Are you traveling to see the eclipse?

[bcla]

We're driving from Michigan to Yellowstone - booked a room in the Old Faithful Inn a year ago this May 1. Yellowstone won't experience totality - we were thinking of driving down to Grand Teton NP, which will, but it's supposed to be pretty crowded. So we've booked a viewing brunch in Jackson Hole, but we might have to leave to drive down at 5 in the morning or so! The Jackson Hole chamber of commerce said they just have no idea how many people to expect or how crowded the roads will be. Yellowstone should be pretty quiet that day, as a lot of people will probably head down to Grand Teton or thereabouts.

Again, your time might be a little bit optimistic (or not). However, if you're driving, even if you're stuck you'll probably be there when the eclipse reaches its totality. Have fun and be safe.

 

[Nornster]

I just mapped how long it would take to walk the route - 28 hours! So my backup plan of abandoning the car at the side of the road and walking the rest of the way probably won't work. Plan C might just have to be abandoning the car at the side of the road and watching from wherever we are - I hope we'll have driven far enough south to be in the path of totality. Maybe we'll leave at 4 am? As long as everyone keeps moving, even if it's slowly, I hope we'll make it down, but I guess just one fender-bender would be enough to gum up the works.

There's a whole page on NASA's website about how animals react during an eclipse. I guess they usually think it's night - the birds stop singing (except that owls start hooting).

 

[Nornster]

BCLA, just saw your second reply, we thought alike about just parking on the side of the road! We are hoping we'll make it to Dornan's Chuckwagon in Moose for their brunch, but we already bought our glasses, so side of the road will work for us, too.

 

[bcla]

BCLA, just saw your second reply, we thought alike about just parking on the side of the road! We are hoping we'll make it to Dornan's Chuckwagon in Moose for their brunch, but we already bought our glasses, so side of the road will work for us, too.

If you're stuck it might depend on where you get stuck. It might not be so great if you're stuck in an area where both sides of the road are hemmed in by trees. It's mostly meadows and scrub brush along US-191 though almost all the way to Moose and Jackson. You can use Google Maps and check street view to see what it's going to be like in a particular spot.

I'm kind of jealous. I haven't been there in over a decade. However, I do remember the majority of the roads should have a clear line of sight for the eclipse, although there are some spots where you're driving through a road cut through thick forests.

 

[disneyeveryyear]

We just went to Carbondale to watch our DS defend his thesis. As we drove around town he showed us a hotel that was being built specially for the eclipse. If they finish it before 8/21, I will be amazed. I believe they are fully booked. I am not sure what those people will do if the hotel isn't finished. The college (SIU-C) has already told students that their parking stickers will not be valid that day. Employees will be parking at Wal-Mart and bussed to campus.

Our son will have moved to Chicago area by then for his job.

 

[Liberty Belle]

We're camping about an hour away from Hopkinsville, Ky and will drive in early in the morning to try and avoid traffic. We only live about 3 hours away, but I know traffic is going to be rough and we decided to make a long weekend trip out of it.

 

[MaryLovesPoohBear]

My son has school, college. First day back. So he isn't going.

We are in the 90% coverage, so we are simply staying home.

 

[Wendy31]

Our area is in the 99% totality area, & all our county public schools just announced that will be closed on 8/21, citing safety concerns. I expect that many local private schools will follow.

We are planning to drive about an hour north for 100% totality, but I'm getting really worried about the traffic & being able to find a good viewing location. We won't be able to leave until 10:30 am.

 

[tnkr_bell]

I work at the local Community College and we will be in the path for 100% total eclipse. The school is having an eclipse party, so I will be at work. We are right on the edge though and will only have total eclipse for 30 seconds. My dh works in Jeff city and will have total eclipse for 2 1/2 minutes. He wants the kids to watch it with him, but they start school on the 16th. Not sure if I want them to miss a day of school so early in the year, but I also get how important this is. I wish they would just cancel school for the day, sounds like it's going to be a crazy traffic day anyway.

 

[StarGirl11]

Great the traffic aspect is starting to freak me out. I live about 3 hours south of the eclipse path and seeing a total has been on my bucket list since I was a kid. No way am I missing this. However it's a day trip and with the eclipse being at not quiet noon where I am. It's going to be a long day.

