Totality!!!- Idaho

Idaho Falls is on the map!!

It is so unbelievable that a total solar eclipse, after 38 years of absence over the US, is going right over Raya's house!  

Is it 11:33 yet?!

This is, after all, why we are all here.

That and it is Phil's birthday!! 

Phil, for your birthday, you can have pie for breakfast- no judgments. 

We are getting pretty excited... 

let the Total Solar Eclipse 2017 countdown begin!

A colander works great!

What do you do while you are waiting for a total solar eclipse!?

There is no right way to pass the time.

Raya's neighbors prepare to have us over for a big post-Total Solar Eclipse BBQ Bash.

Val and Sean go for a bike ride.

Phil takes pictures.

I play the banjo.  (Any requests?)

Alright, alright.  I will STOP playing the banjo!

That wasn't the kind of request I was anticipating...

Ahhhh!!   Almost!!

Look how pretty the lighting gets right before totality.

It is so unbelievable how little sun it takes to make daylight!

Even when the sun was over 99% covered, it was STILL light!

And then there was darkness.

The sun, which I have seen rise and set thousands of times, is now an unfamiliar object to me.

This was so much more amazing than I ever would have imagined.  I couldn't tell if my goosebumps were a result of the cold or the awe inspiring sight.

What a different an eclipse makes.

It is difficult to put into words, but our reaction is a good start.

(If you weren't there our commentary probably won't be as interesting as it is to us.)

A total solar eclipse is one of the most amazing experiences in this world.  Now, when I see a photograph of totality, I am transported back to this moment of goosebumps and a blackened sun.

One minute and 46 seconds later...the Diamond Ring Effect begins.

The street lights were confused, as were the birds and the animals at the zoo.  

What a sight to be seen!

Idaho was so prepared on so many levels.

Hmmm, I guess Idaho could only be so prepared.

We wanted to get home by tomorrow, late afternoon, so we left after the post-Total Solar Eclipse BBQ Bash.  

This doesn't look so bad, except it was completely inaccurate.  

Instead of five hours and 34 minutes to get to our hotel, it took us that long to get to Pocatello! 

Had we turned around when we were eating dinner in Pocatello, it would have taken 45 minutes to return.  (Believe me, we thought about it.)  

Would I have missed two prep days and the first day of school with the students if I were to do it all over again?  YES!

Had I seen this 'driveshed' image (which was actually posted on www.greatamericaneclipse.com/idaho/) would I have still gone?  YES!  

Had I known that Maps was going to be so inaccurate, would we have waited at Raya and Josh's and left at 4:00am the following day?  YES!  Oh well, you live and you learn.  

We will have it down for the next solar eclipse.

April 8th, 2024!!

Who is with me?!