{"id":4829,"date":"2024-04-26T15:36:53","date_gmt":"2024-04-26T22:36:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hovorka.org\/?page_id=4829"},"modified":"2024-04-26T15:39:24","modified_gmt":"2024-04-26T22:39:24","slug":"eclipse-2024","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/hovorka.org\/index.php\/trips\/eclipse-2024\/","title":{"rendered":"Eclipse 2024"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
Apr 6, 2024 - Apr 18, 2024
Last updated: 4\/26\/24 3:00pm PT<\/pre>\n\n\n\n
Back in 2017, we saw a total solar eclipse in Salem, OR. It was awesome. There is a big difference between seeing an eclipse that is only 99% totality vs one that is 100% totality. After seeing our first eclipse, we decided we wanted to see another. In 2024 there was a total eclipse passing through Mexico and the US. When it came time to book the trip, we gave ourselves two options, based on likelihood of cloud cover at a location. Our options were Mazatlan, Mexico (best chance for clear skies) or Dallas, Texas. When flights finally became available to book, the travel to Mazatlan was difficult. No non-stop flights, and the choices were to have a really long layover in 1 city, or 2 medium layovers in 2 cities. Either way, a really long travel day to see a 4 minute event. So we booked a non-stop flight to Dallas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In our early years of traveling, we figured we’d eventually get to all 50 states. But as time went by, we kind of gave up on the idea, thinking we would never go to Texas (or Oklahoma, or Kansas). But since this eclipse was going through Texas, we thought we might as well touch a few more states. Our nephew and his family live in Oklahoma, so we thought we’d drive there to see them. And since Kansas seemed reasonably close to Oklahoma, we would drive there as well. About the only state in this area of the country that we thought we might want to see was New Mexico (we touched a extremely small portion of New Mexico in 2008 when we went to the Four Corners).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So a driving trip was born. Fly to Dallas, fly home from Albuquerque. We saw a few things around Dallas and also took in a Dallas Stars hockey game. In Oklahoma we visited family, went to the zoo and a few museums. Kansas was hard.  We couldn’t find many interesting things to do in Kansas, without driving all over the state, but we went to a botanical garden and ate lunch in Wichita. New Mexico has some ancient ruins in Bandelier, a hot air balloon museum and some Breaking Bad\/Better Call Saul sites in Albuquerque.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Dallas, Texas<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
On the first day in Dallas, we went to see the ‘Grassy Knoll’, where JFK was shot.  Kind of odd that this is a tourist destination.  There were a lot of people there.  We wanted to see it in person, because it’s in a lot of movies\/shows, and sometimes it’s nice to have some perspective of what things look like in real life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a>
The Grassy Knoll from across the street<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a>
From the Grassy Knoll<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a>
The Book Depository<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Kinda creepy, but on the street, there is an ‘X’ that marks the spot where Kennedy’s car was located when he was shot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n
Walking around downtown Dallas, we saw a giant eyeball (behind a fence).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a>
Goofy faces at the goofy eye<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Eclipse Day<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
April 8, 2024: In 2017, we were stuck in traffic for 10 hours trying to get back to Seattle. We weren’t making that mistake again. We got a hotel in the path of totality, figuring that we would just stand in the parking lot if necessary. We found a nice open park that seemed ideal for sky viewing (Harry Myers Park, Rockwall, TX), a 5 minute drive away from the hotel. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
For the days leading up to eclipse day, rain and clouds were predicted at a fairly high percentage. The rain was removed from the forecast, but it was cloudy all morning, with some small sun breaks. You can see the clouds in the pictures below.  Through the cloud breaks, we were occasionally able to see the moon moving in front of the sun, but we were nervous about seeing totality. We got lucky, as soon as totality hit, the clouds disappeared. We were able to witness the full 4+ minutes. It was awesome.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a>
Fancy glasses<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a>
Denise wore the hat from 2017<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a>
Lots of space<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a>
Pleasant surroundings, but cloudy skies<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
No actual pictures of the sun, you can google those.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Hockey<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
We had no plans for the day after the eclipse, so we bought hockey tickets to watch two teams we don’t care about, the Dallas Stars vs. the Buffalo Sabres. Dallas won 3-2.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a>
In front of the American Airlines Center<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Rockwall, TX<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
We stayed in Rockwall, TX because it was in the path of totality. Here’s us at a shopping area and park near a lake.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a>
Art<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Oklahoma City<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
On the way to OKC from Dallas, we stopped for lunch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a>
Portillo’s<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We visited a LOT of museums in OKC.  The First Americans Museum, The National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum, The National Weather Museum, The Museum of Osteology, and The Oklahoma Firefighters Museum. And we went to the zoo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a>
In front of The First Americans Museum<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n
The next few pictures are from the Museum of Osteology. This was a private museum, and it was well organized and informative.  The signs said that these are all real bones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n
The Oklahoma Firefighters Museum<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a>
Was Dean here?<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n
Bricktown<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a>
Bricktown<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Oklahoma City Zoo<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Our nephew John and his family live in Oklahoma, so we all got together at the Zoo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a>
