shawthorne44 Posted August 4, 2017 Share Posted August 4, 2017 *quiet voice* Am I the only person who doesn't care one whit about a solar eclipse? For myself, I don't particularly care. But, this seems like one of those nice things that homeschoolers can do. Go on a long field trip and learn stuff. Also, I've been to more countries than states, and I want to rectify that. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicholas_mom Posted August 4, 2017 Share Posted August 4, 2017 (edited) We booked to very different locations because WEATHER.....Not worth us 9 hrs just to see clouds! We will drive where it will be a Sunny Day to see it!!! 100% Totality or Bust! :coolgleamA: Edited August 4, 2017 by Nicholas_mom 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milovany Posted August 8, 2017 Share Posted August 8, 2017 (edited) I'm coming in way late to the party, but I just decided two days ago I should take the kids since we're in Washington and within reasonable driving distance to totality. I looked around in some places I'm a little bit familiar with in Oregon and found a KOA near the coast (in the path of totality) for the night OF the eclipse, Monday. I booked it through the website to hold it in case I could still find something for the night before because driving the day-of was not a good option (distance wise and now because I see that it's expected to be crazy busy between Portland and Salem). This morning I popped online again to see if I could find an Airbnb or something (ha! $500-$1000/night) and was reworking the plan in my head, thinking I might even cancel the KOA and go a little bit further north to stay, when on a whim I called the KOA to ask if they possibly had the same small cabin the night before as well (Sunday). The gal said they sure did, and then on another whim, I asked if they happened to have a larger cabin for both nights. She said she had JUST gotten a cancellation (a friend of hers, actually) and had a larger cabin available now for Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. She hadn't put it back in general circulation, figuring she'd save it for something like this -- someone calling in to see if anything was available. "Would you like to book that?" Yes, ma'am! The no-traffic version of the trip is 5.5 hours. We're going to allow hours and hours extra to get there on Sunday and I might even call back tomorrow to see if Saturday is available and go even earlier. ETA: Right now, weather.com is saying "cloudy in the morning" on that day but it's still a ways out. Hopefully that changes! Edited August 8, 2017 by milovany 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eternalsummer Posted August 8, 2017 Share Posted August 8, 2017 We just booked a campsite 2 days ago. We have a crazy 3 day weekend scheduled. We are doing a 24hr bike relay "race" from 7pm Friday to 7pm Saturday. Our "A" goal is for DS8 and DS10 get 50miles and DW and I to combine relay fashion for 100-150m. Then we are going to crash until Sunday morning... Then we are going to drive 6+h from Minneapolis to St Joseph, MO. Even if it takes 9-10h, we'll still be in our tent site by dinner time. Hangout, see the eclipse Monday... probably take a nap sometime after totality to 4 or so... Drive back to Minneapolis. I assume getting out of the airport will be hell and getting out of St Joes will suck but it should be fine once we are on I35. We should get back home by midnight and DW can drag herself to work in the morning and the rest of us can recover. We live in St Joe, and I have no intention of driving anywhere from the 20th to the 22nd for this very reason. Cool that you will be here, though! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom2samlibby Posted August 8, 2017 Share Posted August 8, 2017 We are not traveling, as we are in the path. It's going to happen right above our house. I think you are correct with your assessment of traffic. It's going to be insanely busy. Our hotels have been booked for months and there are people coming from oversees to view this. Many of the business here are planning huge eclipse viewing parties and activities. They just posted today on the news that our state is banning huge trucks from traveling during the 4 days around the eclipse, due to the extra traffic. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom22ns Posted August 8, 2017 Share Posted August 8, 2017 Not traveling, but at >95% totality here, so I can live with that. I doubt I would travel to see it anyway. While I think it is cool, it isn't really that big a deal to me. One of my kids will be in class the other one will get to see it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TravelingChris Posted August 8, 2017 Share Posted August 8, 2017 My son is traveling on back roads the day before to TN where he has a campsite. We all think I65 will be a zoo. I expect I5 in Ca to be worse. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ali in OR Posted August 8, 2017 Share Posted August 8, 2017 We are in the path--not going anywhere. BIL just figured out that there is an eclipse happening. They live a couple of hours north and want to come down and stay with us, traveling down on Sunday afternoon. They're more than welcome, but that 2-hour drive may take just a bit longer than that on Sunday afternoon! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CadenceSophia Posted August 8, 2017 Share Posted August 8, 2017 *quiet voice* Am I the only person who doesn't care one whit about a solar eclipse? <gasp> Actually what I find harder to believe is that people are settling for 90+% occlusion. To me, that means they live only a tiny distance from totality but don't care or don't know what they are missing. Neither is understandable to me so I was just sitting here quietly bewildered. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foxbridgeacademy Posted August 8, 2017 Share Posted August 8, 2017 (edited) My sister is coming down (about 5 hour drive) the night before. We're in the 99% range and the local library is even doing a big thing all day with glasses! (Everywhere has been sold out for awhile)... not good enough for her I guess, she wants to drive farther North (longer viewing time) there is no way I'm going to hit the interstate that day around Nashville, I expect it to be crazy (it's already 1/2 crazy on a good day). So we'll be driving 1 mile and hang out at the library, I expect she'll see sense and do the same. * I clearly remember watching Haley's Comet and seeing a partial Eclipse when I was a kid so I made DS request the day off and we're going to make a big deal (for us) out of it. Edited August 8, 2017 by foxbridgeacademy 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terabith Posted August 9, 2017 Share Posted August 9, 2017 We are leaving this coming Sunday and driving to Carbondale, Illinois. We're going so early in order to avoid the traffic. It's a 10 hour drive or so for us. We're staying with friends and leaving after the eclipse by a very roundabout route that does not take us through the path of totality. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted August 9, 2017 Share Posted August 9, 2017 No. I will be at work, so I can't travel, but we are in 90% and that will have to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frances Posted August 9, 2017 Share Posted August 9, 2017 Actually what I find harder to believe is that people are settling for 90+% occlusion. To me, that means they live only a tiny distance from totality but don't care or don't know what they are missing. Neither is understandable to me so I was just sitting here quietly bewildered. We've started getting emails from acquaintances living just north of us asking to camp in our yard, as we will be in totality. But the predictions about traffic are also scaring many away, especially if they can't come days early and leave at least a day after. Traffic in Portland and on I-5 has gotten so insane with the booming economy that I don't even like dealing with it on a normal day. If the locations were reversed, I wouldn't be making the trip 45 miles north unless I had planned way in advance and secured a camping site for at least five days. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scholastica Posted August 9, 2017 Share Posted August 9, 2017 Nope. We're in the path of totality. My dh is so excited. He's an astronomy buff. That is all our school for the day that day. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xixstar Posted August 9, 2017 Share Posted August 9, 2017 Ugh!!! I just found out that our plans changed. We were staying at a campground in totality where my mother was working -- well she isn't working there anymore but she went and booked another nearby campgroud.... This is outside of totality, ugh!! So now we will have to drive down small mountain roads (I think -- or at least "slow" roads were her description) just to cross back into totality. There is a cultural center having a free event that day -- but how early do we have to be in that parking lot?? Event doesn't start until 10am or so, I think, but thinking we will need to be there fairly early. Ugh - this was easier when I knew we didn't have to go anywhere the actual day of the eclipse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pen Posted August 9, 2017 Share Posted August 9, 2017 No. We are in Oregon, but not in path of totality. I am expecting roads could be crazy. Not just snarled traffic, but could be heavy alcohol, marijuana, etc. as for a major holiday only likely more so. I am also worried about fires with people possibly camping with camp fires, tossing cigarette butts etc. Right now the air is so smoky/hazy from wild fires that it may impair eclipse viewing if that is the same in areas with totality. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lamolina Posted August 9, 2017 Share Posted August 9, 2017 We live in an area of about 97% totality but are going to drive a while to get to a 100% spot. Planning to just drive there in the morning and back when it is over. Schools in our area are being let out 30 minutes late that day due to the timing of the eclipse lining up with school dismissal! