251 replies to this topic

[Seachange79]

I have decided that sleeping the night prior is pointless......so Im going to drive at night.......and take a nap in my rental car at my site.

*edit* In October 2023,*edit* I learned that attempting sleep the night before is pointless. It was my first annular, and I was so afraid I wouldn't wake up that I couldn't sleep, despite being exhausted from the New Orleans to Kerrville drive.
And with this being my first total eclipse, I know I'm not even going to attempt sleep. I'll probably spend the whole of Sunday night/Monday morning making sure I have my mount properly aligned and checking my setups over and over.
I want to capture totality, but I want to SEE it too!
Good luck to anyone trying to sleep the night before, and if you manage it, I envy you! 🙂

Edited by Seachange79, 29 March 2024 - 06:01 PM.

[sternenhimmel]

We're flying in on Sunday to DFW and out Monday night because we have tight work schedules to keep to unfortunately. 

I have a feeling it's going to be insane getting back to the airport though so we might choose to view somewhere relatively close to DFW if anyone has suggestions.

When I was in Portland for the 2017 eclipse, we drove south ~45 min to totality, but it took us 3 hours to drive back, if not longer. 

[Bryguy]

I posted part of this in another thread but I'll also post it here.

 

I saw a video last week put out by the Kerrville police department to city and emergency officials that they will be closing major roads in Kerrville starting from 8:00am to 10:00am so emergency crews will have ways of moving around the city. I also saw the other day the City of Kerrville posted on fbook they are renting out parking spots for $110 a day on Friday, Saturday and Sunday and $425 for Monday. They will slightly discount if you want two or three spaces on Monday.

 

Then, I also saw a post from Johnson City. They are gathering a volunteer resident posse to guard road closure stanchions along all entrances to all of their residential streets to keep tourists out. If a Johnson City resident volunteers, they get a credit on their May utilities bill.

 

I have not yet seen anything from the other cities or counties.

[kasprowy]

I posted part of this in another thread but I'll also post it here.

 

I saw a video last week put out by the Kerrville police department to city and emergency officials that they will be closing major roads in Kerrville starting from 8:00am to 10:00am so emergency crews will have ways of moving around the city. I also saw the other day the City of Kerrville posted on fbook they are renting out parking spots for $110 a day on Friday, Saturday and Sunday and $425 for Monday. They will slightly discount if you want two or three spaces on Monday.

 

Then, I also saw a post from Johnson City. They are gathering a volunteer resident posse to guard road closure stanchions along all entrances to all of their residential streets to keep tourists out. If a Johnson City resident volunteers, they get a credit on their May utilities bill.

 

I have not yet seen anything from the other cities or counties.

This sounds like a weird level of over-reaction / exorbinant pricing. Somehow, seven years ago, villages, towns, and cities all across the country survived the eclipse day without having a nuclear apocalypse style reaction to it.

[apfever]

HOLY Cow,  we retired, no more cattle, let the kids do it, when they're ready. I had no idea this thread existed. I'm going to Llano. As far as I know there is still camping areas open on the ranch. My family down there decided to do up some spots since Llano (population 3,500) has been expecting 10's of thousands of people, maybe 100,000. Being about 80 miles from both Austin and San Antonio, town board initially thought as much as a million could flood the roads. Heck, it's all just regular two lane road 'highway' for a long way any direction. The whole eclipse rush was kind of a freak out. Small town, county seat, in largely open ranch country. This is a place where the town board told Walmart to stuff their arrogance at a meeting requested by Walmart, and go to Marble Falls with their game.  They did, if you need a WallyMart it's another 30 miles - in Marble Falls. 

 

I go mostly due south through the OK panhndle and TX panhandle, other option south through Raton NM into Dumas TX (Ding Dong Daddies from Dumas and that's wayyyy old). It's 3 states no matter what and by far most of the drive is in TX. It is right at 3 years since I've been down (latitude and altitude both).  This has me feeling 30 years younger, make that younger than that. I've been thinking about taking a boat load of telescopes with me since the boat stays.  I'm always taking a trailer load of something, still plenty of room for scopes I can store there or thin out while I look for a bigger place smaller house bigger barn Western Slope.

 

EDIT: I just saw the previous post, Kerville isn't far at all. Yeah,  it's a little nutty. I think the new space cases like Musk, Branson, Bezos, information technology, the fact we are consuming our planet and it's all we have, etc. etc. has openend interest in science and space and made detailed planning possible. Such fine details like exactly were the center line is and how far a place is, shadow time at this dot.....

We are about 20 miles from centerline, I'm don't know the longitude, not checking, it's about 20 miles. 

Edited by apfever, 29 March 2024 - 11:17 PM.

[winstar]

I noticed most if not all day passes at the TX state parks in the path are sold out. Not surprising.

Edited by winstar, 30 March 2024 - 12:36 AM.

[TX4812]

Uh oh - 10 day forecast for Kerrville and Fredericksburg both show overcast / rain on April 8.

 

We live in New Braunfels (1:15 of totality) and it's showing scattered thunderstorms on eclipse day here.

