"Only three days until the Great American Eclipse of 2017," the Asheville weatherman announced this morning. Highlands lies in the so-called "Path of Totality," and local news sources predict that perhaps as many as 25,000 to 50,000 people may arrive on Monday (or earlier) to view this phenomenon. Our Mayor has announced that we should all roll out the welcome mat for these expected visitors, and it looks like the Town is also rolling out porta-johns all over Town. The North Carolina D.O.T. has rolled these signs into position, one of them on NC-28 just below the top of our road.
I know that it would be churlish of me to speak ill of these innocent visitors who are simply trying to view perhaps the only total eclipse of the sun they may see in their lifetime. But even the D.O.T. seems to think that we should expect congested areas, and perhaps even blocked roadways.
We really don't know what to expect, although it is definitely the subject of constant speculation on the part of everyone I have talked to this week. Some businesses are planning to close, many residents are concerned about eclipse-viewers simply pulling up on their lawns on Monday, and the Town is expected to run out of food (motel rooms have been sold out for months) and, I expect, toilet paper. We stocked up on both earlier this week, as if in preparation for a blizzard. I even cranked up the generator and made sure we had gasoline in case the power goes out.
Race Director Derek Taylor was spotted this morning with a crew who had apparently commandeered the Methodist Church Bus, en route to set out traffic cones, close off critical streets, and prepare for the placement of race volunteers. "Plan for the worst, hope for the best," as every Race Director knows.
So Saturday's race might have to include a five-mile warmup run, up to the Park, and a nice cool-down back down to our house. And lots of spectators along the way.
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