Is anyone planning to ride down and see the total eclipse Aug. 21? I think the path is going to cross Cheyenne WY and Lincoln NE. I've seen a couple, so not sure if I'll take time off work to see this one.
What I remember the most, is all the birds go silent when the sun goes dark. Then a couple minutes later, the sun comes back and they start chirping again.
I would like to... the path of "totality" isn't too far away. The total eclipse I remember seeing... I think I was a 4th grader.
Sent from my Commodore Pet
I'm heading down to Guernsey/Wheatland for the monumental event. Not sure if I'm Biking or Vanning. Could be convinced to bike.
Wacked
I was off a bit on the path; it's crossing Jackson, Casper, Glendo, Alliance, Grand Island. Here's a google map.
http://xjubier.free.fr/en/site_pages/solar_eclipses/TSE_2017_GoogleMapFull.html?Lat=42.83167&Lng=-106.32019&Zoom=8&LC=1 (http://xjubier.free.fr/en/site_pages/solar_eclipses/TSE_2017_GoogleMapFull.html?Lat=42.83167&Lng=-106.32019&Zoom=8&LC=1)
It will actually be visible as far north as Gillette and Rapid City but only a partial eclipse.
Bonnie's family's farm is within 5 miles of dead center of eclipse path by Dorchester Nebraska.
2 minutes and 28 seconds of total eclipse. She and I are planning on going down so any of you east river guys or west would be welcome to come. Could camp there night before. From what I hear the strip through Nebraska is going to be crowded with people from all over and all hotels and campgrounds are already full.
"The state of Nebraska is expecting 100,000 - 400,000 visitors"
http://rapidcityjournal.com/news/local/nebraska-readies-for-eclipse-influx/article_43031346-ab3d-52f2-bb6d-8a70949e74fa.html (http://rapidcityjournal.com/news/local/nebraska-readies-for-eclipse-influx/article_43031346-ab3d-52f2-bb6d-8a70949e74fa.html)
I'd say forget about finding a campsite / hotel in Nebraska or Wyoming.
I attended the Emergency mgmt pre-rally meeting and the homeland security guy said this is more of a concern than the rally. Central Wyoming is booked for hotels/campgrounds, no rental cars available, and they are concerned about fuel shortages due to the amount of people?? Of course they are always a bit dramatic so???
I was thinking about riding down early Monday morning. But if you can't get gas once you're down there... starting to sound like a zoo.
those guy always seem to overreact. but??
This sounds eerily familiar.
"Benteen, Come on. Big village, Be quick. Bring (roto)packs. W.W. Cooke. P.S. Bring (roto) Packs."
;D ;D ;D
Maybe this is going to be a zoo. Talked to a friend yesterday a he said one of there frieght company's is putting a travel ban on I80 for there trucks passing through Nebraska Sunday to Tuesday.
I know the rural electric Coop in Lusk is closing for the day as they don't wan't their trucks on the road?
Sounds like false Y2K fear mongering all over again ....... just saying.
OK, who wants to ride down Sunday night and camp?
Wacked
Quote from: Wacked on August 11, 2017, 08:47:19 AM
Sounds like false Y2K fear mongering all over again ....... just saying.
OK, who wants to ride down Sunday night and camp?
Wacked
haha...exactly!!
Every place I've called is booked. Unless you already have reservations I think remote camping might be your best bet.
I'm kinda on the fence about going. I think I might just ride down Monday morning, the path is only about 100-120 miles from Hot Springs I think, so not like you have to leave at 3 am.
OK, I'm making this an official DDSR event.... heck, more likely it will be a solo DDSR event.
Did some more looking at the track and think I'll go camp somewhere around "Mother Featherlegs Monument" or just to the SW of the monument in the Wildcat Hills if I can find cool remote spot. Anyone been there? Anyone wanna go there?
Will leave late a.m. Or mid-day Sunday
Wacked
Quote from: sandhillrider on August 05, 2017, 10:40:55 AM
Bonnie's family's farm is within 5 miles of dead center of eclipse path by Dorchester Nebraska.
2 minutes and 28 seconds of total eclipse. She and I are planning on going down so any of you east river guys or west would be welcome to come. Could camp there night before. From what I hear the strip through Nebraska is going to be crowded with people from all over and all hotels and campgrounds are already full.
Hey Mark would the farmyard have a spot for a couple tents Sunday night?
Yes no problem.
Had a great time watching the eclipse on Monday! Blue skies perfect for veiwing the spectacle.
Hank and I left on Sunday and stopped at Mark and Bonnie's place in the afternoon. Due to the 300 different eclipse weather forecasts we holed up at their place for the evening and we're treated to some amazing hospitality.
Room, board and a great meal followed. Some good conversation and then retired early to make our direction choice in the early am.
Got up to a very foggy morning but with Marks amazing forecasting err crystal ball reading skills, Hank and I headed out west and south to broken bow and we're treated to blue skies. What an awesome site. It was great fun!
Thanks again to Mark and bonnie for all your help and hospitality.
A couple more
Sometimes we look really smart sometimes not. Guess I lucked out this time.
We ended up south of Loup City on a hill. Was a great place. Have some pictures I will
Post if I ever get good internet back. Had pizza in Loup City on the way down, so Bonnie made a pin hole viewer out of the cardboard. Real high tech but worked great. Come back anytime enjoyed the visit.
It was a great trip and the eclipse itself was really worth seeing. Thanks again for the fantastic hospitality, Mark and Bonnie!
Started a ride report once but hit some wrong buttons and lost it all..... here we go again.
