08/21/17 Total eclipse -- Time to get serious.

Although I've been getting excited about the 8/21/17 eclipse for eight years, ever since the July 22, 2009 total eclipse I viewed in China, I've yet to meet anyone with half my enthusiasm about it. I must say, on a forum with a lot of scientific and mathematically gifted people, I'm a little disappointed. I started to feel that nobody in this country really cared except me. Most people who I explain what is special about a total eclipse say, "What's the big deal? I've seen lots of them when I was in school. We all wore special glasses to see it." I then tried to explain the difference between a total eclipse and a partial eclipse but eyes would glaze over faster than when I speak to women about anything. Well, maybe not that fast.

With that attitude, I took my sweet time booking a hotel room. What a mistake! Every hotel room within 100 miles of Rexberg Idaho, where I planned to view it, it booked solid. It seems the softest spot in a very hard market is on Air B&B. You can camp out in people's yards for $200, get a single room in a house for $400. However, I have my eye on this one -- a four bedroom house in Brock Idadho for $957 including all taxes and fees. Brock is about 20 miles south of the optimal viewing point so it will shave only seconds from the totality time, compared to the optimal center line.

I've been saying since the inception of this site I'd like to have a WoV event to view the eclipse. I think this may be the time to put up or shut up. I'm looking for three or more people to pitch in on sharing that house. I plan to bring a telescope for the viewing and we can have a solid day of fellowship anticipating the big show.

Who is with me? Unless I get enough interest, I think I'll pay $200 to pitch a tent on somebody's lawn or stay somewhere in northern Utah, which you still can. I am looking for at least three solid people who will put up $250 for their own bedroom. What do you say?

For those of you back east, planning to see it more locally, my advice is BOOK NOW. It is only going to get worse later.



More information.

I'd been trying to gauge family opinion for at least two years on a trip to Oregon for the eclipse. Fortunately, one brother-in-law has family in Salem, which just happens to be along the path of the total eclipse, so that might have been the tipping point to confirm our trip.

So thankfully, we booked a house on the Oregon coast—west of Portland—Friday through Monday before the eclipse at the reasonable rate of $250/night, not including tax and cleaning fees. Rentals along the total eclipse zone on the Oregon coast are asking $600/night and up—with three night minimums. And it would be a "gamble" to be there because of possible morning fog. We're going to drive over to Salem early in the morning.

For fun, I also looked for hotels in Casper, Wyoming, which is also in the total eclipse zone—completely booked! Hotel rooms for the night following the eclipse were 94% booked when I checked.

So why is this better? You explained it to everyone else but us. Is it 1% better for twice the price like Verizon?

It might be cloudy and you'll have to drive across country somewhere with clear skies. Paying for a specific location might be a total waste. Plus your crew may not care and not let you chase it.

I've heard if you just keep saying "treat yo-self", people do what you say. Try that.

What's the difference between a normal eclipse and this super eclipse?

How different is the "viewing" of it from other places, say Las Vegas, compared to a location on the optimal line on on the picture?

What are your plans for getting there and back Wizard? I have started plans to catch it as part of a road trip with my wife and kids. What night is the rental?

Quote: RS

What's the difference between a normal eclipse and this super eclipse?

How different is the "viewing" of it from other places, say Las Vegas, compared to a location on the optimal line on on the picture?

Outside of the inner shaded area on the map, you will only see a partial eclipse as the Moon's shadow will not totally appear to cover the Sun. Rather, it may appear like a cookie with a bite taken out of it. The closer you are to the centerline of the shadow, the longer the "totality", or time that the Sun will be completely covered, will last.

Quote: Ayecarumba

the Moon's shadow will not ... cover the Sun

I got a chuckle out of this. I know you are too intelligent to think this is what happens, you must have not been paying attention to what you were writing.

Alas, Wizard, considered going to this for as long as you have been mentioning it, but I will not be able to join you.

Thanks for bringing this up-- I didn't know this was such a big event. My house is in the path of totality in NE, so I'll probably just watch it there. I see Alliance is also in the direct path: Carhenge

Quote: Ayecarumba

What are your plans for getting there and back Wizard? I have started plans to catch it as part of a road trip with my wife and kids. What night is the rental?

I will probably drive the full way from Vegas and maybe hit Glacier National Park afterward. Driving to Salt Lake and renting a car there is also an option.

Wizard, I agree that we should have made detailed plans a long time ago. Now, I'm not completely sure what I am going to do.

When it was all vague, my wife and I had a notion of going to the Idaho Falls area (based on your suggestion) for the eclipse and then making a tour of Yellowstone and Grand Teton. When I finally got around to checking into such a plan a month or two ago, I found that almost all of the park accommodations are already booked for the month, and what few rooms are available are $250 to $400 per night for the cheap ones. I can handle that for a night or two, but my friends who are most knowledgeable tell me that I will need to spend something like a week minimum in those parks, and that has led me to give up pretty much on the whole idea of going to Wyoming. I hadn't realized that the whole of eastern Idaho will be booked solid also.

By the way, that AirB&B house is not located in "Brock, Idadho" (or even Brock, Idaho) as you suggested. It apparently belongs to someone named Brock and is located in Rigby, Idaho.

I will talk to my wife about this later today. I haven't checked the details of the AirB&B ad -- is there a room suitable for a couple of geezers, and what contribution would you be looking for to cover such a shared bedroom?