[hopfenundmalz]

Back in 1999 I saw the one that traversed Europe. I was working in Germany at the time. We lucked out and the clouds dissipated about 5 minutes before the diamond ring. It was one of the most awe inspiring and fantastic natural phenomena I have seen. Traffic afterwards was a nightmare.

So we can't miss another. My wife decided we should go to eastern Wyoming, high plains, low precipitation. We will meet friends from CO in Cheyenne. Drive up to a ranch that has a field set aside for 300. It is off the interstates, so hopefully the secondary roads will not be a problem. We are going to relax afterwards, and visit. Once traffic has thinned, we can drive back to Cheyenne for the night.

   I read an article today that said WyDOT and the HyPo's think the State's population could double over the event, Casper's population could triple. My house is less than 15 miles from centerline of the totality, so if traffic is crazy I don't really need to go anywhere to watch it, unless I feel a need to partake a dose of Bedlam.

The wife said that estimates were that 600k would be going from the Froint Range to WY and NE.

We plan on treating the day like our Indy 500 days. Get up and hit the road really early. Get in place. Hang out. Watch the show. Hang out. Drive back to the accommodation. The big difference will be instead of a 3 hour race, it will be more like the Kentucky Derby in duration.

Casper has an astronomers convention. Prices were sky high 6 months ago.

I recommend that you try and see as much as you can. We are at about 130 seconds at the ranch. I might see what a walk will get us in added time. There are apps for that.

   What is the closest "town" to the ranch where you will be? Be aware that 25 will be buried in green license plates heading south for several hours after the eclipse, perhaps until well after dark-thirty. It wouldn't hurt to have a back-up plan involving hunkering down for an impromptu camp-out.
   Casper's C of C has been aware of and working towards this event for more than 2 years, out here in BFE we're not quite that organized.
   I personally doubt that we'll see quite as many visitors as the experts are planning for, but the civil authorities job is to be ready for the worst case scenario, so I commend them this time for being prepared.
   One word of caution for visitors who are normally dependent on techno devices - if your GPS tells you to turn off the highway onto a 2 track because that's the highway you want - don't believe the machine. If you don't know how to navigate off of a paper map, ask directions from a human. Leave your devices in the trunk.

Jay Em WY

Edit we have a AAA paper map. I have driven over most of the 4 Corners area using paper maps back in the 90s. We plan to avoid I-25.

[ethinson]

I plan on viewing it. I'll be walking about 4 or 5 paces out my backdoor. We're supposed to have 99% coverage here.

I'll be at work, but I'll try to step out and see it.  Mostly interested in the few minutes before and after totality, as someone mentioned above, when it gets dark during the day.  Why did they have to schedule the damn thing for 10:30 in the morning on a Monday? (I kid I kid...)

I guess they good news is they actually shut the brewery down for the day.  They expect traffic to be so bad that incoming and outgoing shipments won't make it. I'll be there by myself that day.

99% totality here in Portland OR is good enough for me.  I don't even know the predicted numbers, but I guess Oregon is such a big state that it will be "total" here for a long time (as it sweeps across at 1800MPH) so they are expecting pretty much everyone from the West coast to be here.  They are telling people to stay home, pack water, fill your car with gas, as if it were in ice storm. That's a little crazy.

[MDixon]

I believe we have a state of emergency already declared in 8 Western NC counties.

After the comments here I am contemplating heading to SC to some of the lesser developed areas. The only problem is without traffic that is a 3-4 hour trek and I have to head to Asheville the next day which is another 4 hour drive.

[hopfenundmalz]

This sums up what will happen.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=qc7MfcKF1-s

[udubdawg]

Mrs. R is packing a bottle of Heart of Darkness. This is that special time to drink the good stuff!

woah, changing my plans.
maybe you should try to finish the bottle in the 2 minutes of totality. 
what's $150, right?

[Visor]

   Just an out of curiosity survey, how many forum folks are planning on viewing the eclipse next Monday, how many are planning on travelling to see it, and how far will those people be traveling?

