Many if not most of you in the U.S. might have had the pleasure of viewing a partial solar eclipse. If you were really lucky, you saw the total solar eclipse. We were not lucky.
After successfully viewing a total solar eclipse in Casper, Wyoming, in 2017, we wanted to do it again but this time, we wanted to leave the planning to someone else. A few years ago, my husband signed us up with a tour group that planned to view the total solar eclipse near San Antonio, Texas. Let me say at the outset that Twilight Tours was great. They took care of the hotel arrangements, food, and transportation to and from the viewing site in Uvalde. There were upwards of 400 people on the tour, but it went smoothly. Except for the eclipse itself.
As late as the evening before, we all remained hopeful that the clouds that were predicted to bump up against the Texas coastline would break up, giving us at least some opportunities to view this amazing event.
The viewing site was at the Uvalde County Arena, a fairplex that includes a rodeo arena, pavilion, and RV parking stations. It’s also across from the county jailhouse, pictured above.
As the day progressed, our hopes sank. In the above 180-degree panoramic view, you can see only a patch or two of blue sky.
For the rest of the afternoon, the sky stayed pretty much as it looked in the above photo. The clouds were moving quickly, though, and occasionally–especially right before totality, during totality, and just after–we got glimpses of the eclipse. I didn’t have a solar filter for my iPhone camera, but, in a way, I did get a photo of the total solar eclipse.
When the moon covered the sun, night fell. Outdoor lights came on, and the landscape became otherworldly. Above is another 180-degree panoramic of the site. Both the above and below photos were taken at 1:30 pm, give or take a few seconds.
Some might say our trip was a bust. In fact, a few days before we were set to leave, we seriously considered not going because of the dismal weather forecasted for San Antonio.
Our experience in seeing the total solar eclipse in 2017 will never be topped; at least, I can’t imagine a more exceptional experience. It was my first time, it was our wedding anniversary, and my husband got some amazing photos that day. (If you missed it, you can read about that experience in this post.)
While this experience wasn’t exceptional, it was nonetheless interesting, fun, and fascinating. The only thing(s) I really missed were our kitties.
Now, your turn: Did you see any of the eclipse? Would you rate our viewing as a bust or success? Have you ever invested in a trip only to not go, no matter the cost?
Marie at 1 Write Way 