So I was just surfing the internet yesterday afternoon around 2:30 PM, and I came across an article about the Annular Eclipse. I had heard some people mention it earlier in the week, but hadn't really paid attention to the details. Well, as I'm reading, I learn that there is a very specific geographic path that the eclipse is going to follow. If you happen to be in the direct path, you'll be able to see the "Ring of Fire" aka the coolest thing ever (or so the article suggested). Thanks to a handy time/location table, I discover that Reno, NV is right in that path, and the eclipse is supposed to be at its peak at 6:30 PM. 

I'll be damned! How can I pass up an opportunity to go see this once in a lifetime wonder when Reno is merely a 2 1/2 hour drive away?! And I couldn't. I couldn't pass up the opportunity. So being the impulsive maniac that I am, I decided to grab my camera and start driving up to the biggest little city in the world. 

Because I felt like kind of a loser for heading on such a lame expedition by myself, I called up my friend Brett who lives on the way in Sacramento. Using my persuasive charm, I convince him to join me on this sure to be incredible experience. At about 6:10, we decide to pull off the highway about 20 minutes outside of Reno. There was a good view of the sun, and a few people were already set up with folding chairs ready to view the eclipse. 

As the time draws nearer to 6:30, we're both thinking WTF! There's no visible sign of the sun being obstructed, and my attempts to take pictures with my camera to see if it'll show anything different are blinding me. Thankfully, a nearby hippie interrupted me from destroying my eyesight to let me borrow her nifty eclipse glasses (basically like cheap 3-D glasses but meant for viewing an eclipse). And wouldn't you know it, I could see the moon passing over the sun. I passed the glasses over to Brett as she explained that at as the eclipse peaked, "The roosters will crow and the cows will moo!" 

Hearing this news, my excitement starts to return. I might not be able to get a picture right now, but come 6:30, I'll have my time! So we wait until the moment of truth, and guess what. No roosters crowed. No cows mooed. In fact, the most noticeable thing was that the shadow of a nearby telephone got a little bit blurry. That's pretty sweet!

In any case, the trip wasn't a total waste. Driving up through the mountains is always fun. It's beautiful near Lake Tahoe. I've posted a picture from one of the vistas along with a photo that captures the isolation of the lookout point 20 miles outside of Reno.

This entry's song is a haunting tune that is truly beautiful. Hope you take the time to listen: Passenger - Feather on the Clyde 
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Lookout point in the mountains near Lake Tahoe
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Cloud casting a shadow over rundown store
5/21/2012 01:31:43 pm

The song is really pretty, but the singer's voice was too high. I think the instrumental version would be better.

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Jeff
5/21/2012 01:40:08 pm

I think the lyrics really add to the song. You would lose that with an instrumental version. It would still be good, though.

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