We are about to be invaded.

Post Reply New Topic

I live in a space that is within an hours drive of the path of totality. I have already heard news stories and such and when I first heard about it I was excited, I wanted to go somewhere to watch. But after seeing how much attention it's getting everywhere, and just with the state of the world and especially our country, I am beginning to think that I don't want to go anywhere closer. It would be neat as heck to see, but that just sounds like a logistics nightmare.

This may bring a little income to the county.

If I were you and lived that close and wanted to see it I'd figure out a way to get close enough to see it properly but Ideally be on the fringe of the masses so that when it's all over you can easily start your car and dip out before the crowds of people even get back to their cars to start clogging up the roads. A bit like people who hangout at the back of crowds - they want to see the show but can't fully handle the crowd.. so.. they stay at the back, get A view even if it isn't front row, and then disappear before the stampede of social creatures.

At only an hour's drive you don't even need go stay anywhere at all.. just drive an hour and be Close Enough to be just under the path, see it, and leave. Chances are others will travel farther to be well under the path And near some sort of civilization so they have washroom access or can hit up a gas station, restaurant etc. If you use the facilities before you go, pack a snack and water/coffee, you can drive juuuust far enough, see it, pull a U-ey and split.

That's what I'd do if I were in your shoes and wanted to see it but didn't want to be in the thick of traffic. Or, hell, if it seems like tons of locals are going to all do the same damned thing and get Just close enough and that area is gonna be hella jammed up and hard to drive out of.. stop a bit away from the fringe of the path of totality and do the last leg by bicycle or walking. Then when the roads get super jammed on the way out you can just ride (faster!) or walk by everyone on your way to your car that's parked just far enough out of the jam to be ahead of others. That's sort of how we navigate the fireworks festival downtown when ~half a Million people gather on the beaches to watch a fireworks show.. no sense in driving down close unless you want to wait Hours to leave.. but park a ways away and it's faster to walk to your car than it is to try to drive through a sea of people and cars and closed roads.

..or just sit in traffic for a bit. It’s a 1 hour drive away for them.. how long could it possibly take to leave?

I wouldn’t be sleeping in my car and sh*****g in a field if I could be home in a few hours.

Hoosier eclipse:

I live in a space that is within an hours drive of the path of totality. I have already heard news stories and such and when I first heard about it I was excited, I wanted to go somewhere to watch. But after seeing how much attention it's getting everywhere, and just with the state of the world and especially our country, I am beginning to think that I don't want to go anywhere closer. It would be neat as heck to see, but that just sounds like a logistics nightmare.

In my life, I’ve chased tornadoes, stood in the eyes of major hurricanes and gazed at epic displays of the aurora borealis — none rival the grandeur of a total solar eclipse. I’ve now traveled to three.

On April 8, a total eclipse will sweep over the United States, but it will only appear for those inside a 110-mile wide path, where the moon will fully block the sun. The scene is mind-boggling: day turns to night, stars and planets appear, the sun’s atmosphere shimmers and a 360-degree sunrise surrounds you.

Although a partial eclipse will happen outside this path throughout the Lower 48 states, it’s just not the same. The magic of the total eclipse will occur only within the narrow path of totality. It’s a scene so dramatic that it moves some to tears. Others find it spiritual, altering their perspective on the universe. Many can’t even describe it.

Fortunately, the path of totality is pretty accessible. It cuts through Dallas, Little Rock, Indianapolis, Cleveland, Buffalo and Burlington, Vt. Over half of the nation’s population lives within 250 miles of the path.

Until you experience totality, it’s impossible to understand what it means, and why people like me invest considerable time and money into traveling to see it. But I’ll attempt to explain why it’s more than worth it.

Is almost totality good enough?
You may think you’re getting close to the total eclipse experience if you’re in an area with a 90, 95 or even 99 percent partial eclipse. But that’s just not even close to the truth.
As long as any part of the solar disk is exposed, you can’t take off your eclipse glasses. The sun is still shining. Even at 90 percent, the ambient dimming of the landscape will be curious, but wholly unremarkable.

The streetlights don’t usually come on until the sun is about 95 percent blocked — at which point you’re close enough to totality, and the menagerie of awe-evoking accompaniments, that you might as well hop in the car and drive.

Driving 95 percent of the way to a restaurant isn’t the same as dining there.

A totally incomparable experience
Here are several of the spectacles you’ll see within the path of totality that you’d miss even a few miles away:

Sudden nightfall: The moon’s shadow will be sweeping overhead at speeds of 1,600 mph in Texas and 3,000 mph by the time it gets to northern Maine some 68 minutes later. In that narrow zone, day will abruptly turn to night, with twinkling stars and several planets emerging from their slumber. You’ll also be stunned by how quickly darkness falls — in a matter of seconds, compared with more than an hour each evening.

The corona:The corona, or the sun’s atmosphere, is arguably the most fantastical sight you’ll ever see. It’s a diaphanous plasma superheated to millions of degrees, and it spans millions of miles into space. The plasma is contorted by the sun’s magnetic field; during totality, you’ll be able to look directly at the corona and see it tracing magnetic field lines. Prominences, caused by enhanced solar activity, will look like interstellar spikes, reminiscent of hairlike protrusions fanning outward in the “solar wind.” This is the only time anyone — civilians or scientists — can directly observe the corona.

