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O|||||O Bernie and Dave
Jeep, Jeep. Beep, beep.
Dave points at RVs on the road. Ritz-Carlton® on wheels, “Land yachts” he calls them. He points at ones that have a Jeep™ in-tow, and says, “We’re driving a dingy.” He’s right, in some sad way.
Non sequitur (David left the dictionary lying around. Guess who found it.)
It's about time. All things happen in their time. Fortune, misfortune, sadness and joy come as they are due. It seems like we have just gotten back from New Mexico and the Annular Solar Eclipse of 2023, and now it is time to plan for … wait for it … Total Solar Eclipse of 2024! Read Eclipsed in New Mexico 2023. Good planning ensures a great excursion.
I'm trying to do important dog stuff here, and all Dave wants to do is play fetch. I bring the toy back. He throws it. He likes throwing the toy. Back to work, Dave is taking a nap.
Location, location … Dave and I are going to see the Total Solar Eclipse in April. It is taking more planning than last Fall's New Mexico trip. First off, there aren't as many BLM (Bureau of Land Management) properties, National Parks, Forests, or even State Parks along the line of totality. The path of totality is only a hundred or so miles wide, though all of the contiguous states of the United States will see at least a partial eclipse. We are trying an app, The Dyrt, to search for cheap, even free, camping. It's new to us. We'll see what it does. Dave says, “Who pays for free camping, anyway?”
We'll have weather, they say, whether we like it or not. The path of totality goes from Texas, west of Kerrville, northeasterly, east of Dallas, to Arkansas, and continuing all the way through to Maine and into eastern Canada. I helped Dave determine which areas are most likely to have clearer skies. Maine's, and most of New England's, Spring weather almost eliminates their selection as a viewing site. Almost. More on that later. Texas may be the best choice for clear weather, but Dave and I picked several locations in Arkansas.
Options are open in Arkansas if cloudy skies or worse are forecast. We could go northeast into Missouri, all the way through New England, or southwest into Texas. Why even consider the northeast? Lights. Particularly, northern ones. Dave is all in, if there is a possibility of clear skies. I have never seen the Aurora Borealis. We'll be checking lots of forecasts.
Time, location, and weather. Now, all the Moon has to do is precisely align itself between us and the Sun on a clear afternoon in April.
Between that time and now, we will see what we can do around home in the Blue Ridge. While scouting a few service roads recently, Dave and I found several campsites we want to visit.
I wanted to use the word “reconnoiter,” then thought that might sound "sesquipedalian."
Collecting memories. Thank you for riding with us.
VagabondJeep.Com
O|||||O Bernie and Dave
Jeep, Jeep. Beep, beep.