John and Jack<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a>
Meghan and Jack<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a>
Charlie<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a>
Charlie and friend high fiving<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a>
Charlie and Jack<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a>
Jack<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a>
Charlie<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n
At dinner<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a>
Jack and Denise<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a>
Charlie and Denise<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Wichita, Kansas<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
I’m not sure what was going on, but downtown Wichita seemed dead.  There were cars driving around, but absolutely zero people walking around, even at lunch time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This was a total checkbox visit.  We made it to Kansas. Done.  We had trouble finding things to do.  We saw The Keeper of the Plains statue on the river and we went to Botanica, the botanical garden (which was nice, but mostly only tulips were blooming at this time of year).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a>
The Keeper of the Plains<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n
The botanical gardens<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a>
Dragon art on top of the wall?<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a>
Dragonfly art<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Amarillo, Texas<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
We stopped in Amarillo for lunch halfway through the 8-ish hour drive from Oklahoma City to Santa Fe, New Mexico.  Lunch was at The Big Texan Steak Ranch.  It was a very over the top, touristy-wise.  The wait staff would talk to you with heavy Texan drawls, but we heard some of them talking to each other near the back room, and they did not have accents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n
Outside of Amarillo is the Cadillac Ranch, a series of half buried cars, where it’s OK to vandalize them with spray paint.  There’s even a place on site to buy paint if you forgot to bring your own.  We did not spray paint the cars. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a>
It was very windy<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Bandelier National Monument<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
About an hour outside of Santa Fe, New Mexico is the Bandelier National Monument.  It’s a site where ancient people lived.  It’s not as impressive as Mesa Verde, but it was still cool to see.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a>
The view of the previous picture from higher and farther away<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n
We also stopped at Los Alamos, one of the atomic bomb creation sites. The National Park building is very small and there wasn’t much to see other than a few statues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a>
Re-creation of the main gate, now a tourist brochure info center<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Albuquerque, New Mexico<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
In Albuquerque, we went to the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, one part of Petroglyph National Park, the Zoo, The Balloon Museum, and drove past some Breaking Bad site locations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Zoo pictures<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n
The Anderson Abruzzo Balloon Museum has a bunch of history and artifacts of hot air ballooning. It was actually kind of too much if you’re not into ballooning, but I’m guessing it’s amazing if you are. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
We only saw balloons in the air once while we were in Albuquerque. (Albuquerque has an annual balloon fest in the fall)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a>
Balloons in the air outside our hotel<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n
We went to the Boca Negra Canyon portion of the Petroglyph National Monument.  It was very sunny and very windy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Breaking Bad<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The TV series Breaking Bad and its prequel Better Call Saul were filmed in Albuquerque. We drove past a few places for pictures. There was a Breaking Bad Store, which not only sold branded merch, but had a museum of actual show props. That is worth seeing if you’re a fan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a>
The car wash<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a>
In the museum\/store<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a>
In the museum\/store<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a>
In the museum\/store<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a>
In the museum\/store<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a>
In the museum\/store<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n
We went for lunch at Twisters, a local fast food chain. This particular location was the site for Los Pollos Hermanos. They had the logo still painted on the wall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Frozen Custard<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Almost every night we went to Andy’s or Freddy’s for frozen custard (one time we went to Rita’s).  Andy’s was our favorite.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Map<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Here’s a rough map of our drive<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Apr 6, 2024 – Apr 18, 2024Last updated: 4\/26\/24 3:00pm PT Back in 2017, we saw a total solar eclipse in Salem, OR. It was awesome. There is a big difference between seeing an eclipse that is only 99% totality vs one that is 100% totality. After seeing our first eclipse, we decided we wanted … Continue reading “Eclipse 2024”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":499,"menu_order":45,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-4829","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/hovorka.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4829","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/hovorka.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/hovorka.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hovorka.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hovorka.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4829"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/hovorka.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4829\/revisions"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hovorka.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/499"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/hovorka.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4829"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}