Official Information:
- Governor Sununu had a press conference about the solar eclipse: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wX3zFPS4SVU
- Official state website for the information about the eclipse: https://www.visitnh.gov/solareclipse
- Official traffic advisory website: https://newengland511.org/
- Eclipse viewing safety information from NASA: https://science.nasa.gov/eclipses/safety/
Not only are people coming to New Hampshire to view the eclipse in New Hampshire, but they might be traveling through New Hampshire to get to Vermont , Maine, or Quebec.
IMPORTANT NOTES:
- Please keep your fuel tanks topped off well before reaching your final destination. These small towns are not used to having thousands of tourists flooding in at one time. PLEASE TOP OFF YOUR TANK in a larger city before reaching your final destination. Also keep in mind, MOST gas stations in rural areas are NOT 24/7 so keep that in mind when planning your route. A friend in northern Maine told me their local gas station already ran out of fuel because people were buying fuel for their generators during the recent snow storm.
- State officials have strongly recommended AGAINST driving ELECTRIC CARS to the eclipse. There are only a tiny hand full of charging stations in the north country.
- Give your self PLENTY of time to arrive for the eclipse. The worst traffic will be during the return trip home. Maybe take a nap in your car before departing home to avoid the worst of the return traffic.
- Almost all hotels in the area are full. You might need to travel quite a ways from the eclipse totality path to find an available afordable hotel. Those vacancies that still do exist are thousands of dollars.
- The cell phone networks are going to be overwhelmed, many areas don't have any coverage at all. Do not rely on your cell phone for navigation.
- Apps like Google Maps, Apple Maps, and Waze normally use the cell phone network to download the maps in real time as you are using it, but Google Maps also allows you to download offline maps before departing on your trip. I highly recommend downloading offline maps or an offline navigation app like "Osmand". Also, keeping an old fashion paper road atlas in your car is always a good idea.
- If you are in an area with little or no cell phone coverage, it might be a good idea to turn off your phone or put your phone in to "Airplane Mode" to save battery. Your phone might waste a lot of energy trying to connect to a cell network or competing with the thousands of other phones in the area.
- Your GPS might be wrong! Up north there are many seasonal roads, and abandoned logging roads that are not passable. Many GPS's including Google Maps, Apple Maps, and Waze still try to route people down these paths. Use common sense, don't get your car stuck. Again, most cell phone navigational apps reply on the cell phone network, make sure to download some offline maps before you depart.
- Bring CASH. Enough cash to buy a full tank of gas and food. Not all small town stores and restaurants take credit cards or bitcoin. Many places will have food trucks, but if the cell phone network is overwhelmed, they won't be able to process credit cards or bitcoin.
- It's MUD SEASON, plus there is a foot of snow on top of the mud. State officials have ordered all tow trucks to prioritize tows that might be blocking traffic. If you get stuck in the mud in the middle of nowhere, you're going to be waiting for a long time. It's easy to get stuck on what appears to be shallow snow on the road shoulder, so be careful where you park. A good shovel, a tow strap, and knowing the tow points of your vehicle are a good thing to have in your vehicle. Prepare to self-rescue.
- Stay off the ice. Lakes and ponds are still frozen, but the ice is too thin to support the weight of people.
- Please bring enough food and water to sustain everyone in your car for an extended period of time. Much smaller events can often overwhelm these small town grocery stores and restaurants.
- Please bring extra clothes, warm layers. It's been nice and warm, but we are going to be experiencing lows in the 20's and even worst windchills. Including extra shoes and socks, because it is mud season. It might also be a good idea to pack a sleeping bag for everyone in your car, just in case.
- Please respect private property. NO NOT trespass on private property, nor park in peoples driveways, nor drive through their fields.
- Give your car a pre-trip inspection before driving up north. Check your tire pressure, check your oil, check your lights, etc.
- Make sure you got eclipse glasses, and make sure they are legit, there are many fakes on the market. You should test them now, the sun should be the only thing visible through eclipse glasses, sunglasses are not dark enough. Even many welding helmets are not dark enough. Only use binoculars, telescopes, or cameras that are equipped with the proper solar filters.
- Please support the local economy. Although many of these stores and restaurants might be overwhelmed, if you can, please stop and shop at a local store. Remember, New Hampshire has NO SALES TAX. So if you've been thinking about making a big purchase, considering stopping on your way home to make that major purchase in NH and save some money.
- Please check the local town/city/park websites and social media of where you are planning on going. Some towns like Burlington, VT have special traffic and parking instructions for visitors.
- The weather forecast for all of New England is looking very clear. We're very lucky.
Other information sources:
PBS NOVA documentary about this upcoming eclipse: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTfQpdTD_3M