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seeking Squirrels Posted August 9, 2017 Share Posted August 9, 2017 (edited) We haven't decided that yet. A relative has a cabin about 250 miles from us that is in the path of totality. We go there a few times a year and he's said we can go for the eclipse. I'm just not sure it's worth it to deal with the likely heavy traffic and crowded towns when we're close enough to get a pretty decent partial here at home. I also don't know if he's invited a bunch of other people, it could be a crowded house as well. Part of me wants to say it's not *that* spectacular, we can see enough here and pics of the rest online after. And the other part of me responds to that with "Bad homeschooler! Do All The Things!" No idea yet which side will win. Edited August 9, 2017 by Whovian10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zejh Posted August 9, 2017 Share Posted August 9, 2017 We were originally planning a trip to the KC area to see the eclipse, which we had to scrap because baby #3 is due the same weekend. (Consolation prize: 2022 eclipse will pretty much be directly over my parents' house, and I'll be nearly 45, so hopefully no surprises...) I started looking for hotels last fall, October or so, and already St. Joseph area hotels were completely booked for the night before. We ended up booking a room a half hour away in Kansas. I suspect that any place along the path that isn't completely remote will be pretty crowded. (And I'd forgotten to cancel the hotel as of May when a friend posted she was trying to figure out a place to watch, and successfully switched the reservation to her. So, procrastination for the win...) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephanier.1765 Posted August 9, 2017 Share Posted August 9, 2017 <gasp> Actually what I find harder to believe is that people are settling for 90+% occlusion. To me, that means they live only a tiny distance from totality but don't care or don't know what they are missing. Neither is understandable to me so I was just sitting here quietly bewildered. That would be us, or I should say me since no one else in the family is even excited about the eclipse at all. We are at 90%. I did for a second think about driving up to SC but it doesn't seem worth it just for myself and to be by myself. I live with the Grinch and Scrooge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted August 9, 2017 Share Posted August 9, 2017 Actually what I find harder to believe is that people are settling for 90+% occlusion. To me, that means they live only a tiny distance from totality but don't care or don't know what they are missing. Neither is understandable to me so I was just sitting here quietly bewildered. Or have to work. Or don't want to brave the insane traffic on the only highway in that direction that goes through town. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TravelingChris Posted August 9, 2017 Share Posted August 9, 2017 Well we just made our parking reservations in the town that the National Solar Observatory says is the second best town to see the eclipse. We will be viewing with many ten thousands expected but the town says just about every where is a good site in their town. Dh finally received his solar telescope that he ordered long long ago and we tested it out last weekend. I actually like it better than either of his regular telescopes because I really loved seeing the sun with a spot and solar flares. It should be really fun as long as there are no fires nearby. Not only would that ruin the viewing, it could ruin me- I have pretty bad asthma and smoke is a giant trigger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shawthorne44 Posted August 10, 2017 Share Posted August 10, 2017 Have y'll heard about hotels playing fast and lose with the reservations? http://www.oregonlive.com/travel/index.ssf/2017/04/oregon_hotels_unapologetic_sil.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RootAnn Posted August 10, 2017 Share Posted August 10, 2017 We are in totality & DH requested the day off from work over a year ago. Heard at a homeschool convention in Spring of 2016 that all our friends would be camping in our backyard, but no one has requested a spot yet! Did have my sister say she wanted to bring down a couple of the nieces on the day of. Not sure if she'll come here ( :thumbdown: ) or take my advice to hang out at the local public library :sneaky2: . Haven't picked up eclipse glasses (yet), although I almost stopped to see if a place had them today. Decided to get by with DH's plans (#14 Welding Glass?) or whatever the library has ordered for the homeschoolers. DD#1 has an online class that will be getting done around the time we reach totality. Not sure if I'll have her leave early, skip it, or just do her class from the laptop. :001_huh: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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