The great American solar eclipse is next week! Is anyone making plans to see it? What are your thoughts for people who might want to see it?

I'm thinking about making a drive from the Gulf Coast to Tennessee to get within the zone of total eclipse. A quick check shows it may be quite tough to get a room in that area. There are also people price-gouging on Airbnb (charging thousands!). Staying outside of the total eclipse zone seems a lot more possible, but then driving six hours just to see a partial solar eclipse feels like cheating yourself.

Another problem is the traffic. Check out the graph on this link:

https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid...3097025&z=4

The red just makes my heart sink. I'm sure there will be some medical emergencies and accidents. The congestion will make it harder for the ambulance to get there.

I will be viewing the eclipse from Oregon.

I'm about 1-3/4 hours away from the center of the totality zone (during normal traffic). However, the traffic up from Denver to Wyoming, the route I'd have to take up I-25, is expected to be a near dead standstill. No place to stay at this late date. Wouldn't pay the asking price of around $1000 per night for a hotel room even if one were available. Camping would be out of the question - everything snarfed up long ago.

I want to go. But I think I'll have to pass. Most likely outcome from an attempt to get there would be seeing a partial eclipse from the middle of a horrible traffic jam far short of the totality zone. You'd probably needs days worth of emergency supplies just to survive the traffic. I think I'll have to be satisfied with the approx 90% eclipse in my backyard.

I've got a good friend in rural Kentucky whose place is right in the middle of the totality zone. Perfect spot. He said that local law enforcement are warning the locals to banish all people from their property, else the visitors would probably end up owning the property (after suing from getting hurt on it due to crowds/accidents).

Sitting away from totality, I will just watch on TV....

I'm going to try getting to Sweetwater TN. We're about 100 miles from totality as the crow flies. There are back roads (yellow on the map) leading from Knoxville.

My college-age daughter's horse is at a ranch that is dead center on totality very near to the location with the longest eclipse duration. Of course they are holding an eclipse party. Lucky her!!

I'm guessing the nearby larger town will be absolutely crazy with the entire state headed there.

There aren't any eclipse watching parties I know of, Mom and I will be watching from the Freedom Library where there will be no obstruction.

Jeanette Isabelle

I won't be looking for it. For those who do, make sure you have the right eye protection. Per NASA More at the link.

I've been invited to spend the weekend at a friend's family farm in Nebraska for the eclipse.

Lodging has been reserved for a long time in the area. Even the light aircraft airports require a reservation for parking space on the ramp (Alliance, NE)

Sounds like things might get really crazy in towns and on the roads.

(which is why I've programmed my scanner with all the documented jurisdictions I'll drive thru :-)

There was a total eclipse when I was a kid in 1979, and the whole school went outside with glasses to watch it. It's forever in my memory.

We're only getting a partial eclipse here this time, and I'm trying to decide what to do with the kiddos. I'll have four on Monday, ages 2,3,4 and 5. 14 year old bacpacboy will be here too. I don't trust them not to take their glasses off. Watch the shadows outside or watch the eclipse on tv/computer?

Does anyone know of any cool things activities to do with the kiddos during a partial eclipse?