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Author	Message Text
QueticoMike	08/18/2017 12:42PM   I wish I had a pair of those glasses to look at it. I made one of those box viewers in case I can't find any glasses.
mirth	08/17/2017 04:30PM   Thanks WW. I'm hoping StL stays in the sun.
MHS67	08/17/2017 08:06PM   I'll be in Portland Or. tomorrow. My daughter sent me a e mail that some gas stations are already running out of gas.
andym	08/17/2017 10:37PM   I saw a picture of traffic jams heading north from Salt Lake City, today. We didn't make plans because my wife was supposed to be out at sea on a research cruise. Then the ship's hull developed a crack and so she's home (really good not to be out in the north Pacific with a cracked hull!). So, we tried to make last minute plans and decided to bag it, celebrate our great-nephews birthday with him, and plan for 2024. The closest we came to a workable plan were flights to Salt Lake and then drive north to Idaho. We could find a room and flights but not a rental car. And I am wondering if the rental car companies are going to run out and leave people stranded. Also thought about just driving our own car to Oregon but am seriously worried about traffic. So very many people from California will heading that way. Update: traffic already bad in Oregon on Wednesday. 2024 baby. Totality will last about twice as long. And my wife pointed out that her sister has a camp on a lake in the path of totality for 2024. Gotta call dips on a room or space for a tent.
Jackfish	08/18/2017 08:19AM   quote OneMatch: "All the hotels, etc around here are actually charging "eclipse fees" to their rooms. " Jerry, do they have a two-night minimum? LOL
OneMatch	08/18/2017 09:02AM   Solar eclipse pet alert! A local police chief said to make sure your pets stay inside during the passage as they would have a tendency to look up and damage their retinas. Don't know if that is true,but makes sense. Current forecast in Nashville for totality is "mostly sunny, 10% chance of rain". Whoo Hooo!
overthehill	08/18/2017 09:01PM   A friend is driving from SW Ohio to Russleville,KY to check it out. The only one I have seen was a partial in SW Ohio around 1993 or 1994. I didn't know it was coming. Mid day it got noticeably darker and I remember thinking, "big thunderstorm? WTH? " It was cool
WhiteWolf	08/17/2017 02:16PM   I will update this as Monday gets closer. This is a basically a guess right now- but with recent rains/ and rather active weather in the area- things don't look good with all the potential "water" in the air. It will change-- hopefully for the better. Forecast is for 1pm Mon.
Zulu	08/17/2017 02:42PM   Thanks WW. If that forecast holds the State of Wyoming may be the place to go.
OneMatch	08/15/2017 09:50PM   Zulu, I just looked at a map of the totality and South Dakota won't be in that path. You'll probably get about 75% or, but not a totality. Our house is supposed to get 2 minutes and 5 seconds of totality here in Nashville. We're setting up lawn chairs and a grill for burgers right in our front yard. Got plenty of certified elclipse glasses. Hoping for clear skies.
WhiteWolf	08/16/2017 04:26AM   quote Zulu: "WhiteWolf - When do you think weather forecasters can tell with great accuracy what areas will almost certainly be clear for the eclipse? Saturday night, Sunday night? Thanks." With great accuracy? Ha!! Clouds are probably the hardest thing to forecast (even high Cirrus will affect things) especially areas well E of Rockies and areas that have seen recent rainfall. Sat night will be a good guess for Monday. I was recently in WY where it's climatology is supposed to have the best chance of clear skies and it was cloudy/rainy more then normal. It will likely come down to Mon AM with satellite data as which areas look promising. I will post outlooks as we get closer. From local NWS in Des Moines this Am--- Focus then shift towards Monday and expected weather during the upcoming eclipse. Both GFS and Euro 00Z runs have Iowa on southern edge of stronger westerlies with a surface boundary just north of the state. This will be the main focus in the Midwest for precipitation holding the bulk of precipitation north of the state during the day. Given the changeable solutions over the past few runs, this is in no way certain and will continue to look for consistency. However, with both models coming closer with their respective solutions, confidence will grow that the threat of precipitation will be low for much of the day and sky conditions decent for eclipse viewing. It appears the best threat for precipitation will be Monday night into Tuesday as the front drops through the state. Will continue to monitor closely.
ozarkpaddler	08/16/2017 09:14AM   Looks like "Partly cloudy" for us? Will be interesting to see what happens here in the country when we get the two minutes of complete darkness in early afternoon?
