There's an Eclipse coming. Is that a good enough excuse to go for a ride??

[Lowndes]

Monday, April, 8, 2024.  A Full Total Solar Eclipse.  Right thru the heartland.  "The Last for a Generation".  Mazatlan to Labrador. 

 

Anyone interested in picking a motel to meet at on Sunday, ride to the center of the path Monday, watch the whole thing, then haul butt for home??  It's a better excuse than some other rides I've been on cause this one's got "science" in it.  Might need several meet-up points cause if I was in San Antone, I sure wouldn't ride to Burlington to see it.  I might just to get out of the house, tho.

 

 

A more detailed view.  The center line is the path of totality (the place to be).

 

[Scott9999]

Lol, like you ever needed an excuse to ride before?  🤣

[terryofperry]

@Lowndes After pondering to just show up @Indy Dave we booked a room last April in Arkansas, thank goodness, prices have quadrupled since then. Didn't mind disturbing Dave, couldn't see inconveniecing the lovely Shawn. And face it, Indianapolis vs Arkansas? No Brainer. 

 

Terry

[60Aviator]

Terry and I are arriving Saturday and staying at the Baymont by Wyndham Caddo Valley/Arkadelphia.

[Hosstage]

Is it a good enough reason to go for a ride? Hell yes! 

I was going to mention as terryofperrey did that any lodging near the path is either already booked or outrageously priced.

 

[Lowndes]

Agreed on the motel prices near the path.  Saw that here several years back when the eclipse came thru N Georgia.  Stoopid

 

Possible alternative:  stay say 200 miles away Sun nite, get up Monday and ride to the show.  The show will be in the PM all the way across the US so that gives us time to travel some on Monday morning.  Bikes will have a much easier time getting thru traffic snarls but maybe we stay away from the big metros.  Choose a place with multiple hi ways crossing the path plus some "Ken Routes" to get there.  Maybe some members will have local knowledge of alternate roads and vantage points they could contribute.  

 

In the 2017 eclipse here I found an overlook on US 76 just west of  GA197 that had a very nice view of a valley and lower terrain for miles.  This was not near any communities, there were people there but it was not crowded.  Plenty of room to move around and get a good vantage point.  It was spectacular to actually see the shadow sweep across the valley and feel the sudden cool drafts of air on a hot day.  If I was an indian 500 years ago poking thru the bushes and this suddenly happened to me, I'd need a new loincloth.

[TSConver]

Paducah KY area would be good

 

Could camp in the land between the lakes

 

[Lowndes]

Good writeup on the eclipse here:

 

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-science-of-2024s-epic-solar-eclipse-the-last-for-a-generation/

 

The shadow will be traveling at 1,500 + mph, a little faster than I prefer to cruise at so I'll just pull over and let it pass.  

 

A good animation of the shadow crossing TX OK, and AR is here:

 

https://www.greatamericaneclipse.com/oklahoma-2024-eclipse

 

The attached map shows the likely crowd sizes along the path.  Looks like Land Between the Lakes will be a very popular viewpoint.  We could camp there then travel N or W to less crowds (maybe).

 

 

 

[szurszewski]

Having had the chance to be in the path in 2017, I can certainly say to anyone wondering if it's worth it, it is. An excuse for a ride, of course!

 

I don't think you have a chance of finding a better spot than we did though as @greiffster and Mrs. G provided us with the best possible accommodation. 

 

 

 

[Lowndes]

Great idea!!  Let's all go to Greiffster's.

[roadscholar]

in spring of l970 i was riding my new to me honda 450 on my longest motorcycle trip up to that point, from tallahassee to gainesville : ) atgatt was deck shoes, jeans, a t'shirt, and ray-bans. somewhere south of perry, fla it got kinda dark for a minute like twilight but it was partly cloudy so you couldn't see the actual eclipse. actually i'd heard about it beforehand and knew not to look directly at it anyway.

 

if i were going to see this one i might consider somewhere near texarkana because if it's cloudy you'll want to have options to go in different directions fairly quickly and it looks like that could be done from there w/o being near a metropolis. 

[Indy Dave]

8 hours ago, terryofperry said:

@Lowndes After pondering to just show up @Indy Dave we booked a room last April in Arkansas, thank goodness, prices have quadrupled since then. Didn't mind disturbing Dave, couldn't see inconveniecing the lovely Shawn. And face it, Indianapolis vs Arkansas? No Brainer. 

 

Terry

Shawn will be so disappointed you two aren't coming! The Speedway will be as well, as she had reserved you spots for the watching event.

 

https://www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com/solar-eclipse

 

 

 

[terryofperry]

@Indy Dave  I certainly appreciate the offer and the effort she has put forth, I'm sure the tickets won't go to waste. I have a few sites in mind for Tim to choose but he knows there will be several more options before I'm done routing.  

 

X marks the spot(s).

 

 

This is an interactive map where you can choose a location and it will spit out some data.

 

https://eclipse2024.org/eclipse_cities/statemap.html

 

 

Terry

 

 

[Indy Dave]

Just to be clear, those were Shawn's plans; when I heard you were coming, I booked an backpacking trip to Antarctica.

[Indy Dave]

7 minutes ago, terryofperry said:

@Indy Dave  I certainly appreciate the offer and the effort she has put forth, I'm sure the tickets won't go to waste. I have a few sites in mind for Tim to choose but he knows there will be several more options before I'm done routing.  

 

X marks the spot(s).

 

 

This is an interactive map where you can choose a location and it will spit out some data.

 

https://eclipse2024.org/eclipse_cities/statemap.html

 

 

Terry

 

 

 Just to be clear, those were Shawn's plans; when I heard you were coming, I booked an backpacking trip to Antarctica.

[terryofperry]

Haha, says the guy who has the hotel porter carry his panniers into his room. Who's going with you to tote the backpack? 

 

Terry

[Michiganr80rt]

I have a hotel room in Bloomington Indiana for the night before and night after. I reserved it last May and try to not think about what it is costing me. I will not be riding there since my knee will not be up to riding in April. 

 

I also strongly recommend that people go to see the eclipse. I saw the 2017 eclipse in Kentucky and the February 1979 eclipse in Manitoba, both were worth the drive.

 

 

[Motorhead1977]

It's a mere 161 miles for me to Plattsburgh NY - smack dab in the totality area. Early April is iffy for motorcycle rides but...... and a nice warm up for START.

[greiffster]

On 1/4/2024 at 12:39 PM, Lowndes said:

Great idea!!  Let's all go to Greiffster's.

Come on.  I've got lots of room at the Hacienda.  It looks to be about a 3 hr. ride to the dead center of the track.

[TSConver]

We have a plan yet?  Susan and I will likely bring the toyhauler.

 

[TSConver]

If Susan can get time off we are going to stay in the Louisville area at a koa. That will allow us to ride either ne or sw depending on weather.

 

@Indy Dave where are you watching from? 

[TSConver]

It is official.  Susan and I are going.  We are booked at a KOA in Batesville, IN which is in the path totality.  Anyone else going?

 

@Indy Davemaybe do dinner or lunch Monday or Tuesday?  Only an hour from Indy.

[Indy Dave]

Most of the Clean Living Hoosiers will be at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the eclipse.

 

 

[Indy Dave]

 

https://www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com/events/eclipse

[TSConver]

Sitting in VA will be in Indiana tomorrow for the eclipse on Monday.

[Motorhead1977]

Eclipse???? Next thing you know they'll be having Earth quakes in NJ and NY! OMG