Total Eclipse of the Sun

---

We left Memphis at 7:48 and 81 degrees and headed east for Macon, GA. The ride was unremarkable. Driving on the interstate through Tennessee, Mississippi and Alabama is quite pretty, with its lush green trees that line the roadsides, but as you can imagine, it gets monotonous after a while. So we entertained ourselves by listening to Shepherd Smith on Fox News as he followed the “Total Eclipse of the Sun” from Oregon all the way to South Carolina. We were traveling just south of the peak swath, so it did not get dark where we were, however, it did get quite dim…dim enough to make the streetlights come on and to make the temperature drop a full 10 degrees. They describe it as being like dusk, just after the sun sets, but I disagree. There is something pleasant about the setting sun. There was nothing pleasant about this. This experience was eerie. The air got dim and it got hard to see, like we were driving through really thick smoke. Eerie is the only word for it.

I tried to take photos, but they all came out looking like the sun was a complete yellow ball. I suppose you need special filters to block out some of the rays of the sun so that you can see what is going on behind them.

In any event, that was the highlight of the day. We landed in Macon at 4:30 and were given a really nice, very large suite for our last night on the road. That was a real treat. Tomorrow, we head home. My bed and my Lazy Boy are crying out for me and I am answering the call.

Stay tuned for one more entry when I will have some closing thoughts about our experience on the scenic river byways.

---

Photos

Atlanta
Sorry, best I could do.

Comments

[Kelli kernkamp]

Partial Eclipse
I was wondering if you would be in a good spot to see the Eclipse. At least it was dark enough so lights went on. We got a partial look and it was the excitement of our day. Never got dark, no change in our light at all. A very memorable event as you get closer to home.