Zulu	08/15/2017 10:30PM   quote OneMatch: "Zulu, I just looked at a map of the totality and South Dakota won't be in that path. You'll probably get about 75% or, but not a totality. Our house is supposed to get 2 minutes and 5 seconds of totality here in Nashville. We're setting up lawn chairs and a grill for burgers right in our front yard. Got plenty of certified elclipse glasses. Hoping for clear skies." Jerry Thanks for the offer! I am planning on South Dakota for Saturday night only and then deciding where to go from there whether Casper WY or Alliance NE for 100% totality and clear skies. Will be waiting to find out where the best chance for clear skies are. If it turns out Nashville is the place I'm there and love burgers! Lower Broadway is going to be crazy! Otherwise I am thinking about hiking the Georgia section of the Appalachian Trail in late October or checking out Florida so I will be in your neighborhood sometime. It would be great to see you and your wife again!
Zulu	08/15/2017 10:43PM   WhiteWolf - When do you think weather forecasters can tell with great accuracy what areas will almost certainly be clear for the eclipse? Saturday night, Sunday night? Thanks.
bottomtothetap	01/23/2017 09:27PM   quote ZaraSp00k: "quote Thwarted: "What's the big deal? We haven't seen the sun in West Michigan for a couple of weeks." my thoughts exactly, I saw the one in 79, unimpressed I forget what comet it was, but around 1970 give or take a few years, now that was cool although I was expecting to see it moving like an asteroid" Kohoutek?
WhiteWolf	01/24/2017 11:33AM   My prediction is clouds for most of the total eclipse area ,,especially around the Midwest. This is due to my belief in the elasticity of demand for hotel rooms and others things being totally out of whack. :O).... JK of course, but why people would bet a lot of money on something months out that can be ruined in matter of hours--- that baffles me. And I'am a weather guy. Good Luck. It's my sons 12th birthday and we are camping out in an undisclosed location along the path of totality where I forecast no clouds....
OneMatch	01/24/2017 03:34PM   quote Kendra: "quote OneMatch: "quote Zulu: "The cities in the path of Totality really have a great opportunity to showscase themselves and get some business. I hope the skies are clear across the whole path for viewers. The Lower Broadway section of Nashville would be a fun place to be to experience a party atmosphere and neon lights in the midday darkness. I wonder if the music will stop during the two minutes of totality. This could inspire a songwriter to come up with something like......"That's the day the lights went on in Nashville"." Oh no, Zulu. I don't need any more ideas!!! All the hotels, etc around here are actually charging "eclipse fees" to their rooms. Since we're in the middle of it all as well, I have a vacant lot y'all can come down and camp in! Jerry" Nashville Wingnight! " C'mon!
bhouse46	01/24/2017 01:43PM   Lucky enough to have family living in Grand Island and the party has been in the planning for over a year. And weather can be a bummer. I recall seeing a lunar eclipse just get underway up in the BWCA and rain started washing out the show. Lets hope for clear skies.
ZaraSp00k	01/24/2017 04:46PM   quote bottomtothetap: " Kohoutek?" nope, that one was a huge dissappointment the one I saw had a huge tail, I'm guessing Bennett Mar. 15–Apr. 10, 1970 Discovered in the far-southern sky, this comet moved northward and became a stunning object for the Northern Hemisphere, appearing well up in the predawn eastern sky. Exhibited extraordinary spiraling jets of bright material being ejected from the nucleus as well as two tails, the longest spanning 20°.
Zulu	08/24/2017 10:35AM   Yes the whole experience was great. I really like the interaction with people from all over the country and world too. There was a large Dutch group near us called Eclipsreis.com (Eclipse Journey) that attends every eclipse within reason. The area of Mud Lake Idaho we were in was very rural. The town consisted of a Grocery Store, Fairgrounds and Convenience Store. The people from Idaho were very welcoming to the throngs and appreciative that we came all the way from Minnesota to be there. They were relaxed and acted as if an event like this happened everyday. The local farmer didn't worry about getting sued if I stood on his irrigation dike for a better view of the horizon. Because of the crowds the smell inside the small Convenience Store made me suspect that the septic system was at capacity. The women cashier didn't seem concerned at all. I bought a donut and ice and she wished me well. Idaho was a last minute destination for me but I enjoyed it and want to go back and get into the mountains someday. I'm looking forward to the April 8, 2024 Eclipse that crosses the U.S. from Maine to Texas. There is a place near the Totality path called Del Rio Texas that has camping. But like this last one we may have to be ready to go without a plan and camp wherever the clouds aren't.
Bearpaulsen	08/24/2017 12:29PM   Now I know why we saw so many MN plates around Lusk, most MN parties probably defaulted there from Nebraska and Missouri. My wife, my sister, a friend and me made a late decision to go. Left Twin cities at 5pm Sunday, threw pads and bags on the ground for 5 hours outside Wall, SD, and got home at 2:30am Tuesday. We headed to the monument to Mother Featherlegs. It seemed fitting to watch the eclipse from the only monument to a prostitute in the US, and especially to watch the sun disappear and reappear at a cemetery. The corona, darkness and 360 sunset were amazing, the monument and cemetery not so much. Best way to say it though, is we drove for almost 24 hours, and that 2+ minutes was completely worth it.
