I’ve little to report. I’m sure the eclipse chasers can provide accounts of their follies from yesterday.
Raining today. Wish I had forced myself onto the roof to blow off all of the pollen before the rain arrived. I have once again failed as a homeowner.
My days of caring about Wordle streaks are over. No, I didn’t fail today and break my streak, but rather the NYT is forcing me to create an account and log in to see my stats. Fuck that, not going to happen. My daily NYT gameplay will come to an end when they require me to log in just to play.
Wordle: four, my starter was ACORN
Connections: two mistakes, Yellow > Blue > Green > Purple
Good morning from seat 26c. By the time you read this I may well be ensconced in the salt mine again.
What a truly magnificent day yesterday was. Everything flowed beautifully. I am still unclear how I was able to rent a car the night before the eclipse in a sold out market. I’m glad that I went through the hoops to join whatever program Budget exhorted me to join. It enabled me to skip the line, and that made all of the difference. I got what appeared to be the last car. They had clearly oversold their fleet. I tried to cancel my U-Haul van that was plan B but they made it too hard to do so, which means I let them figure out in their own that I was a no-show.
We definitely benefited from the kindness of strangers yesterday. We has set up shop in the driveway of an abandoned house. After an hour family members started showing up to investigate. I introduced ourselves and explained what we were up to. Once they felt assured that we weren’t going to steal anything they offered to let use their field 1/2 mile down the road, which was a massive upgrade. First off, the abandoned house across from the silos was on a surprisingly busy road. It also had a pretty junk filled yard. The new spot was in the yard of another abandoned house, but with more interesting junk, and completely surrounded by open fields. I was grateful for my Get Shorty minivan, because it gave Lucas plenty of room to lounge, and looked far less questionable than a U-Haul van would have.
The oldest farmer we met had a ring tone that was a chicken clucking that was just a hoot. For most of the eclipse we had the entire expanse all to ourselves. The locals checked in on our new location and let us be. I think they were impressed that we’s sought out their little neck of the woods. My brother and I shared a six pack of a local single hop IPA that was very tasty.
We experienced zero traffic yesterday, even getting back to the airport. I curated the hell out of our travel routes. We turned in our car and spent the night at the on-premises hotel. Lucas and I did make a return trip to The Root Beer Stand, which has been around for almost 70 years. I had my first foot long hot dog in longer than I can remember.
There is something indescribable about experiencing a total eclipse that can make it seem like “meh” to anyone that hasn’t experienced it. Let me just say it was worth all of the trouble. Especially for my brother who has never experienced anything like that.
The single hop IPA is the thing that intrigues me the most. 🙂
I have no lament for not partaking, and am glad your adventure worked out as well as you hoped.
Safe travels home to Wetlanta.
Thanks! We just landed at Hartsfield. Time to get my kid to school and then get my butt to work! I took an email holiday yesterday so I’ll start there.
Wordle in 3, one miss in Connections. Strands was annoying because today’s topic is of very little interest to me.
Given this morning’s local rain I opted to take MARTA instead of watching a taxi meter tick away or get gouged by Uber. The airport train station is closed for a few weeks. The shuttle bus that was surprisingly fast and easy to the College Park station. They’re running tour busses so as to handle everyone’s luggage. I’ll go that route next month for my trip to the DC area. I had to get my kid to school and pick up my car since my daughter had use of it while I was away.
Did you take MARTA to MLK and then Uber home? Just a curious transit nerd over here.
I betcha he takes one of those newfangled scooters from MLK and then tosses it into Grant Park.
I actually needed to get to Lullwater and Ponce today because my car was at my “wife’s” place. Lucas and I walked down Oakdale. It was lovely. As a result of my transit choices we weren’t stuck waiting or sitting in traffic save for a less than 2 minute wait on the MARTA shuttle.
LOL regarding the scooters. I’ve had enough bad experiences (mechanical and monetary) on those crappy things that I’d rather walk!
