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

Seven years ago, some girls on my football team suggested I join them at an event called the Danskin Women's Sprint Triathlon. I had recently completed an 8K (the furthest I'd ever run!) and I was ready for a new challenge. I already had a swimsuit, I just needed a bike.

The budget was tight, so I went for the cheapest secondhand bike with air in the tires - a GT Hybrid - and started biking the 7 miles to work on it. A co-worker, horrified by my new ride, admonished me, "You can't do a triathlon on THAT thing!"

I was genuinely bewildered.

A bike is a bike.
If it can go 7 miles, it can go 12.
What's the big deal?

Of course, I proved her wrong and I did do my triathlon on "THAT thing," finishing a respectable 368th place, thank you very much.

Every year I've returned (excepting the broken leg year) with a few more details refined, inching my way up in the ranks.
In 2005 (with a new, lighter secondhand bike) I came in 30th place. wow!
In 2007 (with an actual new bike) I cracked the top ten overall, coming in 8th!
In 2008 I made the leaderboard, in 5th place.

In 2009, I came in 3rd, one second behind speedy Stacy Kiefer, and then in 2010, we swapped spots - she came in 3rd to my 2nd.

This year, Stacy held the lead for awhile, making me chase her all the way to mile 8 of the bike course. Once I moved into 1st, the motorcycle escorts guided me in, red & blue lights flashing to announce the arrival of my mini-motorcade.

The run course out there may not have a single spot of shade, but it's filled with memories, from all the past years of the Danskin Women's races, then the Trek Women's races, and the Pleasant Prairie Triathlons too. This is the 10th time I've trotted alongside Lake Andrea, wishing I could just dive right back into that refreshing water and take a break from all this silly running business.

I remember the exact spot where, in 2004, I dumped a cup of water over my cotton T shirt and quickly learned that - while it's a clever way to cool off in dry climates like California - soaking your cotton clothing in midwestern humidity is rather like wrapping yourself in a sleeping bag on a hot day.

And I distinctly remember that glorious moment of victory 7 years ago when I saw the finish line come into view, and knew it was all mine.
well, 1st place or 368th place, it's still a grand moment.

Posted by Kim 07/12/2011, revised 07/15/2011

After only two days in Indonesia I am in love.

Shanks ponies into the jungle

Indonesia was apparently a very popular destination for tourists before Thailand took over and began drawing people to Southeast Asia. Because of this the tourist infrastructure is there but the islands are blissfully devoid of other tourists. From Malaysia we took a local ferry and made our way overnight by bus to Bukittinggi. For whatever reason it was decided that everyone on the bus should feel like it would be a white Christmas after all and the AC was on full blast all night. Quite ironically we crossed the equator on this stretch making the equator officially the coldest part of my trip. At one point Bukittinggi may have been overrun with tourists using it as a jump off for various treks and tours or just visiting the scenic town, but these days it has settled back into its own quiet existence.

Posted by nik 12/27/2008, revised 02/08/2009

This will be a short entry since I'm paying for internet, but I think it's best to update you guys on what a great time I'm having in New Zealand! Yes, I'm in New Zealand on my mid-semester break, here for one week. And yes, it's incredible. I (probably) won't have pictures posted until I get free internet, but check back in a few days, because I've got some GREAT pictures! Although they don't do justice to the beauty of this place.

Alright, how do I update you on everything whilst still keeping it short? Let's see how this goes...

My whole trip is on the South Island, I don't have time to head up to the North Island. My time is too short here as it is. I stayed my first night in Christchurch, but left the next morning and spent the next day and a half hitching my way to Queenstown, the "Adventure Capital of the World." This is where all the bungeeing, skydiving, snowboarding, anything extreme happens.

Anyway, it's a gorgeous little tourist town on a gorgeous glacial lake with a gorgeous backdrop of dramatic, craggy mountains. My first day, I took the gondola up the hillside for a great view of the whole area. Breathtaking. However, "breathtaking" took on a whole new meaning yesterday, when I took a day trip to Milford Sound. The 4-hour bus ride took me through incredible landscapes that had me snapping pictures out the window the whole time. But once we actually got to the Sound (which is actually not a sound, but a fjord), I don't think my lens was ever closed!

For the 2 hour cruise up and down the Sound, I couldn't look up without feeling like the view in front of me must be the most spectacular view in the world. Thank God for a spare camera battery and 2 GB card! Actually no, thank G&G for those! :) Perfect Christmas gifts!

Me on the cruise through Milford Sound... absolutely gorgeous scenery all around!

Posted by Whitney 04/30/2008, revised 04/30/2008