Minnesotian	08/24/2017 03:28PM   My buddy and I left Monday morning at 4:30 am. We got to Pony Express Lake Conservation Area just outside of St. Joseph, MO at 10:30 am. It was cloudy and rainy and after an hour and consulting some traffic cameras in Kansas City, we packed up and headed south. The traffic camera's showed shadows from clear skies on the ground. After some crazy backcountry driving, we found blue skies 10 min before totality. And I can safely say that all that driving and scurrying around, leaving at 4:30 in the morning, and having to deal with The Great American Traffic Jam and the way back... was so extremely worth it. It was easily on the short list of amazing sites and expireces in my life. If any of you ever have the chance to see a total eclipse, do not hesitate, plan for it and do it. Here is a picture my friend was able to get:
mirth	08/15/2017 12:35PM   quote WhiteWolf: "Some facts on the upcoming solar eclipse.. Did you know that our sun/moon is one of kind in all the known celestial heavens when it comes to planet/satellite relationships? Our moon is on avg 240,000 +/- miles away from the earth while the sun is on avg 93 +/- million miles away. This same ratio is also seen in the ratio of the radius of the moon (1080miles) and the sun (432,000miles)- roughly 395:1. Thus the sun and moon are the same apparent size in the sky, more accurately then most think, (since most don't look at the sun) which makes a total solar eclipse possible while still illuminating the sun's Corona. Pretty cool--" That's a neat fact! We're all set for St. Louis. Right now the forecast looks favorable so hopefully we can enjoy it from the KOA. If the forecast calls for cloudy skies we'll also travel but IDK how far folks will want to go.
Zulu	08/15/2017 12:48PM   I didn't know that the corona looks like fine hairs radiating out when the sun is blocked. It looks like a sunflower to me. It will be amazing to see something so familiar become so strange looking if the clouds stay out of my coffee. (Photo by NASA)
Thwarted	01/20/2017 03:40PM   What's the big deal? We haven't seen the sun in West Michigan for a couple of weeks.
bottomtothetap	01/20/2017 05:04PM   quote LindenTree3: "I saw a full solar eclipse around 1992 in Bemidji, you need a welding lens or something similar to look at it." The last total solar eclipse to cross MN was in 1954 and Minneapolis was in the path. In a number of years since then, a partial solar eclipse was visible from Bemidji, MN including the years 1989, 1991, 1994 and 1995.
mirth	01/23/2017 11:11AM   I ended up booking the KOA South St. Louis. They still have a fair bit of tent camping sites available for that weekend. If you wanna come hang out with me & my friends just put you're a part of my group in the comments when booking. Plan is to arrive on Saturday and depart Monday after the eclipse. On Sunday several of us will be going to six flags, which is on the other side of the interstate from the KOA.
Kendra	01/21/2017 08:42PM   quote OneMatch: "quote Zulu: "The cities in the path of Totality really have a great opportunity to showscase themselves and get some business. I hope the skies are clear across the whole path for viewers. The Lower Broadway section of Nashville would be a fun place to be to experience a party atmosphere and neon lights in the midday darkness. I wonder if the music will stop during the two minutes of totality. This could inspire a songwriter to come up with something like......"That's the day the lights went on in Nashville"." Oh no, Zulu. I don't need any more ideas!!! All the hotels, etc around here are actually charging "eclipse fees" to their rooms. Since we're in the middle of it all as well, I have a vacant lot y'all can come down and camp in! Jerry" Nashville Wingnight!
WhiteWolf	08/15/2017 11:27AM   Some facts on the upcoming solar eclipse.. Did you know that our sun/moon is one of kind in all the known celestial heavens when it comes to planet/satellite relationships? Our moon is on avg 240,000 +/- miles away from the earth while the sun is on avg 93 +/- million miles away. This same ratio is also seen in the ratio of the radius of the moon (1080miles) and the sun (432,000miles)- roughly 395:1. Thus the sun and moon are the same apparent size in the sky, more accurately then most think, (since most don't look at the sun) which makes a total solar eclipse possible while still illuminating the sun's Corona. Pretty cool--
awbrown	01/18/2017 12:24PM   If you plan on camping or motelling anywhere along the path of "totality" better make reservations now. Things are filling up fast.
