Eclipse 2024 – PugsleyTonks Style
Gotta do…what you gotta do
OK, I know you have been inundated with everyone’s eclipse photos for the last week. Furthermore, I realize that doing a blog post on the eclipse is about the most UN-obscure thing that I could do. Well, about one year ago, I reserved a three bedroom, command center at the exact midline of totality. I put a lot of work into my eclipse day. And, the day was absolutely perfect. So, darn it…I going to write a post about it. Now, bear with me. I will avoid too many run of the mill eclipse pictures. Instead, I will focus on a few different things to try to give you Eclipse 2024 – PugsleyTonks style.
Then and Now
“Umbraphile” is your word for the day. An umbraphile is a person that chases eclipses around the globes as they occur. This weeks’ eclipse was my second eclipse. I am not sure if 2 eclipses qualify me as an umbraphile, but I am working on it. Not only am I working on it, but I am improving my approach. In 2017, my command center was a chair in an open field in some park in Bowling Green, KY…just barely in the zone of totality. In 2024, my command center in Lakeview, OH, was reserved a year in advance, housed 6 people and was located exactly on the midline of the zone of totality. Then and now…
Then and now…my dog fared much better too. In 2017, my dog and I had limited food and water. It was over 90 degrees. We were lucky to survive. In 2024, the temperature was a sunny 70 degrees. Our kitchen had an impressive collection of food and drink. My dog slept in a queen sized bed.
Zone of Totality
As I said, I know you have already seen enough pictures of the eclipse. But, allow me to make my favorite eclipse point. You can see a partial eclipse in a lot of places in the country. Partial eclipses are cool, but not unworldly. So, if you want an unworldly experience, you must get inside the zone of totality. In the zone, everything changes in a matter of a few seconds. The temperature drops about 10 degrees, The sun is shining…and suddenly, it is not. Planets and stars instantly appear. The animals go weird…as did Bella. Its impossible to truly appreciate the zone without being there. But, to illustrate the zone in a small way, here are 2 pictures of my eclipse command team separated by about 30 seconds…
My biggest eclipse mistake in 2024 was the security light. When the sun disappeared…the outside security lights kicked on (upper right of photos). I did not even notice the lights were there until they came on and lessened my totality a bit. Oh well, I will catch the next one in 2044.
And, to give credit where credit is due…My Eclipse Command Team is from left to right: Goosebuster’s Boss, Goosebuster, Carol, Bella, PT, Son of PT, and Fiancé of the Son of PT.
Non Solar Related Highlights
Other than proper location, recruiting the proper Eclipse Command Team is the key to a successful event. In that light, I wanted to be sure to thank Goosebuster and Goosebuster’s Boss for all the fabulous food that they brought to the Command Center. I will not list all of it. But, deserving of special mention were the waffles and the ice cream. Goosebuster brought the fixings to make his own special sour dough waffles…very nice. Even better, Goosebuster brought his self engineered, homemade ice cream machine…powered by a 1936 Maytag washing machine motor…OUTSTANDING!
What’s Next
That’s it for the Eclipse 2024 – PugsleyTonks style. But, what is next for the umbraphile? Well, there are two choices. In April 2026, there is another total solar eclipse. However, the zone of totality is mostly in northeast Spain. Carol votes for this trip, but I am not sure I want to travel to Spain for it. Instead, I am targeting 2044 in the good old USA. Hopefully, my diligent diet, exercise and PBR schedule will keep me alive long enough to celebrate the next total solar eclipse in my native country. Have a wonderful day. PT
I hope you have enjoyed “Eclipse 2024 – PugsleyTonks Style” on Traveling with PugsleyTonks.
Here was my first post on the eclipse https://travelingwithpt.com/grotesquely-early-notice/
Start here to plan for the 2026 Total Solar Eclipse in Spain https://nationaleclipse.com/maps/map_08122026.html
P.S. A Couple Eclipses Pictures
I know that I said there would be no more eclipse pictures. But, the “P.S.” does not count. This is after the main post and is not mandatory reading. Therefore, I want to thank the Fiancé of the Son of PT for taking charge of my eclipse photography. I also want to thank the Son of PT for dating up in the world to bring this beautiful person into our family.
