Prepping for...Tourism?

The Eclipse and planning for the inevitable

Sometimes, crazy things happen, and there’s just no predicting them. But other times, you know long in advance that something’s coming, or simply that something’s inevitable.

Here in Vermont, we know power’s going to go out at least half a dozen times each winter, often for days at a time. I’m actually writing this at this very moment on generator power, due to the last dump of more than a foot of heavy wet snow that fell yesterday. We may not know exactly when it’s coming, but we always know it will come eventually.

The same is true out West for earthquakes and wildfires, and down South for hurricanes and tornadoes. It’s inevitable, and it’s not a question of if…but when.

Sometimes though, you know exactly what’s coming and when, be it Black Friday traffic or your next mortgage payment. No matter what it is, there are people who will think about it and prepare in advance…and others who will throw their hands in the air and say, “Who could have known?!?!”

That, in a nutshell, is what preparedness is about.

Sure, Hollywood loves to play up the zombie apocalypse, because it sells movie tickets…but it’s a joke.

The real-world things people prepare for are much more mundane and don’t make for suspense thrillers.

Things like:

• Having savings on hand for a layoff you can see coming a mile away

• Storing bottled water on hand when you live in an earthquake zone

• Keeping your car’s gas tank at least half-full (for a thousand good reasons)

That last one really saved me when the highway shut down in January on a -20 F degree day. I took my toddlers to the children’s museum, and on the way back, a truck jackknifed a few miles ahead…and traffic was at a complete standstill for three full hours.

A backpack with blankets, snacks, and a deck of Go Fish cards was nice to have…but a tank of gas to keep the heater running was pretty essential.

Simple, basic, mundane things…that actually mean the world to you and yours on occasion. That’s what preparedness is all about.

This Monday, April 8th, 2024 a total solar eclipse will cross through much of Central and Eastern North America, starting in Texas at roughly 2:30 PM and passing on a diagonal all the way through Maine by about 3:30.

That’s not all that mundane; it’s actually incredible, and half the country can’t wait to see it. The Airbnb occupancy rates tell that tale all too well…

Image from The Daily Mail

Most of Vermont happens to be situated right under the path of totality, which is wonderfully convenient and incredibly exciting for my littles, who are bubbling over with excitement.

Schools are canceled for the day, and most businesses are closed. It’s a Monday, so almost every restaurant in the state will already be closed (as usual). For a few brief minutes, everyone’s going to be staring toward the sky together.

The tourists, though, are excited too.

Vermont has a population of roughly 600,000, and with a forecast of sunny skies on Monday (even though we’re buried in snow today), up to an estimated 200,000 people are expected to descend on the state to view the eclipse.

A major Boston newspaper mentioned that one of the best places to see the eclipse is a small remote State Forest here in Vermont. They neglected to mention that the trailhead has about 6 parking spots, and the trees block the view in all directions unless you hike a few miles out.

Luckily, this time of year, the snow’s only knee-deep.

Every emergency management agency in the state is on high alert. Why?

Because that’s a lot of humans in one spot…with infrastructure that just can’t handle it. They’re already planning for:

• Cell networks going down (with all the extra load)

• Lost and Confused drivers (even in the best of cases, most rural towns don’t even have cell service, and online maps often list seasonal one-lane dirt roads as the “best route”).

• Gridlocked traffic on our two-lane “highways.”

• Gas shortages (There are very few gas stations, and in many areas, they’re 30+ miles apart)

• There are very few EV charging stations, barely enough for local electric vehicles.

• High ER loads from traffic accidents (and just run-of-the-mill extra emergencies with more people in one place)

• Stores running out of basic supplies (at least the few stores that are open)

• A lot of hungry, lost, and confused people wondering where the nearest Starbucks is (Hint…probably 100 miles or so South)

The most recent update from one of our state’s emergency management groups (below) is just short of comedy. My favorite part is, “Try to stay polite to people who…in many cases…may well have caused their own difficulties.”

I can’t say I completely agree with that; most people live in a world where ready access to supplies and 5G cell service is taken for granted. It is exceptional when it’s not there…but still, it is something you should always be prepared for.

In this case, tourism is turning into a major (and foreseeable) natural disaster, no different than a hurricane, tornado, or flood.

I hope that everyone enjoys the eclipse on Monday, wherever you’re viewing this truly awe-inspiring astronomical event. I also hope that everyone arrives at their destination well in advance and without issue.

If you are on the path, plan ahead, buy supplies, stay home, and enjoy the show.

This is not unique to Vermont, and hundreds of communities across the US will be impacted. The path of totality traces its route through what are mostly “fly-over” states, and sorry, y’all, we don’t have many public restrooms.

But if you are traveling, plan ahead.

• Bring snacks and water.

• Plan for cold weather.

• Make sure your gas tank is full.

• Expect to have no cell service, and print or save maps ahead of time.

Basic things to care for yourself and those you care about.

That’s what preparedness is. (Zombies not included.)

Until Next Time,

Ashley at Practical Self Reliance