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All eyes were on the skies or glued to live streaming across North America on 21 August to see the Super Bowl of the Skies, the 2017 Eclipse. Bet you were one of the watchers, too. I decided to join the 1 million people traveling to South Carolina to experience the sun’s fully monty. Here's the story of my totality awesome experience in Greenville, SC.
Photo by Laura Skinner on Unsplash
SUNDAY
Car loaded with everything possibly need for worse-case scenarios, from energy bars and toilet paper to sunscreen and print maps if GPS failed, Spouse JM and I motored 200 mile west of our North Carolina home to our totality destination in Greenville.
Traffic gods were with us, and we arrived after lunch at the first stop on our bucket list, the Eclipse Extravaganza at Roper Mountain Science Center in Greenville.
Roper Mountain Science Center  A Cat-ronaut
The Science Center's 62-acre educational site hosts up to 600 students daily and enhances learning through interactive labs, STEM projects, living history exhibits. scientist talks, and more.
It also boasts an observatory powered by the world's eighth-largest 23″ refractor telescope. The Center's state-of-the-art planetarium ran a brilliant animated show about eclipse facts and history that set us straight for watching the event.
Sitting back in those comfy seats to view the 360 image projections was the perfect way to get in a solar minset and out of a broiling summer day (heat index near 100F).
Roper Mountain Science Center
We mingled with visitors of all ages: babies in strollers seniors in wheelchairs, and parents working crowd control to keep kids close. (imho, parents had just as much fun as their children in the hands-on labs and talks with scientists for young learners.)
Downtown Greenville, SC  Greenville, SC
After settling into our motel, there was just enough time to motor down the interstate for 20 minutes to explore downtown Greenville and Falls Park on the Reedy.
This vibrant urban space sparkled with food, fun, art, fountains, and WATER! flowing from the banks of Reedy Creek that sliced through city center. The park's crown jewel was its suspension bridge with jaw-dropping views of waterfalls and rocks below. (Not recommended for anybody with vertigo. Plus, the bridge swayed as you walked over it!)
Parking spaces were at a premium, and people were everywhere...walkways, bridges, shops, creek...all in a good mood (well, maybe not tired babies) and beyond pumped to be here.  Long lines but everyone smiling
Like Disney on caffeine at peak season, we stood in long queues for everything, especially mouth-watering ice cream treats, but it was all a great adventure.
btw... that chocolate-almond-coconut combo ice cream JM ordered? Soooooooo worth the 20-minute wait! ECLIPSE MONDAY
The big day at last! I hardly slept a wink. Too excited!
Mall Walking Fingers crossed for clear skies, we hit the local mall for an air-conditioned morning walk, the closest place to exercise without mega-traffic. We found a few others recharging at the mall, too. LOL - Have you EVER seen the Apple store this empty? Pool Party Given clogged streets and summer temps, we nixed plans to drive anywhere to view totality. Instead, we opted for a pool party right outside our door in the motel courtyard.  Our eclipse viewing spot
 Solar Specs
With chairs and cool beverages staked out, it was like any pool party with 100 strangers on a hot August day ... UNTIL... .... you popped on your funky specs and looked UP!
Through solar lenses, the sun appeared as a radiant orange ball no bigger than the size of a pea. Its top-right edge was diminishing before our eyes, slowly replaced by the moon's black shadow.  Photo: Judy Hart
AhHa! NOW I understood why ancient Chinese and Mayan cultures thought a celestial dragon nibbling at the sun caused the phenomenon. I could imagine that great dragon taking a tasty bite. You, too?
According to Roper Mountain Science Center, the ancients shouted and waved sticks at the dragon to stop it from eating Sol and bring back the light. It worked for the ancients every time, but we didn't try it <winking here>. We stayed glued to the sky, taking breaks to rest the eyes and talk to people around us, who came from all over for this spectacle.
Crescent Delights
When the sun was 3/4 covered, a gentlemen walked over to us, excitedly pointing to the sidewalk in back of our chairs. I thought he wanted us to move, but he couldn't wait to show us wonders right under our noses (er, um, butts!).
Leaves from the Crape Myrtle shading us also filtered sunlight. Like hundreds of pinhole cameras, they sprinkled charming teeny crescents across the cement. 
Leafy pinhole-made crescents
Cue a great chourus of OOOOoooos and AAAaaahhhhhhs.
But these crescents cuties were nothing compared to what was next. Beads, Diamonds and DARK About 10 minutes before totality, daylight dimmed. A strange golden glow crept round like dawn threading on a cloudy day. We grew quiet, knowing something incredible was about to happen. Funny, the darker it got, the quieter we got. Seconds before totality, one bright bead flared on the edge of a sun disk covered in sparkles like a diamond ring. 
Bailey's Beads and the Diamond Ring Effect: Photo by Andrew Preble on Unsplash
Then in the blink of an eye protected with solar lenses, the sun was obliterated except for its shimmery corona leaking out behind the moon.
It was The Big Wow:
Darkness and TOTALITY! Just.WOW!!!!!!! For two minutes and 10 seconds, we drank in the wonder of glorious night in the middle of the day, strangers bonded in our shared experience of this once-in-a-lifetime moment.  Photo: Mike Monaghan, Photographer
People say watching an eclipse
changes their life, like a cleansing of the old and starting of the new. Others tell of a spiritual experience that deepens their faith, strengthens their respect for nature or helps them realize we are all one part of a wondrous universe. Holding tight to JM and feeling awed to be a teeny part of this immense cosmos, I totality understood how they felt.
Your turn:
Did you watch the eclipse in person or on telly? What was YOUR eclipse experience like? We'd love to hear about it in the comment section. Thanks for stopping by. Like what you see? Don’t miss a post! Send this blog to your RSS feed or email. 
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14 Comments
8/23/2017 03:44:38 pm
A wonderful post! I love the Crepe Myrtle crescents image. I viewed the eclipse live out in front with a few neighbors, the highlight of which was seeing the Diamond Ring! A marvelous photo of that which you shared, also. No life-changing experiences, epiphanies, or revelations, just a cool thing that I was happy to be able to see. Actually, by the time Monday came, I had reached the point of over-saturation from local news media, similar to political ads with each outlet trying to outdo the other. They have been building it up for months here. But the event itself certainly did not disappoint. :) 8/23/2017 08:31:25 pm
Wow, James! You were totality awesome, too! It must've been great fun to see the eclipse with your neighbors. Don't you wish everything could've lasted just a bit longer as you watched. That diamond ring was over too fast for me. 8/23/2017 07:26:55 pm
Thanks for sharing your experience. Since I live in Southern California we only got a partial eclipse. Let's say it wasn't as spectacular as your experience. I could feel your excitement and loved living vicariously through you. So happy you had the opportunity to experience such a historic event! Thanks again for sharing with all of us that couldn't get to the path of totality. 8/23/2017 08:34:00 pm
Loved having your company and virtually viewing totality with me, Julie! It was truly a once-in-a-lifetime moment, made all the better by sharing with others -:D
Carol Baldwin
8/23/2017 10:01:10 pm
Like James, I was fortunate to be able to watch it all from my driveway and my neighbor's across the street. Interesting seeing my new hometown (Greenville) from your eyes, Cat. It is beautiful and we always take visitors to the bridge and falls. Next time, you have to try out the Swamp Rabbit Trail. Great for biking and walking. Loved the crescent pictures (we didn't see that) as well as your diamond one. Good photography! 8/24/2017 02:02:52 pm
I am very glad that you had this solar eclipse experience. 8/25/2017 08:18:15 pm
Your eclipse event at the park sounds fun, Joan. Awesome is the perfect description! 8/25/2017 09:04:21 am
Hi Cat! 8/25/2017 08:22:31 pm
Wow, Rosie, just a five minute drive from your home AND with your family to keep you company. Awesome, indeed, and I understand what you mean by a sense of peace. 8/25/2017 09:07:35 am
Cat you had me mesmerized.Really enjoyed your descriptive comments and photos.Unfortunately here in Pa.our experience was somewhat disappointing as we had only a partial eclipse.seeing it on television left something to be desired.The best exhibit we saw was from Oregon on national news.Thanks for sharing. 8/25/2017 08:26:22 pm
Delighted you could virtual visit with JM and me at our totality, Rae Jean! Always better to share an experience like this with family and friends. I'm glad you had another glimpse of the Oregon eclipse. It would be wondrous to see an eclipse outside of city lights. 8/25/2017 02:38:56 pm
Cat - Thanks so much for sharing your wonderful solar exclipe experience and adventure! We had a partial eclipse here in PA. We watched the TV coverage of totality over various parts of the country, including South Carolina. I thought about you!! Our experience was nothing like yours, but it was still very exciting! <3 Rhonda 8/25/2017 08:30:01 pm
Couldn't wait to share totality with you and my readers, Rhonda. Standing there in darkness, I was feeling an overwhelming gratitude and connection to everyone and everything important in my life. Glad you got to watch a bit in PA. 8/25/2017 08:36:43 pm
Carol Baldwin, for some reason, I cannot reply directly under your comment but wanted to respond....I did not know you live in Greenville! What a lovely city. Despite the crowds and heat, we fell in love with your home town. Your comment will be posted after it is approved.
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 Cat MichaelsBlogging about books, writing, family life, travel and more good stuff. Meet Cat
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