On the morning of August 21, 2017, the sun may look like this in the sky for two minutes if you are standing in the right place.
Where is the right place? There are many choices in the continental United States...
The place with the best weather prospects (and also where we live) is Central Oregon...
We have decided to watch the eclipse near the small town of Madras, Oregon. But so have lots and lots of other people! There is a large, expensive, NASA camp in Madras, as well as other camps popping up. There is even a large festival nearby.
Our previous experience viewing eight total solar eclipses has taught us that often just a few clouds in the wrong place can spoil the show. It is important to have a vehicle ready for last minute change of viewing site. Madras will be a traffic zoo that morning for those camping right on the center line of the eclipse. So we have decided to camp just outside the path of totality and drive up early that morning, perhaps the day before.
Our friends Reese and Jeanine have graciously offered us space for camping, starting Friday, August 18, on their thirty acre farm Camp Runamuck...
NOTE: Reese and Jeanine are not sharing their home, just space on their farmland, and not before Friday. So you need to bring your own camping gear (tent, sleeping bags, sleeping pads, etc.), cooking equipment, and a small donation to cover camp setup costs. They will provide primitive outdoor toilet and shower facilities for you, as well as water. Heck, they even have solar viewing glasses for you!
And the evening before the eclipse, we will all travel together in a convoy, one hour north into the Zone...
Camp Runamuck
Located at 18825 Tumalo Reservoir Road, Bend, OR 97701, Camp Runamuck opens at 6pm on Friday, August 18. There are horses and dogs living here, as well as two farmers. Water is provided from a hose, and you get a patch of ground to pitch a tent. The simple toilet we provide is literally a seat on a bucket, inside a privacy tent, with TP and hand sanitizer. Ladies might be invited to use the house toilet: ask Reese. There is a solar shower whose temperature depends on the time of day. No access to the farm house, neither kitchen nor bathrooms, for most people. Dudes can piss in the bushes across the driveway.
Bring a tent and warm sleeping bag and mat: it will get very cool after dark. Bring a pillow, too. And a warm jacket and long pants. Bring a head lamp. Bugs are not bad.
In the day it gets pretty hot, especially in the direct sun. But there can also be a thunderstorm, so bring protection from rain and wind. An umbrella is also useful for shade.
You can use a camp stove to cook outside, and restaurants are a few miles away. Please stock up well before you reach the Bend area: expect stores and gas stations to be crowded and running out.
There will be several musicians around and Jeanine has a beautiful voice. Come prepared to play some music.
Watch for Cap'n Carl from Canada buzzing the camp at around 11:30 AM. Saturday night will have a short slide show from Oleg about making reflector telescopes. Then there will be a movie on a sheet hanging in front of the horse pasture.
Sunday morning wake up to Cap'n Carl's swell Sunday morning brekkie. Then a Pinhole Projector Workshop. George and Alexander from Cyprus will present "Eclipses in Culture". Many, if not most, will be leaving Camp Runamuck to spend the night at the viewing site.
Camp Runamuck closes on Monday, except by special permission from Reese. She may ask those who stay Monday night to help clean up. The camp is definitely closed from Tuesday onwards.
The Route
Starting at Camp Runamuck, 18825 Tumalo Reservoir Rd, Bend, OR 97701 [44.13711, -121.38344], turn right to head eastbound on Tumalo Reservoir Road, which becomes Bailey Road, and eventually meets Highway 20 (the McKenzie-Bend Highway) after a few miles.
This highway may be quite busy: make a right (heading toward Bend), and then an immediate left on to Cook Avenue to get into the village of Tumalo. Follow this road north through Tumalo, taking a slight right fork onto the Cline Falls Road. Continue north about a mile to Larry's Ranch at 65195 Cline Falls Rd, Bend, OR 97701 [44.16667, -121.32654] to rendezvous with any stragglers.
Back on Cline Falls Road heading north, after several miles come to the intersection with Highway 126 at [44.2755, -121.26209]. This will almost certainly be quite busy. But congratulate yourself: you have reached the path of totality! Make a right turn onto Highway 126 and cross the Deschutes River.
