Originally published at: Cleveland is giving away a free trip to witness the 2024 solar eclipse | Boing Boing
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We’re making plans now.
We drove from Michigan to ground zero in Kentucky to witness the 2017 eclipse. If you have a chance next year find a way to get somewhere to see totality. It’s the most amazing thing you will ever see.
Where we were it was miserable hot, in the 90s, when the eclipse hit it actually got cold within a couple minutes. The other thing I was not expecting was the way all the animals reacted. It seemed they all freaked out and they all started talking at the same time.
We were in a sold out Kentucky state park, a few miles from Hopkinsville, that was jam packed with people but as totality approached it got silent as everyone just looked on in amazement. Our daughter drove down to meet us and brought cookies. Hopkinsville was a crazy carnival like atmosphere, there was an alien sun worshipers theme going on. It was way cool and fun.
Some pictures I managed to take. I read and read on how to do it but because there was nothing even close to practice on I was winging it. Next year I’ll be even more prepared.
I did get the diamond ring though.
My makeshift camera setup. Had to keep the lens covered as it pointed directly at the sun for a while. That’s my cereal box viewer science project. It really worked.
The cookies.
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Absolutely. Would have LOVED this as a kid and took my kiddo. I looked on the eclipse map, found a random intersection on a dirt road in Missouri, north east of Kansas City. I put an X there and said, that is where we will go. Just pull of the side of the road and watch.
But when we got there, super close to my X was a place that was hosting a watch party for like $20 or what ever it was. Basically just a field where you could park, but they had some food and porta potties (I had bought a bucket potty for the kiddo if she had to use it, but this sounded more civilized.)
It was semi-cloudy that day, but we were able to see it for the most part. I wish it has been clearer, but what are you going to do? I took some pics, though they weren’t great. Fantastic work on yours!
It was super eerie how dark it got and also how cold it got so quick. Wow.
The one in 2024 is a ways away, but it is also going through Arkansas - which I have been wanting to go to go to the quartz mines down there. So maybe we will make a trip of it/
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Fortunately I don’t have to travel the 40 minutes to Cleveland to catch it since I’m already within the path of the totality. But I do remember working in an office in Garfield Heights (late 80’s?/early 90’s?) when everybody stood outside around lunch hour when a nearly-full eclipse happened. That was fun.
I have a great niece that has a degree in forestry or something like that, she was working in Washington at the time. Her mom flew out to meet her in Oregon.
My niece can camp anywhere with or without a tent she don’t care. They found a farm that was letting people camp on their property so they just stayed there. Pretty sure they were the first spot in the country.
For next year we’re just north of Detroit so we’re planning on somewhere around Sandusky. Problem is that time of year most state parks aren’t open and you can’t get a reservation this early. I hope they open up the parks for viewing.
At the very least I’m taking the RV the night before to the nearest Walmart parking lot and spending the night but I suspect we won’t be the only ones.
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We lived in Bowling Green at the time, and hosted two families. Both brought immense cameras with huge lenses. I had an iphone.
From the top of the NPR/PBS building at the university we went from:
to
to
this was cool:
And the leaf-shadows turning into quarter-moons was eerie:
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I forgot about that. That’s cool.
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Done deal. Just booked an RV/tent site and a 3 tent site right next to it in a private park that’s opening up for 8 days just for the eclipse. It’s currently the only place in Ohio booking this far out.
It was a flat rate no matter how many days you show up for. 100% totality for 3:54.6.
Cost a grand but we have enough space to invite 16 friends and family. Gonna charge 10 bucks per hamburger and extra if they want ketchup.
State parks are 6 months out and you have to book 14 days to even maybe get a site before they sell out. That would have cost just under a grand so we went with the sure thing.
Finally something to look forward to.
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I do remember doing this during a partial eclipse in school.
My dad has a forestry degree from Syracuse. It is an uncommon degree!
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