I called hotels in Casper, some are filled up for the night of Aug 20, 2017,
but others won't take reservations more than a year out.
I checked 2 hotels in scottsbluff, the location with the highest % of clear
days. Both hotels have vacancies. I made a reservation for one room for 4
adults for$82 plus tax for Aug 20 2017. This is just a backup pending what the
club decides. Scottsbluff is in totality, but about 30 miles or so from the
centerline. There is a road highway 71 that is a straight shot to the
centerline or there are other roads to escape to Casper or Grand Island if
clouds roll in. Totality is over 1 min in Scottsbluff but going north gets you
to the centerline which is about 2.5 mins of totality. It is the super 8 hotel
308 635 1600.
I am not recommending this, just giving out info if you feel concerned over
vacancies.The reservation can always be cancelled a few days ahead of time.
Take care. Sam
Sent from AOL Mobile Mail
On Tuesday, May 31, 2016 Alex Vrenios <axv@xxxxxxx> wrote:
Our last presentation narrowed the choices down to three cities: Madras, OR,
Casper, WY and Scottsbluff, NE. Given that we analyzed 11 years’ worth of
weather conditions, I doubt that one more year’s worth of data will change our
analysis. Recall also that all three cities had a greater than 85% probability
of clear skies, any club member can choose any of these with confidence.
Alex
P.S. I plan to bring our weather data along to Mike’s.
On May 31, 2016, at 2:31 PM, Peter Turner <peteturner@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
I understand your thoughts. I will be at Mike’s for the fireworks. If
logistics look to be difficult, I understand. However $1,000 per person to go
on a tour to Grand Island Nebraska is something that doesn’t seem doable for
most in the club. Having a decision earlier than the one year anniversary
would allow those of us that can make our own way there a chance to secure the
lowest hotel rates possible.
Pete Turner
MaidPro Phoenix-North – voted Best of Phoenix Magazine
19235 N Cave Creek Rd. Suite 106, Phoenix, AZ
E: peteturner@xxxxxxxxxxx P: 602-923-7900 W: maidpro.com/phoenix-north
FaceBook: facebook.com/maidprophoenix Twitter: twitter.com/maidprophoenix
From: insanas@xxxxxxx [mailto:insanas@xxxxxxx]
Sent: Tuesday, May 31, 2016 12:46 PM
To: axv@xxxxxxx; peteturner@xxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: RE: FW: [pasmembers] Fwd: Total Solar Eclipse expedition
The reason for the Sept 1st date is we want one more data point for weather
analysis on Aug 21st. I agree hotels are filling up fast. I mentioned that
yesterday in my email to all our PAS members and that is why we sent out the
eclipse tour of Ted, and why I mentioned that Sky and Telescope and the
Astronomical League have eclipse tours. I am beginning to think it will be
difficult for PAS to put together our own tour that would satisfy everyone.
Some want to camp, some want a hotel, some want to sleep in their vehicle since
it is only a 2.5 min experience, some want to drive, some want to charter a
bus, some want to fly to Denver and rent a car there and stay in a modest hotel
for a few days, then drive to Casper or Scott's Bluff. Some want to attend a
professional conference. I would like to invite all PAS members interested in
the trip to go to Mike's fireworks party on July 3rd and then spend about an
hour discussing everything.Pete and Alex would you attend on July 3rd in
Carefree?
Sam
Sent from AOL Mobile Mail
On Tuesday, May 31, 2016 Peter Turner <peteturner@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Sam and Alex,
Just saw this email or would have included it in my previous email. You might
want to consider moving up the discussion from September to an earlier date,
even though it’s in the summer. The reason is that most hotels start booking
one year ahead. Thus many hotels might be booked prior to your meeting. I
think that’s why the tour company that Ted is going with has a deadline of
August 16th, 2016 for their lower price.
You may be concerned about getting a room since PVCC is out for the summer.
However, I think if done now, you could probably get (rent?) a room at a local
library. I know that I have been to meetings at libraries and most of the
rooms are larger than the room we use at PVCC.
Pete Turner
From: pasmembers-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:pasmembers-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]
On Behalf Of Redacted sender "insanas" for DMARC
Sent: Monday, May 30, 2016 2:13 PM
To: pasmembers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx; tedblank@xxxxxxxxx; pdmaley@xxxxxxxxx
Subject: [pasmembers] Fwd: Total Solar Eclipse expedition
This email is for all PAS members who are interested in experiencing the total
solar eclipse of August 21, 2017. I wish to remind you that Alex and I did some
research on the subject and the results are in our September 2015 newsletter
PAStimes at page 6. You can download this from our PAS website. At our
September 1, 2016, PAS meeting Alex and I will present our final
data on the weather analyses, and we should discuss as a group the possible
travel, housing, camping or other issues which are vital to a successful and
pleasant experience.
PAS hasn't made any official decisions yet as to whether our club will have an
official tour or just let the members decide on their own how they wish to
enjoy the eclipse. Some members may want to carpool, some may want to go on an
official commercial tour, some may want to go on their own to a place near
friends or relatives.
