Short overnight camping for the Ring of Fire Eclipse

[BAScott62]

I decided to road trip down to West Texas to check out the solar eclipse. Andrews County, TX has a park that allows camping and is a few miles north of the center of the path. I'd seen a thread here a few months ago about using a cot tent in the bed so I'd pick one up. Truck tent

This was the first non-driveway test for me.

No chance of rain so I didn't bother with the fly. After I'd set up the caretaker came by (whose name I sadly didn't get) to collect their fee. Upon seeing it was a tent and not a "camper" he let me know he didn't feel right about collecting the $10 from tenters and told me to have a good night.

My cheapie "30 Degree" sleeping bag from Amazon was more than good enough for the 45-degree night but it did make getting up in the morning difficult. Eventually, the bladder won out.

Enjoyed the show listening to the college pregame shows and early games. There were a few others out there with nice camera and filter setups. In keeping with my theme, I used the 'holding the glasses in front of the cell phone' method for these beauties.

Was thankful for the great weather and looking forward to the next one which will be total in April next year.

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[GPSMan]

Next year's will be 1000 times more dramatic. I've seen two total eclipses. You won't be disappointed except for how short it lasts.

San Fransisco. My backyard.
Partly cloudy

 

[BAScott62]

The line of totality for the 2019 eclipse went right over my parent's house in Missouri. They're definitely worth putting out the effort to experience.

 

[GPSMan]

A total solar eclipse is the closest thing a human will ever see to a black hole.

When you see it, you'll be "now I know what that guy on MTC meant."

It's an illusion but looks like the real ring of fire, the corona, is being sucked into the blackest black you've ever seen with the roundest circle you have ever seen.

 

[MakinDoForNow]

Next year's will be 1000 times more dramatic. I've seen two total eclipses. You won't be disappointed except for how short it lasts.

San Fransisco. My backyard.
Partly cloudy

NEXT YEARS centerline is about 3 miles from my house so I won't have to travel. This year we drove about 200 miles to Junction Texas. The wife took these pics with NO lens cover with her cell phone. NOTE The "star" between the top of the light pole and the sun. Zoom in, It is a miniature reflection or "correction" of the eclipsed sun. Dunno! Hopefully it's not permanently burned into her camera's "retina". Don't think it is as it only shows one in second picture!

 

[GPSMan]

That's what's called "lens flare".

It's a reflection on the outer (top) cover of the camera lens.

BTW that small image is the "real" size.

The sun is so bright it overloads the sensor and bleeds into adjacent pixels making the original location look much larger.

I photographed through the eclipse glasses. Basically mylar. You can use TWO layers of pop tart wrapper also.
Same material just one layer is too thin.

 

[Ford Motor Company]

I decided to road trip down to West Texas to check out the solar eclipse. Andrews County, TX has a park that allows camping and is a few miles north of the center of the path. I'd seen a thread here a few months ago about using a cot tent in the bed so I'd pick one up. Truck tent

This was the first non-driveway test for me.

No chance of rain so I didn't bother with the fly. After I'd set up the caretaker came by (whose name I sadly didn't get) to collect their fee. Upon seeing it was a tent and not a "camper" he let me know he didn't feel right about collecting the $10 from tenters and told me to have a good night.

My cheapie "30 Degree" sleeping bag from Amazon was more than good enough for the 45-degree night but it did make getting up in the morning difficult. Eventually, the bladder won out.

Enjoyed the show listening to the college pregame shows and early games. There were a few others out there with nice camera and filter setups. In keeping with my theme, I used the 'holding the glasses in front of the cell phone' method for these beauties.

Was thankful for the great weather and looking forward to the next one which will be total in April next year.

That's awesome, Brian! We love seeing the adventures of the Maverick!

 

[CACTI_HYBRID]

I gotta ask... What's the reason having a tent in the bed of your trunk is so popular? What so bad about just setting up a tent on the ground, the old-fashioned way? Doing that you could have a tent of any size you like far bigger than one you could fit in the bed of the truck. The only thing I can think of is if you lived in some area where there were snakes or bugs or some critters you were trying to keep from coming into your tent. Other than that, I see no advantage to these roof top or bed top tents which always cost a whole lot more.

 

[CACTI_HYBRID]

Why not to buy a rooftop tent

 

[Eja20]

I’ve been lucky enough to see both eclipse in 17 drove to St. Louis. Sat was at my moms south texas and next one is at my house north texas. Good spot you picked we were cloudy but got to see it still and I made some good money.

Most people don’t pay attention to stuff like this and I bought up 500 pair of glasses back in the summer and sat on them. Day of everyone was looking for some and I was the only one around mom said she felt like a drug dealer with how much traffic we had. Thanks to her freind who works at Walmart everyone who came in looking for some got sent to me.

 

[Eja20]

The line of totality for the 2019 eclipse went right over my parent's house in Missouri. They're definitely worth putting out the effort to experience.

Agree we drove to Hillsboro and saw it in an open feild. Amazing darkness settled in crickets and owls started being active 4 mins of silence and everyone staring in awe. April’s gonna be awesome I’m dead center

 

[sprcoop]

I'm wondering about the impact of having the two end support legs hanging in the breeze. What would happen if someone got to close to the edge? Catastrophic failure?

It's rated for 500 lbs but I'm sure that is with using all 4 support legs.

 

[AncientMan]

I took a short video of the eclipse’s effect on a campfire’s heat waves, and it was mesmerizing (like a thousand tiny crescent shaped shadows flowing like water). I couldn’t upload it, sorry….

 

[MakinDoForNow]

I gotta ask... What's the reason having a tent in the bed of your trunk is so popular? What so bad about just setting up a tent on the ground, the old-fashioned way? Doing that you could have a tent of any size you like far bigger than one you could fit in the bed of the truck. The only thing I can think of is if you lived in some area where there were snakes or bugs or some critters you were trying to keep from coming into your tent. Other than that, I see no advantage to these roof top or bed top tents which always cost a whole lot more.

Talking about costing more I was parked about 80 feet from a 6x6 MAN expedition that had international plates. Owner was either inside or elsewhere. It was similar to the one in this link:

 

[imboden013]

I gotta ask... What's the reason having a tent in the bed of your trunk is so popular? What so bad about just setting up a tent on the ground, the old-fashioned way? Doing that you could have a tent of any size you like far bigger than one you could fit in the bed of the truck. The only thing I can think of is if you lived in some area where there were snakes or bugs or some critters you were trying to keep from coming into your tent. Other than that, I see no advantage to these roof top or bed top tents which always cost a whole lot more.

Penthouse for the view.

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