Zulu	01/18/2017 10:19AM   2017 Eclipse information There's a good opportunity to see a total eclipse of the sun on August 21st this year. I hope to see it. It will require at least a days drive from the Twin Cities for me. I may have to wait until a few days before to see what location will have the best chance for clear skies. Southern Illinois is close with a long totality but out west could have a better chance of being clear. Also a more barren and dry landscape out west could be a better backdrop. It would amazing to see cows get fooled and head for the barn midday. Does anyone live in the path of totality? This is most likely the only opportunity I will get to see totality and the diamond halo. I don't think I will make it to the future ones in Siberia or central Borneo. I saw the eclipse in 1979 on lunch break from work but it just looked like the sun was behind a dark cloud or something and it didn't get that dark. It's all about totality and length. Lathrop, MO appears the closest location with totality and long duration to me.
mirth	01/18/2017 12:02PM   I'm trying to organize a group campout for friends and family. It'll require a minimum 6 hour drive from where we all live, so not sure how many I'll eventually end up with. Hopefully there'll be a high pressure system parked overhead that day. Also, North America gets another full eclipse in April 2024. This time going from Mexico City towards Canada via Indiana & Michigan.
Zulu	01/18/2017 12:38PM   I would like to make plans now to camp but I really want to make sure it's clear where I go. When the time comes I hope to be able to consult with BWCA.com chief weatherman WhiteWolf to direct me. I will probably end up stealth camping in my vehicle at Wal-Mart. I hope it's not too hot out.
bottomtothetap	01/18/2017 05:21PM   Have experienced a number of partial eclipses but never a total and am very excited for this one. We are planning for it to be a family trip for a couple of nights in Nebraska. This is about the closest point of totality to our home in MN and will allow us to meet up with our son in Sioux Falls, SD as he comes down to join us from Fargo, ND. We will be in the path where we should get over 2 minutes of totality. Have booked rooms in Lincoln, NE and Grand Island NE (can cancel one or the other up to two days before our reservation) and figured we'd shoot for the area where the weather forecast is most promising. Also figured highways in the area will allow us to move east or west as needed to avoid clouds as best we can. It's true: rooms are filling up. I booked mine before Thanksgiving and the choices were already becoming limited.
BlueSkiesWI	01/19/2017 05:04PM   I've got a buddy I worked with this summer living in KC, I think I'll have to make plans to stay with him and drive out of town a little bit!
LindenTree3	01/19/2017 05:40PM   I saw a full solar eclipse around 1992 in Bemidji, you need a welding lens or something similar to look at it.
DougD	01/19/2017 07:39PM   I live in Owensville MO, a town of 2600 that is directly in the path. All of the available rooms in the surrounding area have been booked up for several months. We are planning for a large crowd and trying to make arrangements to house/bunk more people by allowing extra camping in parks, places to park RV's, working with the City Government to allow rental of rooms in homes etc. We are also trying to provide other items of entertainment the day prior. Arrangements are also being made to shut down all of the dusk till dawn lights so that our visitors will have a quality experience. I think this preparation is typical for all of the towns directly in the path. I have 10,000 pairs of viewing glasses stored in my business for the Chamber of Commerce. We already have one large group from Germany that has committed to staying in our town for the event. I suggest you pick a town and make arrangements quickly.
bwcadan	01/19/2017 09:16PM   Owensville is about an hour from where I live in St. Louis area. We are in line for the full display and things are heating up if you are coming to this area for the event. book soon. this event is traveling NW to SE.
Sjlubner	01/19/2017 11:49PM   I feel fortunate that I live in a town directly in the path of the solar eclipse, (Western Wyoming). It will be extremely busy during that time though. For a town of about 10,000, local officials are predicting 40,000+ visitors during that time. All hotels are already booked during that time requiring 5 day minimums at double or triple regular rates. Let's just hope its not cloudy!
arctic	01/19/2017 07:30PM   I'll be somewhere along the path of totality from Nebraska to Idaho on the day of the eclipse.
24kGold	01/20/2017 06:10AM   I live in Northwest Arkansas and will drive into Missouri to see it. I'll be on a bicycle trail that traverses most of Missouri east/west called, The Katy Trail, along with a few other people in my group. However I'm sure the bike trail will be packed that day but it will be awesome to be out on a rural bike route next to the Missouri River when the eclipse occurs. We should be somewhere just west of Jefferson City. I've never seen a total eclipse so I'm really excited. Terry
JimmyJustice	01/20/2017 08:52AM   quote Zulu: " 2017 Eclipse information There's a good opportunity to see a total eclipse of the sun on August 21st this year. I hope to see it. It will require at least a days drive from the Twin Cities for me. I may have to wait until a few days before to see what location will have the best chance for clear skies. Southern Illinois is close with a long totality but out west could have a better chance of being clear. Also a more barren and dry landscape out west could be a better backdrop. It would amazing to see cows get fooled and head for the barn midday. Does anyone live in the path of totality? This is most likely the only opportunity I will get to see totality and the diamond halo. I don't think I will make it to the future ones in Siberia or central Borneo. I saw the eclipse in 1979 on lunch break from work but it just looked like the sun was behind a dark cloud or something and it didn't get that dark. It's all about totality and length. Lathrop, MO appears the closest location with totality and long duration to me." Thanks for the info. Making plans to head to St. Louis to visit friends as a result. I remember skipping school for the 79 eclipse. Stared at the sun through film negatives. My sister got the welding helmet.
