Solar Eclipse 2017

[rideit]

I think it's going to be really hard to find a 'good' campsite between IF and Rexburg, but I guess if you are bikepacking it is more feasible. The woods are going to be FULL...

[KQ]

I'm tempted to load our small porta-potty onto a wagon, and drag it up and down highway 97, offering folks stuck in the traffic jam a place to piss for $20. A shit will cost $100.

One of my wife's clients (who is not all that bright) plans to sell home-made chili along the shoulder of 97. Chili. In August.

Maybe you should follow along with your $100 potty perhaps even up the price

[Flyoverland Captive]

^^^ Ooh! A chili tax of $50 on top of the regular $100 shit fee...

[zion zig zag]

One thing's for sure, no way I'm going anywhere near I-15 north of Ogden in a car that weekend.

You really think it'll be that bad? I've got a spot picked out that is super remote central Idaho, at least two hours of bad dirt road to access, but I'll have to run up 15/84 to get there. May not be leaving till Sunday morning. Seriously, I'm interested to see how many people may be in this area. No ones ever heard of it, and it's never had any big draw.

[hutash]

i tell my wife 8 secs is good enough, but she insists on 2 mins so we'll have to take you up on the offer next time : p

They have pills for that now.

[abraham]

You really think it'll be that bad? I've got a spot picked out that is super remote central Idaho, at least two hours of bad dirt road to access, but I'll have to run up 15/84 to get there. May not be leaving till Sunday morning. Seriously, I'm interested to see how many people may be in this area. No ones ever heard of it, and it's never had any big draw.

Does it start with a _? Tossing around the idea of meeting friends around there

[The AD]

I have a feeling freeways will be fine. It's the two-lane highways that are going to--or at least have the potential to-- turn into parking lots.

[::: :::]

Guaranteed north south highways thru the zone will suck

[bobz]

Yeah, I'd expect interstates like 15 to move along fine, particularly if you don't drive up at the worst possible times. Those off-ramps onto certain other routes could get nasty though. My general guess is that if people wake up painfully early Monday to get the bulk of their driving done before most people, and head to places that are not among the most targeted places (and particularly where there are roads with wide parkable shoulders more or less continuously, see Google Street View; narrow roads with few turnouts are going to be a problem), you'll be okay. On the other hand, go to a place that's being called The Place To Go, at the most unimaginative time, and you'll get hosed.

[KQ]

Sun will be 97% obscured here in W2.

During one eclipse in the 70s I'd been over at a neighbor's house playing and when it was time for me to come home for lunch my mother called to warn me not to look at the sun. I think she must have told me 10 times "DO NOT LOOK UP AT THE SUN!" Totally freaked me out. I ran home staring at the ground afraid to look anywhere else. LOL!


Still a Glaring Problem: How a Solar Eclipse Can Fry Your Eyes
From chemical changes to thermal burns, a rundown on exactly what staring at the sun can do

Even the tiniest sliver of a crescent sun peeking out from behind the moon emits enough light to scorch your eyes, Ralph Chou, professor emeritus at the School of Optometry & Vision Science at the University of Waterloo in Canada, told Space.com. "I have seen instances where the patient has eventually shown up with crescents burned into the back of the eye, and you can almost tell exactly when they looked."

[bobz]

Yup, this is a short one (ahhh, Baja in '91 was seven otherworldly minutes; true story: during the eclipse, I shined a penlight on my analog Casio to see how much time was left, and the watch battery had died during totality). So get your binoculars view of the corona out of the way early, then put all that aside and wrap your arms around someone until that sliver of sun peeks out. Then look away and pop open a beer or something (you already had your fill of looking at the crescent sun through mylar before totality). Even with "eclipse glasses" or whatever you've got that's supposedly safe, it's probably not a great idea to gaze for long periods.

[Dantheman]

You really think it'll be that bad? I've got a spot picked out that is super remote central Idaho, at least two hours of bad dirt road to access, but I'll have to run up 15/84 to get there. May not be leaving till Sunday morning. Seriously, I'm interested to see how many people may be in this area. No ones ever heard of it, and it's never had any big draw.

It's definitely possible I'm being overly paranoid, but if the worst-case scenario pans out it could really suck. Priceline says there are only four hotels with vacancies in Idaho Falls that weekend and rates are outrageous, so anything in that vicinity is probably going to be full gong show. From where I am central WY is closer than central ID, though on further consideration I may be underestimating how many Denverites will head that way.

84 will probably be fine with an early departure, and if you're going that deep I assume you'll be coming back Tuesday which will probably be no problem. Any interest in having some hangers-on?


edit: If hotel room vacancies/rates are a good proxy for potential craziness, Boise doesn't look much better than IF

[gepmeow]

I'll be at the Moonshadow Festival. $400 gets you an all weekend RV dry camping spot and two admission tickets. We gonna arrive Friday and depart Monday after the craziness has thinned out to get back to Bend.

https://winedownranch.com/moonshadow-festival/

[KenJongIll]

I received my 3 pairs of "nice" eclipse glasses and a stack of 20 cheap paper kind. Plan to sell the cheapos for $20 a piece to the ill prepared.

[Supermoon]

^^ Thanks for the reminder! I got a filter for the camera, but didn't get my glasses yet

[::: :::]

not sure where you are, phildo, but i've got extra if you're not too far away
i bought a 10pk from amazon & we only have 3 peeps in my fam
dumb paper ones, but certified for the purpose

[Supermoon]

Oh man. Thanks for the offer! I was surprised to find a ton of them on Amazon and one click later I had a three pack coming my way about a minute after I posted that. Haha

[adrenalated]

I'm also headed to bumfuck central ID. Probably not quite as remote as ZZZ but arriving Thurs prior, so thinking we'll be able to find a campsite without too much hassle.

Normal sunglasses no good, I need the stupid special ones? JONG question

[abraham]

Absolutely. Even cheap cardboard ones are good enough but you need the strong glasses

[The AD]

Normal sunglasses no good, I need the stupid special ones? JONG question

Once totality begins you can view the sun with the naked eye, but before and after you need the special glasses--or a welding mask.

[KQ]

I'm also headed to bumfuck central ID. Probably not quite as remote as ZZZ but arriving Thurs prior, so thinking we'll be able to find a campsite without too much hassle.

Normal sunglasses no good, I need the stupid special ones? JONG question

Still a Glaring Problem: How a Solar Eclipse Can Fry Your Eyes

[Game Over]

Welders glass is far superior IMO. Perhaps just because it feel sturdy but I have no faith in the cardboard thin 3-d like glasses

[From_the_NEK]

Some good tips on how to view the eclipse.

https://www.exploratorium.edu/eclips...o-view-eclipse

Since my location in New England is only going to see 58% coverage of the sun, I think it might be fun to try something like the binocular projection rather than just staring at the sun through special cardboard glasses.

[KenJongIll]

From what I've read, Not all welders glasses will provide the protection you need.
I think they have to be the ones specifically made for arc welding.

[::: :::]

From what I've read, Not all welders glasses will provide the protection you need.
I think they have to be the ones specifically made for arc welding.

#14 welder's glass