 

[bcla]

Great the traffic aspect is starting to freak me out. I live about 3 hours south of the eclipse path and seeing a total has been on my bucket list since I was a kid. No way am I missing this. However it's a day trip and with the eclipse being at not quiet noon where I am. It's going to be a long day.

Right now the issue with traffic is the great unknown. It could very well depend on the individual location. Many states are preparing for the possibility of absolute gridlock, especially considering how many people live within 100 miles of the totality and that the vast majority of areas will be rural. The traffic might not be as bad as predicted, but then again there might be absolute gridlock in certain areas.

The biggest governmental concern seems to be setting up port-a-potties.

 

[rastahomie]

Right now the issue with traffic is the great unknown. It could very well depend on the individual location. Many states are preparing for the possibility of absolute gridlock, especially considering how many people live within 100 miles of the totality and that the vast majority of areas will be rural. The traffic might not be as bad as predicted, but then again there might be absolute gridlock in certain areas.

The closest spot to me for 100% totality is about a 40-mile drive, to Sullivan (MO), where the path of totality crosses I-44. I imagine that that stretch of I-44 will be naught but a linear parking lot for a coupe of hours that day. I'm going the opposite direction, lol.

I am hoping against hope that people forget that Sainte Genevieve exists and that there's no one there that day except locals plus me and Mrs. Homie. I can hope, can't I?

 

[bcla]

The closest spot to me for 100% totality is about a 40-mile drive, to Sullivan (MO), where the path of totality crosses I-44. I imagine that that stretch of I-44 will be naught but a linear parking lot for a coupe of hours that day. I'm going the opposite direction, lol.

I've been stuck in horrendous traffic before. I remember years ago we went to San Francisco to see a fireworks show and it took us about 3 hours to move less than a half mile because there were so many people leaving at the same time. However, for the eclipse the big worry is that so many people will decide to travel on short notice where they'll end up where there's no place to park and will just stop in the road.

I rather think of when I went to see a golf tournament years ago - the 2000 US Open at Pebble Beach. I had arrived at the 18th hole grandstand seats with my father well before even the first group arrived. We could leave to go pee or buy a beer if someone stayed to save the seat. You just had to tell them that your seat was saved and point to it and whoever saved the seat had to wave back. However, by the end of the day there was a long line of people who had waited for hours and were getting frustrated because seats weren't becoming available. I remember hearing one guy complaining "We've been waiting here for 3 hours!" I think someone yelled back "You really think anyone is going to leave now?"

It's going to be a matter of millions of people crowding into a limited area with the same goal in mind and a wish to stay there until the event is over. Good luck and be safe. I've got my eclipse shades and will be watching from nearby.

 

[HelloTheDrakes]

Live in Nashville, plan to go to one of the rooftops of the bars downtown for a viewing party. Space and Drinks? Count me in!

 

[ImDMous]

I have two separate friends travelling to Portland OR to see it. I'm assuming they will drive from there to somewhere with 100% since it's not in the path. I also have friends who are going to Africa and are planning to be in the path for it, I think they'll be gone for a month so I don't think the trip is specific for the eclipse.

I would love to but I didn't think about it soon enough and we have vacation planned for Sept already so we'll miss this one.

 

[Kitty 34]

I saw the one on May 10, '94. It was pretty cool to watch with the appropriate equipment which for us and our 14, 7 and 5 year old sons was that special cardboard box.

 

[StarGirl11]

Now that I'm freaking out a bit less I'll probably end up taking some back country state highways to and from it. Not ideal and will probably add some time getting to the town, but I should be able to avoid most of where I think the worst of it will be on the main interstates. I get creative and maybe go through Laramie and Fort Collins instead of going straight on the I-25 and I might save time in the long run. Also might stick in the town I'm going to for a few hours to let the initial rush disperse.

 

[Flanigan]

The local schools have already decided to close due to an inclement weather event on that day. We are near totality here in Knoxville, but are travelling to the Nashville area to get about 2.5 minutes of totality.

 

[tarheelmjfan]

For all the eclipse viewers, what glasses did you buy? I've been looking at ebay, but our eyes aren't something I want to take a chance on. I'm afraid of buying something that may not protect us completely. These will be one time use, so I'd like to keep the price down, but I don't want to take a chance on buying the wrong thing. Suggestions?

 

[tarheelmjfan]

Sorry, I haven't read all the posts.

We booked a room in Columbia, SC & will be driving from the Miami area. Do you all think arriving on Sunday & leaving on Tueday will make the traffic bearable?