I'm heading to Mecca Grade Estate Malt in Madras in eastern Oregon.  They're having an event with 400 mostly industry folk, catered food, bands, and free beer and whiskey.  We do a time share with our neighbors on a small RV so that's what I'm using.  Heading over on Sat. and back on Tues.  It's about 185 mi. each way.
   I don't know how you can beat that plan, enjoy!

[denny]

We're expecting over a million people here for it.  Food and gas are already getting scarce in some places.

[Visor]

   That would probably be a big part of the reason why I live a LOOOOONG way from either coast.
   Jeff, I've never been to Jay Emm, but there's a lot of neat country between Torrington & Cheyenne, probably the same around the ranch you'll be visiting. You can probably pick up a 4 pack of Melvin if you're curious, and don't mind the price.

[hopfenundmalz]

   That would probably be a big part of the reason why I live a LOOOOONG way from either coast.
   Jeff, I've never been to Jay Emm, but there's a lot of neat country between Torrington & Cheyenne, probably the same around the ranch you'll be visiting. You can probably pick up a 4 pack of Melvin if you're curious, and don't mind the price.

I might pick some up. We will be be bring some Bell's for our friend's living in CO, who grew up in MI.

[ethinson]

This sums up what will happen.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=qc7MfcKF1-s

Thanks for posting that.  I found another video that showed the shadow snakes phenomenon.  I got excited about some of the really cool stuff that happens, and then realized that even at 99% totality, Portland is outside of the shadow band and we won't see any of that stuff at all.  It will still be interesting to see how dark it gets, and then the sun is down to just a tiny sliver, but the things he talks about that happen the last 5 seconds before totality we won't get to see. 

I see now why people would make a special trip to see it.  You do have to be in *just* the right spot.

[Visor]

This sums up what will happen.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=qc7MfcKF1-s

Thanks for posting that.  I found another video that showed the shadow snakes phenomenon.  I got excited about some of the really cool stuff that happens, and then realized that even at 99% totality, Portland is outside of the shadow band and we won't see any of that stuff at all.  It will still be interesting to see how dark it gets, and then the sun is down to just a tiny sliver, but the things he talks about that happen the last 5 seconds before totality we won't get to see. 

I see now why people would make a special trip to see it.  You do have to be in *just* the right spot.

[/b]
   I think that's pretty much true about most things in life. Kind of like great timing being the secret to having a successful rain dance.

[mabrungard]

I'm planning on being on the Cherahola Skyway in western NC on my motorcycle for the event. Its probably going to be crowded!

[ethinson]

I'm planning on being on the Cherahola Skyway in western NC on my motorcycle for the event. Its probably going to be crowded!

Is that the big sweeping bridge on the Blue Ridge Parkway? I remember them building it but I don't think I knew the actual name of it.  It may have opened after I moved away? Don't recall the exact timing.

[hopfenundmalz]

I am starting my drive today. The traffic is in the back of my mind, but I think going across the plains on I-80 may not be too bad, as we won't hit the main flow going to Wyoming.

On the other hand, central Oregon already has heavy traffic according to the news. Lots of population centers in OR, WA, and CA all heading that way. Denny has been a little quiet. Denny, any reports?

There may be high clouds in Wyoming on Monday. Bummer.

Just found out that a ouple that used to be in the club, before a job move, will be in Cheyenne and will meet our group for dinner. Not a bummer.

[Visor]

  I-80 across Nebraska has to be about the most God-awful, brutally boring drives I've ever endured, but you have a pot of gold [sort of] at the end of the road.
   The paper last night was calling for 35% chance of clouds Monday A.M., but said almost all of Oregon and extreme western Idaho should be cloudless. Guess Denny picked the perfect location.
   I also saw that the tribe is allowing access to Boysen Peak for the eclipse, for a fee of course. If I can talk my visitors into it, I can think of no other place in the area from which to experience the event, one of the best views in the state, but normally off limits to non tribal members.