Kevin's Watch

Is everyone making their plans? If you're traveling, make your reservations now. It might already be too late. The interstates are going to be PACKED, and hotels are going to be hard to get. Luckily, we live only two hours away from the totality zone, in a city where my brother lives. So we have a place to stay, but we'll be leaving the day before to avoid the rush.

We got three pair of eclipse glasses for $10 online. Get 'em while you can.

Keep your fingers crossed for clear skies!

I have contingency plans for anywhere between Smyrna, TN and Dayton, TN, depending on weather.

Only visible from the US.

--A

dlbpharmd wrote:I have contingency plans for anywhere between Smyrna, TN and Dayton, TN, depending on weather.

Sparta and Spring City look like good choices in that area, getting you as close as possible to the middle of the path. My "base camp" will be Bowling Green, KY. I'll watch the weather and decide if I need to go west or south. Too bad we can't get together! Hopkinsville KY to Hendersonville TN will be in reach for me that morning. But I'm really worried about traffic. Millions of people are going to be scrambling to get into the path. We'll have to contend with everyone from Cincinnati to Birmingham, maybe even more. Hell, public schools in Lexington KY (2+ hours away) are cancelling classes because they know so many will be skipping. Tiny towns are going to see their numbers swell like they've never seen before.

I'm afraid to use those glasses I see all over the place. Anyone know if they are safe?

I have purchased ISO certified safe eclipse glasses. They aren't the cheap cardboard versions you often see. Heavy duty plastic. The lenses are so dark, you cannot see anything through them at all unless you are looking at a very bright light in the dark, and even then you can barely see the light. I've looked directly at the sun in a cloudless sky for several minutes with them, and didn't even have any afterimages once I looked away. No pain. I think I'm good to go!

[Edit: after thinking about this some more, I got a little worried. My glasses are from China. I'm not sure they're lab tested. So I did a little research and found this link of reputable vendors who lab test their glasses. I just ordered 3 more for $20. It's probably overkill, since I have viewed the sun several times last week with no adverse effects, but I just want to make sure.]

Zarathustra wrote:

dlbpharmd wrote:I have contingency plans for anywhere between Smyrna, TN and Dayton, TN, depending on weather.

Sparta and Spring City look like good choices in that area, getting you as close as possible to the middle of the path. My "base camp" will be Bowling Green, KY. I'll watch the weather and decide if I need to go west or south. Too bad we can't get together! Hopkinsville KY to Hendersonville TN will be in reach for me that morning. But I'm really worried about traffic. Millions of people are going to be scrambling to get into the path. We'll have to contend with everyone from Cincinnati to Birmingham, maybe even more. Hell, public schools in Lexington KY (2+ hours away) are cancelling classes because they know so many will be skipping. Tiny towns are going to see their numbers swell like they've never seen before.

Sparta and Spring City are on my list of contingencies, and the great thing about those 2 locations is that I'm very familiar with the back roads and can avoid the interstate altogether.

Zarathustra wrote:I have purchased ISO certified safe eclipse glasses. They aren't the cheap cardboard versions you often see. Heavy duty plastic. The lenses are so dark, you cannot see anything through them at all unless you are looking at a very bright light in the dark, and even then you can barely see the light. I've looked directly at the sun in a cloudless sky for several minutes with them, and didn't even have any afterimages once I looked away. No pain. I think I'm good to go!

[Edit: after thinking about this some more, I got a little worried. My glasses are from China. I'm not sure they're lab tested. So I did a little research and found this link of reputable vendors who lab test their glasses. I just ordered 3 more for $20. It's probably overkill, since I have viewed the sun several times last week with no adverse effects, but I just want to make sure.]

Yeah, I'm nowhere close to the eclipse zone but those cheap glasses from 7-11 are selling out. lol

Thanks for the list of good dealers.

Here in West Central Florida we will get a pretty good show. Not total but decent. I have family in Tennessee that will have front row seats.

Depending on the weather, I'll be in either Illinois or Missouri for it.

The cardboard glasses are perfectly fine: we used them for the 1999 eclipse in the UK with no problems. Can't stress enough how beautiful an event totality is - world changing! If it is possible in any way, make the trip - you will never regret it!

Just in case the day does arrive cloudy - don't loose hope: there is a rare eclipse phenomenon of the clouds actually parting prior to totality to reveal the star event (and I know this can happen because one seen it) - and even if it doesn't the odd lighting effects of the phenomena make incredible viewing just on their own. Choose a venue of beauty in its own right and enjoy the company of your fellow watchers and the party atmosphere that pervades everything!

Good luck and good Watching my friends - how I wish I could be there with you!

I plan to build an altar and cutup a calf...

Booga Booga... Booga..

I worked with a woman at the time of our eclipse who, when I returned to the office having witnessed it had not even taken the ten steps to the front door that would have been required for her to see the rare event. "I'm not interested in that sort of thing" she grumbled, not even breaking stride in her typing. It was then that I realized that there are more than one species of human being inhabiting this planet.

Wow!!! That was glorious.

I knew what to expect, but to hear my son freaking out beside me was priceless. We planned it out carefully, watching from the northern edge of totality zone so that we could get back on the interstate before the majority of the crowd left. We got back home only 30 minutes later than normal for the 3 hour drive. That was an experience I'll never forget.

Unless you're mega-rich or mega dedicated, it's a truly once in a lifetime phenomena ........ if you're lucky! The event was covered well by the UK news including the record that it apparently drew one of the largest audiences in human history! Fantastic!

That was indeed glorious!

We experienced a little over 2 minutes of totality in Cookeville, TN.

There was a bit of traffic driving home, but manageable.

My daughters were still talking about it last night. I'm glad we made the trip together.

dlbpharmd wrote:That was indeed glorious!

We experienced a little over 2 minutes of totality in Cookeville, TN.

There was a bit of traffic driving home, but manageable.

My daughters were still talking about it last night. I'm glad we made the trip together.

Lucky Duck.

It was cool here in central Florida but only a partial total eclipse for us.

Hah. I'll catch it next time.

peter wrote:

Unless you're mega-rich or mega dedicated, it's a truly once in a lifetime phenomena ........ if you're lucky! The event was covered well by the UK news including the record that it apparently drew one of the largest audiences in human history! Fantastic!

It's going to happen in Kentucky again in 2024. So yeah, we're pretty lucky.

It was amazing! Pictures don't do justice to it. I saw it in Dixon Springs, in southern Illinois near the center line. Darkness where we were but it looked like dawn on the horizon in every direction. Epic traffic returning home but it was well worth it.