# Living in "near totality" Eclipse zone. Down here in lil'ol' Arkansas!
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/living-in-near-totality-eclipse-zone-down-here-in-lilol-arkansas/999841
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
**Created:** [April 4, 2024, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/living-in-near-totality-eclipse-zone-down-here-in-lilol-arkansas/999841 "2024-04-04T23:08:05Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)
#### Post date: [April 4, 2024, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/living-in-near-totality-eclipse-zone-down-here-in-lilol-arkansas/999841/1 "2024-04-04T23:08:05Z")
Schools are out Monday.
Won’t be any alcohol to purchase by Saturday afternoon. (No alcohol sales on Sunday here)
No reservations for restaurants in the bigger towns. (Not a real problem here)
Hotel rooms with-in driving distance are non-existent with gouged up prices.
Camp sites are sold out.
I expect Walmarts and grocery stores will be shelf bare.
Traffic will be bad on all highways.
I’m expecting trashy roadsides and some drunken driving accidents.
Oh Joy!
Personally I’ll be in dialysis. Y’all have fun
Looks like I’ll see it on TV.
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### Author:  [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)
#### Post date: [April 4, 2024, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/living-in-near-totality-eclipse-zone-down-here-in-lilol-arkansas/999841/2 "2024-04-04T23:12:45Z")
If you at all possibly can, put in the effort to get from “near totality” to totality. 100% is more different from 98% than 98% is from 0%.
If your dialysis absolutely has to be then, that’s unfortunate, but at least try to encourage your friends and family members to make it to totality. And you locals probably know some spots that the tourists won’t.
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### Author:  [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)
#### Post date: [April 4, 2024, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/living-in-near-totality-eclipse-zone-down-here-in-lilol-arkansas/999841/3 "2024-04-04T23:19:51Z")
Yep. Some of my peeps are going. We know people who are living in totality and are happy to accommodate for an afternoon.
The drive may be hairy. But they’re making plans for an early departure.
We’ll get what we need from stores in a timely manner.
So we’re ok.
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### Author:  [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)
#### Post date: [April 5, 2024, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/living-in-near-totality-eclipse-zone-down-here-in-lilol-arkansas/999841/4 "2024-04-05T00:10:56Z")
So I hear getting gasoline may be a problem. Jeez🤔
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### Author:  [@SuntanLotion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuntanLotion)
#### Post date: [April 5, 2024, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/living-in-near-totality-eclipse-zone-down-here-in-lilol-arkansas/999841/5 "2024-04-05T00:14:21Z")
Here in North Ohio, not only are schools and library closed, the bus’s are going to all stop and give people glasses.
I hope nobody has to be somewhere on time!
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### Author:  [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)
#### Post date: [April 5, 2024, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/living-in-near-totality-eclipse-zone-down-here-in-lilol-arkansas/999841/6 "2024-04-05T02:00:49Z")
The mid-dau and DIL are taking the kids. Age 3yo twins to age 11 years.
I’m worried.
As I only have one eye I’m worried about the babies keeping the glasses on. They tell me it will all be fine. Don’t fuss.
No one will go blind.
I gave a lecture at dinner.
Seems it went no where.
I have no back up in these situations.
👁
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### Author:  [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)
#### Post date: [April 5, 2024, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/living-in-near-totality-eclipse-zone-down-here-in-lilol-arkansas/999841/7 "2024-04-05T02:11:38Z")
You only need the glasses if you’re looking directly at the Sun, which most of the time you won’t be. It’s no more dangerous than looking directly at the Sun at any other time: It’s just that, usually, you don’t have any reason to look directly at the Sun.
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### Author:  [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)
#### Post date: [April 5, 2024, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/living-in-near-totality-eclipse-zone-down-here-in-lilol-arkansas/999841/8 "2024-04-05T02:20:48Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#):
>
> The drive may be hairy. But they’re making plans for an early departure.
Chances are they won’t have any problems getting there. Lots of people get to their viewing spots early, so traffic is spread out over a longish period of time. It’s after the eclipse that’ll have the traffic jams.
> [@Beckdawrek](#):
>
> As I only have one eye I’m worried about the babies keeping the glasses on. They tell me it will all be fine. Don’t fuss.
> No one will go blind.
