The Great Solar Eclipse of 2017 crossed the continent, from Oregon to South Carolina, and gave millions of people the chance to witness one of the most awe-inspiring events in the natural world.

But you had to be within the "path of totality", a narrow band across the earth's surface several thousand miles long but only about 70 miles wide. Outside that band you would only see a partial eclipse, not a total eclipse.

And there is no such thing as a "partial total eclipse", despite the impression blogs and the news media might give. I honestly think that's why so many people misunderstand the utter beauty of the spectacle; they may have seen a partial eclipse in the past that was total somewhere else, and even though they weren't in the path the news kept gushing about it being a total eclipse, so they assume they must have seen a total eclipse and just didn't find it all that impressive.


Posted by Dan 08/29/2017, revised 09/06/2017

Wisconsin is known for having some pretty extreme weather conditions. I remember one summer night without air conditioning, when I tried to sleep snuggling a 7 pound bag of ice. Within 2 hours, there was nothing left but a hot puddle. The Polar Vortex of 2014 ushered in days so cold, you could throw a pot of boiling water into the air and it would instantly turn to snow.

But when I arrived in Madison a few days before the Wisconsin Milkman 70.3 Triathlon, I was greeted by the very best the city has to offer. In the mid 70's, with low humidity, it was the postcard version of the city, flowers blooming, lush green trees and breezy, sunny perfection.

I visited with friends, swam in the lake, biked through the Arboretum, lounged on the Union Terrace, and I realized how much I missed this fantastic town.

When Sunday race morning arrived, I was overwhelmed with gratitude for just being there on this most gorgeous of summer weekends, enjoying the fresh air and uncluttered roads. I felt lucky to participate in this inaugural race. Four years ago it was a dream that the Race Day Events team talked excitedly about, and now here it was, a dream come true. Finally, a 70.3 in Madison!

Race Day Events had assembled an army of volunteer support, and the course was peppered with familiar faces, old friends and former clients.

The race felt more like a celebration than a competition ... but it was still a competition. I was determined to prove (to myself mostly) that I could dig deeper than ever before. The line from Fitzgerald's book (How Bad Do You Want It?) that resonated the most with me was:

"There is no experience quite like that of driving yourself to the point of wanting to give up and then not giving up."

He went on to describe that this experience brings you to a unique place " ... revealing a part of you that is not seen except in moments of crisis. And when your answer is to keep pushing, you come away from the trial with the kind of self-knowledge and self-respect that can't be bought."

In addition to this mission of self-inflicted crisis (and hopefully, eventual triumph), there was also prize money on the line and a solid line-up of elite athletes. I had everything to be excited about.


Posted by Kimberly 07/04/2016

Thailand is generally considered to be a safe country for travellers to visit, but if you plan a trip to Thailand it would be wise to avoid the island of Ko Tao. You wont find this in your Lonely Planet but many tourists who venture to Ko Tao never return. The island, considered to be one of the best places in Asia to get scuba certified, is packed with over 40 dive companies and the instructors and divers that go with it. All on an island small enough to walk across in an hour. Nearly everyone on the island is here to dive, and to party, and everyone does alot of both. If you're not familiar with the dive community, they are the most laid back, fun people you'll ever meet. By diving or enrolling in a course you immediatley make friends and get plugged into the local scene. The problem? The island drags you in. Countless many people have the same story; 'Yeah, I came here for a week long vacation and never left..' Within 6 hours of arriving it was plain that our original 1 week target was totally unrealistic.

Posted by nik 09/21/2008

This will be a short entry since I'm paying for internet, but I think it's best to update you guys on what a great time I'm having in New Zealand! Yes, I'm in New Zealand on my mid-semester break, here for one week. And yes, it's incredible. I (probably) won't have pictures posted until I get free internet, but check back in a few days, because I've got some GREAT pictures! Although they don't do justice to the beauty of this place.

Alright, how do I update you on everything whilst still keeping it short? Let's see how this goes...

My whole trip is on the South Island, I don't have time to head up to the North Island. My time is too short here as it is. I stayed my first night in Christchurch, but left the next morning and spent the next day and a half hitching my way to Queenstown, the "Adventure Capital of the World." This is where all the bungeeing, skydiving, snowboarding, anything extreme happens.

Anyway, it's a gorgeous little tourist town on a gorgeous glacial lake with a gorgeous backdrop of dramatic, craggy mountains. My first day, I took the gondola up the hillside for a great view of the whole area. Breathtaking. However, "breathtaking" took on a whole new meaning yesterday, when I took a day trip to Milford Sound. The 4-hour bus ride took me through incredible landscapes that had me snapping pictures out the window the whole time. But once we actually got to the Sound (which is actually not a sound, but a fjord), I don't think my lens was ever closed!

For the 2 hour cruise up and down the Sound, I couldn't look up without feeling like the view in front of me must be the most spectacular view in the world. Thank God for a spare camera battery and 2 GB card! Actually no, thank G&G for those! :) Perfect Christmas gifts!

Me on the cruise through Milford Sound... absolutely gorgeous scenery all around!

Posted by Whitney 04/30/2008, revised 04/30/2008