Page Index Toggle Pages: 1 Send TopicPrint
Hot Topic (More than 10 Replies) Darkness at Noon: Eclipses in 2017 & 2024 (Read 829 times)
Penthesilea
Forum Administrator
*****
Offline


Warrior Queen, DarkLady,
Phoenix, Ghostbuster

Posts: 47422
Location: The Castle.....
Joined: Jun 21st, 2006
Gender: Female
Darkness at Noon: Eclipses in 2017 & 2024
Jun 20th, 2017 at 5:32pm
Print Post  
Since we've committed to driving to Hopkinsville, KY for the August eclipse this is where I'll be talking about our plans and being something of a "complete-ist" I'll be talking about the '24 eclipse that will be passing DIRECTLY OVER THE HALL, here too. I like to keep things "neat" don't you know.  Grin

The first thing to do is get maps -- paper ones if I can find them -- of the route (not much of a problem) and Hopkinsville (which might be a problem). Since we're driving, we won't have to worry about what Spirit would eat if she didn't want the "sack lunch" provided by the tour. Once we're done watching the eclipse, we'll hunt up a Chick-fil-A, an Arby's or a pizza place and chow down. Likewise, since Spirit is used to traveling relatively long distances in the van, she'll just sack out in her seat and sleep most of the way there and back. Moonie will sleep and play games in her seat. Skywise will drive and I'll navigate and keep him company.
  

Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
Penthesilea
Forum Administrator
*****
Offline


Warrior Queen, DarkLady,
Phoenix, Ghostbuster

Posts: 47422
Location: The Castle.....
Joined: Jun 21st, 2006
Gender: Female
Re: Darkness at Noon: Eclipses in 2017 & 2024
Reply #1 - Jun 20th, 2017 at 5:43pm
Print Post  
As usual on expeditions of this type, I'll be packing a cooler with water, soft drinks and those snacks best served cool. There will likely be a supply of other snacks as well since this trip will be over twice as long as our normal Louisville, KY trips. Skywise will have his own "checklist" with viewing glasses -- which I ordered this morning -- reference books and binoculars. I haven't decided what I'll be taking but my totebag is gonna be full, you betcha!

We'll have a deadline for reaching Hopkinsville so if we can, we'll drive straight through. On the way back, we'll be able to stop more often if necessary. It will be August and only the Gods know how hot it will be then. Hopefully, there won't be any traffic delays going down....


Post # 38,444
« Last Edit: Jun 20th, 2017 at 5:48pm by Penthesilea »  

Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
Penthesilea
Forum Administrator
*****
Offline


Warrior Queen, DarkLady,
Phoenix, Ghostbuster

Posts: 47422
Location: The Castle.....
Joined: Jun 21st, 2006
Gender: Female
Re: Darkness at Noon: Eclipses in 2017 & 2024
Reply #2 - Jun 22nd, 2017 at 12:55am
Print Post  
I compiled a little information in between looking for someone to pump out the septic tank. Specifically, I'm looking for alternate locations in case we need them. Not able to do a LOT of research due to using a ton of megabytes looking for septic cleaning companies but I have a few locations to look at. I'm also going to work up a packing checklist in the next few days. There's a good one in one of the books Skywise has and I'll be using it as a starting point.
  

Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
Penthesilea
Forum Administrator
*****
Offline


Warrior Queen, DarkLady,
Phoenix, Ghostbuster

Posts: 47422
Location: The Castle.....
Joined: Jun 21st, 2006
Gender: Female
Re: Darkness at Noon: Eclipses in 2017 & 2024
Reply #3 - Jun 22nd, 2017 at 7:33pm
Print Post  
Since Skywise has some definite ideas about this event, I cut my packing list extensively. There will be no photographing the eclipse itself, he will be using binoculars and NOT one of his telescopes and there will be no recording of temperature fluctuations and other such activities. So I'm concentrating on keeping us comfortable before and during totality, Most of the stuff now on the packing list is basic "daytrip/road trip" gear with the addition of folding chairs and the "portable shade" I bought today. hehehe Skywise asked me about it when he saw it in the cart and I pointed out that it would be AUGUST, and SUNNY and that we WANT IT SUNNY without a scrap of shade in sight and that I did NOT care to sit in said hot sun while waiting for the eclipse to arrive!  Smiley   He grinned and agreed. He knows I don't tolerate heat well. Smiley
« Last Edit: Jun 23rd, 2017 at 4:33am by Penthesilea »  

Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
Penthesilea
Forum Administrator
*****
Offline


Warrior Queen, DarkLady,
Phoenix, Ghostbuster

Posts: 47422
Location: The Castle.....
Joined: Jun 21st, 2006
Gender: Female
Re: Darkness at Noon: Eclipses in 2017 & 2024
Reply #4 - Jun 23rd, 2017 at 3:04am
Print Post  
I've been looking over the packing list with Moonie and it looks like the only things we'll have to buy for the trip are soft drinks and snacks. Everything else we have or have ordered -- the eclipse glasses -- which are expected to arrive before the end of the month. I'm planning on using my biggest water bottle to carry iced tea in since I'm not fond of bottled tea. All I need is to make an insulating cover for it. I also need to make sleep masks for the girls but I can run them up in a couple of days or less.
Things on that front are shaping up nicely....
  

Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
Penthesilea
Forum Administrator
*****
Offline


Warrior Queen, DarkLady,
Phoenix, Ghostbuster

Posts: 47422
Location: The Castle.....
Joined: Jun 21st, 2006
Gender: Female
Re: Darkness at Noon: Eclipses in 2017 & 2024
Reply #5 - Aug 10th, 2017 at 7:00pm
Print Post  
"Eclipse prep" is kicking into high gear!
Everything "non-food" that needed to be bought has been bought. Those things that needed to be "field tested" have been.
Preliminary packing has started.
The big thing now is the route and where we'll watch the eclipse.
To my utter disgust, I've discovered that there are NO REST STOPS on the section of I-69 that runs through Kentucky. Zip! Nada! A Kentucky state highway runs along it that may offer some possibilities. There are, of course, a lot of exchanges along I-69 that could be possible viewing sites. I would HATE to have to find a place the last minute but we may have to do that....
  

Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
Penthesilea
Forum Administrator
*****
Offline


Warrior Queen, DarkLady,
Phoenix, Ghostbuster

Posts: 47422
Location: The Castle.....
Joined: Jun 21st, 2006
Gender: Female
Re: Darkness at Noon: Eclipses in 2017 & 2024
Reply #6 - Aug 10th, 2017 at 7:31pm
Print Post  
Penthesilea wrote on Jun 23rd, 2017 at 3:04am:
I've been looking over the packing list with Moonie and it looks like the only things we'll have to buy for the trip are soft drinks and snacks. Everything else we have or have ordered -- the eclipse glasses -- which are expected to arrive before the end of the month. I'm planning on using my biggest water bottle to carry iced tea in since I'm not fond of bottled tea. All I need is to make an insulating cover for it. I also need to make sleep masks for the girls but I can run them up in a couple of days or less.
Things on that front are shaping up nicely....


I found an insulating cover that fits so I don't have to make one. It won't keep tea cold indefinitely but it DOES keep the bottle from sweating which is what I was primarily interested it. I'm going to put it in my tote bag and I didn't want the books and maps in there to get wet!

OPSEC is now in force. I've hidden this thread until the eclipse is over and we're back home. Skywise expressed some concerns so.. I shall post to my heart's content on this "hidden" thread and no casual passerby will see it until we're home.

  

Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
Penthesilea
Forum Administrator
*****
Offline


Warrior Queen, DarkLady,
Phoenix, Ghostbuster

Posts: 47422
Location: The Castle.....
Joined: Jun 21st, 2006
Gender: Female
Re: Darkness at Noon: Eclipses in 2017 & 2024
Reply #7 - Aug 13th, 2017 at 12:28am
Print Post  
We got an email today about the eclipse glasses I bought. Amazon says that they can't verify that they're safe to use so they're advising us not to use them and are refunding the purchase price and they've taken down the page for them.
They're doing this to cover their collective backside from lawsuits.
I looked up how to test eclipse glasses -- several sites say the same thing -- and the ones we have are fine. I will, of course, test all the pairs we have but I'm confident that they're good. So... we have free eclipse glasses. Eight pairs total.
  

Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
Penthesilea
Forum Administrator
*****
Offline


Warrior Queen, DarkLady,
Phoenix, Ghostbuster

Posts: 47422
Location: The Castle.....
Joined: Jun 21st, 2006
Gender: Female
Re: Darkness at Noon: Eclipses in 2017 & 2024
Reply #8 - Aug 14th, 2017 at 6:07pm
Print Post  
The sun is out so I just checked out our eclipse glasses and every pair checked out. The sun looked like a nice full moon so we're good to go there.
  

Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
Penthesilea
Forum Administrator
*****
Offline


Warrior Queen, DarkLady,
Phoenix, Ghostbuster

Posts: 47422
Location: The Castle.....
Joined: Jun 21st, 2006
Gender: Female
Re: Darkness at Noon: Eclipses in 2017 & 2024
Reply #9 - Aug 19th, 2017 at 10:29pm
Print Post  
Down to the wire on eclipse prep. I've loaded some of the small stuff into my tote bag and have it in its usual spot in front. I've checked my EDC and the first aid kit. Directions are printed and in the navigation folder. The checklist of what needs to go in the van is printed out and on a clipboard next to me in preparation for tomorrow's packing. On Monday morning all we'll need to put in the van is the soft drinks and tea.
  

Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
Penthesilea
Forum Administrator
*****
Offline


Warrior Queen, DarkLady,
Phoenix, Ghostbuster

Posts: 47422
Location: The Castle.....
Joined: Jun 21st, 2006
Gender: Female
Re: Darkness at Noon: Eclipses in 2017 & 2024
Reply #10 - Aug 20th, 2017 at 5:30pm
Print Post  
Final push. We picked up the drinks and snacks at Walmart and I'll start packing the van as soon as I cool off. The drink coolers and my tea will go in just before we leave tomorrow and the snacks near sunset. Everything else will be loaded this afternoon. Smiley By this time tomorrow, we'll be in Kentucky waiting for the eclipse to arrive....
  

Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
Penthesilea
Forum Administrator
*****
Offline


Warrior Queen, DarkLady,
Phoenix, Ghostbuster

Posts: 47422
Location: The Castle.....
Joined: Jun 21st, 2006
Gender: Female
Re: Darkness at Noon: Eclipses in 2017 & 2024
Reply #11 - Aug 20th, 2017 at 8:17pm
Print Post  
Chairs, camp table and sunshade are loaded. My backpack with sunscreen, insect repellent and the eclipse glasses along with my hat (broad brimmed) is in the front along with my tote bag. All that's left to load is drinks, food, Skywise's reference books, binoculars and what I'll be reading on the way down. Smiley
  

Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
Penthesilea
Forum Administrator
*****
Offline


Warrior Queen, DarkLady,
Phoenix, Ghostbuster

Posts: 47422
Location: The Castle.....
Joined: Jun 21st, 2006
Gender: Female
Re: Darkness at Noon: Eclipses in 2017 & 2024
Reply #12 - Aug 20th, 2017 at 9:42pm
Print Post  
One of my facebook friends from Michigan is down in the Hopkinsville area for the eclipse so there will probably be pictures of the festival on her page. I'll probably snatch some if I can. I doubt that we'll be braving the mob in the town proper.
  

Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
Penthesilea
Forum Administrator
*****
Offline


Warrior Queen, DarkLady,
Phoenix, Ghostbuster

Posts: 47422
Location: The Castle.....
Joined: Jun 21st, 2006
Gender: Female
Re: Darkness at Noon: Eclipses in 2017 & 2024
Reply #13 - Aug 20th, 2017 at 10:34pm
Print Post  
Food is loaded.
  

Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
Penthesilea
Forum Administrator
*****
Offline


Warrior Queen, DarkLady,
Phoenix, Ghostbuster

Posts: 47422
Location: The Castle.....
Joined: Jun 21st, 2006
Gender: Female
Re: Darkness at Noon: Eclipses in 2017 & 2024
Reply #14 - Aug 21st, 2017 at 10:29am
Print Post  
We've been up since six.
Getting ready to leave.
ADVENTURE and the eclipse await!
  

Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
Penthesilea
Forum Administrator
*****
Offline


Warrior Queen, DarkLady,
Phoenix, Ghostbuster

Posts: 47422
Location: The Castle.....
Joined: Jun 21st, 2006
Gender: Female
Re: Darkness at Noon: Eclipses in 2017 & 2024
Reply #15 - Aug 22nd, 2017 at 1:41am
Print Post  
We're home.
Six and a half hours down and seven hours back -- we stopped for dinner.
I'm exhausted.
We're ALL exhausted.
I've never see Skywise so happy.
  

Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
Page Index Toggle Pages: 1
Send TopicPrint