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Eclipse 2024 ..Let the madness begin!

Sandhog308

Petty Officer of the Hide
Full Member
Minuteman
  • May 14, 2020
    1,786
    3,885
    Between the Ozark and Ouachitas
    Seems that on April 8 , 2024 theres going to be quite the Eclipse. My humble AO is right in its path.
    We will have a period of total darkness for a little over 4 minutes. Towns and people in the path have already started planning , even going to have some folks from NASA grace our presence !! Supposed to be like 30k eclipse watchers coming this way. Local motels that usually cost $80.00 a night will charge $650.00 per night …like a Motel 6 😳 Some nicer motels bumping their rates to the 1K per night range. A buddy of mine has a cabin on a near by mountain has already rented it for 2 days for $ 950.00 …he has 8 people on a waiting list. Even Going to have a mass wedding ceremony at a near by park 🙃.

    World has gone totally NUTS !!! It’s official to me now 🥴

    Might be a rare occurrence… BUT I don’t understand why anyone would travel and pay exorbitant prices to watch it ?🤔 All the hype and price gouging on , nobody mentions what happens if it’s pouring down and totally cloudy ??

    I’ll give (most) members of the Hide a HELL of a deal. Bring Beer and food , you can sit under my Pecan tree for free 👍
     
    I am in the path as well. I live in a town with a population of approximately 1900. The state is going to station 10 state troopers here to deal with the overflow of people.

    I live 12 miles out of town and have decided I'm going to take the day of and the day after off. Not to watch the eclipse but to avoid the mass of idiots that will be here.
     
    I was in the path in 2017 also and I thoroughly enjoyed the event. I brought out my spotting scope and when totality occurred, the views of the wispy corona; spectacular!

    Since then, my interest in celestial events and astrophotography has grown and I did consider driving to Arkansas next April.

    But when looking at airbnb and hotel prices along with the complete unknown of the weather that day, it just doesn't make sense to make the trip.
     
    I was in the path of totality on the last one in 2017 if I recall. Was very cool experience.
    When it went 100% all the insects started making noise and they went quiet just as quick when the sun came back.
    Sorta remember the same thing. There was a few minutes where it felt weird.
    Lucky that a woman had a extra pair of those glasses handy right before it started.
     
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    I was in the path in 2017 also and I thoroughly enjoyed the event. Since then, my interest in celestial events and astrophotography has grown and I did consider driving to Arkansas next April.

    But when looking at airbnb and hotel prices along with the complete unknown of the weather that day, it just doesn't make sense to make the trip.
    Like I mentioned , if anyone on the Hide heads this way I‘ll help with anything I could.
    Might not be Airbnb standards , but the price of $0.00 is right 👍
     
    I am in the path as well. I live in a town with a population of approximately 1900. The state is going to station 10 state troopers here to deal with the overflow of people.

    I live 12 miles out of town and have decided I'm going to take the day of and the day after off. Not to watch the eclipse but to avoid the mass of idiots that will be here.
    And there will be idiots galore ! Anyone paying over $600.00 for a Motel 6 fits that category 🙈
     
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    Went to go see the one in 17 and the on in 24 is going to be a day trip for me. Highly encourage anyone to go see it if you can. It's one of the coolest things you will ever see.

    21083300_10159316245900038_8807875398506806964_o.jpg
     
    I was in the path of totality in 2017. We got the glasses just because. I wasn't really overly excited until it happened. One of the most amazing things I've ever seen. The bugs and birds going dead silent. Strange light waves reflecting off the ground. It's an amazing event. Stay clear of crowds and enjoy.
     
    I was in the path of totality in 2017. We got the glasses just because. I wasn't really overly excited until it happened. One of the most amazing things I've ever seen. The bugs and birds going dead silent. Strange light waves reflecting off the ground. It's an amazing event. Stay clear of crowds and enjoy.
    I’m looking for a picture I took in 2017.
    I was walking on a stone walk way looking down and some strange light that looked like the top halves of rippling waves stacked on top of each other. Hard to describe , never saw anything like it since ..nothing even close

    ps: I only see things after drinking Tequila or those few times I had a good nip of Absinthe 😳 Immune to most Beers.
     
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    I’m looking for a picture I took in 2017.
    I was walking on a stone walk way looking down and some strange light that looked like the top halves of rippling waves stacked on top of each other. Hard to describe , never saw anything like it since ..nothing even close
    I took this pic right after the 2017 eclipse. Somewhat hard to tell but most of the shadows were crescent shaped.

    21125725_10159316250335038_3624882375103294563_o.jpg
     
    I was working downtown in a major city for the one in 2017, the streets and areas around the buildings were packed with people who came out to, and stopped to, watch. It was really neat. I recall putting a filter over the lens on my phone camera and taking a few pictures.
     
