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Solar eclipse rally


sonny sunrader

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I have been kicking around the idea of hosting a Midwest Rally in Fall 2017 in Northern Indiana, but did not realize there would be a total solar eclipse.

Looks like one of the best (or only) places in the Midwest will be in Southern Illinois, actually just a couple miles South of Carbondale.  I actually own a house

in Carbondale (my two oldest boys are attending college at SIU in Carbondale), so I/we know the area well.

http://www.eclipse2017.org/2017/path_through_the_US.htm

The far southern portion of the state is the only part that sees totality, but it gets a lot! Murphysboro (2m40s at 1:19:30pm), Makanda (2m40s at 1:20:11pm), Carbondale (2m38s at 1:20pm) and Marion (2m28s at 1:20:40pm) are prime viewing locations, but this area is really the best place to consider.

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My wife and I would like to see this.  Only about 610 miles one way.  We should be able to come.

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2:23 seconds total eclipse, in my drive way:D 

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hey there bufbooth, i posted about info for carbondale in an earlier post. i am very interested in going for the eclipse. because your post mentioned you have a house in the area, can you offer any place that may allow an overnite spot to park (no hook ups needed) my winnie? i am planning to do this with a friend, kind of a "bucket" list thing for us lol.  i have researched camp sites near carbondale (rend lake, crabtree lake ) , and they do not seem promising as far as reserving one.  you are welcome to my phone number or email if you have info and would prefer to respond personally. thanks in advance. joe from dover

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I was doing some research on camping in So. Illinois, There is a national forest there with dispersed camping. It is called Shawnee National Forest, Dispersed camping (boon docking) is free up to 14 days, the center of the eclipse almost passes right over it. There is a fare amount of camping space at Tower Rock Campground, which is on the Ohio river, GPS (37degrees 27' 28.56" N and 88 degrees 13' 45.42" W) there are toilets but thats about it. But it looks like it would accommodate 10 to 15 units its first come first served. Just saying its an option if we can't find anything else.

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thanks sonny, i will do some research on "shawnee" and "tower rock".  the first come first served policy is concerning to me though. i will be traveling about 500 plus miles one way and would really like to know i have a place to park when i get there. i am just guessing that this event will have a huge attendance being that it is something that does not happen very often coupled with it occurring during  prime camping/vacation season. thinking out loud, i was wondering if any county fairgrounds in the area would be inclined to offer parking to view the eclipse? obviously i would not assume there would be hookups, but it would only be for a day or two. my vision of this being a great trip would be to have other toya mh owners gathered in one spot  to camp/view the eclipse and meet and greet. contacting the right people to inquire about fairgrounds maybe worth a shot, who knows. if i get any info on this ,i will post what i found out. thanks. joe from dover

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Hunkaman, there is a Walmart in Carbondale that has a large parking lot, I do not see that location on the RV Not Allowed list, you might want to give them a call.  My space at the Carbondale house is limited (I have a renter in addition to my sons living there and August 21st is the first day of the Fall 2017 semester, so the drive way is going to be full, a week earlier and I would have had an empty driveway), but if you end up not finding a place to stay in / around Carbondale, contact me, we should be able to work out a space for a night if needed, but that should be your backup plan.  

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It will be the first total eclipse – during which day will literally turn into night complete with dropping temperatures and visible stars – to traverse the entire mainland from coast to coast since June 8, 1918. SIU officials are projecting 30,000 to 50,000 visitors on campus for the eclipse. Among them will be NASA astronomers, Baer said, but more on that later.

 

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I must admit, this eclipse is a lot bigger event than I expected.  Looks like a lot of the campgrounds are already locked down.  I did find 4 open sites about 25 to 30 miles from Carbondale at: http://www.reserveamerica.com/camping/randolph-county-state-recreation-area/r/campgroundDetails.do?contractCode=IL&parkId=454401  I am going to step away from any thought on trying to organize a Toyota rally for Carbondale during the eclipse weekend, it is going to be impossible to get everyone (or even a few) in the same campgound).  For any of you that are considering going, I would recommend you take the SIU route if still available, that is purchase a SIU viewing ticket (which provides parking) and get a site or hotel as close to Carbondale as you can and then drive in that morning.

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i have been searching a four county area in southern illinois for possible camp sites. those counties are, POPE, JEFFERSON, JACKSON, and SALINE. any of the campsites that direct me to reserve america for booking a site always come up saying no reservations are being taken until feb. 21 2017. in other words you can not reserve a site more than 6 months in advance. i have had some experience with reserve america in the past. it was not easy to book a reservation with them. i am still trying alternatives.  joe from dover

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Well that means that no one else can book either so you have a decent chance of getting a spot if you book the first day available. I don't know if you looked at the campground link I posted but it is run by a private concessionaire. Doesn't appear to be part of the Reserve America reservation program. I've never had a problem booking with Reserve America I just hate paying the large extra charge for what costs them pennies. Parks all across the country complain about not enough money to run but the government gives away millions to this company.

