Traveling to View a Total Eclipse of the Sun

Several months ago, Erick and I decided that the August 21, 2017 eclipse across the US would be our best opportunity to cross "seeing a total eclipse of the sun" off our bucket lists. Plans ensued to pick a location and a means of travel.

One of Erick's longtime online buddies happened to own a ranch in Idaho, and Idaho seemed a good bet for clear weather on eclipse day. So, Erick asked him for suggestions and ended up getting this one: rent an RV and come use the hook up on the ranch.

We started the process early enough that we were able to reserve a small RV (19 ft x 7 1/2 ft) from Cruise America to be picked up August 17 and returned August 25.  Erick made reservations at foue RV Parks, two for the trip to Idaho and two for the trip back: Camp Richardson in South Lake Tahoe, California; New Frontier in Winnemucca, Nevada; Junipers Reservoir, Lakeview, Oregon; and Old Lewiston Bridge, Lewiston, California.  These proved to by a nice sampling of RV parks - each having a slightly different character, from corporate to ma & pa, brand new to older, large to small.

On August 18, we set out on our first trip by RV. We had received some good advice from an RV veteran - keep the driving to a 250-300 miles per day maximum. Erick did the driving and can vouch for that advice. We made good use of the RV's kitchen and toilet facilities and the bunks, but managed to grab our showers at the RV parks.

I took hundreds of photos (of course), and will post a link to the full set of keepers.

The RV:

RV charging at home pre-trip

Interior front with upper bunk 

Kitchenette

Seating area that converts to lower sleeping area

Toilet & shower

Door area and setting

To South Lake Tahoe, California:

First stop on the way to South Lake Tahoe
Riverside Park in Sacramento along the American River

Another curve in E 50
Driving through El Dorado Nattonal Forest

South Lake Tahoe:

Our slot at Camp Richardson RV park

Greetings on the way to the lake

Erick wading out for a dip in Lake Tahoe

View of Lake Tahoe from the south end

Along Lake Tahoe's east side - in Nevada

To Winnemucca, Nevada:

On E 50 toward Carson City NV

Passing by Carson City NV

Horse and rider statue outside Carson City

Yes, we encountered construction zones,
but the delays weren't long ones.

Marker for the California Trail
at a low water rest stop along E 50

Map of the California Trail 

Kioski at the rest stop explains the 40 mile stretch of desert
with no potable water that settlers traveled  

First glimpse of the salt flats of the Carson Sink
Several rivers evaporate in the area and leave salt deposits. 

Ranch land along E 50 in Nevada

Along E 50

A seam of red in the rock

Winnemucca, Nevada:

Arrived at New Frontier RV Park
- the newest of the parks we stayed at.
It had a bar and grill and a casino in addition to the usual facilities.

Our slot at New Frontier

Winnemucca sunset

To Idaho Ranch:

Leaving Winnemucca

Seam of white rock 

Near Paradise Summit on 95

The open road - no neighbors for miles on 95

Cattle ranch along 95

Rock formation along 95 in Oregon

Succor Creek - almost in Idaho

Sign at the Owyhee lookout along 95 in Idaho

View from the lookout - volcanic rock

View from the lookout to the mesa below

View from the lookout - vegetation and trail

Crossing the Payette River near Emmett, Idaho

Emmett, Idaho - last big town before reaching L & K's Idaho Ranch

Black Canyon Dam of the Payette River along 52

Black Canyon reservoir

Creek along Sweet Ola Highway
The highway runs between the towns of Sweet and Ola.

Rocky hillside along Sweet Ola Highway

A ranch along Sweet Ola Highway

Lonnie & Karen's Idaho Ranch:

Entrance to the ranch

Typical wildflowers anywhere there's a road

Starting down the access road

The ranch house as seen from the access road

Almost there - the RV spot is in the shady area to the left of the house

Pond near the ranch's RV hook up

One of the ranch house's porches - seen from our RV spot

We got a warm welcome at the ranch from Lonnie, Karen, their kids and grandkids, and friends Darrell and Charlotte who also came for eclipse viewing. We had a great BBQ supper and lots of good conversation.  Lonnie told us the location for our eclipse viewing - high on a ridge about an hours ride over ranch roads in the "Gator," a John Deere all-terrain vehicle.

Eclipse Day, on the way to the ridge:

At the beginning of the trip

Lonnie & Karen up front in the Gator

Erick opens one of the gates to access roads on neighboring ranches

Mule deer along the way - used zoom for this one

Cattle grazing

Climbing higher

Almost at our viewing spot

Look left to see the road we came in on

View toward the NW

View toward Oregon 

View toward Idaho 

Telescope, 4 wheeler, and the Gator on the ridge

Oops! Sun burns right through eclipse glasses held at the telescope eye piece.
So, no one tried to look through the telescope at the partial phases.

Setting up a tent for shade

Chairs set up for viewing the eclipse - waning partial phase under way
Still warm up on the ridge.

