OT - 2024 solar eclipse

[Veloo]

I think this is worthy of an OT post.
You can ride out to a spot on the path of totality (if close enough) with a pair of solar filter glasses in your rear pocket.

Details on this one of many sites.

https://eclipse2024.org/path-north-america.html

[p nut]

I saw it in 2017. Dare I say, it was a life-changing moment?

I really wanted to see it again but can’t find decent air fare.

[charliedid]

Depending on the weather I may drive down to Carbondale Il

[avalonracing]

I flew from Baltimore to Nashville to see the last one. It was so cool that I immediately decided that I would travel to see the next one in 2024. Well, here we are and I'm trying to remind myself that it is worth a 6-8 hour drive each way to see it again. I think I might make a game-day decision based on the weather forecast.

What they say is true, 99% of totality isn't the same. You have to have totality to appreciate it so don't be last if you are only a couple of hours away from the path of totality get in the damn car.

And clouds are not your friends. When I was in Nashville we lucked out and a few puffy clouds passed over a bit before totality but my friend's husband was at work 20 minutes away and had clouds in front of the sun (and moon) so it just wasn't the same.

It's pretty cool as it gets darker in the middle of the day and as it gets closer to totality you'll notice that your shadow on the ground gets very sharp. If you are near a tree you'll see that the light coming through it becomes little crescents. Another thing you'll notice, especially after the sun just starts to peak out from behind the moon, is how white the light from the sun actually is.

[makoti]

Originally Posted by p nut

I saw it in 2017. Dare I say, it was a life-changing moment?

I really wanted to see it again but can’t find decent air fare.

I was in Oregon for that, and totally (SWIDT?) agree.
If anyone can, they should. Worth it.
Hoping to combine riding in Bentonville with viewing in Central Arkansas, but the weather is dicey, right now. It's a long way out, but I have to decide by Sunday evening.
Options don't look great, either
Fly to San Antonio. Drive to Upstate NY. Clouds predicted for both

[dgauthier]

I get the impression most of the members of this forum are out east (in close proximity to the original Serotta factory), and so are close to the path of totality.

Please watch your eyes! Looking at the sun during an eclipse is not like looking at the sun on a sunny day.

If you look at the sun on a normal sunny day, your irises close down to protect your eyes. During an eclipse, the darker average light level makes your irises dilate, while the light coming from any exposed part of the sun's disk is as bright as always. That's a recipe for permanently damaging your retinas.

Beware bogus filter glasses that give a false sense of safety. This article provides a good overview of how to view the eclipse safely:
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/20/h...smid=url-share

[sasquatch16v]

It's going directly over my house and people won't shut up about it. Buffalo, NY folks are literally acting like they are responsible for the eclipse.

If it wasn't literally going over my house, and someone hadn't already given me the glasses, I wouldn't even bother.

BUT if this is your thing, and if you're within a few hours of Buffalo, NY, a local shop is organizing a brevet (not sure if sold out at this point or not) with eclipse viewing from their shop roof after.

http://campuscyclingcollective.com/c...clipse-brevet/

[p nut]

By the way, I have a pack of 10 eclipse glasses I purchased from NASA’s link on their site, so guaranteed to be proper glasses.
I’m happy to send these to anyone for the cost of shipping. (I’m located near Salt Lake City).

UPDATE: These have been claimed.

[Bruce K]

We were in Rayburn Gap, GA (a friend let us use their hunting cabin) for the last one.

Heading to Stowe, VT for this one.

Filters for the camera and glasses for the eyes are waiting to go

BK

[NHAero]

I'm driving up to northern NH/VT with my sister Sunday night unless the weather forecast is 100% putrid (which it often is in those parts, which is why they are sparsely populated

If the weather looks decent I'll probably bring a bike too, maybe get in a few miles!

[GregL]

My home and office are both in the path of totality. I'll be walking out the front door into the parking lot to watch with my co-workers. Local authorities are warning of traffic jams - hope they're wrong!

Greg

[Veloo]

On the news yesterday there was a story about some people that booked hotels in Niagara Falls that suddenly had their reservations cancelled without explanation.
They had booked well in advance for the eclipse and suspect the hotels cancelled so they could rebook for significantly more.

[NHAero]

Originally Posted by Veloo

On the news yesterday there was a story about some people that booked hotels in Niagara Falls that suddenly had their reservations cancelled without explanation.
They had booked well in advance for the eclipse and suspect the hotels cancelled so they could rebook for significantly more.

Having just had a bad experience or two with aggregators, I wonder if they'd booked these directly with the hotel, or through an aggregrator?

[PurpleBikeChick]

I am on a bike tour in Texas Hill country with our stay in the path of the totality.

AI weather prediction is 80% cloud cover +/- 19% & scattered thunderstorms.

Weather was always the wild card, but I knew I would OK with this as would be cycling.

I too know people whose hotel reservation was cancelled. In fact our tour had to find alternative housing as the initial hotel, with a very longstanding relationship, cancelled too.

[texbike]

Originally Posted by sasquatch16v

It's going directly over my house and people won't shut up about it. Buffalo, NY folks are literally acting like they are responsible for the eclipse.

We're experiencing the same thing here in Austin. You'd think Texans created it as well (actually, we probably did... ). Our local county (Travis) has issued a disaster declaration due to the number of people expected in the area for the event. They're forecasting food and fuel shortages and are encouraging locals to stock up on both before next weekend.

Texbike