Solar Eclipse experience - Day 1155 (Year 4, Day 60)

Clarksville, IN / Louisville, KY

I wish I could say our experience was similar to many others who have posted in social media, having been somewhere in the path of totality (this being the "great eclipse of 2017" where most of the US witnessed a total eclipse of the sun.  Our area was 96%).

Several weeks ago, we saw special viewing glasses in the supermarket.  It was on a day when I read about all these scams and counterfeit glasses, so I was hesitant to buy something I didn't know was on the approved list.  Mitch felt otherwise but didn't follow his gut and agreed not to buy them.

Later that week, we visited the distillery where we learned they were having a free solar eclipse party on their rooftop patio (open bar & food), glasses included.  They said it was open to anyone and didn't mention that we needed reservations, so we were planning to go and show up a little early.  The previous day I contacted them to find out what time they suggested we be there.  They said the rooftop was filled to capacity (we did need a reservation after all) but we could view on their promenade patio as long as we brought our own glasses.  By now, this was totally impossible.

So Mitch came home early and we made a few pinhole viewers out of cardboard boxes.  It really wasn't that great.  However (I can't explain the science behind it) you can see the shape of the eclipse through the shadows cast between the leaves on the trees.  We are surrounded by trees and the shadows cast on the ground and reflecting on the truck cast hundreds of crescent shapes!  We also found that if we created a small hole with our clenched hands, we could also see the shape.  It was pretty spectacular, although nothing like viewing the actual eclipse.  It didn't get dark either but the brightness level got much dimmer.  It was kind of surreal.

There was a winning side to this, however.  One of my best friends from college -- Mindy -- traveled with her boyfriend from NYC to their closest point of totality, which was Nashville, TN (I also learned that my sister Amy was there as well).  I hadn't seen Mindy in ages (it's been so long I've lost count, but at least 5 years).  She looked at a map and discovered that Louisville was only a 2-1/2 hr. drive from Nashville and decided they'd take a little detour and come visit with us overnight.  They left Nashville around 2:30 and predicted they'd be here around 5-6ish.  No one counted on how horrific the traffic would be, and they didn't arrive until 9:30 pm!  I brought in some vegetarian Chinese takeout (yes, went off my diet, but back on today).  Unfortunately, we all had to get up early in the morning, so we couldn't pull an all-nighter (Mitch turned in at 10:30; the rest of us at 11:30).  It was a fantastic and intense and sadly way too short visit.

Some photos of the shapes thru the leaves.  Cool, but nothing like the real thing.
   

I also had a chance to walk around the campground.  Here are a few photos:

Fairly spacious sites, at least in our section of the park.  They get much closer on the other side:

  

The little lake that's part of the property.  You have to cross a field to get there:



The bigger lake behind us.  There's a fence all around and you have to pay to use it.