Let me cut to the chase at once. This is what we saw. In Texas. Where it was totally cloudy. But I managed to make this adventure a success. This is one of the 1,000 pictures our friend took.
So let’s back up. I’m an astronomy and eclipse nut. I love the things. I thus had the 2024 eclipse in mind many years ago, and I had planned for this trip many months in the past. I carefully chose a spot that, based on empirical historical data, offered the best opportunity for an excellent eclipse with dry weather and clear skies. This was a scientific approach, and I arranged air travel, lodging, the car rental – – everything needed for a fun, terrific trip for friends and family.
As you doubtless heard, God thought it would be a total hoot if he smeared cloudy skies all over the country during the eclipse, particularly over highly-populated parts. I mean, why not have millions and millions of people spend billions of hours and dollars on this big event, only to muck it up with total cloud cover? In Texas, it was looking especially grim. I was NOT happy with this.
My role in life is fairly straightforward:
- Examine past behavior of given motion;
- Anticipate what is going to happen next;
- Position myself to take advantage of the presumed, but unknowable, destination
I thus spent hours and hours carving up this problem every way I could. I studied countless cloud projections. I checked out available airline flights to different parts of the country. Implications of changing the rental car drop-off. I computed travel times to places like Little Rock, Arkansas (by car!) in both directions to try to seek out a place where we had a chance of empty skies. I busted my ass trying to turn this crappy situation around and plant ourselves somewhere on totality’s path with a clear view.
I became absolutely obsessed with this, as any of my compatriots could attest. By Monday at 4:30 a.m. I made the decision: we were going to drive two-plus hours to Brownwood, Texas, where, by the grace of God, it looked like there was an opening. It was risky, but it was our best shot.
So instead of getting my crew up at 4:30 in the morning, which Arkansas which have required, I let them sleep in until 7:15 a.m., then I got their asses up and into the car. Off we went!
I cannot overstate how much it would have sucked to have to go to Arkansas, because it would have put our return plans utterly and totally at risk (aside from the fact I’d be spending a dozen hours driving!) So this was a kind alternative:
The entire trip was from Texas hills country, which was a delight. Nothing but wildflowers and animals everywhere. Lot of cows, goats, and other critters. I loved the drive!
To say nothing of the brisket we had along the way. I was expecting insanity on the way there, but I saw NO cars. I’m not kidding. NONE. No one else was crazy enough to do this. I was stunned.
By a miracle, we got almost totally clear skies, almost no humans, and an incredible eclipse. I was the only one who had seen one before, and it was an amazing experience for everyone. I took a time lapse of the landscape during the eclipse (not exciting, but it shows how things changed).
We have over 1,000 photos to process, but here’s a sneak peak. Just………..awe-inspiring. Look at those solar flares!
I need to hop on the plane home – – another item for which I am terribly grateful to have worked out – – so, in short, this was a tremendous experience!
The Eclipse
