RTE - Ride To Eclipse - Update: Watkins Glen, NY, NOT Cleveland, OH

[Larry Fine]

It's not really a forum event, but I'd be happy to share my contact info if anyone wants to meet up with us in Cleveland, OH.

I made reservations at the Comfort Inn in Independence for Sunday and Monday nights for my Goldwing friend and me.

Comfort Inn · 6191 Quarry Ln, Independence, OH 44131

★★★★☆ · Hotel

www.google.com

We'll be riding up from his place in Germantown, MD on Sunday, about 5.5 hours of ride time, plus meal and rest stops, of course.

The eclipse is expected from 2:00 to 4:30 pm Monday. I found a spot in the pathway: Veterans' Memorial Park, Lake Rd., Avon Lake.

Veterans' Memorial Park · 32756 Lake Rd, Avon Lake, OH 44012

★★★★★ · Park

www.google.com

I imagine it wouldn't be difficult to find a place nearby for lunch before the excitement begins.

Added: I ordered a handful of certified viewing glasses in case anyone needs a pair at the lake.

 

[etalors]

I went to the 2017 eclipse (It was amazing) and witnessed totality from Vienna, IL, that was right under the center line. It lasted about 2.5 minutes. On the way back on I-24 and then I-57 it was bumper to ........ Took me 15 hours to get back home as the back up was about 50 miles long.
Have plans to observe this one from about Franklin, IN. That is the closest spot for me. This time getting a room. If the wx cooperates I will ride otherwise caging it.

 

[Larry Fine]

The peak is supposed to last around four minutes, centered around 3:15 pm.

We are hoping for good riding weather, or we'll cancel before the deadline.

 

[Oldbikefixr]

I've lived in the Fort Worth area for just over 40 years. All but a few astronomical events have been thoroughly shielded by rain and the accompanying cloud cover. I may head out west for this one.

 

[Sadlsor]

Hmm.
I always thought that Fort Worth WAS "out west."

 

[STRider]

Check the historic cloud cover for the location you're interested in as April for much of the US, particularly the northeast, is pretty poor for eclipse viewing.

My Oregon home was close to the centerline for the 2017 eclipse and I'm heading to Texas for 2024. Rochester, Syracuse and Burlington, VT where I have friends and family might be denied a worthy show.

TRUST ME, you want to be on the centerline as close as possible with clear skies!

 

[Larry Fine]

TRUST ME, you want to be on the centerline as close as possible with clear skies!

I do trust you. We can cancel free up until 4pm check-in day. Can't get better than that.

 

[SMSW]

Cleveland is notorious for lake effect clouds. Some years back I heard or read that we get 80-odd days of sunshine a year, compared to San Diego's 350-something sunny days. I've been wanting to watch one of the meteor showers but the last few years we invariably get cloudy evenings on the best days.

News flash. Just googled the question. Cleveland gets (average) 66 sunny days per year (defined as up to 30% cloud cover). We get an additional 97 partly sunny days (40 - 70% cloud cover).

 

[etalors]

I may head out west for this one.

Head out West? As in west of Ft Worth or West (just north of Waco). The center line is just above West, Tx.

 

[Larry Fine]

State by state: https://nationaleclipse.com/maps.html

 

[Oldbikefixr]

Head out West? As in west of Ft Worth or West (just north of Waco). The center line is just above West, Tx.

I was thinking of west of Fort Worth as an option, depending on the cloud situation. History here says astronomical events are viewable more often from west of us during the spring. The coming eclipse is still about a year off, so if you do plan to visit for that event check out the predicted weather conditions. I would be nice to experience this one in our backyard....hoping.

 

[etalors]

I was thinking of west of Fort Worth as an option, depending on the cloud situation. History here says astronomical events are viewable more often from west of us during the spring. The coming eclipse is still about a year off, so if you do plan to visit for that event check out the predicted weather conditions. I would be nice to experience this one in our backyard....hoping.

FYI: Ft Worth is almost on the western boundary of the path of total eclipse. If you head further west, for example to Weatherford. You will be out of the path from where a total eclipse can be observed. The closest point towards the center line from Ft. Worth would be in Hillsboro, at the intersection of I-35 and Patton Mill Road.

Since the path is moving northeast and I am in the suburban Chicago area. I will be observing from near Franklin, IN. About 235 miles from my house.

See below for the path near Ft. Worth area.

 

[Larry Fine]

From: https://space.rice.edu/eclipse/solar_eclipse_faq.html

"The shadow travels across space very fast, at the speed of the Moon's orbit around the Earth (2288 mph, or 3683 km per hour, generally from West to East), but the Earth itself is also rotating (about 1000 mph at the equator), so the effective speed across the surface is less and varies with each eclipse, but always more than 1000 mph."

 

[Jay547]

We did a Ride to Eclipse to Missouri in 2017. If you haven't seen a total eclipse, I highly recommend it. It was amazing. Ironically, we were six+ hours from home and ran into two guys from our town whom we sometimes rode with. Neither of us knew the others were going.