Zulu	01/20/2017 09:35AM   The cities in the path of Totality really have a great opportunity to showscase themselves and get some business. I hope the skies are clear across the whole path for viewers. The Lower Broadway section of Nashville would be a fun place to be to experience a party atmosphere and neon lights in the midday darkness. I wonder if the music will stop during the two minutes of totality. This could inspire a songwriter to come up with something like......"That's the day the lights went on in Nashville".
bwcadan	01/20/2017 10:23AM   I like the transition from Georgia to Nashville: Nicely done and the reason for lights out is a vast improvement too.
OneMatch	01/20/2017 11:34AM   quote Zulu: "The cities in the path of Totality really have a great opportunity to showscase themselves and get some business. I hope the skies are clear across the whole path for viewers. The Lower Broadway section of Nashville would be a fun place to be to experience a party atmosphere and neon lights in the midday darkness. I wonder if the music will stop during the two minutes of totality. This could inspire a songwriter to come up with something like......"That's the day the lights went on in Nashville"." Oh no, Zulu. I don't need any more ideas!!! All the hotels, etc around here are actually charging "eclipse fees" to their rooms. Since we're in the middle of it all as well, I have a vacant lot y'all can come down and camp in! Jerry
Grandma L	01/20/2017 11:54AM   Jerry - Careful what you offer - some of us just might take you up on that opportunity.
caribouluvr	01/20/2017 12:36PM   We're timing the family trip out West so that we pass through Nebraska for the eclipse on the way back. Booked a room in Grand Island. I wonder if I-80 will experience big traffic jams that day? I suppose that if there are iffy clouds along that stretch, it could get dicey if people are moving to catch good conditions. Hoping it'll be on the favorable side of the "75% chance of clear skies" they cite. It'll be interesting to see just how big of a buzz this gets as we get closer. It could end up being the biggest event of the 21st century thus far. Just look at how nuts people get over the Ice Caves in the Apostle Islands.
ZaraSp00k	01/23/2017 05:59PM   quote Thwarted: "What's the big deal? We haven't seen the sun in West Michigan for a couple of weeks." my thoughts exactly, I saw the one in 79, unimpressed I forget what comet it was, but around 1970 give or take a few years, now that was cool although I was expecting to see it moving like an asteroid
Kobykat	08/24/2017 08:43AM   quote Kalvan: "Took the family to the Black Hills for camping the week before and then ended up in Lusk, WY for totality. I have no words to describe it. If you've never seen it, make all possible effort to do so next time. Most amazing thing I've ever experienced. Now I get to go to the BWCA tomorrow for a vacation from my vacation!" we ended up driving all night to get about 3 miles south of lusk, by jay em. Wasn't it neat how you could just park on the side of the road? it was a whole morning of tailgating and walking around talking to people from all over the country. The whole experience was just as good as the eclipse in my opinion. Good times with an added benefit of going to Wyoming to get the hunting juices flowing for next month!
crumpman	08/24/2017 10:53AM   Our trip to SW Kentucky went really well. Traffic was not that big a deal. There were a lot of fellow Buckeyes on the road, along with other. We kept track of license plates and counted 28 states, 3 from Maine. We went to Millersburg, KY and watched from a community college parking lot. The was a guy who used to be with NASA and a couple of telescopes. The NASA guy talked us through what was happening. Without him, I might no have removed my eclipse shades during totality. It was an amazing show and well worth my short drive. This was taken without a filter on my camera. The sky was not that dark.
kona	08/22/2017 10:38PM   I was in the BWCA on Horseshoe and Vista Lakes. It was mostly cloudy but the clouds were thin enough to look through my sunglasses and see the passing moon and residual solar crescent. Generally it was just darker, felt like cloudiness during the crepuscular hours. Vista Lake was more of a highlight for my day than the eclipse but I'm glad so many had good experiences.
drrick	08/22/2017 10:20AM   Here in Columbia South Carolina we had just over a minute and a half of total eclipse. Just curious but did anybody see the moon either side of the Sun that anytime pre or post eclipse?
andym	08/22/2017 01:27PM   Yes, solar eclipses happen at a new moon and during the day. So you can't see the moon. Even any slight light reflected of the Earth and onto the moon and back to Earth will be completely drowned out by the direct light from the sun.
