The North American Solar Eclipse, Aug. 21, 2017 Options

[PDP8E]

As all of you know, by now, there will be an amazing Total Solar Eclipse this summer in North America stretching from coast to coast, and basically from 10 AM to 2 PM local time, from west to east.
An estimated 75 million people will be less than a half day's drive away from totality.
My family and I will be in Missouri that day, prepared to zip east or west in case of inclement weather.
Do you plan on observing this event?

[tasp]

Viewed eclipse from ~20 miles SE of Broken Bow NE. 5 hour drive to get there was somewhat grueling.
I had planned route to get there to take predominately E-W roads instead of N-S thinking less traffic.

LOL, Nebraska is a big state, takes quite a bit of traffic to fill up their roads.

Left early, saw lightning behind and in front of me for first hour. As day passed and I traveled west, sky conditions steadily improved.

Arrived on site ~ 2 hours before first contact, which was a relief, although route I took to get there was deliberately
set so last 2 hours of trip was in totality area, JIC. Benefit of site was I had actual permission of landowner to be there.
Did not see too many eclipse chasers till I stopped in Loup City for leg stretch and to purchase a few items I forgot to bring
(mayo!). Pumps weren't too busy so fueled vehicle too. By mileage readout on vehicle, at that point had enough fuel to reach site and
get back home without having to stop again, JIC.

Site was an actual farm, dogs and chickens and sheep and cattle and quite a bit more. Fun, interesting place to stop.
Nice picnic table and shade tree to park under, and plenty of open yard to watch from. Also was informed by the farmer with
all the ducks and chickens and the rest of the fowl, very few bugs, and he was right.

Despite the lengthy wait for first contact, was glad to have allowed so much padding on schedule, JIC.

At first contact, we broke for lunch. My prior eclipse (2/26/1979) taught me first 2/3 of obscuration was like watching paint dry
(no offense, eclipse Gods) and I did check every 5 minutes. Lunch was nice out doors, farm cats were not too insistent about
getting a treat, and the other critters 'at liberty' (guineas, peahens, ducks, dogs, and some kind of decorative goat creature) left us alone.

The 'civilians' on the site marveled at the view through the eclipse goggles (I brought several extra pairs) as the moon covered a
substantial fraction of the sun and yet looking around the farm would not have tipped you off that anything unusual was going on.

I estimate around 80% coverage the contrast of our shadows on the ground started to pale away, and the farm wife noted the colors
'were off' on her flowers and buildings and car.

From 80% onward we all watched continuously and intently, the view of the sun becoming more and more compelling.

It was amazing though, even with the sun down to just the barest crescent, the sky was still blue and it was hardly darker to the west than it
was to the east.

Despite watching intently, I hardly noticed Bailey's Beads at all, the view seeming to go from the barest sliver of a crescent to Diamond Ring almost instantly.

And then it was TOTAL !!

Glasses came off and the grownups were quiet (one kid chattered annoyingly and off topic during the ENTIRE eclipse) and they marveled at the
surreal and alien appearance of their familiar sun.

The 'pointy' nature of the outermost corona elicited comments such as 'what's that', what is causing that' etc, and then we saw a few stars and planets
and that brought out a few comments too.

In the early stage of totality, I was looking for red/orange prominences but didn't see anything worth pointing out till the last 1/3 and then the trailing
edge steadily developed the color over a wider arc and everyone noticed it.

And then ZAP, Diamond Ring and I hollered "GLASSES!" and the main event was over.

Many comments about how from the latter stages of the obscuration how the heat had gone out of the sunlight despite it still looking bright
outside. Well, our eyes compensate for variable illumination, but the feel of warmth on your face from being full on to the sun is not compensated
for by our skin.

Right after the end of totality we noted the goats in the pen were all laying down, and the farm cats were all curled up on the driveway too. Didn't
notice much change from the fowl noises, there being squawks and calls during the entire event regardless. Maybe too many different kinds of
birds on site?

The yard light came on, and also a set of Christmas lights on a gazeebo structure they had.

Didn't watch too much of the latter part of the eclipse. We picked up all our stuff and headed home, taking care to execute a reciprocal course,
being amazed at the lack of traffic we encountered on the way there, and hoping for the same on the way back.

There was more traffic on the way back, but nothing enough to be an issue except at one rural intersection where left turns onto a busy
road were backing up traffic maybe 30-40 vehicles. We were thru in 5 minutes, and that was the only traffic issue all day.

Stopped for ice cream, toilet and clot walk in Columbus NE and then pressed for home, getting back well before dark.

Furthest license plate we noted was only Wisconsin, and not sure what to make of nearly all the others being Nebraska with a few South Dakotas mixed in.

Also, I have maligned Nebraska in the past for one of the dullest car rides I have suffered on Interstate 80 there. Fortunately yesterday we traversed far more
interesting terrain; hills, cows, trees, creeks and irrigators. Also, irrigation canals, had no idea such works existed in such quantity.

Had a great time, excellent experience, and still despite all the fun, glad to be home after a successful trip.