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

Before 2021, I had spent approximately zero minutes contemplating the possibility of participating in the Ironman World Championships as a pro. Maybe some distant day I might aim for the age group World Championships, but in the pro field, that competition is exclusively available to the best of the best. In 2016, the qualifications for Championship status were based on points accumulation throughout the season, and while Daniela Ryf and Holly Lawrence had earned something like 50,000 points, I think I topped out at 136.

In recent years the system changed to one that rewards athletes for a single breakout performance (usually first or second place) at an Ironman 70.3. But with my skills consistently landing me at the finish line a good half hour behind the leader, neither format presented me with a viable path to qualification.

I laughed at first when I got the email in July, telling me that my podium finish at Ecuador had earned me a slot to the 2021 World Championships in St. George, Utah. Yeah, right! Compete against the best in the world?! Why would I do that?

Thankfully, Coach Tim had the better question, "Why not?"

Aching to race at least once more this year, and faced with a limited menu of races to choose from, I had no good answer to that question. I was also overwhelmed with curiosity ... what was it like to be at a pro championship? I realized this was probably my one opportunity to find out.


Posted by Kimberly 10/10/2021

It was immediately apparent that the $25 30 day visa in Indonesia was not long enough so we made an executive decision to stay for 31 days for a mere $20 extra. While in Sumatra we took a night boat to the remote Mentawai Islands south of Padang. There we stayed with a local Mentawai family and enjoyed jungle trekking and experienced traditional Mentawai medicine man rituals. It became apparent why all the medicine men are all so thin and wiry; the rituals go through the night and involve singing, chanting and dancing until you collapse from exhaustion. Then you repeat.

Mentawai medicine man dancing away evil spirits

Posted by nik 02/06/2009, revised 02/24/2009

While Ecuador and Thailand are two very different cultures in two completely different regions of the world, my previous experiences in the developing countries of Southeast Asia are often brought up in my memory, instigated by sights and experiences here in Ecuador. They are often little triggers: people standing on the roadways selling bags of edibles to you through a car/bus window, banana tree leaves blowing in a breeze, emaciated dogs digging through piles of garbage. But through the countless differences between the two regions, there lies one blatant - and tragic - difference: here in Ecuador, I cannot walk down the street and pay a little Thai woman $5 to give me a one-hour massage! And this, my friends, is a reality I struggle to come to terms with.

Yesterday, my colleague Robbie and I went rock-climbing at a great location about 30-40 minutes from our house. We don't currently have rope or other equipment for climbing, but we bouldered around low to the ground for a few hours. It was great fun, and a good workout for the arms and shoulders. But as it's been months since I've done any climbing, I woke up this morning with a million knots in my back and shoulders. All I want in the world is to be able to plop down on a mat and have a pint-sized Thai woman dig into my muscles with truck-sized strength!

But alas, I guess we just can't have everything in this world... at the same time.

Bouldering around on some cool rock in Ecuador!

Posted by Whitney 02/12/2011