My Second Eclipse
As I noted in a recent blog entry, I witnessed a total solar eclipse in 1970 when I was thirteen years old. After that eclipse ended, I recall looking up the date of the next total eclipse in the eastern US. Monday, August 21, 2017. Wow, that seemed impossibly far in the future. I would never be here for that.
But 2017 finally came around.
Dad Sweats the Plans
My excitement level began to rise over the summer. I originally planned to play it by ear on eclipse day. As the media began to forecast potentially millions of people traveling to see the eclipse, I realized the safest bet would be to book two hotel rooms in the middle of the path of totality in South Carolina. That would get us into position the night before the eclipse and enable us to drive either northwest or southeast to seek better weather if need be. I booked two rooms at the Hampton Inn in...