Total Solar Eclipse (TSE) - August 21, 2017 (On Topic)

[wkmac]

Who's going?

We're headed to Tellico Plains Tenn. as we have a growing caravan of 4 4x4 rigs who will meet up with 2 other rigs in Tellico currently on a 2500 miles on road/off road Odyssey up the eastern seaboard with a final destination in Canada. Plan is to hit the area at or before 9 am and start back home about 3ish. According to our computer apps and GPS, we are near dead center the totality zone with an expected 2 minutes 40 seconds of totality.

 

[Operational needs]

https://www.browncafe.com/community/threads/august-21-2017.374382/

 

[Catatonic]

I'll be viewing from my cabin about 4 miles from centerline.
TSE time of 2 min 38 secs.
Lawn chair in place.

 

[wkmac]

I'll be viewing from my cabin about 4 miles from centerline.
TSE time of 2 min 38 secs.
Lawn chair in place.

That is about the same amount of time for us. I'm bringing welding shields with #14 lens to view through. I got some air mats and we're laying down to watch the whole thing.

 

[wkmac]

@Jackburton
Jump in if you like Jack.

 

[Brownslave688]

Who's going?

We're headed to Tellico Plains Tenn. as we have a growing caravan of 4 4x4 rigs who will meet up with 2 other rigs in Tellico currently on a 2500 miles on road/off road Odyssey up the eastern seaboard with a final destination in Canada. Plan is to hit the area at or before 9 am and start back home about 3ish. According to our computer apps and GPS, we are near dead center the totality zone with an expected 2 minutes 40 seconds of totality.

The greatest duration is under 5 miles from me. University of Illinois is holding their official viewing under a mile from me and NASA is holding its official viewing under 20 miles from me.

Hopefully I'll be busy raking in the cash from all of the people parking on my property.

 

[Catatonic]

@Jackburton
Jump in if you like Jack.

Jumpin' Jack!

 

[upschuck]

Schools are off here. Not close to total eclipse.

 

[oldngray]

The library is passing out free sunglasses for watchers that day. Not total here but is 90%

 

[Indecisi0n]

I'll have to put a 8 he request in on this day.

 

[Brownslave688]

I just got a phone call from a lady in Minnesota wanting to know about parking. That's a good 10+ hour drive from here. Freaking crazy.


Unfortunately I don't think my town is prepared at all. Went to a board meeting last night and they just don't see how this could possibly be bigger than our 4th of July celebration. SMDH

 

[oldngray]

I just got a phone call from a lady in Minnesota wanting to know about parking. That's a good 10+ hour drive from here. Freaking crazy.


Unfortunately I don't think my town is prepared at all. Went to a board meeting last night and they just don't see how this could possibly be bigger than our 4th of July celebration. SMDH

I expect people to just pull over and park beside the highway.

 

[silverbullet2893]

I just got a phone call from a lady in Minnesota wanting to know about parking. That's a good 10+ hour drive from here. Freaking crazy.


Unfortunately I don't think my town is prepared at all. Went to a board meeting last night and they just don't see how this could possibly be bigger than our 4th of July celebration. SMDH

They gave state workers the day off here with the option to come in

 

[Brownslave688]

I expect people to just pull over and park beside the highway.

Already been a statement released by state police telling people not to do that here. Emergency personnel won't be able to get anywhere.


Plus while totality may only be about 3 minutes the whole eclipse will be 2 hours or so.

 

[Duckwithapipboy]

Gov. Kate Brown here in Oregon pre-emptively called out the National Guard. Their facility is right next to ours and people have been regularly coming and going to report in. ODOT also has advised people to add about an hour and a half minimum to their travel time on the highways.

With how giddy some people are about all of this, I half expect to see a few police paddy cars dragging Californians back across the border.

 

[wkmac]

Already been a statement released by state police telling people not to do that here. Emergency personnel won't be able to get anywhere.


Plus while totality may only be about 3 minutes the whole eclipse will be 2 hours or so.

That will depend on where you are. In the more urban areas, yes but not so much in the rural areas. One of the reasons we are going into an isolated region of SE Tenn.

I suspect most people will pause in the 15 or 20 minute window around totality and then most will return to their normal day. Those who specifically have the day off for the event will linger longer, most of that on the front end but by the time the event is 75% complete, most everyone will move on.

I also expect most to overlook some of this around totality unless it is causing an obvio us problem. Where I live will be 97% totality and I've already talked with 2 cops who are on duty that day and if they can, they've got glasses and their own spots picked out to observe. I hope things truly are that quiet for them too.

 

[pickup]

I just got a phone call from a lady in Minnesota wanting to know about parking. That's a good 10+ hour drive from here. Freaking crazy.


Unfortunately I don't think my town is prepared at all. Went to a board meeting last night and they just don't see how this could possibly be bigger than our 4th of July celebration. SMDH

Yep, they're all wrong and you're right. See a pattern here?

 

[Catatonic]

Yep, they're all wrong and you're right. See a pattern here?

I do!
Farmer John is a ing genius!

 

[Brownslave688]

Yep, they're all wrong and you're right. See a pattern here?

We are town of 1,000 people how big do you think our 4th celebration is?

Give you a hint I've never been asked to park one person for that celebration.

In the last 3 days I've been asked to do interviews with 3 newspapers and NPR. While it may be a rural area (which you could argue is better for viewing such an event) the town is easily accessible.

Road Access will be at a premium on this day and you can get to my little town in under 5 minutes from 3 seperate exits off of two 4 lane interstates.

There's lots of arrows pointing to the fact that they are underprepared for this.

 

[badpal]

I can remember almost 25 or 30 years ago reading in a book or magazine about this eclipse, they had the date and path figured out already. Boggles my mind then and now. There are some pretty smart people in this world.