The 360-degree sunrise:With the moon’s shadow only between 100 and 120 miles wide, it will be dark overhead — but the horizon will still be dimly illuminated, since locations a few towns over outside the shadow will still be in the daylight. That will make for a peachy twilight enveloping the horizon. But unlike a typical morning or evening twilight, it’s not just a fraction of the horizon — it’s in every direction. Delicate pastel hues will transition from pink with an amber tinge at the horizon to a deep, regal blue overhead.

Baily’s Beads:As the moon almost fully hides the sun, the last rays of sunlight poking through the valleys of the moon will form luminous pinpricks known as “Baily’s Beads.” After a moment, they’ll congeal into the diamond ring — a lone, final searing beacon of light as totality concludes.

Shadow bands: During an eclipse, the sun appears to get smaller in the sky. Eventually it’s just a tiny point of light. That means all the rays of light are coming from that one lone point, rather than from all over the sun’s disk. Since they originate from the same point, all the rays are parallel. But those parallel rays become slightly misaligned when they get bent at slightly different angles by warm and cool air pockets in the atmosphere. The now-misaligned rays interfere when they hit the ground, producing a bizarre pattern reminiscent of the shadowy wavelets on the bottom of a pool. They’re tough to spot (look for them on white backgrounds or bring a white sheet to lay on the ground), and only appear within 90 seconds of totality (before and after).

If you’re on the fence about whether to travel to the eclipse, stop hesitating. Make your plans now.

Millions of Americans will be looking to the sky during a rare total solar eclipse on April 8, and experts warn the excitement could create dangerous and busy traffic conditions as people pack into the narrow band of the country with the best view.

"Pack your patience, whether traveling a great distance or locally, people will be out and about to catch a glimpse of the eclipse," said Aixa Diaz, a spokesperson for the American Automobile Association.

Roads could be especially packed at the center of the eclipse's path as Americans who want the best view crowd into cities, towns and remote areas, many without the infrastructure to handle big crowds.

A similar scenario played out in 2017 during the nation's last total solar eclipse, where congestion in some areas lasted for up to 13 hours after the totality of the eclipse, according to Transportation Research News, a National Research Council publication. An analysis of traffic patterns from that year suggests that the worst of the traffic — both on big interstates and rural backroads — will kick off after the eclipse ends and everyone tries to exit all at once.

Where will traffic be the worst during 2024 total solar eclipse?
Roads in states where sky gazers will travel to see the centerline of totality will be most prone to traffic jams.

Even though Oklahoma only has a small corner of the state in the path of totality, the state "is expected to receive an influx of anywhere from 17,000 to 66,000 visitors to watch the solar eclipse," reads an announcement from Oklahoma Highway Patrol. Officials there are warning residents "the large influx of visitors to southeastern Oklahoma could overwhelm and backup the area's road systems," including two-lane highways passing through small towns.

They advise residents to expect hotels and visiting areas at maximum capacity, increased traffic and delays in deliveries.

The last total solar eclipse snarled US traffic
Wyoming Department of Transportation spokesman Doug McGee said more than 536,000 cars filled the state's streets after the eclipse in 2017 and the state highway system "was taxed like it’s never been before," The Denver Post reported.

And "travel from Casper, Wyoming, to Denver, Colorado—normally a 4-hour trip—took 10 hours or more," according to an analysis of traffic from Transportation Research News

The analysis's author Jonathan Upchurch said most sky gazers traveled to the paths of totality by car, "roadways experienced very little traffic congestion on the days leading up to totality" and "almost every Interstate route passing through the path of totality showed red on Google Traffic maps" after the eclipse reached totality.

Be careful if you're driving during the eclipse
Texas state officials are also warning drivers to "be on alert for distracted pedestrians looking to the sky." They also say drivers should not wear eclipse glasses, which block out most light, while driving.

Officials there and elsewhere along the solar eclipse's line of totality are recommending drivers keep their headlights on, be mindful of pedestrians on the road and even stock up on essentials like fuel and food ahead of the eclipse.

AAA, which insures drivers across the country, is also warning people that sky gazers looking for a good view of the eclipse will be on the roads. They recommend drivers put their sun visors in their cars down to block their view of the sun and watch closely for pedestrian traffic.

How should Americans prepare for traffic jams?
AAA and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol suggest several ways Americans can prepare for traffic jams related to the solar eclipse:Canadian Information

Plan ahead so you don't have to travel to errands or appointments around when the eclipse is happening.

Don't pull over on the side of a road or highway to view the eclipse — Find a parking area instead.

Fuel up before the eclipse and have some essentials on hand while traveling

Quebec hasn't witnessed a total solar eclipse in over 50 years (1972), and it will be over 80 years before the next one (2106). However, partial solar eclipses, as well as total and partial lunar eclipses, take place regularly in Canada.

Eclipse path of totality
In Canada, the solar eclipse's path of totality will pass through some cities and towns in Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland, plunging them into darkness for a few minutes.