Thousands of people are expected to flock to Western New York for next year’s total solar eclipse, but some eclipse lovers along the path of totality are getting their escape plans ready.

One of them is Daniel Marcus. Space is kind of his thing. But, when it comes to awesome things he’s seen, total solar eclipses are pretty high on the list. 

“Seeing a total eclipse is like having a million-dollar lottery ticket," Marcus said. "Seeing a total eclipse that's cloudy or not on centerline...it's like having a $1 million lottery ticket one digit off. You get really excited, but you don't get the prize.”

That’s why come next April, when a total eclipse is basically in his backyard, he has plans ready to be somewhere else. 

“People ask me where I'm going to be and I tell them, 'Where it's clear.' And they say, 'Where is that going to be?' [That could be] anywhere possibly between Texas and Maine,” Marcus explained.

He’s been burned before. 

“I’ve been to four totals, three annulars. I've seen three totals, two annulars," he said. "The ones that I've missed are ones that I couldn't move my location.”

The key is finding a spot that’s clear, even on a cloudy day, for those 3 minutes and 45 seconds. It's known as a sucker hole. 

“The rest of the eclipse is kind of like watching grass grow," Marcus said. "Totality is where it's at.”

Marcus estimated further trips at about $3,000-$5,000 per person. 

“Usually I'm sloughing at least 100 pounds worth of equipment,” he explained.

Which means leaning on the resources he has, like the Buffalo Astronomical Association and the greater astronomy community. 

“Let's see, if we rent a motorhome and we have five drivers, we can make it to Texas," he laughed. "That was item number one. Number two is rent an airplane, get above the clouds. [...] Seriously, I got a cardiologist as a pilot. I’ll be beating on his door, telling him, 'Let's go up.'”

He expects major roads to be bumper-to-bumper surrounding the eclipse. 

"Everybody's going to have the same idea [to move],” he explained.

That's why preparation the days prior is vital. 

“I'll be up most of the night tossing and turning and checking the weather maps, and as soon as they determine the fact that we're going to have to move, I'll wake my wife up, the car will already be packed and off we'll go. There's no hesitation,” Marcus said.

In the end, even if the forecasts are off… what’s the worst that could happen? 

“So you missed the eclipse," he shrugged. "Just make sure you have some other adventure to go along with it. And part of it's the adventure of trying to do it and get there. It's all about the fun. If you're not having fun, what's the point,” Marcus said.

He added that each eclipse he goes to is special because it’s rare. 

Even though total solar eclipses happen about once every 18 months, sometimes they’ll go through war zones, spots he can’t speak the language, or pose some other difficulty.

So if it’s just a matter of weather, that’s something he can put up with.