Total Eclipse - Oregon 2017

8/21/2017

Blinded by the Light

(Monday Evening)

Just got back from our celestial sojourn south. Good to be back among the cats in the Land Of Pumping My Own Damn Gas, You Commie! 

Our trip down there yesterday (Sunday) was a breezy 3.5 hours to reach our motel in  Beaverton, OR. That gave us plenty of time for a delicious lunch and then a leisurely drive another 30 miles south to Salem to scope out possible eclipse-watching venues within the Zone of Totality There were plenty such but we had fears of wall to wall huddled masses. Just have to play it by ear. 

Really, the only one fly in ointment was our reliance on Google Maps. Neither of us have any experience driving around Oregon so we needed something. It worked a good....51% of the time. Which gave Pilot and Navigator 49% of the time to argue about which way to go. 

But after scoping out the Region Of Complete Darkness (which started about 15 miles south of Beaverton), we returned to base.  Xander worked on his last summer homework novel:  Catcher in the Rye. Wendi read ghost stories. I played an iPad game. 

The rest of the exciting evening was all about Room Service and a movie. Xander has been begging us to see The Mummy so we figured why not. The movie really stunk but since the motel room only had a microscopic TV (20" screen), it was like we didn't see it at all. 

It was up bright and early this morning. I have rarely been so happy to see clear skies.

On the short trip south, maybe a 45 minute on I-5 with plenty of traffic, Wendi continued to check G-Maps to see if we had traveled far enough to be in The Area of Utter Shadow. About 5 miles short of Salem, we decided to take an early exit and just find a handy parking lot. We could look up anywhere. This seemed to be the thinking of 192 thousand other people as well but we found a nice spot at a strip mall. 

(We are not men; we are Devo.) 

Then we waited. This being our first for real eclipse ('79 was too cloudy to see anything for both The Mrs. and me), we didn't know what to expect. Using our extremely cool glasses, we saw the sun slowly get covered and at about 10:20, get completely covered. Maximum Cool.

During this 2 minute complete eclipse, our parking lot neighbor, Aldopho, really went to town blowing his 4 foot rams horn. Extra points for kicking it (Very, Very) Old School but turns out it's not the most pleasant sound. 

The many photos we took all turned out pretty crappy. Just do a google search.

Being able to look up and see the outline of the sun (aka: chromosphere) is just amazing. Really gobsmacking. I can see how historical figures could use knowledge of such things to trick unsophisticated, easily persuaded, science-illiterate folks.

Into resupplying his sailing ship or even (Heaven Forbid) electing him president.

After the show, we stayed and chatted for a half hour or so waiting for the rabble to clear out. Probably should have waited half a day. It was very slow going; taking us 45 minutes to go from one side of the parking lot to the other. That's why it took us 9 hours total to return home.

Granted, we got a lovely drive up the OR coast. That was a first for all of us. And we crossed this... slightly terrifying bridge.

 And survived!

Our original plan had been to continue up 101 all the way around the Olympic Peninsula but with daylight coming to an end, we decided on a quicker journey via Shelton to get home.

It probably saved us a little time though the Navigator's continued death match with Google Maps kept things interesting: 

I can't find the blue dot. 

I found the blue dot. You're on the wrong road.

Oh! The blue dot was just to the left of where it should be. Here take a look.

Pilot continues driving quietly. 

So, that happened. Glad we went. Would love head back down there at a future date given more time and less traffic. Maybe make it a two night trip so we can more thoroughly explore the coasts of both states. 

But for now, it's back to work. I have a class to set up. Xander has Catcher to finish and write about and Wendi has 14 more days to put up with till we Hardy Men go back to school. 

So we'll stay busy. 

Eagerly Awaiting 5.8.2024,

Brian

P.S.

S, my Fitbit step count may have plummeted over to past couple of days but all that's over. Prepare to be walked all over!