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Sparky
Member
Unless you're flying, leave at 4am on 8/20/17.
I'm driving up from Park City to Idaho Falls area early on the 20th and it's only a 3.5 hour drive.
500k people expected in Eastern Idaho.
Porta-potties being deployed on I-15.
Cats sleeping with dogs.
Plus Boise is south of totality, no?
You're leaving the morning of the eclipse at 4 AM? Even if you don't hit traffic you'll probably miss the totality. It normally takes us about 8 hours from Portland to Redding, and Roseville is well beyond that. The peak of the eclipse is at 10:18 AM on the 21st in Oregon, though the peak of totality is more around Salem than Portland, but it's still at least an 8 hour drive for you. The Oregon State Patrol is also warming people that the major highways in Oregon are expected to be near paralysis for most of the 21st, especially north-south highways.
Boise is about as far south of the zone of totality as Portland is north.
I don't know where you're seeing a forecast for fog here in Portland. I've lived in Seattle and Portland since the late 80s and I haven't seen a foggy morning in either city in August during that time. It may have happened, but I don't remember it. The best forecast I have only goes to the 18th at this point, but from the 15th on the forecast is clear every day, which is normal this time of year. The weather in Portland this time of year is sort of like San Joaquin Valley in May or early June: temps in the 80s and 90s (sometimes over 100) with essentially no chance of rain.
We do have haze right now from forest fires in British Columbia, but that is supposed to clear out before the eclipse. Last week there were predictions we could break the all time high for Portland, but the haze cooled off the area a few degrees and we fell just short of the record. This has still been an unusually hot summer with more days over 90 than normal.
With this site on the map, you can pick a spot and determine how much the totality will be
USA - 2017 August 21 Total Solar Eclipse - Interactive Google Map - Xavier Jubier
If you left a little earlier you could probably make it to the Springfield, OR supercharger before 10 and see 99% of it from there. It's still going to take you about 9 hours if you're lucky and don't hit heavy traffic. Be prepared to camp in your car because every bit of lodging for more than 50 miles around the zone of totality is already gone.
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but I don't want to see anyone get stuck because they weren't prepared.
That's what I assumed to, but nice to have confirmation.
Anyone have a hydrogen-alpha telescope that they are using for this? Is it worth it?
f-stop
Active Member
impossible to know in advance, I know, but any guesses on how busy it'll be at the Woodburn OR Supercharger on 8/21? I've only been to the SC there a couple times, at most a couple other cars there at same time. BTW any tips on SC lineup procedure? (only ever seen a lineup at Fremont, and it cleared before our factory tour ended).
Please do not start driving the morning of the eclipse. There will be total gridlock. I'm afraid you and your family might miss it. Leave the day before and camp in your car if you have to do so. I'm getting there days in advance to scope out a good spot for viewing.
I wouldn't want to be anywhere between Portland and Salem on the 21st, and especially stuck in a line up charging at the Woodburn SC. I'm "hoping" that Pendleton is open, but I don't expect it to be. I'm planning to just drive south in the middle of nowhere Eastern Oregon and just turn around if I run into traffic If there are really 100,000's of people, the two lane country roads can't handle it anyway.
Robert831
Member
Mark Z
Active Member
Plans are to view between Rexburg and Rigby. I might wave at Sparky on the drive from PC. I'll stop at Love's for propulsion fuel.
Monitoring road conditions a few days ahead will determine the final drive time. If the roads are jammed, then leaving earlier than planned may be necessary. Storing enough food, water and supplies to sleep in the vehicle. I can arrive on the 18th or 19th if necessary, however the idea of sleeping 2 or 3 nights in the vehicle isn't worth a no traffic drive. 265 miles averaging 20 mph with 1 overnight stay is fine.
It has been announced that cellular phone service has been affected during major events in some totality cities (example: 4th of July). Suggestions are to have extra cash handy if credit card terminals are not working. Try texting or email if a phone call doesn't get through. Make sure to have approved eclipse glasses and read the instructions. Enjoy the totality and drive safely.