As I just posted in another thread, the major danger zone is immediately _after_ totality. People’s eyes are dilated from the dim light and suddenly the Sun shines out. That’s when it’s very important to immediately put the glasses back on. Don’t wait. Any delay could result in retinal damage. I hope you made this point in your speech.
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### Author:  [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)
#### Post date: [April 5, 2024, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/living-in-near-totality-eclipse-zone-down-here-in-lilol-arkansas/999841/9 "2024-04-05T02:51:49Z")
I did. I read the riot act as I heard some eye doctor say on TV.
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### Author:  [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)
#### Post date: [April 5, 2024, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/living-in-near-totality-eclipse-zone-down-here-in-lilol-arkansas/999841/10 "2024-04-05T03:27:46Z")
I suggest you employ the use of a Visual Aid.
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### Author:  [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)
#### Post date: [April 5, 2024, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/living-in-near-totality-eclipse-zone-down-here-in-lilol-arkansas/999841/11 "2024-04-05T04:30:23Z")
The issue of looking at the sun during an eclipse is that your irises widen in the dark, then with your widened irises, you look at the partial eclipse and get an outsized effect.
In my very limited understanding, it’s staring at the partial eclipse that is dangerous. During the total eclipse in Oregon, everyone took off their glasses, and it was fine.
Pro tip, for the Oregon eclipse, as soon as the totality ended and the sun started to emerge on the other side, we booked out of there and no traffic issues even though it was a two lane road in the middle of nowhere down the center of Oregon. The folks that stayed until the end had a few hour delay getting out.
And after witnessing one eclipse, I would go out of my way for another one. Unfortunately, my lady friend in Toronto (an hour away from totality) is out of the country. I had been planning a twofer to see her and the eclipse in one trip. Le sigh.
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### Author:  [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)
#### Post date: [April 5, 2024, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/living-in-near-totality-eclipse-zone-down-here-in-lilol-arkansas/999841/12 "2024-04-05T06:11:47Z")
I see what you mean. 👁
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### Author:  [@SuntanLotion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuntanLotion)
#### Post date: [April 5, 2024, 9:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/living-in-near-totality-eclipse-zone-down-here-in-lilol-arkansas/999841/13 "2024-04-05T09:23:15Z")
Eye see.
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### Author:  [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)
#### Post date: [April 5, 2024, 10:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/living-in-near-totality-eclipse-zone-down-here-in-lilol-arkansas/999841/14 "2024-04-05T10:31:00Z")
I’m travelling to Arkansas for the eclipse. I’m staying in Ft Smith (outside totality), plan to watch at Mt Magazine State Park.
Brian
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### Author:  [@SoToasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SoToasty)
#### Post date: [April 5, 2024, 11:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/living-in-near-totality-eclipse-zone-down-here-in-lilol-arkansas/999841/15 "2024-04-05T11:38:17Z")
My brother and his family in Central Ark, will be in totality. Times like this, I wish I still lived in Hot Springs.
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### Author:  [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)
#### Post date: [April 5, 2024, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/living-in-near-totality-eclipse-zone-down-here-in-lilol-arkansas/999841/16 "2024-04-05T19:02:56Z")
Parts of Arkansas (and a lot of other places) are probably going to be cloudy.
[ ](https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/nbm_cloud_conus-800x502.png)
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### Author:  [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)
#### Post date: [April 5, 2024, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/living-in-near-totality-eclipse-zone-down-here-in-lilol-arkansas/999841/17 "2024-04-05T19:06:50Z")
I’m going to Morrilton for the eclipse. Any advice?
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### Author:  [@SoToasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SoToasty)
#### Post date: [April 5, 2024, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/living-in-near-totality-eclipse-zone-down-here-in-lilol-arkansas/999841/18 "2024-04-05T19:21:41Z")
Don’t stop???
Naw, maybe a visit to Petit Jean state park.
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### Author:  [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)
#### Post date: [April 5, 2024, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/living-in-near-totality-eclipse-zone-down-here-in-lilol-arkansas/999841/19 "2024-04-05T20:17:46Z")
Texas is crying about it.
Our eclipse man( formally weather man) says the Southern Arkansans may get a cloud break just in the nick of time. Egads.
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### Author:  [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)
#### Post date: [April 5, 2024, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/living-in-near-totality-eclipse-zone-down-here-in-lilol-arkansas/999841/20 "2024-04-05T20:21:58Z")
I don’t see how anyone could stare directly at the sun. I imagine it hurts.
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