You might recall that back in August of 2017 there was a solar eclipse in the United States for the first time in decades. Or at least a really long time.
It cut a swath through Iowa, but in Iowa you couldn’t see the totality. It was only something like 85%. And if you are satisfied with an 85% solar eclipse, you aren’t living life to its fullest. Let it sink in and do better.
The totality was cutting through parts of Kansas and Missouri. I have some kinfolk in the area where the totality was to happen. My big city cousin Sarah was even going to come home from New York with her beau Tim to see the totality.
We made a plan to get together and watch the eclipse together. She did some research and we determined a park on the Missouri River in Saint Joseph, Missouri would be the best place to watch it. The totality was at its longest there. Plus, Saint Joseph was considered one of the top ten places to watch the eclipse because of the length of the totality and the fact that it hardly ever rains in Saint Joseph in August. People do research on such things.
Jesse and I took a couple days off to come down to see the eclipse. Another one of my cousins, Jordan and his wife Erin graciously allowed us to stay in their tall basement for the night.
We left Boone at something like 4 in the morning because I didn’t want to miss the eclipse because we were stuck in eclipse traffic. I also didn’t want to fight other people for a spot to see the eclipse. We were going to have our spot carved out a good 4 hours before the eclipse started.
We were successful. We beat the traffic and we secured a spot of real estate next to the Mighty Mo. Then it started to rain. Then rain some more. We didn’t get to “see” the totality. It was covered by clouds, for the most part. However, we did get to experience it. The temperature does drop like 10 degree. Everywhere you look in all 360 degrees looks like a sunset.
I didn’t get the picture that I wanted, but I still got an amazing experience. With some amazing people. Including my Uncle Mike and cousin Adam and his daughter Florence.
Here are some pictures from the failure:
I’m already making plans for the eclipse in 2024. It cuts across Paducah, Kentucky. I have some kinfolk that live near there!
Just so you all know chris has a dedicated popcorn outlet now at his house for the “Hawkeye game” this Saturday, but after all the drama as to not having a way to run one, comes to find out he doesn’t even have one yet, and that baby air popper doesn’t count. So if your looking for a gift idea for a certain dedicated fan who has most anything already, here it is, my cousin the “bearded camera” needs a popcorn maker, does anybody got one laying around drawing dust
Ps if he Go’s this week without one it will create a voodo curse on his beloved clones….Go Hawks!
These are great – we had very similar clouds up here in Ames on that day. I think we got one sliver of the 85% when there was a few seconds’ worth of break in the clouds. I’m fascinated how you got the shots of the eclipse without burning your retinas!
Andy,
The popcorn maker isn’t for sporting events. It is for movie night. The hot dog roller that I will get is for sporting events. You better soak up the Cyclone game on Saturday. The only time the Hawks are allowed on the Union Street Theater screen is when they are playing the Cyclones.
It is among other rules:
1. No Star Wars allowed.
2. No Michael Bay movies allowed.
3. No FoxNews allowed. (That is actually a whole house rule.)
Why would I get a popcorn maker when I didn’t have a place to safely plug it in? That would be a fool’s errand. But don’t worry one will be making its way to the Union Street Theater shortly.
The Bearded Camera, might be the best nickname I’ve ever been given. Although I think Benndawg is the longest lasting.
Angie,
I can’t believe you didn’t know that I have been blind for over a year now. Man, tnes travells slow… dang braille keyboard.
Another theory is that they are taken through solar filters or occasionally, very heavy cloud cover.
I’ll let you decide which one is right.
Andy,
Also, about your voodoo curse. It doesn’t worry me. I know a witch. Well, more like a warlock. I’m sure he can undo any of you handiwork. VooDoo-wise.
Andy,
I just remembered I do know a witch. She used to make solstice cookies and bring them to work. I’m not sure what was in them, but one bit and they sucked all the liquid out of your body.
You probably could have just ended that sentence after the word “sucked.” They were awful, and somehow there were people who clamored for them each year.
A good friend of mine told me that her tribe’s story teller holds a story to explain why you shouldn’t look into the eclipse. The gist: the sun and the moon are your grandfather and grandmother, respectively, and the eclipse is their ‘intimate time’ and you wouldn’t ever watch your grandparents doing the deed.
Also, I’m really enjoying watching Andy’s relentless pushing of the good Hawkeye agenda 🙂 Keep it up.
Sarah,
I bet that eclipse story would work wonders on teenagers!
I can’t believe that you would endorse this kind of hate speech that Andy has been spewing. And I was so looking forward to going to the Minnesota State Fair in 2019 with you guys and Baby Karber.