Mid-afternoon:

During the eclipse:

 

[ChriSTian_64]

The interesting part of a total eclipse of the sun, really, is during the short period of totality, wich last from less than a minute to more than 7 minutes : it depends from one eclipse to another, and also, for a given eclipse, the duration of the totality will depend on your location. where you observe it, along the path of totality.

For example, for this eclipse, the totality will last about 4m25s in Texas, but only 3m25sec. in Maine.

Those who have had the chance to see a total solar eclipse once in their lifetime, will admit that... well... I've seen amateur astronomers friend with tears in their eyes, goosebumps, and becoming emotional, just remembering what it was.

Myself, I've never seen one, and this one will probably be my last chance to see one.

Just imagine : you could be in plain daylight, say mid-afternoon, and as you approach totality, in a matter of just a few minutes, the light diminish quickly, and all of a sudden, it is almost night time.
You can now see the brightest stars in the sky. And, the sun is now black, since it is entirely covered by the moon, but a glowing ring of radiating light (the corona) could be seen around it.
What also adds to the experience, if you are lucky enough to be in the country side, is to ear and see the reactions of the animals in the fields and around the barn.
Also, if you look in the right direction, and you are on an elevated site, you can see the umbra, the big shadow of the moon, traveling the earth surface, coming fast and covering all you area.
There is many thing that could be observed and it worth a bit of research and preparation before such an event.

One of my good friend, also an amateur astronomer, who have had the chance, already, to see a couple of them, once told me that the moment of totality is really something.
And he would not hesitate to travel half the country, if necessary, just to increase the totality time period even for just one more minute, or to have better chance, according to weather stats, to see it.

 

[playfair]

Great to do some advance planning! The goal is to have a 360 view, as the entire horizon is like a "sunset".
It's not something to be missed if possible, definitely worth expending a bit of effort to be in totallity!

Here's my FB post from the 2017 eclipse (click on "F" logo to see entire post) :

https://www.facebook.com/david.playfair.67/posts/1891140117879152

This time the weather will be much more of an uncertainty... Though totality passes right through my home in Rochester, NY, need to make plans to travel in case of trouble.
Unfortunately, unless you go to western Mexico, 50% is about the best forcasted average across the US.
Ironically, in the Northeast, Cleveland and Rochester offer the "best" odds!

 

[sirbike]

That schedule looks good regarding traffic.

My wife, two of our dogs and I were prepared to be anywhere along 1400 miles of the path in 2017. Saw it near Nashville.
It was great.

Having been through one, this is my advice.
Totality is a must. 99% of something is usually a fine thing. 99% of total eclipse is about missing 99% of the experience.

As best as possible plan ahead for travel and accommodations. Hotel prices and traffic were ridiculous.
Spent $250 on a Super 8 rather than sleep in the car on the way down. Every room anywhere was sold out but there was a no show that we got lucky with.
Took about 6 hours to move 80 miles away from the event. Barely got a room. It was nice though.
To stay flexible, planning for it may mean knowing that’s how it will be. Definitely worth it for us.

 

[Larry Fine]

Totality is a must. 99% of something is usually a fine thing. 99% of total eclipse is about missing 99% of the experience.

Are you familiar with the park to which I linked in the OP, west of the red pin, on the lake at the north end of Rt. 83? It's directly under the center-line of the pathway, right where the line hits the water. See map:

As best as possible plan ahead for travel and accommodations. Hotel prices and traffic were ridiculous.
Spent $250 on a Super 8 rather than sleep in the car on the way down. Every room anywhere was sold out but there was a no show that we got lucky with.
Took about 6 hours to move 80 miles away from the event. Barely got a room. It was nice though.
To stay flexible, planning for it may mean knowing that’s how it will be. Definitely worth it for us.

I made reservations in Independence, at the Comfort Inn near Rockside Rd. and I-77. I got us two king-bed rooms for both nights for a total of $250, with my veteran's discount, whatever that was worth.

The ride between the hotel and the park is about 35 minutes each way in normal traffic. Not too close or too far. Thus we have all day Sunday to casually ride up and all day Tuesday to casually ride home.

 

[etalors]

Are you familiar with the park to which I linked in the OP, west of the red pin, on the lake at the north end of Rt. 83? It's directly under the center-line of the pathway, right where the line hits the water. See map:



I made reservations in Independence, at the Comfort Inn near Rockside Rd. and I-77. I got us two king-bed rooms for both nights for a total of $250, with my veteran's discount, whatever that was worth.

The ride between the hotel and the park is about 35 minutes each way in normal traffic. Not too close or too far. Thus we have all day Sunday to casually ride up and all day Tuesday to casually ride home.

I am surprised they allowed you to make reservations this far ahead. I will look into that myself in the Indy area.

 

[Larry Fine]

I am surprised they allowed you to make reservations this far ahead. I will look into that myself in the Indy area.

I was pleasantly surprised that there were rooms available.