Consistent evidence has shown me that saying yes to something unexpected, unusual, or outside my comfort zone typically pays off in one way or another. I’m reminded of this with the upcoming eclipse on April 8 at 11:07 am. (details on NASA’s site). Recently I was with a group of professionals and when the topic came up, any blew it off as not being that interesting, not momentous. I had to push back on their response.

I told the story of our adventure to the previous full eclipse. We took our family, each had a friend, and we dragged our trailer stopping in Boise for the Idaho State Fair, then on to a tiny airport in Midvale, ID, to boondock it with other space nerds. There are probably 300 of us there for two nights.

In our trailer, we had makeshift lanterns using nanoloon LED lights shoved in pearled balloons. The group of strangers watched private prop planes land, bringing more enthusiasts into this tiny dirt runway airport; we visited, played table tennis in the hangar, shared cocoa, and walked our dogs. The town created items to sell, including t-shirts, keychains, special candy, and cookies. It was an event. The six of us will never forget it; we all remember it fondly.

Had we blown it off thinking we could go somewhere in Oregon, and if there wasn’t a cloud in the sky, we could probably see it without the long drive. Sure. But where is the adventure? Where are the remarkable memories and stories we can tell and include when presenting an idea for something strange, different, or unfamiliar? Our stories make us relatable and invite others to trust us and tell us their story.

After hearing our story, several are looking for ways to enjoy this event since it will be the last one until August 2044. That’s a long way off.

If you are anywhere near the path of totality, I cannot recommend that you make this effort strong enough! Please do it! Make it an event; make it a memory. You could reconnect with friends in the area who you haven’t seen for years. Ask on Facebook – who would be willing to host you and possibly your family?