Monday, April 8, 2024, Total Solar Eclipse, Bluff Dale, TX

Steve and I studied Google Maps and an eclipse website to find an appropriate site to view the big event. The ranch was close but at 99.98% totality, I wanted more. It would have been about a 2-hour drive to the centerline and 4+ minutes of totality, but the clouds were threatening so we might not have seen anything. That was not worth the gamble so we found a much closer location (30-minute drive) that gave us 1.5 minutes of totality. It was a large parking area outside Glenn Cemetery on the outskirts of Bluff Dale. The news led us to believe there would be wall-to-wall people everywhere for the eclipse so we were pleasantly surprised to find we were alone at our selected site.

We drove the last 3/4 mile on a dirt road. It was secluded and ideal.

The cemetery proved to be an interesting diversion while waiting for the moon and sun to align.

The parking area also provided us with some beautiful shade under a large live oak tree.

We were fortunate that the clouds cooperated and gave us clear views throughout the entirety of the eclipse. I replaced the telescope tube with my camera on the tracking mount. I mounted a mylar filter on the Sony a7iv and 600mm lens using a 3-D printed part my son, Jon designed. It was serendipitous that it fit both my telescope and the telephoto lens.

I used a remote app on the phone to control exposures on the camera and I took a lot of exposures! (700+)

I could not be more thrilled when I saw the solar prominences during totality - I was not expecting that with my basic mylar filter. Some of us simply chilled in the shade and marveled at the neat effect of the crescent solar disc imaged through the pinholes between the tree leaves.

I love the pinhole effect during an eclipse. 

Totality ended around 2:00 and we were hungry. Just a few miles down the road in Stephenville was Hard Eight BBQ, a place Steve had wanted to try. It was fantastic!

Angie treated us to great BBQ! It was memorable.

I would have to say the day could not have been more perfect.

Saturday, April 6, 2024, Steve & Angie's Ranch

It was easy to get back on the road since we left the car on the dolly. A quick stop to empty the holding tanks and we were off. The Texas winds were pretty stiff. I estimated 20 to 30 mile-per-hour gusts and, of course, they were targeting the passenger side of the coach. We filled up at a Flying J for $3.05/gal – significantly less than Arizona prices.

It is always great to see my cousin Steve and his wife Angie and this year our timing was right to see Texas in bloom. 

The salmon/orange flowers are "Indian Paintbrush (Castilleja)" 

It is the first time we have passed through while the "Texas Bluebonnets (lupinus texensis)" are in bloom! This variety only grows in Texas.

Another 195 miles east on I-20 brought us to their place near Weatherford, TX. I was beat from battling the winds so it felt good to get out and walk around. We set up at our usual spot away from the house. We determined previously it was ideal since it is level and the ground is solid enough to support the jacks.

The sunsets are always amazing at the ranch.

The "ranch" has no livestock but it is about 17 acres of Texas beautiful with a variety of wildflowers and cacti. They successfully cultivated a large stand of bluebonnets.

The sunset was colorful as it often is at the ranch. We're keeping our fingers crossed the skies remain clear for the big solar eclipse in a few days.

May 29 thru June 12, 2021, Eastbound to Begin Summer Travels

As Arizona heated up it was time to get the coach back on the road and travel to cooler climates or at least visit family and friends back east. Deming, NM, had become a regular stop for us on the way east or back since it is about 285 miles from Mesa - just the right distance for a good day's drive. We always find time to visit the Luna Mimbres Museum. Joani would love to find her own geode in the desert and finds inspiration in this section every time.

We drove through City of Rocks State Park a few miles north of Deming to see if it had potential as a future stop. It was interesting but probably a bit too rustic for us. 

From Deming we made our way to Monahans Sandhills State Park (353 miles). This was our third visit to this gem. We try to stop here anytime we travel along I-20 in Texas. The cloudy skies threatened rain but also gave us a colorful sunset.

The skies cleared the next day giving us some beautiful weather for exploring the dunes.

We have discovered the desert has a special kind of beauty that grows on us a bit more every time we visit.

In Weatherford, TX, (320 miles) we boondocked at my cousin's ranch. I call it a ranch because I don't have another name for 17+ acres. Steve, and his entire family, took us into town for a Memorial Day parade. They do things up big in Texas.

Sunsets are certainly colorful at the ranch.

March 9 thru 23, 2021, Family Visits from Tennessee and Iowa

March was a great month for visiting family. My sister-in-law, Barbara, flew to Mesa with my Mom on the 9th. We visited the Desert Botanical Gardens a bit early to see the best of the cacti blooms but it was, as always, a great place to spend time.

Remember those days?

That's much better!

A few days later family from Iowa rented a house in Gilbert, AZ. It was only a few miles away so we joined them several times during their stay. There was a houseful with my cousin Kathy, Chad and Erica and their four kids, Cameron, Harrison, Maryn, and Emmerson, and Branon and Jamie and their two girls, Macy and Finley. Good thing they rented a large house!

Lots of catching up to do meant conversations everywhere.

Ever the consummate host, Chad says "What'll ya have?"

After a week, Barbara had to fly home. My brother, Don, flew out so he could spend some time in the sun and then accompany Mom on her flight home. The exchange overlapped the Iowa folk's stay in Mesa so he was able to spend time with them as well.

Grill master, Branon, cooks for the hungry masses.

The girls had a blast splashing in the pool. Obviously, I brought my waterproof Fuji camera for just such an occasion. On a side note, most of the family pictures were taken with the Fuji with no image stabilization so many of these pictures lack sharpness. 

Obviously, something had everyone's rapt attention.

Of course, it was an Iowa Basketball game!

After the Iowa folks returned home we still had a few days to explore. I took Don to Falcon Field hoping to see some of the vintage aircraft take flight. Our timing was off but we watched as a Learjet prepped and took off.

Before they left we made a road trip to Sedona. We only spent a few hours seeing some of the sights and stopping for lunch at the Javelina Cantina.

Sedona's Tlaquepaque Village is a favorite of mine.

It was a little sad after everyone headed home but we had plenty of Val Vista activities to keep us busy.