Zulu	08/22/2017 02:19PM   Thanks everyone for sharing Eclipse stories and photos. Thanks WhiteWolf for all your reports and information! It was well worth the effort and expense. The experience was like no other. It's funny how the clouds played tricks with some people's view. I wish it would have been clear everywhere. I never thought they were a big deal because in 1979 it looked like a cloudy day. Then I saw a documentary on the 1991 Baja eclipse and vowed to see one. Where I was in Mud Lake Idaho a bus load of Europeans travel the world to see them and spend a fortune. I might be addicted to seeing total solar eclipses along with them! Hurry up 2024! The weather people by then should really be accurate predicting clouds!
Eyedocron	08/22/2017 02:35PM   Went down to southern Illinois yesterday for a 2 min totality. Astounding. Never again will I be happy seeing just a partial eclipse. Truly dark. Here's my photo.
QueticoMike	08/22/2017 05:44PM   Nice photo!
Kalvan	08/22/2017 09:30PM   Took the family to the Black Hills for camping the week before and then ended up in Lusk, WY for totality. I have no words to describe it. If you've never seen it, make all possible effort to do so next time. Most amazing thing I've ever experienced. Now I get to go to the BWCA tomorrow for a vacation from my vacation!
Savage Voyageur	08/21/2017 04:57PM   I had not planed on viewing it but I was out at the Mall of America and came out and saw this. The picture was taken through thick clouds. I just looked at it with my Maui Jim sunglasses. 5 min later it was raining out. Sorry the picture is sideways.
bwcadan	08/21/2017 08:53PM   GREAT VIEWING IN ST. LOUIS AREA JUST SOUTH OF THE OFFICIAL 99.9% FOR THE CITY.
Zulu	08/21/2017 08:20AM   I hope everyone has a nice eclipse day. Because of a troublesome weather report for Nebraska I changed plans at the last minute and went to Idaho. I'm camped at the Rodeo grounds in Mud Lake Idaho. We are on the centerline of the path and expect 2:17 of totality. The ski is clear and the sun just rose after a chilly 44 degree night in the tent. If the clouds can just stay away for a few more hours I will be happy. The campsite was a $50 donation to Cancer fund for county. It's shady and has running water. I'm living in my own private Idaho until the sun catches up to the moon.
nctry	08/21/2017 09:36AM   Me? I'm going to cut grass. Have a good time Pat.
WhiteWolf	08/21/2017 10:26AM   Was going to venture down to Cameron,MO for a chance of totality , but I think better odds of seeing 95% or so here in the DSM area. Pat-- here is a link to a satellite for the W and ID. West Visbile SAT Central PLains SAT wide view of #2 Good Luck Eclipse hunting!!!!
Pinetree	08/21/2017 11:08AM   Well it looks like rain in Brainerd-Mille lacs area during eclipse.
BnD	08/21/2017 12:11PM   Eclipse MANIA here in southern Illinois. I just don't get the fuss. Businesses closing, workers taking vacation, travel advisories, etc...... Another Monday for me. Should be dark in about 45 minutes. Oh yeah, crazier that reality its really overcast here as well. Darn it, maybe next century for sure. Back to work.
Zulu	08/21/2017 01:01PM   We had perfect conditions. It was an amazing 4 minutes. Two minutes before totality it looked like a normal day with maybe a few high clouds. Nothing abnormal. At one minute the light looked creepy. At 30 seconds all around the horizon it looked very dark like a thunderstorm was coming and the sun was kind of out. At 15 seconds the light was unreal and I looked at the sun to see a perfect diamond ring! Then Boom. It instantly went dark and you could look at a black hole where the sun had been. The corona was a three prong and pulsing. There was an orange ring of beads on a third of the sun. The orange Belt of Venus went 360 around the horizon and was intense. I could see a planet or two. Someone hollered "I can see Uranus" and I wondered why anyone would be in the restroom during totality. It got cold. No bird noise. You just felt wierd and fortunate to see it. Just stared at the thing until the ring reappeared! Well worth the drive. Afterwards awe. Pack up and drive 1300 miles home and get ready for 2024 and 2044.
scat	08/21/2017 01:16PM   Too cloudy in N. Illinois I caught a buzz for this?
JimmyJustice	08/21/2017 01:20PM   Too cloudy here in Lakeville. Crap...
