Solar Eclipse warning.

[advenas]

From the number of concert, beerfest tickets and campground sales it looks like about 200K people will be in the Madras/Antelope/Mitchell Oregon area. All on two lane highways for many miles. Forest Service has shut down roads and campfires anywhere are banned. No parking on the road shoulder. Sounds like loads of fun.....I'll skip it though and will attend the 2024 eclipse in Texas when I'm retired. For those of you attending....be safe and I hope it's a blast.

[arniesea]

We are heading down to Beverly Beach State Park, OR on Thursday. I was one of the lucky ones that managed to secure a spot at 10 minutes after midnight on 11/17/16 when they opened up reservations. By 20 after, all spots in the totality path were gone. Later they added overflow camping at several parks. It's going to be nuts! But we will just relax and go with the flow. All of this and there is a 50/50 chance it will be cloudy on the coast anyway. LOL!

[War Eagle]

I was being facetious about profiteering off toilet paper during the solar eclipse rush to totality, but it sounds like there is some serious price gouging showing up out there. Hang onto your wallets!

[cpaharley2008]

Reminds me of the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally prices, $40/night 51 weeks a year, $400 night during rally week.

[kootenaigirl]

Saw on Portland craigslist someone in Oregon city is renting their garage for you to sleep in (no beds etc) for $1000 a night. They do let you use their restroom lol.
Crazy, can't imagine their will be any takers.

[Bobbie54]

Originally Posted by arniesea

We are heading down to Beverly Beach State Park, OR on Thursday. I was one of the lucky ones that managed to secure a spot at 10 minutes after midnight on 11/17/16 when they opened up reservations. By 20 after, all spots in the totality path were gone. Later they added overflow camping at several parks. It's going to be nuts! But we will just relax and go with the flow. All of this and there is a 50/50 chance it will be cloudy on the coast anyway. LOL!

Take absolutely everything you need. My friend already down there said stores shelves are bare (she is in Bend, though) and DQ is running out of Blizzard ingredients (posted while she was waiting in a line for gas.)

[escape artist]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

Reminds me of the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally prices, $40/night 51 weeks a year, $400 night during rally week.

Hi: cpaharley2008... Take your own parking space too. Don't leave home without it!!! Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

[Kevinc]

Sturgis is a good example. Price gouging, but still fun.

[advenas]

Anyone have a driveway or field I can park in for the 2024 eclipse in Texas? Nice small Escape 17B....won't need anything but the space. Clean, neat and likely retired by then. Figured I'd get in an ask early before prices go up......

[War Eagle]

Latest warning: with so many people within the "zone of totality" wanting to post their eclipse photos to social media, expect overwhelmed wireless coverage and blackouts of cell phone service - even with "COW"s (portable cell towers on wheels) being put into service for the event. I'm starting to worry about the availability of oxygen along the ZOT....

[rbryan4]

I remember Y2K, and all the dire warnings - none of which ever occurred. Not saying there won't be some issues, but I seriously doubt all the media scares will come true.

[War Eagle]

Originally Posted by rbryan4

I remember Y2K, and all the dire warnings - none of which ever occurred. Not saying there won't be some issues, but I seriously doubt all the media scares will come true.

The people who ran out of gas stuck in traffic for hours yesterday in Oregon might have considered it a dire situation. And it was only Thursday - four days before the big event! (Although I believe they might have been headed to a pre-eclipse festival, so that could have accounted some for the early traffic.)

[War Eagle]

Little old Hopkinsville, KY (population 31,000) purchased 175,000 pair of solar eclipse glasses and has 200 food vendors coming to town for the eclipse. It's going to be one big party from coast to coast!

[Ron in BC]

Originally Posted by War Eagle

The people who ran out of gas stuck in traffic for hours yesterday in Oregon might have considered it a dire situation

Where was that? I'm heading to Oregon on Sunday.

Ron

[War Eagle]

Originally Posted by Ron in BC

Where was that? I'm heading to Oregon on Sunday. Ron

What was shown on the news was Central Oregon, Crook County, U.S. Highway 26. They also noted there is an Eclipse Festival in that area this weekend, and that's likely contributing to the early traffic situation in that area.

[Donna D.]

Oh crumb! Right in the path where so many people want to camp.

Oregon town prepares to evacuate as wildfire, eclipse loom
https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2017...1251503072111/

[tractors1]

So far we're good in Madras as far as fires smoke and weather. Light smoke east of us from farmers burning off weeds but no forest fire issues. Weather is splendid - crossed paths with an Escape 19 parked here at Solartown, trailers still coming in.

Thursday afternoon traffic into Madras on 26 from Mount Hood was a zoo - 2 1/2 hour wait in line when we got here. Today is a whole different story as there was no traffic jam and only 3 trailers lined up at the gate.

[Mike Lewis]

The proprietor of a store near Woodhead Park told me that Baker County, Oregon was out of fuel. Maybe that's why no one is here-- they ran out of gas trying to get here.

[Dave&Kathie]

Originally Posted by MyronL

RE: bring pets. Heard at Chaco Canyon they're going to do extra-terrestrial lectures, and (wow) a live feed. That's where we're going.

So jealous! That should be amazing!
Safe travels!

[Tford]

Headed to a TINY town in Nebraska that'll have over a minute and a half of totality, plus the nicest 2 little RV sites!