Locals and visitors weigh in on what they’re doing for the #OREclipse
Eclipse 2017
Posted inNews
I Survived an Eclipse (And You Can Too!)
Sketchy boat rides, a blood infection and a burglary. What’s not to love about chasing an eclipse?
“R eef! Whoa! Stop!” The boat came to an abrupt halt as the captain reversed the engines and backed off the reef, just a few meters away. “That was a close call,” said David Blackmore, my 61-year-old British travel companion and part-time Central Oregon resident. “It could have been disastrous. Boats capsize on a regular […]
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I Survived an Eclipse in Central Oregon
…and it was pretty anticlimactic.
I t was February of 1979 and my husband and I had moved to Bend just a few months before. I was studying for the bar exam in Portland, leaving Bend on Monday mornings and returning home on Fridays. Monday, Feb. 26, 1979, was a little different than most of my trips over the mountain […]
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It Ain’t All Sunny When Prepping for the Eclipse
Local businesses are stocking up to be ready for the influx
On a normal day, about 200,000 folks call Deschutes, Crook and Jefferson counties home. And in about one week, the Deschutes County Sheriff’s office estimates an extra 200,000 people will begin flowing into the area to experience the Great American Eclipse taking place Aug. 21. Regionally, the Oregon Department of Transportation estimates a whopping 1 […]
Posted inOutside
Fires, Crops and other Concerns
In small burgs such as Gateway, prep for the eclipse involves and planning to protect farms, and livelihoods
G ateway is a small farming community about 11 miles north of Madras, boasting a population of 50 residents, plus or minus a few. It’s where Marla Rae and her family have been farming for over six generations—so needless to say, Rae knows the community and the surrounding area well. At the moment, much attention […]
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Eclipse Road Closures in the Deschutes National Forest
Officials from the Deschutes National Forest have announced a number of road closures for eclipse week, including: Bend Fort Rock Ranger District eclipse closures: Forest Road 370 – one way starting at Todd Lake, Aug 17-21 Paulina Peak Road. (Forest Road 500) – closed at sunset Aug 20, until 1 pm Aug. 21 Lava Butte […]
Posted inCulture
Hella Swag
From coins to jewelry to T-shirts, Central Oregonians are capitalizing on the eclipse
Y ou may have already started to see it: eclipse merchandise, taking Central Oregon by celestial storm. Everywhere you look, you’re bound to find jewelry, T-shirts ranging from the basic to design-forward, collectable coins and of course, the now infamous viewing glasses. Drive down Third Street in Bend and you can spot reader boards boasting, […]
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Central Oregon Eclipse Events
The 2017 total solar eclipse sweeps the nation on August 21, and NASA has labeled Oregon the best place for viewing. With ODOT estimating one million people flocking to Oregon for the event, many small towns in the path of totality have stepped up to the plate. Hundreds of festivals, campgrounds and museums will host […]
Posted inCulture
Total Eclipse of the Heart
Why you need to see the TOTAL eclipse—and why you need to take care to protect your eyeballs
On Aug. 21, millions of people will share in a communal experience that surpasses socio-economidc class, gender, race, political ties and more— and all for just a few bucks. (Or several thousands, if you’re one of those AirBnbers…) As the path of totality crosses over 14 states—stretching from Oregon to South Carolina—will yield something not […]
Posted inOutside
Eclipsing All Other Views
The first permit issued on the Warm Springs side of Mt. Jefferson means unprecedented views for eclipse viewing
O n Aug. 21, the vast majority of people in Central Oregon will be staring at the sky, watching the moon move in front of the sun, and seeing dusk hit in the middle of the morning. Many will still have to go to work, and those who don’t will likely be seeking out the […]