DCAKen

I'm flying to Denver this weekend to meet my brother and friends and we're heading to Casper WY to view it. We're staying at relatives of the friends...who are still charging us an arm and a leg.

altabello

Expecting a lot of visitors here in JAC, too, but if you can get a flight here, you're already in the path of totality and won't miss it no matter what!

HawaiiTrvlr

I am content watching 92% coverage vs totalility. I have a friend that left today for Nebraska (we live in Denver). They have a hotel for today through Sunday but not on Monday. They plan on sleeping in their car (yuck). The do have food, water and other supplies. I am glad I am not back in my homestate of Oregon. It will be beyond crazy.

Edited to add: I have 2 sets of the eclipse glasses. One for myself and one to cover the lense of my smartphone.

tmiw

Flying to Nashville Sunday and currently planning on driving out to a friend's family farm Monday morning. Even though it's a two hour drive under normal circumstances it sounds like I should probably leave a lot earlier. Is 7am too early to leave from Nashville? I'd be driving on I-40 almost the whole way.

RandomBaritone

Flying BOS>SFO>EUG as I type this! My cousin and her family live in tiny Adair Village, OR, smack dab in the path of totality.

Only issue I anticipate will be getting back to EUG for my flight home immediately afterward, though I'm hoping most of the traffic is instead headed north to PDX. Had no choice but to fly back Monday afternoon to position for a TATL trip starting Wednesday. Here's hoping I don't have to test out UA's SDC policy....

CBear

I'm sorry, schools are closing for the day? Why??

Good heavens. The eclipse will last just a couple of minutes. How are they justifying this?

RandomBaritone

Traffic and travel will turn some of the larger cities in the path of totality into absolute zoos. Nashville, for example, is having a daylong festival with attendance that could number in the hundreds of thousands.

I'm also curious why the notion offends? As with a snow day, they'll just make it up at the end of the school year.

6P&E

Traffic will be hard to predict, but I imagine north-south traffic would be worse than east-west in Tennessee. Still, I'd err on the side of caution. Also depends on where in Nashville you will be Sunday evening for your drive Monday morning. Don't know about the morning rush, but local media are predicting a post eclipse rush hour that could make the evening commute something that lasts several hours.

kb9522

I don't understand the hype or why people are willing to drop everything in the middle of a work week to see something so inconsequential.

In either case, the next total eclipse visible from the US is not that far away and the path goes right through my state. I'll probably a) just wait for that and b) get really pissed off at the tourists (more so than usual).

bitterproffit

Its been a passionate argument here. I can see both sides. While the totality is 2 minutes, the actual eclipse is a few hours in the afternoon. Its pretty crazy traffic when the schools let out on a normal day around here. I think the parents are worried about the younger kids stuck on school busses in 95 degree heat with gridlock. Others are concerned that one teacher will not be able to keep 35 kids from taking their glasses off and hurting their vision. Especially younger kids.

As for me, I will never complain about a day off, but I also think it will be fun to enjoy something this amazing with my students. I predict I will be awestruck. And that is a good thing. i will let you know.

CBear

I'm not offended, but unexpected school closures place a massive burden on all the parents who have to work and now have to scramble for alternative care. It's always fun to use leave because you can't find care for you kid.....not!

Suzzin

Our school system planned in advance, starting school two days early to compensate for taking Monday off. They have given all the kids eclipse glasses, and spent Friday teaching them about it in science classes. Part of the rationale for giving the day off is that teachers and bus drivers couldn't be responsible for having every kid keep the glasses on. We are in a 98% area, not close enough for full darkness but close enough that kids would likely look up. I'm honestly more worried about my parents and other older people around here who wouldn't be bothered to get the glasses but then can't resist the urge to look.

We are thinking about driving north, what would usually be about 2 hours we are allowing 3, and then 5 for the drive home. Packing books and snacks, thinking about it as a long drive to somewhere as opposed to a short drive clogged with traffic. If we didn't head out in the car then my kid would likely stay inside and play video games and miss the whole thing anyway!

aquamarinesteph

I think driving east or west on I-40 at 7 am should (should) give you plenty of time to reach a destination two hours away.

Having said that, I live in the greater Nashville area. We ran by a Target today that's located near an interstate exit. I have NEVER seen so many out of state license plates in that parking lot, and people in nearby stores were already saying that they love the extra business but it's been insane this weekend with visitors here for the eclipse.

The weather should be hot & humid here on Monday. Take bottled water and sunscreen with you in the car, just in case you get stuck somewhere along the way.

blueferrari

I was seeing the 2016 solar eclipse in the island of Belitung, Indonesia. quite coincidence and massive help that day was also a national holiday. I think it was the Nyepi day of the Hindus. If it's on workday, I'd take a leave anyway. So kudos for the employer/policymaker who gave the day off for the solar eclipse. Hoping for nice weather for you guys in America.

EAR111pt2

I'm in the path of totality, and will be viewing it at a local event that is across the street from my place!