 

I checked Waco, Dallas, Uvalde and Eagle Pass.  They all also show thunderstorms on Apr 8.

 

I told my friend they should announce on TV that the eclipse will be rescheduled to April 1 due to weather.  

Edited by TX4812, 30 March 2024 - 08:41 AM.

[shakafell]

Forecast is not looking good. Rain across the whole state. 

[mac4lyfe]

^^ Just hit the road early and you should be fine.  All us TSE nerds will be the only ones on the road at 6am and the rest of the unaware masses will start driving around 9-10 am.  

I would hit the road much earlier. We're planning on Marble Falls. We'll already be in west Austin Sunday night but we're heading west like 5am. I live in Houston and if we were leaving from Houston, I'd leave like 3/4am in the morning.

[bigbenbrown55]

What everyone starts on weather? I keep checking every morning and every evening, and the observability conditions seem to be only getting less and less optimal from San Antonio all the way to Sulfur Springs and on. The reports I see are suggesting a significant amount of scattered thunderstorms across that line, with full-blown overcast expected in places like Ennis. Looking at Satellite data, there does appear to be some significant cloud and water blowing in from the Pacific over Mexico and if it keeps on track it will be over the South and Eastern portions of Texas along the path of totality on the 8th. But I'm based out of Utah and don't have eyes on the ground yet so I'm curious what people are seeing or thinking?

[sandman1330]

What everyone starts on weather? I keep checking every morning and every evening, and the observability conditions seem to be only getting less and less optimal from San Antonio all the way to Sulfur Springs and on. The reports I see are suggesting a significant amount of scattered thunderstorms across that line, with full-blown overcast expected in places like Ennis. Looking at Satellite data, there does appear to be some significant cloud and water blowing in from the Pacific over Mexico and if it keeps on track it will be over the South and Eastern portions of Texas along the path of totality on the 8th. But I'm based out of Utah and don't have eyes on the ground yet so I'm curious what people are seeing or thinking?

It’s too early to make decisions yet, but I’ll admit to being worried as the forecasts have been consistent for several days now. Heavy cloud and rain all along the US eclipse path, especially in Texas (my plan is for Gatesville).

 

I’m travelling from western Canada, so this trip is a pretty heavy expense, and I really don’t want to come down if it’s going to be a sure bust. Funny enough (again too early for decisions), the Toronto area is looking workable, and would have been a much easier plan for me to put together. Hopefully if it remains I can flex, change flights, and head that way. One less minute of totality, but if it’s the only clear area, so be it.

 

Selfishly, if it’s going to cloud out in Texas, I hope it’s a complete wash. The decision to go or not will be much harder to make if it’s kinda sorta workable!

Edited by sandman1330, 30 March 2024 - 10:37 AM.

[bunyon]

We’re all seeing the same stuff as everyone else. If you’re set on one place, don’t worry about it until you’re there and then choose action the night/morning before. If you have multiple options for a base, pick a decision date and wait for the forecast then.

It looks bad right now, no doubt. But change is still possible.

[sandman1330]

We’re all seeing the same stuff as everyone else. If you’re set on one place, don’t worry about it until you’re there and then choose action the night/morning before. If you have multiple options for a base, pick a decision date and wait for the forecast then.

It looks bad right now, no doubt. But change is still possible.

That has been my plan all along - I’m staying in College Station the night before, so with an early morning start I am prepared to go anywhere from the Mexican border to Arkansas. But if the current early forecast holds, even that level of flexibility may not be enough. For myself and many others, we are travelling far at heavy expense for this, so full out cancellation decisions need to be made if it’s a sure bust.

 

Again - too early for decisions, but I am starting to worry and look at other options (southern Ontario)

Edited by sandman1330, 30 March 2024 - 10:45 AM.

[bunyon]

We fly to Dallas on April 5. We’ll make a decision that morning about flying. We can go from Illinois to New York from here.

Really don’t want to make that call. But the larger point is, there is no reason to make any call today.

[Cotts]

It’s too early to make decisions yet, but I’ll admit to being worried as the forecasts have been consistent for several days now. Heavy cloud and rain all along the US eclipse path, especially in Texas (my plan is for Gatesville).

 

I’m travelling from western Canada, so this trip is a pretty heavy expense, and I really don’t want to come down if it’s going to be a sure bust. Funny enough (again too early for decisions), the Toronto area is looking workable, and would have been a much easier plan for me to put together. Hopefully if it remains I can flex, change flights, and head that way. One less minute of totality, but if it’s the only clear area, so be it.

 

Selfishly, if it’s going to cloud out in Texas, I hope it’s a complete wash. The decision to go or not will be much harder to make if it’s kinda sorta workable!

I'm in the same boat as you - a Texas trip planned from Toronto (3 days each way!!)  but every forecast for Texas is for high humidity, thunderstorms and loads of cloud.   A complication is that I am committed to drive to a place just West of Chicago where I'm meeting a guy who has bought my old mount.  I'll arrive there on the afternoon of the 4th and do the exchange of goods for $ and for the rest of that evening in my motel I shall be cruising the weather websites for a final go-nogo decision.  The morning of the 5th I'll either be heading for Texas or back to Toronto.

