Our (Mis)adventure in Vermont Chasing the Solar Eclipse

When I found out months ago that we would be living within a four hour drive of the solar eclipse’s path of totality, I immediately decided we would go see it. After making this firm resolution I did absolutely nothing to prepare until a day and a half before the event. And thus we almost froze.

Michael and I have widely different philosophies regarding travel. My husband is rugged and adventurous, and is just as happy sleeping under a bush as in a bed. Now, I love a good adventure and embrace the plot twists that come with it, but I also see no need to be uncomfortable if I don’t have to be. I like to cover all contingencies, Michael likes to be as unencumbered as possible. His mottos are “fast and loose” and “travel light, freeze at night.” And he did the packing.

Thus we found ourselves Sunday night in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom, less than twelve miles from the Canadian border, camping on 10 inches of snow with a tent but no firewood, no food for dinner or breakfast, no solar eclipse glasses, and one sleeping bag. Michael told me later he calculated that his “metabolic radiance” would (or at least should) keep me warm. Reader, it did not.

I finally fell asleep at 6am, crammed into Michael’s sleeping bag with him, wearing four layers, and after six hours of violent shaking from the cold. Poor Michael got slightly more sleep than me, but not much because my shaking kept waking him up.

But, hey, we got some cool pics.

Shoutout to Jetboil and Aeropress for keeping my husband warm and caffeinated.

Our eclipse viewing spot, just off the highway near St. Johnsbury.

My good looking husband rocking Patagonia, Salomon, and REI gear.

Fun Fact: Roughly 32 million people live within the path of totality and the The Guardian estimates that at least four to five million in America alone traveled to see it. According to NASA, the path of totality in 2017 ranged between 62 and 71 miles wide, but yesterday’s eclipse featured a much broader path of totality, spanning from 108 to 122 miles, due to the moon’s closer proximity to earth in its orbit. It was a joy to see the mix of people from different places and backgrounds delighting together in this piece of God’s handiwork.

The two photos above were taken at nearly the exact same time, but the first one was taken through polarized glasses and the second without.

In keeping with the spirit of packing light, I brought no camera accessories, so in lieu of a polarizing filter I used all sorts of hacks for softening the sun’s light. My favorite was a napkin secured to the lens with a hair tie, which resulted in this cool prism effect:

And then we went home. Another adventure in the books!

Bonus photos, courtesy of my husband:
(Thanks for lending me your glasses, Thomas!)

Epilogue: Those interested may consult my Instagram tomorrow to see the flowers Michael buys to make up for my “travails bordering on hypothermia and frostbite.”