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    Here is another observation that I had during the 2017 Eclipse was that when it started to happen, the heat of the sun would start to go away. Basically, it was like having a really bright fluorescent light on. Getting no heat from the sun just feels weird AF. Mind you we were camping in the Tetons and the previous night was 38 degrees F in August! So we needed some warmth for that morning. There was also a short period before and after totality where the light was just weird, super hard to explain.
     
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    Other thing I recall. Was watching with a auto darkening welding helmet. When sun was 50-70% blocked, was still pretty bright outside. When it went 100%, was like you flipped a light switch.
     
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    Expect to see some extraterrestrial enthusiasts like this.

    iu


    Extra Credit Story:

    I was staying at an LA Hilton back in the 1990s. At the time the hotel was hosting a big Star Trek convention. Lest I offend anyone here, I will withhold comments about the collective craziness and weird attire by some of the participants.

    I needed to get to my room on the 11th floor and was the last one on the elevator. It was already crowded with Star Fleet cadets, Klingons and various members of other warring galactic factions that agreed to a suspension of hostilities to attend the convention.

    As I pressed the button for the 11th floor, a flood of inspiration came over me and in my best CPT Kirk voice commanded, "BEAM ME UP SCOTTY!"

    Right then I heard a voice that sounded like a twerp from the South Park series say, "I bet you think that's original!"
     
    Here is another observation that I had during the 2017 Eclipse was that when it started to happen, the heat of the sun would start to go away. Basically, it was like having a really bright fluorescent light on. Getting no heat from the sun just feels weird AF. Mind you we were camping in the Tetons and the previous night was 38 degrees F in August! So we needed some warmth for that morning. There was also a short period before and after totality where the light was just weird, super hard to explain.
    Know the feeling ! I had a strange surreal vibe when it went out then back to light.
    There was a light breeze that felt cooler , a bunch of grey squirrels chasing each other , some Robins were looking for worms , birds all over , then everything went totally still and quiet. I’m glad others were having things hard to explain. Not so hard now. It WAS strange 🍻
     
    Expect to see some extraterrestrial enthusiasts like this.

    iu


    Extra Credit Story:

    I was staying at an LA Hilton back in the 1990s. At the time the hotel was hosting a big Star Trek convention. Lest I offend anyone here, I will withhold comments about the collective craziness and weird attire by some of the participants.

    I needed to get to my room on the 11th floor and was the last one on the elevator. It was already crowded with Star Fleet cadets, Klingons and various members of other warring galactic factions that agreed to a suspension of hostilities to attend the convention.

    As I pressed the button for the 11th floor, a flood of inspiration came over me and in my best CPT Kirk voice commanded, "BEAM ME UP SCOTTY!"

    Right then I heard a voice that sounded like a twerp from the South Park series say, "I bet you think that's original!"
    Back in the day was in line for a Leonard Nimoy book signing for a surprise gift for my Star Trek fan bride. The parade of characters and garb was beyond belief, all new to me. Fellow next to me was in regular civvies as myself. A chippie walks past looking for the back of the line decked out in some officers dress uni. I quietly remarked with an eye roll to the 'regular' dude, " Wow!", to which he replied, " Yeah, she's got her insignia all wrong".
     
    Back in the day was in line for a Leonard Nimoy book signing for a surprise gift for my Star Trek fan bride. The parade of characters and garb was beyond belief, all new to me. Fellow next to me was in regular civvies as myself. A chippie walks past looking for the back of the line decked out in some officers dress uni. I quietly remarked with an eye roll to the 'regular' dude, " Wow!", to which he replied, " Yeah, she's got her insignia all wrong".
    I would pay money to see a bunch of Thermians show up to a Star Trek convention or the OPs AO during the big event. Missi Pyle is hot, except when she speaks in the Thermian language. My apologies for the thread drift but I cannot resist.

     
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    Shadows from 2017. Pretty cool stuff. View attachment 8201356
    Best picture of this I’ve seen 👍 Sure was bizarre the first time I saw it.
    I was having trouble try to explain what I saw.
    Any idea what was happening with the eclipse to make this happen ??
    Have my eclipse viewing kit laid out. Glasses , Surefire so I see during the 4 minutes of darkness lol , and my EDC knife in case a cult member wants either 👍
    The Boy Scouts say Be Prepared …I wasn’t a scout but I like the message !
    IMG_1433.jpeg

    Awesome 😉 🍻
     
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    I was in the path of totality in '17 also, definitely worth seeing at least once. I live in a very rural area and once the sun was totality obscured the animals all started doing night time activities, frogs started croaking, crickets chirping, even heard a coyote yapping about 500 yards away.