KPow	08/21/2017 01:54PM   We had around 2 minutes of totality near Hopkinsville, KY, and it was arguably one of the most amazing things I've ever seen! Well worth the drive and traffic!
WhiteWolf	08/21/2017 02:08PM   Clouds here in IA helped photograph it ,, and it did get dusk like dark at 1:08pm. Very cool. Light was surreal under canopy of trees etc. Uncanny precision for something like this to happen anywhere on Earth, nonetheless in your front yard on your son's 12th B-day!!!
WhiteWolf	08/22/2017 07:28AM   I was watching the visible satellite loop yday for obvious reasons I then noticed the loop getting "dark" in areas like it does around sunset and then it dawned on me that this was the result of the eclipse! Duh. I really didn't think about the effects it would have on the cloud pics. The following pics show the "white" ball of darkness (totality) caused by the shadow of the moon. If you look close you can also see a wider swath of near darkness and less definition of the clouds as the eclipse moves across the Lower 48....
OneMatch	08/22/2017 08:42AM   Zulu, sounds like you had the absolute perfect experience. So glad! I got to see 1:13 minute of totality before a local cloud got in the way here in Nashville. Other parts of the city were clear and everyone was in awe. For those of you who say "what's the big deal? I don't get it." I can only say, I don't get your thinking. A rare astronomical event that brings out the awe and wonder in you like you used to experience when you were a child seeing your first butterfly or frog or catch your first fish -- or paddle your first canoe. If you're around in 2024, don't miss it! Seriously.
mirth	08/22/2017 12:20PM   We stayed put at the Route 66 KOA by Six Flags St. Louis. 2:15 of totality. Was looking Sunday night that we were going to need to move, but woke up Monday and decided the possibility of high clouds and tstorm chances picking up after 1PM was worth gambling to stay put for the facilities. Worked out marvelously. I think there were only a couple thicker clouds which obstructed viewing during the early phases. Totality was clear and perfect. A neighbor had a 8" diameter reflecting telescope with solar film. That was really cool too, saw some sunspots. He sent a buddy some photos he took along with a video, waiting for my buddy to forward those. Here's some shots I took with my phone, the closeups were thru the telescope's aperture. Tried to get a time lapse with the gopro but probably would have been better doing a time lapse of shadows projecting the eclipse on the ground.
mirth	08/22/2017 12:33PM   quote drrick: "Here in Columbia South Carolina we had just over a minute and a half of total eclipse. Just curious but did anybody see the moon either side of the Sun that anytime pre or post eclipse?" I believe an eclipse can only happen with the new moon.... so it's not visible to us. Is this right?
KPow	08/21/2017 09:18AM   We live in Cincy and just stopped at the Welcome Center in northern KY to get a paper map of the state. I've NEVER seen such congestion and chaos at a rest stop in my life! We're hoping to get to Hopkinsville, but not sure we'll get quite that far. Traffic isn't too bad yet.
QueticoMike	08/22/2017 09:58AM   2024 will be great for people who live in my area. About 20 miles north of here they say 3 minutes of total eclipse.
QueticoMike	08/22/2017 10:00AM   quote WhiteWolf: "I was watching the visible satellite loop yday for obvious reasons I then noticed the loop getting "dark" in areas like it does around sunset and then it dawned on me that this was the result of the eclipse! Duh. I really didn't think about the effects it would have on the cloud pics. The following pics show the "white" ball of darkness (totality) caused by the shadow of the moon. If you look close you can also see a wider swath of near darkness and less definition of the clouds as the eclipse moves across the Lower 48.... " That's pretty cool....
andym	08/17/2017 10:37PM   I saw a picture of traffic jams heading north from Salt Lake City, today. We didn't make plans because my wife was supposed to be out at sea on a research cruise. Then the ships hull developed a crack and so she's home (really good not to be out in the north Pacific with a cracked hull!). So, we tried to make last minute plans and decided to bag it, celebrate our great-nephews birthday with him, and plan for 2024. The closest we came to a workable plan were flights to Salt Lake and then drive north to Idaho. We could find a room and flights but not a rental car. And I am wondering if the rental car companies are going to run out and leave people stranded. Also thought about just driving our own car to Oregon but am seriously worried about traffic. So very many people from California will heading that way. 2024 baby. Totality will last about twice as long.
crumpman	08/18/2017 06:39PM   We plan to go to my mother-in-law's in Louisville, KY and get up early Monday and head towards SW Kentucky. Hopefully the traffic will be OK, ordinarily it's about a 2.5 hour drive.
andym	08/19/2017 12:06AM   quote crumpman: "We plan to go to my mother-in-law's in Louisville, KY and get up early Monday and head towards SW Kentucky. Hopefully the traffic will be OK, ordinarily it's about a 2.5 hour drive." I would think about going Sunday.
