OT: Solar eclipse-travelling?

[marciero]

Is anyone travelling to see "totality"? I am seriously considering driving 1k miles, or maybe flying, to experience it. You only live once and all that. (Though in fact this happens somewhere about every 18 months.) The excellent cycling in NC/SC would be bonus, of course.

[CDollarsign]

I am heading to Hopkinsville KY. I planned on going there when the maps were released, now NASA has designated it the best place to see the eclipse - so kind of worried about traffic and such...

[pncguy]

We've abandoned all our plans to head up to WY or NE from the Denver area because we've realized that the traffic is going to be amazingly bad. In addition, people are renting out space in their yards and fields - but you need your own facilities - which just reinforces our impression that the actual event may be amazing, but getting to and especially from viewing sites isn't something we want to do.

[kevinvc]

My bikecamping plans fell through, so it's going to be just another day at the office. I might ride up to a nice park that's nearby and has a good open sky. The million of out of state visitors descending on the state for the event is kind of souring me on trying to do to much. It will be a total cluster over much of the state.

One of the new twists is that forest fires are affecting a lot of areas where people planned on camping. I feel sorry for someone who planned months in advance and booked a campsite only to have it unavailable because of this. It's going to be a bad fire season, so there will likely be more between now and then, which will create a lot of smoke obscuring viewing in areas across the state.

[Bob Ross]

We're flying to Charlotte NC and then driving to Bryson City to be in the Path Of Totality® which will prompt a Where To Ride Near Bryson City NC? thread in 3, 2, 1...

[MattTuck]

I hope you all have good weather for viewing if you are traveling to see it. The total eclipse will last for less than 3 minutes. One big cloud could mess up the whole thing.

[avalonracing]

I'm flying to Nashville for the day. I've wanted to see a total solar eclipse since childhood. People who have seen one say that you have to go into the path of totality and don't bother traveling to get even 99%. Yes, it is less than a three-minute show but has been described as pretty much the greatest natural sight one can see. It freaking turns dark and stars and planets become visible in the middle of the day while the horizon around you looks like sunset. Yes, a cloud could blow it but I've seen people spend over a grand on a bar tab in an evening so they can later say, "Yeah, that night was awesome, I was so drunk". But a total solar eclipse might be one of the few cases where the word "Awesome" can be used literally.

[marciero]

Originally Posted by avalonracing

I'm flying to Nashville for the day. I've wanted to see a total solar eclipse since childhood. People who have seen one say that you have to go into the path of totality and don't bother traveling to get even 99%. Yes, it is less than a three-minute show but has been described as pretty much the greatest natural sight one can see. It freaking turns dark and stars and planets become visible in the middle of the day while the horizon around you looks like sunset. Yes, a cloud could blow it but I've seen people spend over a grand on a bar tab in an evening so they can later say, "Yeah, that night was awesome, I was so drunk". But a total solar eclipse might be one of the few cases where the word "Awesome" can be used literally.

Am starting to get psyched, though the traffic gives me pause. I think Totality is 3 minutes. That is a long time in my mind to be in that space. Think of doing intervals. There is also the partial going in and then out.

[marciero]

...in fact would be less that 1k mile drive for us since will be heading there directly from Deerfield ; )

[shinomaster]

We are expecting to be over-run here in Oregon.

[miksibis]

Charleston, sc has promised to be a zoo with it being the last spot in the US for viewing.

[kramnnim]

I'm curious about how bad the roads will be. I'm about 2 hours from the 100% totality areas.

[bikinchris]

We're going to the Nashville area. We might look for star parties north and west of there, but as long as you are in the path and the sky is clear, you should be happy.

[mgordon]

I'll be outside of Nashville as well. Should be quite a show!

[jruhlen1980]

I live pretty close to the path so I was planning on a 70-mile bike ride on gravel (avoid the eclipse tourists) with some friends, make a day out of it...

BUT as it turns out I might not be able to take that day off work so I may have to content myself with a long lunch break and a 99% eclipse. Maybe I can talk security into letting me on the roof.