Lunar Eclipse 8-21-2017

As some of you may know we have a lunar eclipse coming across the U.S. later this month. There is a thread about it on WoV. Shack has a hotel room reserved in Boise, Idaho and will probably be in Lime, Oregon which lies dead center of the path of totality. It will be dark for about 2.5 minutes in that location.

I have an old friend that lives just outside Boise. He has an RV. We've rented a campsite on a river in Idaho for the eclipse that is also dead center of the path of totality. They are expecting about 30,000 people to pour into the area we will be in. We want to avoid the traffic so will be there a few days early and will be getting some fishing time in.

Out of curiosity I just checked hotel prices on Trivago for Boise on 8-20-2017, the night before the eclipse. Super 8 wants $666 for the night, Rodeway Inn wants $800. LOL!

I will be playing my favorite Video poker machine during the Eclipse. I was told the Eclipse will cause the RNGs to freeze up on Royals.

LOL

We'll be watching a roughly 90 percent partial eclipse from where we are in southwest Oregon.

I will be taking a flight (on purpose) which will cross the path of the eclipse, and I will see it regardless of weather.

It's expensive and will take many hours, but it's a unique event so I did it.

That's pretty cool Dan!

I just read online where Hertz used the eclipse as a marketing tool. They way overbooked and are now cancelling reservations on people. And the people who still get the rental cars are being gouged on the price. In Portland, Oregon the price for Aug 20 to 27 was $1700 but from the 22nd to 27th. just $300.

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Originally Posted by mickeycrimm

And the people who still get the rental cars are being gouged on the price. In Portland, Oregon the price for Aug 20 to 27 was $1700 but from the 22nd to 27th. just $300.

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Everybody complains about the $1700 price, but nobody complains about the $300. If they were prohibited from varying their prices, the everyday rate would probably go up to something like $500 or $600.

I don't know much about cancellation policies, but I think the norm in the rental car industry is that both company and customer are allowed flexibility with reservations. Some customers routinely reserve at more than one company, and the companies protect themselves by overbooking. Seems like a screwy way to do business, but I'd guess it's not unusual.

I lived in New York during a total eclipse during the late 1960s. A couple of thoughts.

1. The actual experience does not live up to the hype.

2. You're NOT supposed to look at it. You could go blind. The safest way to see it is on TV.

3. I was working at a radio station then as a part time DJ and newscaster and engineer. I had an FCC First Class Radio Telephone Operators License. Our big excitement was to be the one who would enter in the FCC log that the tower lights came on at 1:20pm because of darkness. Don Moline got to the clipboard first. LOL

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Originally Posted by bocce ball

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Originally Posted by mickeycrimm

And the people who still get the rental cars are being gouged on the price. In Portland, Oregon the price for Aug 20 to 27 was $1700 but from the 22nd to 27th. just $300.

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Everybody complains about the $1700 price, but nobody complains about the $300. If they were prohibited from varying their prices, the everyday rate would probably go up to something like $500 or $600.

I don't know much about cancellation policies, but I think the norm in the rental car industry is that both company and customer are allowed flexibility with reservations. Some customers routinely reserve at more than one company, and the companies protect themselves by overbooking. Seems like a screwy way to do business, but I'd guess it's not unusual.

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Rental cars are weird. You can book them with no credit card guarantee, and there is zero consequence for no-showing on them.

At the same time, the reservation itself is often BS, as they rarely "hold" any specific car for you. However, you can demand compensation (money off your rental) if your reserved car type is gone.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eg8CCIUPEAU

The smart person would not rent in Portland, but rather drive to a nearby city and rent from there, where gouging would not occur.

My buddy Jim and I had reservations on 8-20-2017 for a campsite on the Weiser River just east of Weiser, Idaho for a couple of months in order to be in the path of total darkness of the lunar eclipse. We've just cancelled. I'm sure the dude will be happy with that as any campsites left are now going for $500 on that date.

We have our reasons for cancelling. Neither of us wants to get trapped in the sea of humanity that is expected to show up. The small towns in Idaho are not equipped to deal with the thundering hordes that are expected to arrive. Weiser is just a small town of 5500 where 30,000 people are expected to show up. What is it going to be like to try to get a meal in a restaurant, or buy gas, or just use the restroom? These are the unanswered questions that led to us cancelling.

300,000 to 500,000 people are expected to show up in eastern Idaho. The towns of Idaho Falls and Rexburg say they will block traffic from coming into their towns once they are saturated with cars. Most of the traffic will be coming up I-15. The state police are threatening to close 15 if too much traffic tries to pour in. And they are saying parking on the sides of roads will not be allowed. Good luck with that one.

I'm still going to view the eclipse but in a different way. I won't give my plans upfront about where I will be. But if I have internet connection I'll give a blow by blow report on the 21st.

The hysteria over large crowds flocking from the hinterlands is overblown.

Sure, there will be more people, but not like the nattering nabobs are predicting.

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Originally Posted by MisterV

The hysteria over large crowds flocking from the hinterlands is overblown.

Sure, there will be more people, but not like the nattering nabobs are predicting.

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The problem is everyone wants to be in the path of total darkness. It's a circular shadow about 70 miles across. It will enter the U.S. at Oregon and take about an hour and a half to travel across the country to the Atlantic. Multi-millions of people will be making a beeline for that shadow on the 21st.

Yes, but I predict it will not be the quasi "end of world event" that some are yakking about.

Traffic jams, you bet.

But jams that last for a couple days or more without moving?

I just can't see it.

The west still has a lot of room; no, there are no rooms to rent anymore for Monday, but the spaces are wide open.

I can foresee big problems on I-5 south through Portland down to Salem, as I-5 is a major north/south corridor, and Salem, Oregon on I-5 is near the point of totality.

But mega traffic jams in Idaho and Montana?

Anyway, we're probably heading out early Saturday evening from Portland to the coast, and will avoid I-5, as I can see that being a real bear; taking highway 6 to Tillamook, then south on Hwy 101, which I am betting will be moving reasonably freely.

I'll be listening to "Down I-5" en route: excellent song, recorded in Portland, captures the feel for the Pac NW.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UhMZLX2Q274

Frankly I wouldn't even bother.

Just by chance I will be in a good area for viewing. But I can't buy the dam glasses anywhere--they're all sold out around here.

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Originally Posted by regnis

Just by chance I will be in a good area for viewing. But I can't buy the dam glasses anywhere--they're all sold out around here.

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Go to a welding supply store.

Singer is lucky. He gets to witness a lunar eclipse every time his wife bends over in the backyard :)

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Originally Posted by Alan Mendelson

Frankly I wouldn't even bother.

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100% agree. Anyone who makes a big deal out of this either didn't know we've had these before or was too drunk to realize what was going on. And all the hype is overstated and overblown. Most people are too busy to bother or care. Being in the path of total darkness us no different than going outside at midnight. It's all in the mind.

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Originally Posted by Rob.Singer

Being in the path of total darkness us no different than going outside at midnight.

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I don't think it will even be that dark.

BTW...on the 21st it will be a solar eclipse, not a lunar eclipse.

It is a big deal, if for no other reason than it is total as opposed to partial, and its path will sweep across the nation.

A rare event.

I saw one many years ago, and was awed; nothing like nature displaying its power to instill humility in us.