July 11 is the anniversary of the great eclipse of 1991, the almost-overhead, almost central-to-Earth Sun eclipse that was the most wonderful in my experience, and that started the age of mass enthusiasm for eclipses. Some saw it in Hawaii, some on the tip of the peninsula of Baja California; I rode from Guadalajara in Mexico and saw it from a fishing village called Sayulita. I have given so much space to it in my Under-Standing of Eclipses (which I’m in process of re-editing), and in a 16,000-word account for myself, that I won’t prate any more about it here, but just show my drawing of myself about to be eclipsed the next day in a river fifteen miles to the south of Puerto Vallarta. We did some horse-riding through the forest, then I and Connie, daughter of Tom Van Flandern who led the Eclipse Edge Expedition, learned from local children how to get into the bathtub-like pool near the top of the cliff, be swirled over, and survive the cascade.
You may have to look closely for the small figure half way down, which isn’t really me but one of the boys who taught us. From my description: “You go an uncertain distance under, starting to dogpaddle up while feeling the water pummeling on your head like fists. But you are spat out a few yards down-pool, and you swim on around a couple of corners to get out. Having done it once, you do it all day, head-first for variety.”
I still have my “I Went To Mexico For A Corona” button that Brad Templeton made, from the Eclipse Edge trip. I don’t expect you’ll remember me from the trip but my Mexican astronomer girlfriend was the official translator, and I was lucky enough to get dragged along.
A handshake, Allen, from back there on Sayulita beach!
ooops! slight correction,,,, regarding the Bread Monthly Update…. Always ASK for more bread… We Americans dining at the hotel’s restaurants would pocket and bag the bread brought to our tables, always asking for more to bring back to our friends camping out on the the beaches… Share the wealth….
Ah, more fondest memories of a trip that took me cross country to San Diego a week before, then handed off to the bus at Tiajuana to ride down the peninsula of Baja, CA, with European eclipse chasers I met at the station. It’s easy to pick’em out, with backpacks and cameras and such, and I hope you guys are reading this, to meet up with folks already living or other how stationed down in La Paz and even further south. The beginning of new friendships and connections to so many astronomical events in days of future past. Torsten, Andreas, Steve, Doug, Peter, Jim & Carol, and whatever happened to Bill and the Bread Montly Update? Always as for more bread….and again I digress…. but isn’t that what it’s all about?
The flight back to LA from La Paz, flying west, the sunset took forever.
Looking forward to Aug 21, 2017
Guy, LOVE blogging here.
later, ‘pirate’ jack