Today, I am forwarding an email to all of you from one of our PAS members, Ted
Blank. He spoke to our club a few months ago on Occultations. As can be seen
from the message below, he will be going to Grand Island, Nebraska, with an
official total eclipse tour. Ted is an active member of PAS and I invite
everyone to read what he has to say. Paul Maley, who will be heading up the
expedition, also sent an email with details about the trip, see the message
below Ted's.
Feel free to contact Ted (tedblank@xxxxxxxxx) and/or Paul (pdmaley@xxxxxxxxx),
if you have any questions. This expedition is not a PAS event but anyone is
free to
go on the trip if they so desire.
I must remind PAS members that as we get closer to the August 21, 2017, total
eclipse date, hotels and trips are starting to fill up. If you are thinking of
flying and driving on your own and camping or sleeping in your own RV or back
of your vehicle, then waiting until our Sept 1, 2016 PAS meeting should be ok.
If you want to go on an official commercial tour with fine accommodations and
meals and scientific speakers, you may want to look into Ted and Paul's
expedition.
There are also other groups with expeditions, such as the Astronomical League,
Sky and Telescope, and others.
You should check out several of these commercial tours, and see if they are in
a city you would like to visit. However, having tried twice before to see a
total solar eclipse and being clouded out both times, I can tell you the
weather history of the place is of utmost importance, along with escape routes
to go East or West within 24 hours of totality in case bad weather is moving
in. Best wishes to everyone. Sam Insana President of the Phoenix Astronomical
Society.
-----Original Message-----
From: Ted Blank <tedblank@xxxxxxxxx>
To: insanas Insana <insanas@xxxxxxx>
Sent: Tue, May 24, 2016 5:44 am
Subject: Eclipse expedition
Hi Sam,
As I mentioned in my earlier note, my IOTA occultation friend Paul Maley has
invited me to be a group leader for the upcoming total solar eclipse in 2017.
There's no financial remuneration involved for me, other than my hotel expenses
being covered. (I have to get myself to Nebraska like everyone else.)
Paul, who recently moved to Carefree, AZ, is one of the most active occultation
observers in the world, having just returned from Bolivia to attempt an
occultation down there. He heads up Ring of Fire Expeditions, the
longest-running astronomical tour organization in the United States. They have
specialized in astro-tourism since 1970 with expeditions organized to view
solar eclipses, Halley’s Comet, the Leonid meteor shower, transit of Venus,
spacecraft reentries, grazing occultations, and occultations of stars by minor
planets.
Since I'd love to have friends from the club come along I wanted to inquire
about posting a note to the mailing list to let members know about the
expedition. For people who have not yet made plans to observe the eclipse, I
feel this would be a great opportunity to have someone with long experience
arrange hotel, pre-eclipse local tours, and day-of-eclipse backup bus travel in
case of clouds at quite reasonable cost. I'm certainly happy to have someone
else handling the logistics. I'll be among those offering talks on eclipses
and astronomy during the days leading up to the eclipse.
The link below has details of the itinerary. Of course I'll understand if the
board does not feel this to be an appropriate use of the mailing list. One
must conservative in these matters.
Thanks,
Ted
Details are as follows:
Ring of Fire Expeditions (ROFE) is now ready to launch their 47th solar eclipse
expedition, this time to the state of Nebraska to see the August 21, 2017
"Great American" total solar eclipse! This is the first total eclipse in the
USA in 38 years and that it is an incredibly rare opportunity. For those of
you who don’t chase eclipses around the world, this may be your only chance to
observe one of the most amazing spectacles nature has to offer. The observing
location will be at a site in Nebraska offering just 6 seconds less than the
maximum eclipse possible along the track.
ROFE wants to give local amateurs the first opportunity to join. This will be
the least expensive eclipse trip since 1991, with prices starting at $999
(excluding your travel to and from Nebraska). Details and registration can be
found at the following link:
http://www.eclipsetours.com/upcoming-tours/2017-total-eclipse-sun-usa/
Registrations will be taken in the order received, first come, first served.
ONE REGISTRATION FORM FOR EACH PERSON. They are happy to have as many of you
as possible.
Future Travel in Houston, Texas is handling the details and is accepting
payments through the electronic bank transfer system which has proven to be
much safer and quicker. No physical checks are required and no need for you or
Future Travel to worry about mail delays. The electronic bank transfer debits
money directly from your checking account. Credit card payments are still being
charged at a rate 5% higher and so you do save money going through the
electronic bank payment.
Please remember that you have to submit both the registration form AND deposit
for each person in order to be confirmed.
There will be a limited number of single rooms available. From now until
August 21, 2016 the “early bird prices” will be in effect. After that they
will be raised based on the limited space that Future Travel has been able to
secure. Because we have other competing travel agencies monitoring our web
page, the name of the hotel will be kept confidential for now and released
later on to all who have signed up.
This year on the dates of next year's eclipse, expedition leader Paul Maley
will also be conducting a site survey in Nebraska to identify potential eclipse
viewing locations for next year.
We hope that everyone will have an outstanding eclipse experience! If you have
any questions, kindly contact Paul at the email address below.
With best regards,
Paul
Paul D. Maley
Expedition Coordinator for NASA Johnson Space Center Astronomical Society,
Houston, Texas USA (now living in Carefree, Arizona)
Paul D. Maley email: eclipse@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx