manages a rural water system that's smack dab in the center of totality.  He said they've been warned by local authorities about the utter chaos heading their way.  He is worried they will "run out" of water.  I believe our state is expecting thousands of extra visitors for that weekend.

Wondering if any of you are planning to travel to view the eclipse?  I'm pretty sure this will be the last one I'll see, so we are making plans to drive a couple of hours away to view it.

[steph08]

We might, I'm not sure. There is a place of totality 2.5 hours north of us, so we might drive up to see it. My brother talked about flying in from Colorado to check it out. We'll have to see what he's decided. Hotel options are already scarce for that weekend. 

[Tennesseer]

Being in my early seventies and have seen several total eclipses in my life time, plus the fact that where I live now I should see about 98% of the April eclipse, I'll stay put.  I could drive to Little Rock and see 100% of it but 98% will do.

[daisylu]

We missed the last eclipse due to weather. We should see this one from the house, but weather. I still have the glasses in a drawer.

[resolution]

I bought eclipse glasses, but we are about 4 hours from the totality. We had no view of the last one due to the weather.  I am debating booking a hotel room in Pittsburg or possibly asking if we can visit one of a dozen aunties/uncles that live in Indiana along the totality route.

[plugginaway22]

We have 2 nights reserved in NY state, near Lake Erie. But yes, waiting on the weather will be hard to do as we are about 6 hours away in the car.

[resolution]

We contacted one of my husband's uncles, and are now scheduled to visit for the eclipse. They are in the path of the totality. Someone is printing up T-shirts for the event, and they are expecting a big influx of visitors to their town.

[geenamercile]

We plan too, I have a hotel reservation near lake Erie.  Planning to drive up   Saturday and leave after on Monday.  

My daughters and I saw the last one on the east coast we drove down.  BF and his kids have not.  My girls are not sure if they want to go.

[countrygirl2]

Southwestern Indiana is right in the zone, so we should be good watching it there.

[teen persuasion]

It's passing smack dab over my area, so we are bracing for an influx. But as my boss said, it's in April! Chances are good it could be rainy and overcast in WNY.

All you people heading near Lake Erie - where are you heading? The Falls?

[swamp]

I am also smack dab in the middle of the path. We are expected to be overrun with tourists.

The HS will be running an educational narrative/information session on the football field during the eclipse. Looking forward to it.

[geenamercile]

We are looking at Milan Ohio 

[plugginaway22]

Weather in the Erie PA area is looking good! We leave Sunday and return Tuesday.

We are staying in NY state, near Lake Erie.

[plugginaway22]

Seems like a lot of people are headed that way. Another friend of mine just told me they are doing the same thing.

[Cheesy FL-Vol]

We have no plans to do so. We aren't in a direct path, but if we aren't cloudy, we should see something. I cannot fathom the millions of people traveling for this single day short-lived event. The current estimate is 1 to 4 million people plan to travel for it.

The pessimist in me starts thinking about communities overloaded with people. People not respecting property. Trash everywhere. Traffic nightmares. Then there are going to be the conspiracy minded who will start blaming everything and everyone if the location they are planning to travel to ends up overcast.

[resolution]

Apr 2, 2024 10:38:24 GMT -5 Cheesy FL-Vol said:

The pessimist in me starts thinking about communities overloaded with people. People not respecting property. Trash everywhere. Traffic nightmares. Then there are going to be the conspiracy minded who will start blaming everything and everyone if the location they are planning to travel to ends up overcast.

Thanks Obama! 

I would like to see the eclipse, and although our chances are 50/50 to see it where our relatives live, at least we will be able to see some extended family. The next total eclipse in the US won't be for another 20 years, and it may be more difficult for me to see it then.

[Tennesseer]

Apr 2, 2024 11:12:21 GMT -5 resolution said:

Apr 2, 2024 10:38:24 GMT -5 Cheesy FL-Vol said:

The pessimist in me starts thinking about communities overloaded with people. People not respecting property. Trash everywhere. Traffic nightmares. Then there are going to be the conspiracy minded who will start blaming everything and everyone if the location they are planning to travel to ends up overcast.

Thanks Obama! 

I would like to see the eclipse, and although our chances are 50/50 to see it where our relatives live, at least we will be able to see some extended family. The next total eclipse in the US won't be for another 20 years, and it may be more difficult for me to see it then.

I very highly doubt I will be alive in twenty years.

Looking at Memphis local weather forecasts for this Sunday and Monday, it's highly doubtful we will be able to see it. We were supposed to be,able to see 98% of the eclipse. And I am guessing most of Texas and Arkansas where parts of the states were to have 100% coverage of the eclipse will have the same weather conditions as we will.

[Cookies Galore]

I'm in SEPA and do not plan on making the five hours drive to totality (we'll have 90% coverage), but I do have eclipse glasses and lens filters so I can take pictures. The maximum eclipse happens at 3:23 and my work day ends at 3:30, so that sounds like a full day to me!
I think we were at 80% coverage in 2017 and it was a somewhat cloudy day, but we could still see the eclipse through everything casting a shadow. That was cool.

The next eclipse in 20 years coincides with my retirement plan, so me thinks I will have to take a fantastic vacation for that one!

[jerseygirl]

Haven’t look for any yet but where did you buy the eclipse glasses?

[Artemis Windsong]

Zero plans.  We're on on the west side of it.  I'll try to stay inside.

[resolution]

Apr 2, 2024 15:47:09 GMT -5 jerseygirl said:

Haven’t look for any yet but where did you buy the eclipse glasses?

There is a potential for counterfeits, so I used this list to make sure mine were legit. eclipse.aas.org/eye-safety/viewers-filters

[greenthumb59]

We are driving to the totality zone cause we are lunatics.  AND the totality zone has shifted after the latest measurements or whatever.  So the cute little homestead farmhouse I rented is now about 4 miles out of the totality zone! 

Well crap!  The kids don't care and I guess I don't either.  Me and DIL's will make "eclipse water" and recharge our crystals.  Hubs and the boys will be shooting off fireworks to scare off the dragon eating the sun.  There will be booze.

I think we have a chance of rain, with a mix of clouds and sun forecasted.  I will be fine with whatever happens.  It's more about spending time and making memories with our kids than anything else. 

[weltz]

Niagara Falls declares state of emergency in advance of huge influx of eclipse visitors


Precautionary measure taken as more than a million people expected to visit

The total eclipse will be the first seen in Ontario since 1979. National Geographic declared Niagara Falls to be one of the best places to see it.



"It really is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity where one of the great natural wonders is going to meet one of the great celestial events at the same time, at the same place,"

www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/solar-eclipse-niagara-falls-1.7159987

Niagara Falls is not a big place. It's going to be a mess.

[ners]

I am hoping the traffic is not as bad as predicted when I leave work on Eclipse Day.  I live in an area of totality.

[teen persuasion]

Apr 2, 2024 20:17:52 GMT -5 weltz said:

Niagara Falls declares state of emergency in advance of huge influx of eclipse visitors


Precautionary measure taken as more than a million people expected to visit

The total eclipse will be the first seen in Ontario since 1979. National Geographic declared Niagara Falls to be one of the best places to see it.



"It really is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity where one of the great natural wonders is going to meet one of the great celestial events at the same time, at the same place,"

www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/solar-eclipse-niagara-falls-1.7159987

Niagara Falls is not a big place. It's going to be a mess.

My sister and I were discussing the situation on the US side of the Falls (she works with BP and gets to work in the command center that day ). She was not pleased both NASA and NatGeo  were promoting NF for the eclipse. They have no idea how many will show up, estimates run 700k to 3 million (the county population is only 200k). Every piece of equipment, land, sea, air, is out in the regional community somewhere - nothing is in storage - so they can get access even if there's gridlock in spots. Biggest worry is the water, especially the Niagara River - it's cold and dangerous. I can almost predict somebody is going to fall in from one of the hiking trails along the gorge, they are narrow in spots, with tons more people than usual all over, unfamiliar with the gorge, ugh. Sis says parks police are going to keep people off the trails - good luck! The NF state park has also said they will deny access after they reach capacity.  And where are all those locked out  people going to go then?

Little by little, most of the libraries in our area have decided to close for the eclipse (except Niagara Falls, because they have tons of programs scheduled  ).

I gave out the last of our library's eclipse glasses today, we had 500. I'll be watching from home on Monday.

[teen persuasion]

Hopefully things will be quieter away from the Falls and Erie County.

The rural county next to us is holding eclipse events at the fairgrounds this weekend, and I saw they were having fireworks tonight. DH and I drove out there this evening. It wasn't mobbed, so probably just locals, but I'm not sure how well publicized it was - I only learned about it today on Twitter. 

[lurkyloo]

We get about 87% eclipse here.  I bought a couple pairs of eclipse glasses on amazon (checked with resoluti9n‘s link above)  and poked gentle fun at DH who said he’d just get some later at the hardware store (spoiler: later = too late).  DH is picking DS up early from school so we can all go out in the yard.

We got totality in 2017, I think, certainly stopped to witness it then and I just threw out those glasses maybe a year or two ago  Weird to think what we’ll be doing in 20 years, but chances are DS won’t be living with us anymore at that point.

[busymom]

DD & a group of her friends are meeting up somewhere in Ohio to see if they can see the eclipse.  Probably a good thing if they wanted to see something, because we're overcast here. I'll have to watch online.

[Tennesseer]

Mostly clear now in Memhis, TN. Sun about 40% covered. We expect 98% coverage around 2 p m

[daisylu]

Almost 50% here so far, expecting closer to 90%. Watching Texas on CNN now.