    There was some weird cult shit going on too. A guy I know rented his property to a fuck load of Asian couples, Japanese if I remember correctly. They had some prophecy that their final religious leader would be conceived during an eclipse. It was a huge gang bang attempting to dump loads in their women at the peak of the eclipse. Another group of whackos sacrificed a goat during the eclipse and bbq'd it afterwards.
     
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    2017 I traveled to Beatrice NE. Well worth the trip. If the eclipse next year is in your AO be prepared. Cell Service becomes pretty unusable because too damn many people. Texting usually worked OK but a serious Lag of many minutes between them.
     
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    Never experienced totality but recall one in 87 time frame when on a West PAC to Camp Schwab in Okie.

    We just got back from a night march and we’re between the one story glass wall barracks cleaning red mud off our deuce gear.

    Being 18-19 year old Marines shit like the news didn’t really capture us .

    As we were cleaning though for me the feeling became odd. I knew the light was off and I was looking for clouds but there were none to be found in that Pacific sky.

    Eventually a corpsman came along with some dark film and was looking at the eclipse so we were let in on the secret.

    You can know after experiencing one how that shit must have freaked out people back in the day.

    It gives you an idea also of how our bodies are still hardwired to nature. The unease created by the changing light from your expectations was weird. You probably don’t get the same feeling if you know and expect the event to happen.
     
    Never experienced totality but recall one in 87 time frame when on a West PAC to Camp Schwab in Okie.

    We just got back from a night march and we’re between the one story glass wall barracks cleaning red mud off our deuce gear.

    Being 18-19 year old Marines shit like the news didn’t really capture us .

    As we were cleaning though for me the feeling became odd. I knew the light was off and I was looking for clouds but there were none to be found in that Pacific sky.

    Eventually a corpsman came along with some dark film and was looking at the eclipse so we were let in on the secret.

    You can know after experiencing one how that shit must have freaked out people back in the day.

    It gives you an idea also of how our bodies are still hardwired to nature. The unease created by the changing light from your expectations was weird. You probably don’t get the same feeling if you know and expect the event to happen.
    We are so used to hearing about things years in advance, you know that people were totally freaked out at these events. Probably lots thought the world was coming to a end. 🤔
     
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    Eastern Oregon 2017. Wife and I drove out to the middle of nowhere near John Day.
    Like others have said....pretty darn cool.
    Have a friend with a farm in Missouri that we're going to try to visit for the next one.
     
    Taken with a Canon DSLR from my driveway for the last one. The next one will be the day after my 45th birthday.

    I wouldn't mind going to see it, but i'd have to take my youngest out of school to go see it. Not sure what we're going to do, but I imagine we're going to take the camper somewhere close, that's not charging an arm, leg, and first born to camp, and the next day venture out somewhere alone the path of totality.

    We'll see.

    Branden
    eclipse.jpg
     
    My brother and I are planning on visiting our mom who lives smack in the middle of totality to see it, it's nice to have close family with a big house for us this time.

    I would recommend anyone interested in traveling to check out state and national parks, especially those with hotel type accommodations on site if you're not equipped or interested in camping, that don't go level stupid in rate increases for that day. This time it's a big swath across pretty highly populated areas, unlike last US total eclipse that was predominantly in the mountain west for full totality, so a lot more options will be available including staying a bit outside and traveling a couple hours into totality that day for savings on lodging.

    total_eclipse_map.jpg


     
    Taken with a Canon DSLR from my driveway for the last one. The next one will be the day after my 45th birthday.

    I wouldn't mind going to see it, but i'd have to take my youngest out of school to go see it. Not sure what we're going to do, but I imagine we're going to take the camper somewhere close, that's not charging an arm, leg, and first born to camp, and the next day venture out somewhere alone the path of totality.

    We'll see.

    Branden
    View attachment 8202079
    Not sure where your AO is but if it’s close to mine , you could have a spot for a Camper here. I got peeps with property to choose from. 👍
    My luck if I had to drive to see it , I would bring monsoon like rains and dense cloud cover with me. 😉
     
    One thing everyone should plan for is the weather. Would suck to reserve a hotel or whatever and then you have to move because of cloud cover.
     
    Seems that on April 8 , 2024 theres going to be quite the Eclipse. My humble AO is right in its path.
    We will have a period of total darkness for a little over 4 minutes. Towns and people in the path have already started planning , even going to have some folks from NASA grace our presence !! Supposed to be like 30k eclipse watchers coming this way. Local motels that usually cost $80.00 a night will charge $650.00 per night …like a Motel 6 😳 Some nicer motels bumping their rates to the 1K per night range. A buddy of mine has a cabin on a near by mountain has already rented it for 2 days for $ 950.00 …he has 8 people on a waiting list. Even Going to have a mass wedding ceremony at a near by park 🙃.

    World has gone totally NUTS !!! It’s official to me now 🥴

    Might be a rare occurrence… BUT I don’t understand why anyone would travel and pay exorbitant prices to watch it ?🤔 All the hype and price gouging on , nobody mentions what happens if it’s pouring down and totally cloudy ??

