Road Trips: Great American Solar Eclipse

Sky gazers are scrambling to find a spot where they can see the shadow of the moon completely obscure the sun for a few moments on August 21st.

Obviously, I wouldn’t expect you to actually make travel plans this late (you wouldn’t be able to anyway…any city in the path of totality during the eclipse has been fully booked for months!).   See what the eclipse will look like in Walnut Creek (or anywhere else) with the peak at 10:15 am Monday.

The eclipse path will stretch from Salem, Oregon to Charleston, South Carolina.  I know many people who have already left for Oregon to snag first come, first serve campsites. Ironically, Sun Valley, Idaho is in the path for a total eclipse and it is one my favorite spots to ski, not to mention it’s beauty for hiking in the summer. Already a popular tourist hotspot, Sun Valley will be overrun with thousands of tourists hoping to catch a clear glimpse (with eclipse glasses on, of course) of the rare spectacle.

Everybody is getting on the solar eclipse band wagon! In Hopkinsville, KY just two miles from the point of greatest totality, Casey Jones Distillery (makers of Eclipse Moonshine!) have dubbed their spirit the official drink of 2017 Solar Eclipse.

Those who have seen eclipses in the past described them as “magical” and “spiritual.”  It will be the first time in 38 years that a solar eclipse passes through the entirety of the continental United States, so it’s an event worth traveling for, but if you are like me – not making special plans  and at work – don’t forget to take a few minutes to step outside to marvel at this wondrous celestial event. Don’t forget to wear eclipse glasses!