Dude. I could’ve given you a ride. I left my house at 8:00, which sounds approximately when you were at Candler Park MARTA station.
Thanks, Jenks. We got to Csndler Park around 8:20. The walk did us both good
I spent the eclipse at Sweetwater Brewing. Beforehand I made my first Amazon package pickup at the Whole Foods on Ponce. Oddly the package center is the space which used to house a restaurant, whose name escapes me.
It looks as if the rain will be gone by this afternoon. I may have to try riding on the road later in order to see how my hip behaves.
The internets got it! The restaurant was called “Roast” and was Brazilian “fast casual” food.
Another dismal word play. Wordle in 5 starting with LEARN. 3 mistakes in Connections: Blue, Green, Purple, Yellow. Strands was easy as I at least knew the names. 🙂
Glad everyone’s trips to see the Eclipse turned out well and all could enjoy the experience. Almost wished I had traveled just to see it but I had dog duties. Jasper and I did a hike yesterday and watched the partial eclipse together. I rode a little on the mountain bike and then called it a day.
Hoping the rains stop soon so I can get Jasper out for a morning walk. GUTS Tuesday night run later. I need to get groceries and work in the yard. We shall see. Made pancakes for breakfast.
STU is fast approaching. Need to start planning what I need/want to take. :).
I just returned from a $75 Publix run, where I didn’t actually buy that much and about half of which was BOGO. it might be time for me to return to a college student diet of ramen noodles and dirt-cheap beer.
Good morning! I didn’t have glasses so I didn’t go out and watch the eclipse, but the light was eerie and cool looking outside. Very cool and science-y!
Stayed home yesterday and watched two episodes of The Morning Show. I believe they were season 1, episodes 8 and 9. Tonight we are going to see David Sedaris at the Fox!
I like Sedaris, and have seen him at least once. Unfortunately neither my budget nor mindset about the cost of shows make it feasible for me to see him again.
I think this will be the 5th time I am seeing him. He has a great stage persona and his stories are poignant and hilarious.
Agreed. I get my fix via audiobook.
Me too, except I have them all on CD and currently I have zero method of playing a CD or even ripping it.
I need to do business in EAV and would like to walk, so I hope that the rain is about done. Perhaps I will treat myself to a slice of pizza for lunch.
We checked out the eclipse off and on as it was happening – but as David said – it wasn’t that big of a deal here in NON totality zone. Maybe August 2026 in Spain – it isn’t too far from Girona that will be in Totality – might be the start of a plan.
We did get a 20 mile ride in with Bob (aka Dumb BUF) down by the Chattahoochee in Roswell – Allan can not figure out the noise his bike is making when he pedals under power.
Then we headed down to the airport area to have dinner with my sisters significant other – he’s driving another truck from Savannah to Phoenix.
Ate at Malone’s on Virginia Ave. I worked there in 1990 when I first moved to Atlanta. That placed still does a good business.
He’s a smuggler? That sounds really sketchy.
Someone in Phoenix wants this truck cab with an empty chassis to build something on it. I can’t believe they can’t find a truck closer to do this stuff – but what do I know
I second this plan!
Wordle in 4.
Good morning from Tupelo, MS! Debbie had a genius idea tha most of the traffic would be moving away from the path of totality and she was right. No traffic heading South.
The eclipse was viewed from a cemetery adjacent to the state park. Debbie took a time lapse and it came out well. The coolest part was when Venus and Saturn came out! Joanna’s husband Mike (can’t remember their hash names) got a great photo of the solar ejections. We saw the little bit of red at 6 o’clock but didn’t know what it was.
We hiked a mile around the limestone formations the give Giant City its name.
5 hours to the eclipse and 4 hours to here made me pretty pooped by the end of the day.
Have the rain cleared out by this afternoon so I can go ride, Please and thank you.
-FP
JoAnna is “Arbitrary Sex”, Mike is “Ball Handler”.