    I’ll give (most) members of the Hide a HELL of a deal. Bring Beer and food , you can sit under my Pecan tree for free 👍

    I am in the path as well. I live in a town with a population of approximately 1900. The state is going to station 10 state troopers here to deal with the overflow of people.

    I live 12 miles out of town and have decided I'm going to take the day of and the day after off. Not to watch the eclipse but to avoid the mass of idiots that will be here.
    I need you guys to message me where you live. I might be looking for a place to move soon.

    Here is a pic I took last time right before the main event. Pretty proud of this one. Take with a Canon 60D, 100-400mm lens on a tripod. Cropped it a bit so it would show up better here. The high res version is insane!
     

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    Back in the day was in line for a Leonard Nimoy book signing for a surprise gift for my Star Trek fan bride. The parade of characters and garb was beyond belief, all new to me. Fellow next to me was in regular civvies as myself. A chippie walks past looking for the back of the line decked out in some officers dress uni. I quietly remarked with an eye roll to the 'regular' dude, " Wow!", to which he replied, " Yeah, she's got her insignia all wrong".

    I've been to a bunch of different sci-fi/fantasy cons they're always fun. Still have scotty's autograph somewhere. Never got kirks he was a prick the one time I did meet him.
     
    Have relatives in Barton Vermont that looks to be in prime route so thats where I will be.
     
    Saw this was going to happen about 6 months ago when I googled “next full eclipse” for my town.

    Thought about buying up a bunch of hotel rooms in town… but that would be a Dick move!!! Sort of like buying up all the scopes…

    Sirhr
    So would that be like ticket scalping or selling water in a desert?
     
    Saw this was going to happen about 6 months ago when I googled “next full eclipse” for my town.

    Thought about buying up a bunch of hotel rooms in town… but that would be a Dick move!!! Sort of like buying up all the scopes…

    Sirhr
    If I did that it would monsoon rain and be dark anyway 🥴
    Heres a nice rate close to my AO. 😳
    Bring Beer and lawn chair , that gets a spot under my Pecan tree , in case of rain my covered front porch is available
    IMG_1442.png
    lol 😂
     
    Seems that on April 8 , 2024 theres going to be quite the Eclipse. My humble AO is right in its path.
    We will have a period of total darkness for a little over 4 minutes. Towns and people in the path have already started planning , even going to have some folks from NASA grace our presence !! Supposed to be like 30k eclipse watchers coming this way. Local motels that usually cost $80.00 a night will charge $650.00 per night …like a Motel 6 😳 Some nicer motels bumping their rates to the 1K per night range. A buddy of mine has a cabin on a near by mountain has already rented it for 2 days for $ 950.00 …he has 8 people on a waiting list. Even Going to have a mass wedding ceremony at a near by park 🙃.

    World has gone totally NUTS !!! It’s official to me now 🥴

    Might be a rare occurrence… BUT I don’t understand why anyone would travel and pay exorbitant prices to watch it ?🤔 All the hype and price gouging on , nobody mentions what happens if it’s pouring down and totally cloudy ??

    I’ll give (most) members of the Hide a HELL of a deal. Bring Beer and food , you can sit under my Pecan tree for free 👍
    Heck good for him. With the right renters it will be fun and everyone will gain from it. I gather you are in Arkansas?
     
    If I did that it would monsoon rain and be dark anyway 🥴
    Heres a nice rate close to my AO. 😳
    Bring Beer and lawn chair , that gets a spot under my Pecan tree , in case of rain my covered front porch is available View attachment 8203487 lol 😂
    For $500 per night Motel 6 should leave more than the light on.

    There could be a good side gig, selling all kinds of stuff, dark glasses, eye drops, and momentos, cant forget the momentos.

     
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    For $500 per night Motel 6 should leave more than the light on.

    There could be a good side gig, selling all kinds of stuff, dark glasses, eye drops, and momentos, cant forget the momentos.

    Only people staying in Motel 6 these days are illegals.

    Guessing they will sublet you space for $500.


    MA is telling all the service academy grads that rented rooms well in advance for the coming Army-Navy game in Foxborough MA that their reservations are now cancelled because those rooms will be used to house illegals. MA National Guard is going to be there also to provide services to the illegals.
     
    Only people staying in Motel 6 these days are illegals.

    Guessing they will sublet you space for $500.


    MA is telling all the service academy grads that rented rooms well in advance for the coming Army-Navy game in Foxborough MA that their reservations are now cancelled because those rooms will be used to house illegals. MA National Guard is going to be there also to provide services to the illegals.
    I'lltake the pootly stuffed chair for $500 Alex.

    Why bother making shit up???? Reality is becoming Clownworld.
     
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