dnl42 Posted August 18, 2017 Share Posted August 18, 2017 Wondering if there are any eclipse chasers here. I'm in my RV, dry-camping at Madras airport. There's an aircraft museum I'll visit this afternoon. There will be about 450 aircraft here Monday morning for the event. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Steve N Posted August 18, 2017 Share Posted August 18, 2017 I'm tentatively planning on a road trip to southern Illinois, about 500 miles south-southwest. I'll make a go/no-go decision in the next 24 hours based on the weather forecast. The problem right now is eclipse glasses..there isn't a pair to be found around here..the library, local science museum, and Wal Mart are all sold out. And we're only supposed to get about 81% totality. SN Quote Link to post Share on other sites
fulcrum1 Posted August 18, 2017 Share Posted August 18, 2017 Fortunately I'm on the path of totality so I'm excited....however cloud coverage may be an issue so me and the fam are prepared to drive. I've been waiting for this since grade school. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Moose135 Posted August 18, 2017 Share Posted August 18, 2017 I'm just north of totality, and will be heading to the mountains near the TN/NC border. I have a room for Sunday night (and one closer to the coast in SC, just in case of weather), and a couple of locations for Monday. I have my camera gear ready and have been testing it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Djack Posted August 19, 2017 Share Posted August 19, 2017 I too live in the path of totality. I was wanting to drive north on Kansas City where the total eclipse will last longer. I think in St Joseph, it's supposed to last about 2 1/2 min, whereas downtown Kansas City it's going to be all of 38 seconds. My company has decided to do a meeting/cookout and are providing all employees with glasses, so I'll be there for that instead of heading further north. My wife's company is also having a party for their employees as well, and several local schools have decided to cancel school for it. It's pretty awesome to see all of the people from around the world coming to the area around Kansas City for this. David Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Darren Roberts Posted August 19, 2017 Share Posted August 19, 2017 I'm in a suburb just south of KC, so I'm headed to my sister-in-laws in a small town in Kansas called Hiawatha. They should get about 2 minutes of totality, and I have a place to sleep! I teach 4th grade, and the school districts here have tried to convince the parents that the kids will see the same thing not being in totality. I strongly hinted to my parents that was not the case, and if they could, take their kids north just 30 miles. It will be worth it! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
fulcrum1 Posted August 19, 2017 Share Posted August 19, 2017 25 minutes ago, Darren Roberts said: I'm in a suburb just south of KC, so I'm headed to my sister-in-laws in a small town in Kansas called Hiawatha. They should get about 2 minutes of totality, and I have a place to sleep! I teach 4th grade, and the school districts here have tried to convince the parents that the kids will see the same thing not being in totality. I strongly hinted to my parents that was not the case, and if they could, take their kids north just 30 miles. It will be worth it! I'm on Fort Leavenworth and although I think we're in the range I'm taking the boy out of school and headed up to St Joe/Smithville area. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dnl42 Posted August 19, 2017 Author Share Posted August 19, 2017 (edited) 47 minutes ago, Darren Roberts said: I teach 4th grade, and the school districts here have tried to convince the parents that the kids will see the same thing not being in totality. I strongly hinted to my parents that was not the case, and if they could, take their kids north just 30 miles. It will be worth it! Good for you! The parents that listened to you should be Very Greatful! There aren't a lot of "casual" opportunities to see a total eclipse in one's lifetime and to miss it would be sad indeed. My wife and I traveled to Mexico for the '91 eclipse. We were on a cruise ship on the centerline; it was just amazing. We plan to see the '24 eclipse, which enters the US in TX, leaves through Maine, and the leaves through Canada's Maritime Provinces. Edited August 19, 2017 by dnl42 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Cajun21 Posted August 21, 2017 Share Posted August 21, 2017 I am in ATL, we will be getting 97% totality so we plan to look out the 20th floor windows. Saw the one in '91. Itch Quote Link to post Share on other sites
skyhawk174 Posted August 21, 2017 Share Posted August 21, 2017 I am in Alberta Canada and I can now see it starting. I work at a welding shop so have lots of dark lens to see it. We are supposed to get 70% eclipse so I am happy with that. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
okthree Posted August 21, 2017 Share Posted August 21, 2017 I drove from MI to Marion IL with my three sons in our motor home. Watching now from a parking lot of a now out of business Gander Mountain. The day started out mostly sunny but we are getting puffy Cu as were approaching maximum eclipse. We're hoping the clouds don't block out the best part. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
