Tuesday, April 2, 2024

4/2/2024 - Eclipse, Reflections - t-minus 6 days

 4/2/2024 - Monday


I've been counting down to this eclipse since I took my kids to see the last one.  


It was August 21, 2017 - I had remembered an Eclipse going through Indianapolis when I was a kid - 4th grade, I think.  I looked for it in the same way I'd looked for the first Lunar eclipse I had been warned was coming, but just like that lunar eclipse, I saw nothing.  


To be accurate - I probably did see the lunar eclipse, but I wasn't seeing the moon disappear.  It had turned red.  I didn't understand at 6 or 7 years old in Beaverdam, VA that a lunar eclipse was a redening of the moon because the Earth causes the light to bend as it refracts through our atmosphere.  


Similarly, the Eclipse from my elementary year in 4th grade in November was actually across Australia.  Or maybe it was the partial eclipse during May of my 5th grade year.  Either explains why I saw nothing.  As a 10 or 11 year old I didn't understand that they might be talking about something on the news that was happening half a world away - literally - or barely visible as a lump of blacknes on the Sun's edge.  But I watched for it all that day, because I was curious.  We had even talked about how to make an eclipse box so we didn't look directly at the sun - which we knew to be dangerous (and schools weren't closed for fear kids couldn't control that impulse to stare longingly into blindness).  


Even now, I'm not quite sure if a moon ever turns completely black except during New Moon stage, but I know the Sun does.  And in just a few days it will.


On August 21, 2017 a swath of totality progresed across the United States with millions of people migrating to see.  With the internet and all its glories now available to us, we could all find where our nearest region of totality was.  We could also find out how close to totality our home would receive.  And with looking at the expected chaos of the Nationwide migration along with how near we were to regions of near totality, I chose to took my kids west and camp out somewhere nearer totality than Richmond, but now where I might be fighting the Mongol hords (fitting that in for Anika).


I took them camping at Cave Lake National Park, near Natural Bridge, Virginia.

reference: Image Source - Aug 21, 2017 Total Eclipse

Wow, there's a duration of 2 minutes & 40 seconds duration at its maximum in 2017.  This year we're looking at closer to 4 mins & 30 secs totality if I can hit near the same spot in 2017 in KY/IL/TN/MO - those damn buggers must be the luckiest shits ever.  Sorry.  Language.  But seriously!  They get full TOTALITY of an eclipse in 2017 AND it hits THEM again in 2024?!  I think there must either be spawn of satan down there, or maybe it's the second coming.  I don't have a direct line with God on this kind of thing.  But.  DAMN lucky shits.

Ok, getting over myself.

That's where I'm headed this year.  So I get to be at great giant X marks the Center of the Universe when Eclipse 2 comes through in six days.  Wow.  SIX days.  Less, because it would have been 5 hours after the eclipse in 6 days.

 Back tot August 21, 2017.  It was STILL amazing.  Here is our Campsite with my adorable Anika (the older blonde one), Clover (the adorable little one), and Me - the big bumbly adult who had to show off my brand new Butane stove as a Facebook VIDEO because I was SO excited to get it after I'd left my brand new COLEMAN at home.  (me now running out to the garage to put the Butane Stove in the car with the extra fuel to let it make the return trip to eclipse 2024!)  

CAMPSITE & KIDS 2017







We also saw cool wildlife.





And of Course.... The ECLIPSE!  But first, pix of my kids as we hike down to Natural Bridge in hopes of seeing it from one of Virginia's great natural wonders (not realizing that the eclipse is going to be an hours-long procession).









Clover getting in a little Free Soloing while we twiddle thumbs and say "Oh?  Is this it?"

But it really did get pretty cool as we neared totality




CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO

BUT THEN THERE WERE THE SHADOWS!  This really was more exciting to me than the Sun disappearing, because I had EXPECTED that.  I hadn't realized all the shadows were going to turn crescent for the next hour or two as the sun slowly reappeared from behind the moon.



But then, life went on - and we swam in Cave Lake for the rest of the eclipse (which isn't so interesting once the shadows go back to normal and you realize it's going to take forever to end)


But yeah - we all had THIS moment (Clover's face so dramatically displaying the first recognition of the Eclipse with their glasses).


And then we returned, to hear about the people's amazing experiences when they had been in a region of absolute totality (not just 98% or 96% or whatever we got to that was very cool - but the world didn't go completely DARK and the fear of DRAGONS and BLAZING THUNDERBOLTS OF ZEUS in our hearts).

So here I am, seven years later - wondering - What WILL it be like.  And CAN I actually see it - against all odds?  Can I get to a region of Maximum?  What will the weather be?  Will everything that CAN go wrong, ACTUALLY go wrong?  or.... by some magic..... what if it goes RIGHT?

So here we are (not me & kids, me & a friend who has asked respectfully to not be included in the bloging) - with plans for camping in a region of Totality (about 2 minutes) and maybe going into a region of maximum time at totality (closer to 4 minutes)? with the best visibility possible.  <oh the excitement!  oh the apprehension!  oh the unknown!>

So here's what I've got official for the next few days.  As with al good trips, it's good to have a lot of ideas going in, then swap around for what works on any certain day based on schedule, weather, and how much time you decide something you're doing is worth to skip on other things.  Because - never walk away from the middle of a good experience just because there's something else on your list.

FLEXIBLE AGENDA as follows:

Day 1: 4/3/2024 - Wednesday


Day 2: 4/4/2024 - Thursday

  • Travel from Lexington to KOA near Paducah, KY (near the IN/KY/IL/TN conjunction)

  • Lexington possibilities before traveling the 3-4 hours to Paducah

    • Mary Todd Lincoln’s home

    • Several distilleries in the area (Lexington Brewing & Distillery, James E. Pepper Distillery) 

    • Kentucky Horse Park (or other Horsey things) - mint julep?

    • Ashland - Henry Clay Estate

    • Lexington Cemetery

    • McConnell Springs Park  click here    CLICK HERE for PICTURES 



  • 4/7 - Ja’ Blues Concert @ KOA 6-8pm



Interactive Eclipse Map: https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/map/2024-april-8 



CLICK HERE FOR NASA ECLIPSE 2024 MAP & OTHER INFO



Bay Creek Wilderness Area (Carbondale, IL): (city of Carbondale totality = 4 min 9s)

  • Duration 2 hrs 35 mins

  •  Partial begins  Apr 8 at 12:42:59 pm

  • Full begins  Apr 8 at 1:59:15 pm

  • Maximum  Apr 8 at 2:01:20 pm

  • Full ends  Apr 8 at 2:03:25 pm

  • Partial ends  Apr 8 at 3:18:11 pm

  • Update 3/31: forecast for totality: partially cloudy 24/14 (eclipse map says 60% chance rain)

https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/shawnee/recarea/?recid=13020


Nature Preserves in path of totality nearby (with 4 mins): Trail of Tears State Forest, Hamburg Hill hike, Brown Barrens, Anna-Jonesboro Trail & Lincoln-Douglas Debate site


Fern Clyffe State Park: 3 mins 49 sec totality




We'll be returning on 4/9 & 4/10 - not sure exactly on our schedule for the return trip.  Winging it a bit.  Trying to avoid traffic, but still need to be back to teach on 4/11.  I am LEAVING SCHOOL AT HOME AND NOT GOING TO GRADE.  So.... CCPS can enjoy a couple of days without me in the classroom.

I'll be over here praying for good weather (and that there's no Appocalypse or Great Hoards of Winged Demons raining down fire upon the Heartland).

Cheers!  I hope everyone is planning for fabulous Appoc-eclipsing this week!

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