The Great Solar Eclipse of 2017 crossed the continent, from Oregon to South Carolina, and gave millions of people the chance to witness one of the most awe-inspiring events in the natural world.

But you had to be within the "path of totality", a narrow band across the earth's surface several thousand miles long but only about 70 miles wide. Outside that band you would only see a partial eclipse, not a total eclipse.

And there is no such thing as a "partial total eclipse", despite the impression blogs and the news media might give. I honestly think that's why so many people misunderstand the utter beauty of the spectacle; they may have seen a partial eclipse in the past that was total somewhere else, and even though they weren't in the path the news kept gushing about it being a total eclipse, so they assume they must have seen a total eclipse and just didn't find it all that impressive.


Posted by Dan 08/29/2017, revised 09/06/2017

I met this baby at Machinery Row Bicycles. We've been writing love letters back and forth ever since. It could be getting really serious.


Posted by kim 03/20/2011

Bangkok is one of those cities that makes an impression the second you get there. However after you get over the smell and the traffic there actually is some wonderful wonders to be found. We were fortunate enough to be staying with a couchsurfer and he acted as our tour guide while we were in the city. Our first day we made our way by train, boat and taxi to Canchanaburi where there is a train bridge.

Jen got over the wonderful wonders quick.

Posted by nik 09/14/2008, revised 09/21/2008

Lately, every day seems to go exactly the way it should, and that goes especially for the weekends. The last couple weekends have been great, and this past one was no exception.

Friday night, our volleyball team (who is trying to hold our 4th place spot so we can go to the playoffs in a few weeks) played an awesome game against the 1st place team. We ended up losing 65-60 (high scores, I know! It's just one 40 minute game with rally score), but it was one of the most satisfying, enjoyable games yet. We're really coming together, and it was just a quality game of volleyball.

Saturday morning started off with an awesome picnic breakfast above the town with a few of my friends. We went and sat up on top of Castle Hill, which is the one high point in town - a beautiful jutting piece of rock coming out of the flat land. It looks out over all of Townsville and Maggie Island and the ocean and the coast... it's awesome. We sat on top of an old bunker and enjoyed the view and the morning with food and coffee, just lazing about for a few hours.

Me with friend Ben on Castle Hill, starting the weekend off with coffee and a view.

Then I spent my entire Sunday rock climbing on Mt. Stuart, which is part of the Great Dividing Range, just behind Townsville. As great as the view was from Castle Hill, it was no comparison to Mt. Stuart. My roommate Scott and 2 other friends and I climbed all day, surrounded by the beauty of the ocean and the land down below. It was really great to do some actual outdoor climbing, as well. I had an incredible time, climbing until my muscles could no longer hold me on the wall. I'm hoping I'll get some more chances to go climbing in the next couple weeks, because I really had a great time.

Hanging out on Mt. Stuart on Sunday for a great day of climbing and views.

Check out my Mt. Stuart photo album to see the view I got to enjoy all day yesterday!

Posted by Whitney 06/02/2008, revised 06/02/2008