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The eclipse crowd is here

From locals to out-of-towners, eclipse chasers made their way to the eclipse's path of totality.

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The Eclipse crowd made their way to Arkansas' area of totality.

From locals watching the eclipse in their backyard to out-of-towners, AAA says April 6 is expected to be the busiest travel day for eclipse chasers. Many made their stop at Tobo's 66 in Fayetteville as they made their trip south through Northwest Arkansas.

Shawn Shelton is a Fayetteville firefighter who lives in the River Valley. He says despite the ballgames and events in Northwest Arkansas, the River Valley area and I-40 is preparing "to be pretty backed up."

"That's why I'm filling up now, just kind of been prepared for it," Shelton said as he was getting gas. "Yesterday was very difficult in Fayetteville when running some calls. Already the traffic all throughout Arkansas is a bit of a concern, just trying to get places; going on emergency calls could be hectic."

Already seeing some northerners traveling south, Jed Schilling and his family drove a van down from Marshfield, Wisconsin.

"We planned this for the last five years or so, maybe seven years. We were at the eclipse in Wyoming in 2017. And as soon as we saw that, we knew we were going to come to this one," Schilling said.

The family is keeping their eyes on the forecast and say "if it's sunny north, we'll go north. And if it's sunnier south, we'll keep going through Texas."

"We have Airbnb right under the Eclipse. So if all works out, then we don't go anywhere," Schilling added.

Don Lancer was at the Fayetteville gas stop too, but first making his stop at Kessler Park from the Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri. His grandkids were playing baseball at Kessler Park. Afterward, he planned on joining the rest of the family in their Alma residence on Monday for the eclipse.

"We bought them a kind of electronic telescope that has a solar lens on it. And you can use your phone as the app to look through. You don't look through the scope. And we're going to use that to watch the Eclipse with all the kids," Lancer said.

"We're not sure where we're going Monday, if we're going home Monday or not because of the traffic," Lancer added.

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