Called Lonesome about 11ish last Sunday and checked his status. The week before was a whole bunch of "Kinda wanna go but don't know if I can" calls. NO, he won't be ready in an hour but YES he is coming on the Tiger. I'm packed, loaded, and ready to roll so I'll head out to Lusk to scout it out. Don't know when Dave will get all his poo together but I'm informed he's bringing an entourage of 3 ladies, 2 puppies, and 1 truck.
The 3hr ride to Lusk is average and windy. The town was over-filled with a carnival-like atmosphere. Every 4th house on Main street had a Lemonade, BBQ, or t-shirt stand. I roll into the maze of the gas station, wait my turn and top off. I then head out West of town, past the bustling fair-grounds and turn down the road to the Mother Featherlegs monument.
I had gambled that the general public hates dirt and gravel roads and it paid off. No traffic, just peace and harmony in the open plains of Wyoming. 10 miles later I find the Mother Featherlegs monument and dwaddle there for 10 minutes. This will be a scenic place to watch the eclipse. I realize I have some time to kill, so I travel another 20miles further south to the center of the path all the time scanning for roads, places, or fields to gorilla camp. It's all marked and private. I get to the end of the road and find a 400ac field that's been turned into an ad hoc campground. The nice rancher lady is asking $100/tent. Naw. I head back to town and check out the fair-grounds
The fair-grounds have been set up for Eclipse central- Food, Fun, Bands and dance. With all these people around, I ask a worker lady there's a place to pitch a tent in the fair-grounds. No camping allowed but she's heard the town is allowing free camping in the undeveloped business park. I go there, and sure enough, there's 20 campers strewn about the place. I find a spot and call Dave to tell him the good news. He's in Edgemont with truck, Puppies, and Ladies in tow. Lisa grabs the phone and starts grilling me about porta-potties .... Yea, sure, I see one in the distance that she can likely sneak into.
As I'm having the porta-potty discussion, sitting on the ground against the bike, I notice 2 cops hassling a camper up the road. I don't get it but the kids are starting to pull down the tent???? The cops start driving out and I stop them and ask whats up? NO Tents. You can park your RV here but no tents. They give me a number to there dispatcher who in turn connects me to a land-owner who wants $50/nite per tent. Hmmmm. I call back Dave who's still waiting in Edgemont and relay the news.
While Dave finishes the trip from Edgemont, I scout the Eastern side of Rawhide Buttes. Same thing - all private land, no Gorilla camping spots, a couple a of enterprising $100 camping fields. I head up to town, top off, and go to the fair-grounds for some BBQ off a food wagon and wait for Dave and Entourage.
We get there almost the same time. Dusk isn't too far away and I start drawing and explaining the scouting efforts. Lisa takes out the 2 puppies for a whiz - they're cute but look like all kinds of busy and trouble. 3 high school girls mob the puppies. We talk strategy and now 2 older ladies are mobbing the puppies. One of the Lady's is excited that the pups have Green Bay dog tags on the collars. She's local and asks if she can direct us anywhere or help us find something. Dave, without missing a beat, say's she can help us find a place to camp.
Long story short, we end up camping in Patty and Ole's yard. Go Dave! Go Puppies! Those trouble-some puppies are damn useful......
How do ya like 'dem puppies now? hahaha. that is a great report. sure beat my watching event on TV at the folks place. Too overcast to see it here anyway...So I made wonderful progress on my reroofing project.
Day 2 - Monday, the day of the Eclipse
Well Patty and Ole were over the top hosts to these Eclipse campers - can't say enough about their hospitality. This was paired with Lisa's efforts to make sure everyone was well fed and hydrated - we were well set for this adventure.
We got up 7ish. As we packed up camp, we could see traffic on the north bridge at near a stand-still. Dave and Alissa ran out and got coffee so everyone could function. Ole gave us a route to circumnavigate around the town. We made the gravel road by 8:45. They sky was clear.
If the puppies were the unsung hero's of Sunday, I gotta say Bri was the unsung hero of today. So Bri is the 3rd lady in the group; friend of Alissa, she's on the quiet side and really keen on watching sky and star stuff. She was probably the most into it. Dave and I, on the other hand, were just there to watch social mayhem.
Bri gently suggested/nudged that we should go for the center of the track. Since we traveled this far, why stop 20 miles short at Mother Featherlegs monument? Fine, what's another 20 miles. We stop at the monument for some photo ops and then head south to a wide sweeping corner of the road that I had spied yesterday. Avenza suggested this spot should be fairly near center.
Four cars are already set up at this corner. Before we get situated, the guy to the south asks Alissa to move the truck forward by 15' because his "telescope needs to see true north when it follows the eclipse" - say what? - she pulls forward - neighbors happy. Just behind us is a group of University types from the University of WI. Dave goes around to chit-chat. Lisa reads a book, the pups melt into the grass for a nap, and the rest of us search for eats or drinks. The weather is perfect.
As chit-chatting goes with Dave, he asks the University types "How far are we from the center track?". University guy points to a stock gate and claims it's 10' to the south of track according to his "mega-bitch'n GPS"; so now where they now stand, it's maybe about 20' north of track.
YOu gotta be kidding.... We stumbled into 4 car loads of science geeks who knew where they wanted to be, what they were talking about, and little nuances to check out during this eclipse. And they let us scope out their equipment. It was fun. It was cool. Not sure I can fully describe it. Lisa may have summed it up the best saying that she came for the trip not the event; but the event may have surpassed the trip..... Thanks to Bri. Can't speak for Dave or Alissa, but I'm agreeing with Lisa's summary
Maybe about 1:30 we packed up and headed north again. As we got out to the tar, traffic was more stop than go. We took a left to Manville and passed miles of jammed up vehicles waiting to get through the Lusk intersection. At Manville, we turned right and looped around Indian Creek. The rest of the trip was mostly uneventful but a little hot.