Zulu	08/17/2017 08:55PM   We are carrying 12 extra gallons of gasoline and filling up often. Also cell phone coverage may be affected as everyone in the totality zones live streams the experience. HAM Radio operators may have to relay any emergency messages. We have 15 gallons of drinking water and non perishable food too just in case it turns into an apocalypse. I'm hoping that western Nebraska has a forecast for clear skies that day. I don't want to travel west into Casper or Western Wyoming or on into Oregon if I don't have too. Denver is predicting Category 5 traffic jams as possibly a million people head north on I-25 to Casper early Monday morning. If nothing else it will be an interesting quest. Good practice for the eclipses in 2024 and 2044.
WhiteWolf	08/18/2017 07:15AM   At this time it looks like cloud cover will be most problematic over northern and eastern Iowa where showers and thunderstorms are more likely. Less cloud coverage and lower precipitation chances are forecast further west in the state which is more favorable for eclipse viewing. It is important to remember that the eclipse is still several days away and that cloud cover projections may change as the forecast evolves through the weekend. not updated for this AM-- but still trending this way-- The numbers on the map are the percentage of cloud cover forecasted by the NWS for August 21st between 1 PM and 7 PM. There is no real change in the NWS cloud cover forecast over the last couple of days for August 21st. Once again this is a 6 hour cloud grid that extends from 1 PM to 7 PM CDT, thus most of the cumulus cloud cover may not develop until after 3 PM CDT. There may be some mid and low level cloud cover across northeast Kansas, western MO and southern Nebraska during the morning hours but this cloud cover may dissipate enough for at least partly cloudy skies during the late morning and early afternoon hours. Once again this forecast will mostly likely change as we approach August 21st. Stay tuned to the latest NWS cloud cover forecasts.
Zulu	08/18/2017 07:46AM   Thanks WW. I think the Sunday evening cloud forecast may be the one that many people will decide on their veiwing location from. I think it will be too late to move on Monday morning in most locations because of heavy traffic.
	08/14/2017 11:39AM   quote Zulu: "The eclipse starts in one week. I am getting excited about the trip to see it. Last month I ordered my eclipse glasses that were supposably ISO certified so I wouldn't wreck my eyes. A few days after receiving them I got an alert from Amazon not to use them because they were counterfeit and manufactured somewhere in the former Soviet Union. I got new ones endorsed by NASA and made in the good old Peoples Republic of China. I'm mostly interested in looking at the sun during totality, and will only need the glasses to look at the progress and the beginning and ending diamond ring effect. I will also be looking at the stars and light on the horizon. Prior to eclipse glasses Sir Issac Newton supposably used just one eye to view eclipses and could only see red and blue after that. I'm going to be positioned in Badlands National Park on Saturday night waiting for a weather forecast. I am hoping for clear skies across the country. If the odds of clear skies hold true I will be camping in Alliance Nebraska. The town has plenty of room. If not an all night drive on congested freeways to clear skies may happen. I am prepared with lots of food, water, cans of gasoline and a porta-potty in case of massive crowds and mayhem. I hope everyone who wants to will be able to see one of the most spectacular sights in nature!" Have our "eclipse" trip planed also, although we live in the path of totality, we are headed to a place where we can enjoy "one of the most spectacular sights in nature" for a full week,,, leaving for the Bdub on Friday.
TrekScouter	08/14/2017 02:15PM   Arnold Missouri for me. We're staying with relatives. I hope traffic on the way home isn't too bad on Monday.
Zulu	08/14/2017 10:18AM   The eclipse starts in one week. I am getting excited about the trip to see it. Last month I ordered my eclipse glasses that were supposably ISO certified so I wouldn't wreck my eyes. A few days after receiving them I got an alert from Amazon not to use them because they were counterfeit and manufactured somewhere in the former Soviet Union. I got new ones endorsed by NASA and made in the good old Peoples Republic of China. I'm mostly interested in looking at the sun during totality, and will only need the glasses to look at the progress and the beginning and ending diamond ring effect. I will also be looking at the stars and light on the horizon. Prior to eclipse glasses Sir Issac Newton supposably used just one eye to view eclipses and could only see red and blue after that. I'm going to be positioned in Badlands National Park on Saturday night waiting for a weather forecast. I am hoping for clear skies across the country. If the odds of clear skies hold true I will be camping in Alliance Nebraska. The town has plenty of room. If not an all night drive on congested freeways to clear skies may happen. I am prepared with lots of food, water, cans of gasoline and a porta-potty in case of massive crowds and mayhem. I hope everyone who wants to will be able to see one of the most spectacular sights in nature!