Now you will navigate through Redmond, to reach the place where NW 6th Street crosses over Highway 97, since level crossings of Highway 97 at signals may be blocked (according to our information). There are many ways to get through Redmond to this special crossing point [44.301168, -121.171685]. Even if you only get this far, totality lasts 56 seconds.
Our suggestion is to keep to the outskirts of Redmond. From Highway 126, a couple miles after crossing the river, make a left turn on SW Helmholtz Way. Head north until you reach Antler Ave, and turn right to follow it east. Left on NW 35th St to go north again, then right on NW Maple Ave to continue east. You will reach NW 6th Street and make a left to follow it north and happily cross the very busy Highway 97 [44.301168, -121.171685].
The road name changes to NW Canal Blvd: stay on it until you reach the O'Neil Highway (370) and turn right to head east, in the direction of Prineville. Follow this road several miles until you reach Lone Pine Road [44.33022, -121.08818] where you turn left to head north again.
Now you are really getting somewhere, going north on Lone Pine Road, and after many miles you will pass Skull Hollow Campground [44.395648, -121.061183] which (despite the name) could be a fine place to watch the eclipse if you can't get further. Totality will last 90 seconds.
Continuing north on Lone Pine Road another few miles you reach the Madras-Prineville Highway (Highway 26) which may also be quite busy but there is little option but to try to make a left and follow it a few miles north toward Madras. (There could be a way to go right, toward Prineville, and then get yourself onto Grizzly Road down that way, but it could be tough).
After three or four miles on Highway 26 you reach Ramms Road [44.483808, -121.047746] where you turn right, going east. Very quickly you reach a gravel road [44.483761, -121.039377] called various names: County Road 782, or NF-54, or NF-1270, depending on your map. Make a left and carry on north. It is not a bad road: any car can make it.
You begin to follow large power lines. After about two miles on the gravel road you reach a small patch of pavement as the road crosses a little canyon. After another mile you reach a hairpin bend where two driveways branch off: one says "Slow 5 MPH". Do not take either driveway, but keep left and carry on up hill.
At last, after a few more miles, you reach Grizzly Road [44.541481, -121.019085] and turn left, going west. It will curve to the right, and very soon you will see the viewing site on top of a hill. Low clearance vehicles will have to park on Grizzly Road. High clearance (and road warrior) drivers can make it up there on a dirt road with deep ruts and scratchy brush.
Head towards the low hill top that is flying an American flag. As you near the top you will see an orange traffic cone on the left: turn left here and proceed up to the flag, and start down the other side. The viewing site is between this hill and the next one at [44.541, -121.032]. See it here on Google Maps.
Viewing Site
Our preferred viewing site is on public lands in the Crooked River National Grassland just off SE Grizzly Road, at latitude/longitude [44.538, -121.036]. We will bring water in jugs and at least two 10' x 10' canopies for shade. The site is almost entirely barren of trees and there is a fair amount of sage brush. We will bring some (or all) the toilets from Camp Runamuck.
Fire danger is high: do not use open flame at the viewing site, have a fire extinguisher in your car, and do not park on the dry grass. Bring your 4x4: if you have a choice of vehicles, bring the one with the most ground clearance. The last few hundred yards up to the viewing site won't be accessible to ordinary cars. Food and water: bring ready made food so you don't need to cook, and lots of water for hours in the sun. It is expected that traffic in the area will be HEAVY, so leave lots of extra time. Cell phones may or may not work as the rural network is overwhelmed. Arrive in the area with a full tank of gas and everything you need for the days you will be here: shopping may prove difficult.
You should bring extra shade! Bring camp chairs or blankets to sit upon. Don't forget your camera, solar viewing glasses, a pinhole sun projector, and a white sheet to lay down to see shadow bands.
More Information
☞ The tumalo google group has the most up-to-date discussions and information. Ask Jim Wiggins to put you into the group.
☞ Camp Runamuck has a Facebook page.
☞ What stars and planets will appear during the eclipse?
☞ What to Look For & When During a Total Solar Eclipse