Solar eclipse in 2017, mid-morning August 21, plan for it now

highz said:
I'm with a group that will be staying at Glendo State Park. I think we are supposed be doing a few astronomy presentations, but planning is still in the early stages. I believe the group I'm with is not open to all (sorry). We've reserved our campsites, but there may still be sites still open at the State Park, and there will be public events at the Glendo airport.

On the other hand, your idea of a meetup near John Day sounds very nice, and might be just the thing for folks on the west coast.
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Glendo is a good area for the eclipse in terms of chances of good weather and bad-weather options. Campgrounds and motels have been reserved for months. Not sure how lenient the state troopers will be on 'dispersed' camping. The town is planning several days of events.

https://www.facebook.com/glendototalsolareclipse/
http://www.skyandtelescope.com/2017-total-solar-eclipse/spotlight-on-glendo/
http://www.eclipsewise.com/solar/SEnews/TSE2017/TSE2017states/TSE2017stateWY.html
http://www.eclipse2017.org/xavier_redirect.htm

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And Redneck Druid Wannabes may be interested in viewing the eclipse from Carhenge, just 3 miles north of Alliance, NE, located on the right hand edge of the map above. I dunno if the totality path may line up with the tailpipe of the 1973 Gremlin or maybe the missing headlight of the 1955 Jeep pickup, but you never know. Beings with powers different from our own built Carhenge, so maybe there will be a big surprise on 21 August, 2017.

Foy
 
So. any more thoughts on a gathering place? Roughly 10 weeks until the event. I'm thinking of driving south from Spokane and heading for someplace in Oregon or Idaho depending on where the weather forecast looks best.
 
I live in central Oregon -- 40 miles from the center of the path. But I don't know where I'm going to be. :oops:
I've always said, "If nothing else I'll just drive to the Safeway parking lot in Madras and look from there! :D " But now I'm doubtful that even that boring location will be feasible.
There's a real chance of big-time gridlock -- at least, that's my prediction It's a HUGE deal up here -- hotel/motel rooms have been sold out for years (in some cases), and some of those rooms went for 10x their normal price. :eek: Predictions are for 100,000 extra people in little Jefferson Country, Oregon.
Maybe need to get to a spot a couple/few days in advance so there's no need to try to drive on the big day or the day before?
Of course, further east from US 97 -- in more rural areas, will probably see less traffic...
Not sure yet.
 
I have reservations in the Burns area, was going to drive north from there, but with the crowds I'm thinking home is a fine place to see it. Maybe drive down to Salem to be centered on the totality path.
 
Emergency Officials in coastal Oregon area are treating the eclipse and attending crowds as a training exercise for the Big One
Tsunami event which may or may not be coming....and in General as a Mass Casualty event training.

Locally, it is hard to contemplate the short or long term effects of this natural event.

There really DOES seem to be a difference in what and how folks decide what to do with their leisure time and money these days.

It seems most believe everything they read on the web and that most want to behave like sheep.

My biggest concern is that some percentage of the visitors are going to purchase land and remain here.

Pretty soon, HERE may not be here anymore.

David Graves
 
We're traveling up north with 30 of my closest friends from southern California. Going to stay at a friends ranch in Terrebonne, OR for a few days.

After the eclipse were all heading to the local real estate agent to look at local properties on the market. :p
 
At one point I thought the top of Monkey Face might be a good place to be but I suspect it will be packed in that small space. Current thinking is eastern Oregon or someplace in Idaho.
 
Tuff Guy 62 said:
We're traveling up north with 30 of my closest friends from southern California. Going to stay at a friends ranch in Terrebonne, OR for a few days.

After the eclipse were all heading to the local real estate agent to look at local properties on the market. :p
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You might want to see if that little store at Smith Rocks still sells Huckleberry Ice Cream since you'll be so close-by in Terrebonne.

I'm told that we're going somewhere to view it, but its apparently on a need to know basis and I'm only the driver....
 
ntsqd said:
You might want to see if that little store at Smith Rocks still sells Huckleberry Ice Cream since you'll be so close-by in Terrebonne.
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It does. not that my waistline would know anything about that :D
 
The hidden danger in total solar eclipses! :eek:

Hospitals doubling antivenom for eclipse
Tara Bannow, The Bulletin, Published Jun 7, 2017
All Central Oregon hospitals will have snakebite treatment on hand
"Local hospitals are stockpiling extra antivenom used to treat rattlesnake bites ahead of the August solar eclipse that’s expected to bring hundreds of thousands of campers and festivalgoers to Central Oregon...."


Maybe safer to just stay home and watch it on TV, what with the gridlock and the snakes...
;)

(actually... could be a premise for a horror-disaster movie: Like "Snakes on a Plane": People wandering around in the dark...among all those confused vipers -- Yikes!)
 
I've got a spot in far-eastern Oregon reserved. It is good enough for clear sky, clear weather that NASA will be there too.

I had done a lot of research. I want to be as far away from people (crowds) as possible, relatively speaking knowing that is not likely. From a wide perspective I considered travel routes from major population centers, how to avoid interstates and such.

I was zeroing in on boondocking in National Forest lands NE of Prairie City, Oregon until I starting calling locals. I spoke with a ranger that said it is very likely they will simply close the entire forest. They fear a tinder-dry forest (mid-August) being overrun by hoards of morons. She didn't quite say it that way but you get the picture.

The more I read and the more people (in the effected area) I talk with the more I realize that this is going to be a major mobilization of a substantial portion of the population and the outcome may be more news worthy that the eclipse itself. In essence I keep hearing "we really don't know". One estimate stated there may be an influx of up to a million people into the Willamette Valley.

So my camper will be stocked with food/water for 2x the trip duration. Even with a 36 gallon fuel tank I'll carry two jerry cans. I have north/south access and egress routes through west, mid and east Nevada. This should be interesting.

I intend to enjoy the eclipse and the adventure as a whole.
 
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