Watching the waning and waxing partial phases was interesting. But the "diamond" flashes that signaled the beginning and end of totality, and the view of the corona during totality were spectacular. We had a minute and 58 seconds of viewing - time enough to view with the naked eye, with binoculars, and to get a zoomed photo (something I was not originally planning to do).

Eclipsed sun  - corona with flare visible on the right
August 21, 2017, 11:35 am MDT, Idaho

Waxing partial phase just after totality - note the difference in the quality of the light
compared with the photo above during the waning partial phase.
Also note the jackets. The temperature dropped significantly during the totality.

Lonnie had his drone taking video of the eclipse shadow.
This is my photo of the drone taking a photo of us.

This is the photo the drone took.

We feasted on a post-eclipse lunch provided by our hosts, then headed back down to the ranch. 

That might be a bald eagle in the center of this photo

Looking up as we head down

There were some rocky spots along the road

View as we were descending

Those mule deer again - at a distance

The last stretch of road - approaching the house.

We spent a relaxing afternoon and evening at the ranch.  Lonnie showed us a seam of obsidian rocks that they discovered while digging not far from the house.  We got back in the Gator after dinner for a tour of more of the ranch land.

Collecting obsidian rocks

The first obsidian (2 inches across) I picked up happened to
have these markings.  None of the others I saw did.

Hummingbirds at dinner time

View of the creek on our evening tour

Sunset along the ranch road

Evening view from the ranch house porch

Vapor trail in the evening sky

The morning of August 22, we started the two day trip home.  We hated to say goodbye to Lonnie and Karen. They made our stay enjoyable and truly memorable.  Our next RV park reservation was for Lakeview, Oregon. Our route took us by the town of Klamath Falls.

Heading down the highway leaving L&K Ranch behind

Stopping for gas - We hadn't seen this at a gas station in ages

The Payette River near Emmett, Idaho 

Heading down from a summit

Oregon welcome center

Scenes from eastern Oregon along Rte 20:

Goats on a farm

Hay bales - we saw lots of these

High desert

Silos

A solar farm

Snow zone - but not in August

North fork of the Malheur River

Rock formations

Alkali Lake

Lake Albert

Lakeview, Oregon - Junipers Reservoir RV Park:

Heading into the RV park - reservoir visible

The ranch at Junipers - owned by the RV park folks

The RV park - notice the haze from fires elsewhere in Oregon

Our spot in the RV park

We left the next morning for Old Lewiston Bridge RV park in California, with a stop at Moore Park in Klamath Falls, Oregon, and one on 1-5 to get a view of Mount Shasta.

A bit of rain as we headed toward Klamath Falls, OR

Construction along 140W

Along 140W near Bly, OR

Along 140W near Beatty, OR

A bit of folk art in Beatty

Kiosk at Moore Park in Klamath Falls, OR

Upper Klamath Lake

Old Klamath Falls - photo at
Abby's Legendary Pizza where we had lunch

By shortly after 1 PM, we were back in California on Hwy 97:

 Field

Meadow

Evidence of a burn

Farm fields with plastic mulching

Utility poles stretching into the distance

From 97, we joined 1-5 for a stretch known as Volcanic Legacy Highway:

Our first glimpse of Mt Shasta while traveling south on I-5

Mt Shasta from the viewing point off I-5

Plaque at the viewing area

Mt Shasta from the RV using camera's zoom

View of the rim side of Mt Shasta from the RV

Equine traveling companions on I-5

Construction delay near Lake Shasta on I-5

Lake Shasta

Whiskey Creek recreation area -
not far from the turnoff to 299 to Lewiston

On 299 toward Lewiston

After a false start, we found the turnoff to Lewiston and proceeded to the Old Lewiston Bridge RV park. We arrived in time to walk to the bridge and along the Trinity River.

Map of the Lewiston area in the Trinity Alps

Filling up at the old style pumps near the RV park

Carved bench at the RV park office

Our spot at the RV park

Trinity River poster - Old Lewiston Bridge
section on the far right

Erick checks the water temperature at the Trinity River 

The Old Lewiston Bridge

Downstream from the bridge

View upstream from the bridge

Folk art on the community building at the RV park 

Mule deer on its way to the RV park the morning we left

The morning of August 24, we left to return home to Oakland, California, passing through the grape, almond and olive growing areas along 680.

Our last rest stop before reaching home

Vineyard along 680

Almond orchard along 680

Olive orchard along 680

Traveling early enough to avoid heavy traffic on 680

Returning to familiar landscape of oaks and golden grass

North San Francisco Bay 

Crossing the Richmond bridge

Almost home

Our trip was a memorable one not only for the opportunity to see a total eclipse from an excellent location, but also for the hospitality of our hosts, the chance to meet new friends and to travel through areas unfamiliar to us.

A few weeks after our return, our grandson hit the 9 month milestone.  We missed him and his parents while we were gone.  It was good to get back home.

Starting to stand up

Continuing to taste everything