nerdling Posted August 21, 2017 Share Posted August 21, 2017 On 8/18/2017 at 10:19 AM, dnl42 said: Wondering if there are any eclipse chasers here. I'm in my RV, dry-camping at Madras airport. There's an aircraft museum I'll visit this afternoon. There will be about 450 aircraft here Monday morning for the event. I live in Portland Oregon so I just watched it from my yard. That is the Erickson Air Collection in Madras. It is a very nice museum, most everything they have flies as well. The B-17 is currently out touring at the moment though. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Darren Roberts Posted August 21, 2017 Share Posted August 21, 2017 All I can say is "WOW!" Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dnl42 Posted August 21, 2017 Author Share Posted August 21, 2017 23 minutes ago, Darren Roberts said: All I can say is "WOW!" What he said. I'll try to post a pic later as both the roads and 4G are jammed solid now... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lancer512 Posted August 21, 2017 Share Posted August 21, 2017 I am waiting for the pictures. Saw the 1999 eclipse in Europe, and I had goosebumps down my back. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Moose135 Posted August 21, 2017 Share Posted August 21, 2017 What an amazing experience! I went to Tellico Plains, TN, at the Cherohala Skyway Visitor Center, near the TN/NC border. I spent Sunday night in the area, and I got to the parking field around 5:30am, before they had even opened. Watched sunrise, hung out with some cool folks, and the eclipse was spectacular! It was a hot day, no clouds in the area, but as the eclipse progressed, you could feel the temperature come down some. As it reached totality, it got dark and calm. I was shooting pictures without looking at the camera, changing settings and shooting while looking at the incredible sight in the sky. It was absolutely worth driving out here for it. The start of totality: The end of totality: Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dnl42 Posted August 21, 2017 Author Share Posted August 21, 2017 Those are most excellent photos! I especially love the last! Thanks for posting them! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lancer512 Posted August 22, 2017 Share Posted August 22, 2017 Thank you very much! Spectacular images! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
fulcrum1 Posted August 22, 2017 Share Posted August 22, 2017 Wow! Great photos. The weather here didn't cooperate so we hightailed east toward the Ford Plant in KC and were blessed to see totality. Enjoyed it so much I'm going to shoot for 2024 in Texas. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ranger74 Posted August 22, 2017 Share Posted August 22, 2017 I was sitting on my deck with my wife, son and grandson, outside Smyrna, TN, watching the first half of the eclipse and was down to just a sliver of sun when a cloud too thick to see through even with the special glasses just sat there over my house. Extremely disappointed. This was my second total eclipse. I watched the first through a "pinhole" camera. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Kurt H. Posted August 22, 2017 Share Posted August 22, 2017 Thanks for posting those pictures. You are obviously a serious photographer with some serious glass! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Incaroad Posted August 22, 2017 Share Posted August 22, 2017 AWESOME SHOTS! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Moose135 Posted August 22, 2017 Share Posted August 22, 2017 Thank you! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Steve N Posted August 23, 2017 Share Posted August 23, 2017 (edited) Fantastic shots! I got some decent pics myself, but nothing that good. I drove down to Marion, Illinois for the show..about 500 miles. Fortunately fellow ARCer Supertom let me crash at he and his wife's place in Indianapolis, about the halfway point. I headed out Monday morning before sunrise. Google Maps said it was only 3 1/2 hours to Marion, but I had no idea what traffic would be like. Turned out getting in was easy. Traffic on southbound Interstate 57 was heavy, but moving well..I only hit a couple of slowdowns, and got there with hours to spare. Getting back out was another story. Every northbound road was choked solid. I waited a couple hours before starting back, and even then spent a couple of hours in bumper-to-bumper stop-and-go traffic, covering only about 20 miles before I got fed up and struck out east across the back roads. I eventually found a northbound road that was relatively clear, only to stumble into the worst thunderstorm I've ever driven through. It took me over six hours to get back to Indianapolis. Still, it was absolutely worth it. What an incredible experience! It was the most fantastic astronomical event I've ever seen..and that includes Comet Hale-Bopp and a few spectacular auroras. The day before, I heard someone claim that once you've experienced totality, partial eclipses won't even interest you. I can now confidently say they're right. The 2024 show will only be a couple hours from me. I really hope the weather cooperates. April in the midwest is pretty iffy. That's why I made the trek for this one..didn't know if I'd ever get another chance. Fortunately I couldn't have ask for better weather (well, OK, the super-muggy 95 degrees was a bit much.) The big puffy cumulus clouds started building just as the eclipse started, but they mostly stayed away. We had a perfect view of totality. I was amazed at how quickly we were plunged into darkness. There were a few stars out, but the sky stayed surprisingly light. One freind described it as a 360-degree sunset. I was in a suburban shopping mall parking lot..next time I want to find a more rural, open location. I'll post a few of my pics as soon as I find a replacement for the late, unlamented PhotoBucket. SN Edited August 23, 2017 by Steve N Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Steve N Posted August 23, 2017 Share Posted August 23, 2017 On 8/21/2017 at 1:48 PM, okthree said: I drove from MI to Marion IL with my three sons in our motor home. Watching now from a parking lot of a now out of business Gander Mountain. The day started out mostly sunny but we are getting puffy Cu as were approaching maximum eclipse. We're hoping the clouds don't block out the best part. Hey, I saw you! I considered Gander Mtn, but ended up in the mall parking lot outside Dillard's about a half-mile away, mosty becacuse there were a few trees that provided a bit of shade. We had a perfect view..hope yours was too! SN Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.