Total Eclipse of the sun, August 21

[azbackpackr]

I happen to live in the path of totality. I will be able to see it from my yard, or just walk down my dirt road to a field where there are fewer huge trees to get a better view.

I hear that the Oregon transportation department expects the roadways to resemble a giant parking lot during the event. The reason is that the path of totality is south of Portland and north of Eugene. (The path of totality goes through the state capital of Salem.) So, people in the two major population centers, the ones who didn't plan ahead, will be driving to try to see it at the last minute. This is not recommended!

Of course, other states will have the experience, including Wyoming, Nebraska, Kentucky and South Carolina.

Campgrounds and lodgings along the path of totality have been booked for months.

[joebartels]

@DelisseG shared these

more info

[azbackpackr]

I no longer live in the path of totality, having moved south of Cottage Grove, so I will have to fight traffic like everyone else, I guess. That is, IF I go. I have the bad habit of always wanting to avoid various potentially fun things in order to avoid people, traffic, long hours, and night driving. (Bluegrass and blues festivals, ANY type of festival, concerts, etc.) I can't seem to shake that attitude. I usually would rather stay home. But the eclipse is very, very special, so maybe I will go out there amongst the hordes.

[AZLumberjack]

Here's a link to the Eclipse that should clear up any questions about who will see what percentage... https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/ ... active-map

[chumley]

Don't worry. You can all just stay inside and enjoy the comforts of home. I'll be live tweeting it and sharing it with the world!

*that's a complete and total lie. But about 50 million other people will be.

[Hansenaz]

I'm pretty bothered by the fact that all attempts to book a trip that would get me close to the totality path (with decent weather) are not attractive. I guess all the smart people got their plane tickets early.

[hoopshiker]

I had an astronomy teacher at Glendale Community College that would seek out every eclipse across the globe. RIP Mr. Frederickson.

[chumley]

@Hansenaz
The airlines should be flying 747s into Casper!

It's been planned well in advance for those in the know. Having visited both Oregon and Wyoming in the past 6 months I can tell you that both have been on high alert since at least last fall. Everything is booked. The national parks are even selling special eclipse swag in their gift shops. (Grand Teton is directly in the path of totality).

[Alston_Neal]

Hey Hansen got a raft?

[arizona_water]

It all depends where you are looking for flights...

[Dschur]

@hoopshiker
I was good friends with Dave Frederickson.. we went to the same astronomy clubs and star parties for numbers of years and my husband went with him to Australia to see Comet Halley ...

[azbackpackr]

By the way, if you have reservations at a hotel anywhere on the path of totality, there are many reports coming out, both on the news and directly from a friend of mine who had it happen to her, that hotels are cancelling reservations left and right. My friend made reservations in Boise and got a call from the hotel a couple of days ago saying they were cancelling her reservation due to "maintenance" on the room. What a crock! People are coming in at the last minute and offering the hotels huge bucks for a room. So if you had planned on paying the standard rate, your reservation may be cancelled. Don't say I didn't warn you.

I'm just going to wing it. I live an hour and 20 minutes from Albany, which is in the path. I plan to leave the farm at about 2 or 3 a.m. on Monday and drive north on the 5, and maybe go partway on 99, until I am in the "zone." I'm bringing a tent, shade tarp and other camping gear, food and a good book, just in case I get stuck in traffic on the way back, I can find a field and set up a camp and wait. I have to go through Eugene to get home, and that is likely to be a big mess.

I still have eclipse glasses from the 2012 annular eclipse.

[joebartels]

I'm just gonna save fossil fuel and watch it on tv with Bonnie Tyler.

Halley's Comet was our sophomore '86 yearbook theme

might be worthy of a gander in the 2060's

[chumley]

Bonnie Tyler

Holy crap. She's still making music!

In February 2017, it was announced that Tyler would be releasing a new single called "Love's Holding On" with German heavy metal band Axel Rudi Pell.

[DarthStiller]

Best version of her only hit

[ youtube video ]

[chumley]

@DarthStiller

That's a skit from a mid-90s Norwegian State-TV program similar to SNL parodying other music programs on Norwegian TV. It aired on Wednesday nights and it's title was the colloquial English equivalent to "Hump Day".

Now back to the eclipse discussion...

[DarthStiller]

@chumley
That's a real band, though. Look them up on YouTube, they cover a bunch of other songs and it looks like they still tour.

[flagscott]

Best version of her only hit

[ youtube video ]

Only hit? "It's a Heartache" reached #2 back in 1978.

BTW, if you ever want to get lost in a fascinating vortex of music history, check out Billboard's chart histories: http://www.billboard.com/artist/296474/ ... yler/chart

[chumley]

I'd like to enter into the official HAZ record that this thread was originally hijacked by @joebartels

I'm just gonna save fossil fuel and watch it on tv with Bonnie Tyler.

[DarthStiller]

@chumley
Don't I get an assist?