Those Who Have Experienced a Total Solar Eclipse - Is it Worth Driving 10 or More Hours to See.

originally posted by: Athetos
It’s as impressive as any dusk you have ever experienced.

A few minutes of dusk. Your call really depends how much slight darkness excites you.

a reply to: WeMustCare

Last month, it got so dark in the middle of the day, all the lights came on. A tornado passed 2 miles to the Northeast. So yeah...I've seen dusk (exciting dusk!) during the day already.

You've taken away a tad of my desire to the the April 8th Eclipse. Just a small sliver.

originally posted by: 19Bones79
a reply to: WeMustCare

This one is going to be about the journey and not the destination.

Create a mixtape.

Don't forget the cooler box.

COOLER BOX with a few drinks and a couple of Sandwiches/Chips....on the empty passenger seat. Will do!

originally posted by: DampDave
I witnessed a 92% eclipse black in the '99.

I wasn't like twilight as some others on here have said, it was weird, and unique. There was an eerie stillness that added to the experience, when it passed things returned to normal. It was the contrast between normal daytime activity around me(I was in a city) and weird half light stillness that I remember the most, like something beyond my comprehension was passing overhead.

I think that if I was going to travel someplace to see one again I'd pick somewhere special.

Thankyou for sharing your impression. Since there is an eclipse about every 1.5 years on Planet Earth, you should pick one that will occur in a "special" location and plan/book your stay months in advance. Hopefully it will be a place that's not prone to clouds at that time. Good luck!

originally posted by: VictorVonDoom

originally posted by: UnderAether
The only one I saw was in 1979.

I was in grade 3 or 4. I only remember making a contraption with a shoebox as a class project to safely view. I peeked at the rclipse and lived. Eyes are good now.

I hope people post their experiences this time around.

The thing I remember most is how quiet the birds were when night came in the middle of the day. Chirping away one moment, then silence, then back to chirping when the sunlight hit once again.

As for making a 3 hour trip these days to see one, I wouldn't. All the traffic, the people, and all the other hassles. Sure, it's a unique experience, but it doesn't last very long. Like finding two identical snowflakes. You can always watch videos of the event later which will likely be better than what you could witness in person.

The things you remember most, will not be experienced by watching a video. 4 hours of driving / park on side of country road / do the experience/ 4 hours back home. That's all I'm seeking.

originally posted by: WeMustCare

originally posted by: Boomer1947
a reply to: WeMustCare

I drove from the SF Bay Area to Eugene Oregon and back for the 2017 eclipse. It was definitely worth it. Interestingly enough, traffic was much less dense than usual. Probably because most of the locals were worried about traffic and stayed off the road.

It was cloudy every day I was in Oregon last September. The 2017 eclipse must have happened during a good time of the year, weather-wise.

"Definitely Worth It", is a really strong endorsement, and increases my determination to go. I'm now at 70% determined!
Thank-you!

If possible you want to be in a location where you can see at least a few miles in all directions--like on a local hilltop or tall building. As the eclipse approaches totality you can see faint patterns of light and shadow known as "shadow bands" sweeping across the landscape. This occurs just as the edge of the Moon's disc passes over your location.

I've seen a near total eclipse twice in my lifetime. It was something to promote conversation with others for a week, but I would never spend a lot of money to go get a better view of it or drive somewhere and stay in a motel to see it when clouds can move in and cover the view quickly. I personally think it is not worth it to see a total eclipse when you can see an eighty percent or more one at no cost and if it is cloudy, spending all that money and fighting traffic seems kind of not worth the effort. The ones I saw were probably over eighty percent, that is good enough for me to have experienced.

I wonder how many people who are touting climate change being bad are flying down or driving to those locations to view the total eclipse? I am an old school environmentalist...tree hugger from long ago. I did not get crazy about it, but I am kind of environmentally minded and I think this climate change crap is nothing more than a sales promotion. All the chemicals they are dumping into the environment, including all the meds they promote as needed that are excreted in the sewer, is really bad for the environment. A cow farting is just smelly, and people who eat more vegetables fart more than those who eat meat.

Yes. It was ok, but I personally don't see the big draw. I remember my Beach Boys concert at 13 far more vividly than the total eclipse seven years ago.

I can't think of anything I'd want to see bad enough to travel for hours to a densely populated area, but I'm neither a fan of travel or big cities.