Monitoring road conditions a few days ahead will determine the final drive time. If the roads are jammed, then leaving earlier than planned may be necessary. Storing enough food, water and supplies to sleep in the vehicle. I can arrive on the 18th or 19th if necessary, however the idea of sleeping 2 or 3 nights in the vehicle isn't worth a no traffic drive. 265 miles averaging 20 mph with 1 overnight stay is fine.
It has been announced that cellular phone service has been affected during major events in some totality cities (example: 4th of July). Suggestions are to have extra cash handy if credit card terminals are not working. Try texting or email if a phone call doesn't get through. Make sure to have approved eclipse glasses and read the instructions. Enjoy the totality and drive safely.
Sparky
Member
Good advice Mark Z. I suppose I could head up early since I will be in Deer Valley, UT several days before but I prefer head up early on the 20th. Took a page out of your book, am bringing a camping pottie!
It's the Apoc-eclipse!™
Be safe all.
Mark Z
Active Member
I agree, and there are alternate side roads if needed (hopefully the two lanes of I-15 will be okay).
Everyone should check the websites of the cities they plan to visit. Special eclipse web pages give vital information and show how prepared each community is. While I watched one city meeting in July, they didn't have the Power Point slides available. Now they are posted. They show three smart phone apps for the state traffic. Eclipse 2017 | Idaho Falls, ID
And here is help for Central Oregon with FAQ for everyone anywhere: madras eclipse 2017 | Experience the Total Solar Eclipse from our beautiful backyard in Madras, Oregon!
Reading all about the traffic chaos, it reminds of of when the media in LA went nuts over the 405 closure. It is the busiest freeway in the country and people expected total chaos in Los Angeles. They called it 'Carmageddon'. Guess what, nothing dramatic happened. No chaos, no accidents, no grid lock in LA.
The last full eclipse I saw was in Munich, Germany. Same thing. The media predicted total chaos in the city because of traffic. I drove around like any other day.
The last full eclipse I saw was in Munich, Germany. Same thing. The media predicted total chaos in the city because of traffic. I drove around like any other day.
HankLloydRight
No Roads
Nikxice
Active Member
Not worried about traffic either, the more the merrier! Whether a prediction of 'Carmageddon' or the 'Apoc-eclipse', let the media have at it. When we started planning the drive a of couple years ago I dubbed our trip The Earth Sun Lunar Alignment (although not without a few groans from the rest of the family)
. Overall, it's good to see such widespread interest in this astronomical phenomenon.Sunday 8/20 we'll be staying in Florence, SC. The hotel fees there were almost standard, less than half the price versus close prime viewing locations. Early Monday we'll decide where to go. Charleston is where we have friends and family. Santee will be very tempting. The Santee SC located off I-95 is almost dead center in the path of totality. Also, just a few miles northeast of Charleston a likely afternoon sea breeze might be the ticket to ward off unpredictable cumulus clouds. No matter how good the wx forecast, everyone acknowledges that thunderstorms are likely to be a threat anywhere in the southeast on 8/21. Fair skies to all!
HankLloydRight
No Roads
I am not exactly sure where I will go.
I and a friend are flying early Monday (the 21st) morning into Charlotte, where another (local) friend will pick us up. The plan is to either head southwest towards Greenville SC, southeast towards Columbia SC or maybe Santee SC if traffic isn't bad.
Safe travels everyone.
I and a friend are flying early Monday (the 21st) morning into Charlotte, where another (local) friend will pick us up. The plan is to either head southwest towards Greenville SC, southeast towards Columbia SC or maybe Santee SC if traffic isn't bad.
Safe travels everyone.
Morristhecat
Member
My 7yr old and I have decided to head south to Oregon the day before, try to find a spot nice and camper mode it in the back of my S with a mattress and some sleeping bags, and pack some food. If traffic is as nutty as some say I'll just go where there is less red on the map.
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