Watching an episode of “I’ve Got a Secret” from March 1958. On this episode they are highlighting teenagers, three of whom on the show were Oscar Robertson, Bobby Fischer, and Paul Anka!
This episode also had Dick Clark on the panel, who looked as he would for nearly the next forty years. Hahaha
BTW – (especially Paulie) they can’t find what was wrong with the Subaru.
Found nothing.
So -I’m hoping when I get there later to pick it up, they only charge for an oil change.
Allan said to take a couple 12 packs of beer with me when I go.
Sounds like a lunch outing with Mary today.
Strange. You’d think modern cars would be able to report any problems. Good luck with that!
its a 2013. so who knows.
Headed east in the rain after a yummy Huddle House breakfast.
We didn’t have long to scout out our spot yesterday. We drove through the park and came out into a little burg that was happily gouging the tourists with $20 parking and food trucks. We flipped around back toward the park and an 1850s era church and graveyard. We had it mostly to ourselves with the exception of a very nice, but chatty fella from Sparta, TN. He had extra eclipse glasses and a stack of brochures promoting waterfall trails around Sparta. He must have planned to write off his travel.
As the eclipse reached totality, we were buzzed by a drone and the crowd in the torn down below us started cheering. 21st Century paganism. The corona was so beautiful. I’m so happy we chased the 4 minutes of surreal.
A short hike around the cool limestone formations was a great way to let the traffic dissipate. All the encampments of watchers we had passed going into the park were cleared out by the time we came out. It’s a beautiful area, glad we got to see it. The park was well prepared for the event and the volunteers were so nice and happy to show off the area.
The tally for yesterday was 5 states – TN, KY, IL, MO and MS, and 4 major river crossings – the Cumberland, Tennesse, Ohio and Mississippi (x2). A major slice of Americana. It was a long day of driving, but happy not to deal with Nashville and Atlanta in the rain today.
I tried to convince Steve to buy a living quarters horse trailer so we could save money on hotels, but he declined to be frugal. Hahaha #horsegirlmath
Sounds like a great little trip!
TN and KY are two states I’ve never been to. MS I’ve only driven through on the way too and from New Orleans. But that counts!
how have you never been to TN at all?
Chattanooga is only 2 hours away?
Well shit, of course I have. Kevin did the Chattanooga Iron Man! How could I ever forget?
Now KY – I’ve only driven thru.
BUT – we do plan to do a bourbon tasting trail someday.
I’m so thrilled that you guys when on your quest and that it turned out so well!
Debbie & Steve – what park did you watch from?
sounds like an interesting place
OK, we’ll see if this link works. The field that we landed in was adjacent to the yard of another abandoned house. There was a boat in the backyard that made me think of a certain theme song, so I filmed the boat with my phone and just paired it with the song, and OMG. https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/0vklpu2ik9t0ylt3tun1g/Peoria-Boat.mp4?rlkey=gawq5wasvgr4moy3ntf3cccdj&dl=0
LOL! That just sparked a singalong in the truck! That boat looks like it’s been landlocked for way more than 3 seasons.
That’s *awesome*, Debbie! There’s no cuts or edits in that video, just pure intuition. I can’t believe how well it synced. I think the boat may have been parked there back before that show hit syndication! 😉
Partial choring success. EAV Post Office has no mail for the time I was in Florida? That’s not right. Also, I have received no mail since the hold ended less than a week ago. Harrumph!
It’s been in the news that the post office is radically backed up and no one is getting mail.
Also, still having respiratory issues. Hello Long COVID? 🙁
At least my poison ivy scarring is starting to abate.
Youre still too close to the infection to call it long covid… yet. It took me weeks to get my “wind” back.
And yes, Debbie is driving after the Buc-ees stop.
Waiting for pizza. On my walk to EAV I saw marks from last night’s hash which started at Brownwood Park.
busy day –
Wordle in 4, connections was conniptions – could not see it so just started clicking