347 replies to this topic

[kfiscus]

600 days to go.

[seryddwr]

I'm planning on going to Texas, close-ish to the border.

[mogur]

Planning to visit my sister in Arkansas then. Her home is right under totality!

[dan_hm]

Just booked an Airbnb on Buchanan Lake, Texas

[zakry3323]

I think it's going to be Shelbyville IN- only about a 7 hour drive, and we've got some relatives there. 

[kfiscus]

19 months from today.  Have you begun planning?  Some destinations / accommodations are already filling up or are full.

Edited by kfiscus, 08 September 2022 - 08:12 PM.

[Stickman]

I was amazed how many RV parks in Texas were already sold out, especially given the prices they were asking.  After a bit of searching, I found a super reasonably priced space for a 4 day visit near Leakey.  So, I be packing the 5th wheel up and heading south. The wife missed the last one and I'm insistent she not miss this one.

[dan_hm]

A warning re. Airbnb, for those who don't know:

 

Airbnb hosts typically only allow reservations one year or less in advance.  Airbnb has an option for hosts to allow reservations to be made farther in advance, and some hosts currently have their profile configured so as to allow reservations to be made now for April 2024.  However, many people who have made reservations for the eclipse have subsequently had their Airbnb host cancel the reservation.  So, if you've made a reservation, contact the host and make sure they are agreeing to honor your reservation for the eclipse.  My host agreed to honor my reservation but said he mistakenly had his Airbnb settings configured to allow reservations for 2024.

[bladerunner6]

I think it's going to be Shelbyville IN- only about a 7 hour drive, and we've got some relatives there. 

That location is a coin flip.

 

https://weatherspark...a-United-States

 

Good luck to you.

[Exeligmos]

My strategy will be to watch the weather forecasts from home in Kansas City until as late as the evening before. If all is ideal, I will most likely head to some spot in Illinois. Otherwise, I'll head either further east or south. No guarantees, but I'll be wherever clear skies are most likely.

 

This is basically what I did in 2017. My house in KC was under totality, but the weather forecast for the day was poor. I ended up in Eddyville, Kentucky.

 

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As for the 2023 annular eclipse, the Balloon Fiesta in Albuquerque occurring at the same time is too good to miss.

Edited by Exeligmos, 20 September 2022 - 11:03 AM.

[bikerdib]

Since I live southwest of Houston I plan on heading somewhere in central Texas for it.

[Exeligmos]

I had luck threading the weather needle using the cloud-cover maps provided by the National Weather Service. Attached is the map generated the on the morning of eclipse day:

 

 

Of critical importance to me at the time was the minor cloud-producing boundary stretching from SE Missouri to S Illinois that was resolving in the forecast at the very last moment. Additionally, the St. Louis weather service was very good at describing how this feature would affect viewing conditions in the area. As I was starting from Kansas City, this prompted me to stay on the highway and drive on to west Kentucky.

Edited by Exeligmos, 20 September 2022 - 04:26 PM.

[Diana N]

I'm going on a Sky & Telescope tour, which (knock on wood) will take in the eclipse in the Texas hill country, and also take in some of the sights in Houston (including the Houston Space Center).

 

When traveling to view an eclipse, I always try to choose a viewing area that has things to do apart from eclipse viewing.  That way the trip isn't a complete waste if clouds intervene.

[kfiscus]

555 days to go.

[Billn59]

I already booked an RV site in Concan, Tx. The weather that time of year is normally good. Still hit and miss.

[bladerunner6]

443 days to go!

[bladerunner6]

I checked Airbnb- it looks like people in Texas have figured it out.

[Bryguy]

I checked Airbnb- it looks like people in Texas have figured it out.

If you use VRBO you can see the rates for the few nights around the eclipse and their standard rates for the rest of the month. It does appear, for some reason, there are plenty of private rentals in Killeen. The centerline of the eclipse goes right over the tip of Killeen. 

 

It would be nice if the mods opened up a solar eclipse only section like they did for 2017. We are 8 months from the annular and a little over a year for 2024.

[Chad7531]

I live in the path so I’ll just use a vacation day and stay home and take my chances with the weather.

[Bryguy]

I attempted to get a room at a small resort/hotel spa in Medina, TX but they failed to respond. VRBO still shows two rooms available and they are not too far from Uvalde. Since they never responded, and after days of scouring, I got the last room at a new, very small boutique hotel between Johnson City and Stonewall. It's about 15 minutes west of Fredericksburg. The plus side, it is right in the middle of all of the wineries, and, it is owned and on the property of a winery.

 

One of the days I'm there I'll head over to Kerville and check out Stonehenge II. The centerline of the eclipse will pass right over it. After looking at the maps, there is not much parking by it and I'm sure the crowds will be large during the eclipse.

[Relativist]

So will we have a forum for the eclipse this time like last time?

[Bryguy]

So will we have a forum for the eclipse this time like last time?

I hope so! With 2 eclipses coming up it is needed.

[Relativist]

I hope so! With 2 eclipses coming up it is needed.

I just added a suggestion for it in the feedback forum. Maybe go there and add voices.

 

https://www.cloudyni...ipse-sub-forum/

[Northernguy]

I will try to go. only a 8 hour drive away, so could do it in one day there and back. This would be my first. What equipment are people thinking they will bring to photograph it, if that is not too much of an off-topic question?

[dhkaiser]

I will try to go. only a 8 hour drive away, so could do it in one day there and back. This would be my first. What equipment are people thinking they will bring to photograph it, if that is not too much of an off-topic question?

A word of warning.  In 2017 a friend traveled from Indiana to Kentucky for the eclipse.  Three hours down, twelve hours returning.  All the people who arrived early and late returned at the same time.  It's not going to be a eight hour return drive same day.