The following are a few of the lies I heard about the eclipse. I don't remember who said what, and I guess it doesn't matter. But I was convinced it would be a horrible experience. I'm not sure why, but I went anyway.
Lies about traffic: I kept hearing that traffic would be a mess. It wasn't. I took off at 1:30 AM to get in and didn't slow down the whole way. Someone said they were going to turn both North and South bound lanes one way to get in, then turn them back to get out. They did not. Getting in was easy. Getting out would have been tough, but more on that later.
Lies about gasoline: I kept hearing that there was no gas in all Idaho. When I got to Pocatello I noticed the gas guage on the car was getting close to half empty, so I stopped at a station. The attendant hadn't heard the rumors. The whole time I was there I didn't find one station that was out of gas.
Lies about bathrooms: This was the worst. I was so paranoid I bought a 5 gallon bucket, one of those seats you can put on it, the expensive deodorant garbage bags to line it, a deodorant brick for the bottom of the bucket, a bag of garden lime to sprinkle in the bag, a tree shaped air freshener for the car, and Depends for me (just in case). I didn't have to use any of that stuff. (Thank goodness, 'cause I forgot TP) Every time I had to stop in a convenience store or gas station there was a reasonably clean restroom. I always feel obligated to buy something when I use a public restroom, but I didn't even have to do that. The people in Idaho are very friendly, and don't mind letting you use their bathrooms.
Lies about crowds: Idaho is a big State. 'Nuff said. Like I said, getting out would have been tough if I hadn't gotten out right after totality hit Idaho Falls. As it approached it got cooler and darker. I was behind a store called Tobacco Connection on the corner of W. Broadway St. and N. Skyline Drive with two other cars. There were two people in one who had gotten out some lawn chairs and were watching it when I got there. The other car was just parked where the guy could watch it without getting out. There were people in all the stores around that had come out to watch it. When it hit they all whooped and hollered.
I have to say that seeing it live was thrilling. All my life I've seen pictures of it, but seeing it in person was like nothing else. I could look at it without my brother's welding glasses. It only lasted a minute and a half in Idaho Falls, since it's on the southern edge of the line of totality, but it was enough to hook me. I'm already planning my next eclipse trip. As soon as totality was over, I sent a text saying "saw it!" and took off.
Next time we have an eclipse I'm going to plan on getting there earlier, then staying an extra day to let traffic clear up. There will be a large band of totality and it will go from Texas all the way to New England, so I can check the weather for a few days before it hits and pick the best place to see it. After the eclipse I'll have a relaxing meal, see whatever sights there are, and stay in a nice hotel, then go home the next day.
