![]() http://www.theoutdoorwire.com/image_archive/2351809.jpeg> When the moon began sliding in front of the sun in Tennessee (above), there were just enough clouds to provide a little viewing perspective- even through special protective filters (below). Jim Shepherd/OWDN photos.
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It clogged highways, filled hotels, campgrounds and makeshift campsites to capacity from Oregon to South Carolina, but it seems, to the relief of safety and security officials nationwide, the solar eclipse didn't trigger any sort of cataclysmic event. And it offered some spectacular viewing- provided you had the right spectacles for the spectacle.
It was actually a bit disconcerting to be "covering one of the events of a lifetime" from the comfort of my own deck, but that's the benefit of a location just off the 100% eclipse track. Personally, 98.8 percent was plenty of eclipse for me, especially since we spent several hours driving on Interstate 40 yesterday through the heart of the eclipse track. The roads were congested with motorhomes, cars with "Eclipse 2017" written on back windows, and ever few miles we were treated to signage from the Tennessee State Police warning "No Parking on Shoulder During Eclipse".
And I'm thankful I'm not one of those eclipse viewers who was forced to pay big bucks to park anywhere from a Cracker Barrel General Store to farmers' fields and private roads.
That comfort, however, came with a price. I didn't get to see the hordes of people who were out looking at the phenomenon. Consequently, I didn't get to see if the people behaved as strangely as the few animals I observed. But I'm betting they were worse.
As we approached what was one of the more unusual lighting situations I've ever seen, the hummingbirds that normally patronize our feeder on the deck went to roost, although just for a couple of minutes. Likewise, as the temperature dropped (about seven degrees), the crickets and cicadas started singing. Since the temperature - and light- started to come back to their normal stifling levels in just a few minutes, it was one of the shorter concerts I've ever heard.
Halfway across Tennessee, our friend and colleague Tony Dolle decided to hang out in his tree stand and watch the wildlife. According to Tony, the deer didn't come out, but he did hear "one turkey gobble" and found the "mosquitoes out in force, making me thankful I brought bug spray."
He also reports that cattle in an adjacent field "bedded down like it was evening, only to get right back up with the eclipse passed."
We're hoping you will share your experiences, photos and stories with the rest of us. After all, it's not every day we all have the chance to have a collective experience like this one.
Our friend Jim Gleason at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West in Cody, Wyoming, tells us the eclipse mania was in top gear. He said "predictions of tens of thousands, crowded campgrounds, parking restrictions on highways, food shortages and, yes, the inevitable shortage of porta potty access was making things a "nightmare" for emergency teams on standby.
In Murfreesboro, Tennessee, sources tell us the partying has been going on all weekend, and it looked like everyone would -finally- be hitting the highways and heading home late yesterday afternoon. In case you've never been around a "southern social experience" of this sort, think NASCAR, Kentucky Derby, or major college football game..
that kind of a traffic hassle no one needs.
And we're watching for reports from groups like the Wyoming Migration Initiative, too. They were changing some of the GPS collars on mule deer they're tracking during the eclipse to see if there were any notable changes. They're also collecting experiences with wildlife at:
https://www.facebook.com/migrationinitiative/.
![]() http://www.theoutdoorwire.com/image_archive/2351811.jpeg> When the clouds rolled in, it was an opportunity to see if the eclipse was as impressive without filtration. It was. |
One final photo...just because it was an interesting one. Just as the eclipse was getting going, we had some scattered clouds roll through. It made for an interesting image-especially since it was taken without a solar filter.
As always, we'll keep you posted.
Jim Shepherd
