Distance traveled: 609.8 km (Felt like 400)
Cumulative distance: 1859 km
Maximum speed: 131 kph
Moving Average: 86 kph
Temperature range: 5.8 - 31.4
We slept in pretty late, despite being in bed at 9:30 p.m. the prior night. I was up at 7:30 and Nan by 8. A lady in the next campsite was on her own and walked down to our place to invite us to warm up by the fire, since it was around 3 degrees. And she seemed lonely. She was from Challis, about 180 km to the south and she decided to get out of Dodge because of all the people who were descending on her town, around 10,000 expected for the eclipse.
On the road around 9:00 a.m., which was all we could manage. We rode to Challis and we were hungry and desperate for coffee but it was great to get so many miles done before breakfast, which was in fact, lunch. Challis was the first place we encountered where the eclipse theme was really taking hold. According to Professor Xavier, Challis would experience one minute, four seconds of totality. Not bad, but hardly worthy of a destination! Still, there was a buzz in the air. Just outside of town, we saw a banner that read: "Eclipse parking $50 all day".
We are riding over the Sawtooth Pass, which is a spectacular ride, from Challis to Stanley along the Salmon River. There are many places where people have set up camp along the side of the road, in campgrounds, makeshift campgrounds along the river and picnic sites. But, there is ample room for many more. It is a beautiful day, it is sunny, temperature is in the mid twenties, virtually no smoke and we talk briefly about ditching our $200 room and camping in one of these spots. Briefly. I had picked our spot nearly two years ago based on the prospect of clear skies and low smoke aside from which, I had the perfect spot targeted.
We get to Ontario after a 500 km ride and check into the hotel. We walk into the lobby and I high five the reception staff, informing them I my reservation is two years old. They ask me if we would like eclipse glasses! They have them for their guests! I love these people!
We promptly get back on the bike because we are going to ride up to Mann Creek State Park, 50 km to the north, to check out our target destination. Along the way, there are all kinds of eclipse make-shift camps, local entrepreneurs renting porta-potties and charging people to camp. Mann Creek is a beehive of activity; there is a lot of traffic of people in cars, campers, motorhomes and trailers entering the park. Even though there are no official campgrounds, all the places that are accessible to campers are filled. There is a tent with parks staff near the entrance and they are providing information and guidance. They are expecting 5,000 people Monday, all squeezing through one, narrow access road. The parks staff tell us they have been hearing from people who are planning to arrive at 4:00 a.m. to get a place. It's a little disconcerting.
We head back to the Clarion Inn. On the way, we stop and get gas and the gas station has signs posted all around that say "Eclipse hour 4:00 a.m. to 12:00 a.m." We are trying to figure out what that might mean; is it a deal during those hours? Are they closed during the eclipse? Are there specials every hour? Did the mean 12:00 p.m.? I ask. They forgot the "s" on "hours". The sign means extended hours on eclipse day.
The Clarion Inn has seen better days. It looks like it hasn't had any maintenance done in a long time and everything is beat up. However, while the halls make the place look like a dump, the room isn't too bad and the mattress looks like it is pretty new and is very comfortable. And they have eclipse glasses! There is a pool and at some point, we are going to use it, probably after the eclipse (and laundry). Everybody at the hotel is here for the eclipse and I overhear one person saying that NASA TV is setting up in the parking lot here. It won't be maximum totality, but we are inside the zone.
After long, hot showers, we head for dinner at the attached "Country Inn". Typical American fair: everything is deep fried. I opt for "Chicken Fried Chicken" with two orders of vegetables rather than fries and mashed potatoes with more white gravy. I know what to expect with "fried chicken" but what is with the extra "chicken". We each had two pints of a local craft wheat beer, which was really good.
Anyway, I am just going to post pictures for today and tomorrow when we are sitting around waiting for something to happen, I'll fill in a few details from today.
 |
| Mountain goats. Trust me. |
No comments:
Post a Comment