 

The same forecast sites are calling for a clear, sunny day with 'late afternoon cloud' arriving for various locations along the St Lawrence River, east of Kingston....  I could do that in a day-trip from Toronto...

 

April the 4th be with me!

 

Dave

[sandman1330]

I'm in the same boat as you - a Texas trip planned from Toronto (3 days each way!!)  but every forecast for Texas is for high humidity, thunderstorms and loads of cloud.   A complication is that I am committed to drive to a place just West of Chicago where I'm meeting a guy who has bought my old mount.  I'll arrive there on the afternoon of the 4th and do the exchange of goods for $ and for the rest of that evening in my motel I shall be cruising the weather websites for a final go-nogo decision.  The morning of the 5th I'll either be heading for Texas or back to Toronto.

 

The same forecast sites are calling for a clear, sunny day with 'late afternoon cloud' arriving for various locations along the St Lawrence River, east of Kingston....  I could do that in a day-trip from Toronto...

 

April the 4th be with me!

 

Dave

Yeah I’m flying in from Alberta on Sunday. I think by Saturday morning I will make a decision to either press, cancel or switch my flight to Toronto. I’m thinking of going to Point Petre or Sandbanks park south of Belleville, if I go the Toronto route. As a local if that area, any thoughts on that plan?

Edited by sandman1330, 30 March 2024 - 02:10 PM.

[bonjorno]

I can't change my travel plans so if it rains in TX/OK I'll have to make the best of it.

But I haven't come up with an idea how to do that. Make a video during the downpour as everything gets dark? Whoopee.

[Cotts]

Yeah I’m flying in from Alberta on Sunday. I think by Saturday morning I will make a decision to either press, cancel or switch my flight to Toronto. I’m thinking of going to Point Petre or Sandbanks park south of Belleville, if I go the Toronto route. As a local if that area, any thoughts on that plan?

Traffic will be dreadful between Toronto and Belleville, Prince Edward county etc.,on eclipse day or even the day before.   I'm not sure about accommodation in that area either.  Might all be booked...   You'll want a room for the night of 7/8 and the night of 8/9 for sure....  Good luck. 

 

Also, we are still in voodoo weather forecasting mode 8 days away from the event so....maybe we don't change plans.

 

I honestly don't know.

 

Dave

[bunyon]

It’s maddening, isn’t it?

[Katharine]

I can't change my travel plans so if it rains in TX/OK I'll have to make the best of it.

But I haven't come up with an idea how to do that. Make a video during the downpour as everything gets dark? Whoopee.

Me as well.  Maybe we can call each other and cry...

 

(Honestly, I maybe would.  This is my one chance to ever see an eclipse, never mind the considerable expense, as somoene else said, which would be worth it for a once-in-a-lifetime experience I've always wanted to have but not so much for a two-day trip to a random town in Texas...)

[ComeAlongBort]

We're driving down on Friday to the Austin area to hang with some friends. Planning on staying the whole week.

We have access to some private property just north of Austin right in the path.

Definitely bummed about the current weather forecast. If it totally clouds us out, at least we'll have some fun with some friends for a few days.

Definitely a major bummer to spend so much time preparing to get rained on, but that's part of the game.

If the night before there looks like somewhere within driving distance may be better I may try to chase it, but for now I'm just going to cross my fingers and toes and anything else I can manage to cross.

[hboswell]

Garner State Park Concan TX.  Follow your nose!  

Shoot!  I almost made reservations at Garner!  Great park!

 

Harry

Edited by hboswell, 31 March 2024 - 08:33 AM.

[hboswell]

I've got reservations at Liberty Hill Campground between Corsicana and Waco, arriving from Mississippi on Saturday and leaving Tuesday. Really starting to worry about clouds!

 

Harry

[chvvkumar]

I've made a backup campsite reservation East of Indianapolis just in case.

[mac4lyfe]

We're driving down to Austin (Marble Falls to be exact) from Boston! With an 11 month old. My wife and I love road trips and so far, our son has been pretty good on 4-6 hours driving (with a break or two). we'll be Pushing the limits but we had this trip planned before we even knew we were having a baby. 

 

Nice profile pic! 

My family is staying at Lakeway Resort & Spa, NW Austin. We're looking to drive to Marble Falls, Horseshoe Bay  or Granite Shoals. 

 

About clouds and trying to beat them, in 2017 we were in Columbia SC. There were clouds that morning but they miraculously disappeared the couple of hours before the eclipse. Science has proven phenomenon during an eclipse.

 

https://www.cnn.com/...h & Environment.

 

Eclipse effect
Low-level cumulus clouds begin to disappear in large numbers over cooling land surfaces when just 15% of the sun is covered, the new paper revealed. Although awareness of the phenomenon isn’t new, according to the study authors, the evidence to back it up and provide clarity around timing is.