Say hello to Jackie for me.
There’s a little more to this, Chinle. In October for the annular eclipse, for dialysis Chinle was one of the nearest dialysis centers but it was 100 miles away from where we were staying — in Monument Valley. No other dialysis center had openings for a travel request. 100 miles away. Including dialysis time, that takes about 8 hours total. But, you do what you have to do, so on dialysis days that was pretty much all we did that day.
We returned to Monument Valley in February and, again, dialysis in Chinle. The staff remembered my wife so it was becoming a little like Norm on Cheers. Mrs. Bullitt! Except no witty comeback.
So for this trip, since we know exactly where it is and it’s kind of on the way, not ridiculously out of the way, we’re doing dialysis again there. We’ll actually do it there on our way back too.
I handle the arrangements for her dialysis travel requests because I am the trip planner.
NWS forecast for Monday at Mt Magazine State Park (Arkansas)
Mostly sunny, with a high near 68.
Granted it can change, but it is better than the forecast yesterday.
Unless the forecast is very bad, I will probably go. Saturday morning is probably when I will make the decision (I plan to drive to Ft Smith on Sunday)
Brian
p.s. anyone thinking about Iceland in 2026? Looks to be the next total solar eclipse, and a cool (if not cheap) place to go
Smart.
The road access to the Trapp lodge isn’t ideal, from what I recall. Given that there’s supposed to be quite a snowfall near our destination today / tomorrow, road closures near Stowe in 5 days are quite plausible.
Really, NOTHING in Vermont has good road access except, arguably, along the I-89 or I-91 corridors. So quickly relocating from point A to point B is problematic. On the plus side, I’d expect those areas to be less crowded, traffic-wise.
Where we’ll be, similarly no major roads nearby. I’m sort of hoping that there’s some kind of in-town gathering to watch, since part of the fun in 2017 was being on the beach with other folks, but I’ll be just fine with hanging out at our rental with the family.
I just booked my daughter’s train ticket from Rutland to Albany, this morning, and was bemused to see that our trip starts in just THREE DAYS. I mean, I knew this, but yikes. My friend is driving to where we are, from the Midwest, right as I type this. My husband and I are taking Friday off to pack and shop; the friend can do some shopping tomorrow. We want to take as many non-perishable groceries as we can, as options are thin on the ground up there. Plus road trip munchies, as we’ re looking at 10+ hours each way.
Just because I was curious, I went to the lodge site to see about prices and availability. They are charging almost $1500 a night for the eclipse night.
I would have some interest. I haven’t been to Iceland and I’m interested in going there. But the totality path is at the far west end of the island, with limited viewing areas, so to me that means crowds and traffic. So, probably not.
Here is Xavier Jubier’s map:
I’ve been looking up Egypt 2027.
Places with limited road access, hmmm, I like exploring such places.
These are a few of my favorite things. 
Egypt! Egypt is on the list for me and the missus.
It goes right across the Red Sea and there are some lovely resorts there.
Oh yeah, let’s talk! My car is shown below. That’s what you’ll be looking for on Saturday.
And… Some pictures of our eclipse road trip so far ➜
Tulare Lake (the 2023 flood is gone); Opening Day, Petco Park; Eldred St, Los Angeles, and my wife and mother in the car; the Atomic Museum, Las Vegas
Does she ever watch Rutland Weekend Television? 
Well, it’s still five days away but the forecast is now decidedly grim. After this shitty weather ends Sunday the 7th is supposed to be bright and sunny with a clear night, and then becoming totally overcast on the 8th. I knew my pessimism was justified!
I was surprised to read that, because I was not seeing any rooms available in the lodge. What is available is a minimum two night stay in their guest house, which is 1,200 sf and sleeps six people. It is $1,579.00 for two nights ($1,813.10 with taxes and fees), which is not terrible for a private guest house during the eclipse.
For comparison, the Lodge at Spruce Peak (which has ski-in/ski-out access at Stowe) wanted over $1,000 last weekend for two nights in a hotel room. They were asking for $3,359/night ($4,138/night with taxes and fees) for the night before the eclipse until recently, but now they are sold out.
CNN has an article with a slider for the American vs. European forecast models. I’m going with the American model because 'Merica!..& a lot less clouds
Just be careful of those lonely goatherds… 
Ouch. But, it’s a high-demand event. And turning out to be a better location choice than we ever could have guessed.
The difference is that in VT, you’re either on a paved road (few and far between), or it’s hilly impenetrable forest.
It’s not like the arid southwest where one can wander jeep trails miles from a paved road wondering how many weeks, months, or years it’s been since a vehicle last passed this way.
As to me ...
Got settled at my watching hotel yesterday. I had ordered a south-facing room intending that my balcony could work as an observation platform if the crowds outside on the public beach appeared stupid-packed together. Plus the extra elevation might give some interesting longer-range perspective on the shadow’s progress across the city and ocean below.
Based on a Sun sighting I took this morning at the same time as totality, the sun is so close to straight overhead I’d be craning out past the railing sighting almost up the side of the building. So not quite a good idea and certainly not a great one. Oops.
Over the last couple of days the forecast for the day prior and day of (7th and 8th) had been “sunny through high clouds”, then completely clear the next day (9th) So good, not great. But my hope was that if the forecast sped up, the clear would be on eclipse day too.
So today the forecast is now "“sunny through high clouds” on the 7th and 9th, but the 8th is recast as “Beautiful with intervals of clouds and sunshine”. That’s not a highly plausible weather pattern. I suspect the tourist board or somebody is janking with us.
Right now of course the half-hemisphere of sky I can see has no clouds within a hundred miles. Dang.
NY state. It’s been absolutely pouring rain all day, and most of yesterday too.
Here’s hoping it gets it all out of its system before Monday. I’m just glad the eclipse wasn’t today.
I spoke with a friend who lives within the zone of totality but close to the edge of it about my wine country plan. Being a practical sort, he was spooked by the state of emergency declaration in Niagara Region and is going to stay home, where the period of totality is less but still totality. I’ll join him there for wine & cheese. Much more civilized. If it’s overcast, we still get wine & cheese. Much like @LSLGuy gets to attend a wild Mexican orgy in Mazatlán regardless of cloud cover, only a more Canadian-ly experience!