Linda S

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Checkout state parks for so. Illinois there are a lot of them and some can be reserved. Cave in rock,  sounds really good they have everything for lazy camping.

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A rifle range about 50 miles from Carbondale will be turned into a campground for the eclipse weekend.  https://www.dnr.illinois.gov/recreation/WSRC/Pages/default.aspx

Please contact the World Shooting and Recreational Complex at 618-295-2700 ext 304 directly for the 2017 SOLAR ECLIPSE Camping Reservations.

World Shooting and Recreational Complex,  1 Main Event Lane, Suite 510, Sparta, Illinois 62286  618-295-2700

I am guessing that other groups in Carbondale might be doing the same thing, that is turning their parking lots into campgrounds.

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  • 1 month later...
  • 1 month later...
  • 1 month later...

Anyone in the PNW want to Rally? I hear it will be best in Oregon. I'm in the Olympic Peninsula, hear it should be ok here but better down there. I would love to work on one out here if anyone is the the area/ wants to help!

Edited by DirtyPatches
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  • 2 weeks later...
On 1/29/2017 at 5:16 PM, Dolphinite said:

We're going to Casper, Wyoming for the eclipse.  Some areas around the city are wide open and that will allow us to see the shadow rushing toward us at, what, a thousand miles an hour?  Should be fun!  (Is it a thousand miles an hour?...)

John

 

Here is the Wyoming duration chart

https://www.greatamericaneclipse.com/wyoming/

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I just saw on the Wyoming map that Alliance, NE will be 2m 32 seconds.  Alliance is an interesting town (main employer is a train repair) that is stuck in 1950 (middle of nowhere and no restaurant chains and few chains of anything else).  Please Car Hedge is there!

 

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  • 5 weeks later...

Local info, Riverton Wy, the local fairground will be having bare RV camping spaces. I think rates $250 for 5 nights. The local Mountain Man site will be having camping sites for about the same $$. Both limited. The city park will be hosting local vendors and artists for "A Day in the Dark" celebration

http://www.fremontcountyfair.org/events/2017/wyoming-eclipse-roundup---riverton-2017-

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/solar-eclipse-camping-at-original-1838-rendezvous-site-registration-26687428818

IF you have a proper BLM map of the lands you can camp for free, be very aware guessing where BLM is,  you can find yourself on private land with a very unhappy armed rancher.

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  • 2 months later...

As luck would have it, I have three properties in the totality zone for the 2024 solar eclipse. Carbondale (4 minutes 30 seconds, Indianapolis (3 minutes 30 seconds) and Losantville (4 minutes, 1 second).  If I still have my Toyota, I am willing to host a Solar Eclipse rally in I Losantville (its 10 acres, 200amp service). 

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We just returned from a 1200 mile round trip to Murphysboro Illinois 5 miles north of Carbondale. As a Moose member we got to stay @ the lodge there for Free! Out in the county. No traffic. We had excellent clear sky's and I got great pictures. It just so happened that a cloud bank moved over Carbondale just as the eclipse happened so all those thousands of people didn't see it. We were Very Lucky and Blessed! I agree with John a life changing event?, BTW, if any of you campers are interested if you become a Moose member you can camp for free in their many lodges parking lots! Costs $40 a year. Well worth it!

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Hey, everybody, we are now back in California after having spent an enjoyable 4 days in Idaho, with some amazing Toyota-RVers, watching an amazing total eclipse.  See some photos below.  The first group photo of all of us wearing our eclipse glasses is at Lake Cascade State Park, taken just a few minutes before Totality.  

We had nine RVs in total, and a very agreeable group.  Gail in Boise helped to put it together.  We camped at Ponderosa State Park in McCall, ID, about 30 miles north of the path of totality.  We have much appreciation for Gail's son, Jordan, who had reserved a perfect campsite at Lake Cascade about 8 months in advance.  The seventeen of us who descended on it for the eclipse were able to view the event with completely clear skies and perfect-temperature weather.  (The Telstar RV in the photo was our transportation from the campground to the viewing site.)  Afterwards we all dined at Jordan and his wife's Sushi Restaurant in McCall -- a wonderful meal and delightful socializing.  

As always we enjoyed touring each other's RVs, and seeing what others had done to personalize them.  Maybe we'll try to get together again next year somewhere in the area -- even if there IS no eclipse.  We had such a great time!   

Tika
 

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Edited by Tika
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