I have to wonder how so many people can afford such a trip, given how badly inflation has supposedly hit the majority. Maybe there are more high-income earners with lots of disposable income than we've been led to believe?

originally posted by: Therealbeverage
If you have never seen one then YES! If you have not really worth it at your distance because it is very doubtful you'll find a hotel to stay in. But if you do go it is an amazing possibly once in a lifetime experience!

I was lucky enough to live only a couple hours from the last one in 2017, so I had been preparing for years for it!

Recently we decided to see the annual eclipse in 2023 from its totality. That is the the moon does not completely cover the sun and creates what is called the "Ring of fire" it was nearly a total wash because of weather! That one made me sad because photographing an eclipse is not easy.

I had been planing to do the April 8th eclipse but to haul my equipment clear across the country started to seem more daunting after the last disappointment so I decided to stay home and get what I can of the partial eclipse!

GOOD LUCK!

Thank you. I slept about 3 hours at home... Chicago's Northwest suburb...and then drove to Indianapolis at 2:30 a.m. last night beautiful drive with no traffic...3 hours and 45 minutes.

Just a high thin cirrus cloud deck. Just enough to take the brightness from the Sun which is good because I do not have any of those glasses. Every place in Chicago and down here in Indianapolis is sold out for days.

Will film the eclipse using my Samsung smartphone. I can extract pictures from the video clip.

As soon as the totality ends I am going to hop on the highway and start driving back home. Lots of flashing marquee signs on local highways saying traffic will be bad after the eclipse... leave late tonight. I'm not going to wait till late tonight. I'm sitting just to the west of Indianapolis in a Walmart parking lot...so when it ends I can get a head start on all the traffic.

Thank you for providing such great photographs. Hopefully I will see something a little similar with my modest setup.

originally posted by: Boomer1947

originally posted by: WeMustCare

originally posted by: Boomer1947
a reply to: WeMustCare

I drove from the SF Bay Area to Eugene Oregon and back for the 2017 eclipse. It was definitely worth it. Interestingly enough, traffic was much less dense than usual. Probably because most of the locals were worried about traffic and stayed off the road.

It was cloudy every day I was in Oregon last September. The 2017 eclipse must have happened during a good time of the year, weather-wise.

"Definitely Worth It", is a really strong endorsement, and increases my determination to go. I'm now at 70% determined!
Thank-you!

If possible you want to be in a location where you can see at least a few miles in all directions--like on a local hilltop or tall building. As the eclipse approaches totality you can see faint patterns of light and shadow known as "shadow bands" sweeping across the landscape. This occurs just as the edge of the Moon's disc passes over your location.

Unfortunately Indianapolis Indiana is flat. No hills. So I'll have to look for shadows in this Walmart parking lot where I'm sitting. Hahaha.

originally posted by: WeMustCare

originally posted by: Boomer1947

originally posted by: WeMustCare

originally posted by: Boomer1947
a reply to: WeMustCare

I drove from the SF Bay Area to Eugene Oregon and back for the 2017 eclipse. It was definitely worth it. Interestingly enough, traffic was much less dense than usual. Probably because most of the locals were worried about traffic and stayed off the road.

It was cloudy every day I was in Oregon last September. The 2017 eclipse must have happened during a good time of the year, weather-wise.

"Definitely Worth It", is a really strong endorsement, and increases my determination to go. I'm now at 70% determined!
Thank-you!

If possible you want to be in a location where you can see at least a few miles in all directions--like on a local hilltop or tall building. As the eclipse approaches totality you can see faint patterns of light and shadow known as "shadow bands" sweeping across the landscape. This occurs just as the edge of the Moon's disc passes over your location.

Unfortunately Indianapolis Indiana is flat. No hills. So I'll have to look for shadows in this Walmart parking lot where I'm sitting. Hahaha.

All you really need, is to be near one tree that is casting shadows of it's leaves, so that you can see some light in between the shadows from the leaves. That's mostly for before and after totality.

You should be able to comfortably glance at the eclipse during totality with the naked eye, I was. Glancing with regular sunglasses during totality is also an option.

Good luck. As I mentioned before, minor clouds could dissipate as the cooling effect of the Moon's shadow approachs.

Safe travels.

It's starting....

a reply to: WeMustCare

"was it worth it?"

no

The Path of Totality is getting darker and darker

..... and darker!!!! ☠️💡

originally posted by: Cvastar
a reply to: WeMustCare

"was it worth it?"

no

"It" hasn't happened yet!!

Total at around 3pm EST ☠️💥

😀❗️

I will be watching here from Canada and from my yard in MI. www.twitch.tv...