Moonshadow - Total Eclipse of the Sun (updated)

NASA Photo 8/21/2017 from Space shows the perfect "Diamond Ring"

It was the single most awesome sight experience in my life!  To make sure I remember it all years from now and also to share my personal experience, this blog seemed as good a place to document as any in full detail.  So much information is available online about the 2017 solar eclipse and is easy enough to Google what parts interest the reader so you can find more scientific details and more events involving crowds of people.  But here I'm recording my preparation and actual experience in the Totality Zone.  Of course, it's all about the Intuitive Value for me!  I'd like to think of it as being in the Twilight Zone; in a good way, of course!

Everyone in the path who took the time to go outside got to see some part of the total eclipse of the sun as the moon traveled across the United States for the first time in 99 years.

Map of the Totality Zone across the United States

Map of the Totality Zone path across Missouri - Can you find the City of Sedalia just above the "I" in Missouri?  I live about 50 miles south.  

I wanted to be on the Katy Trail which has a trail head in Sedalia away from the crowds. I have biked this trail regularly since 1994 and knew the right spot for me...about 10 miles northeast from the Depot Trailhead at Sedalia.  I think the big crowds were in Jefferson City to the northeast and towards St. Louis.  I know that Sedalia had a large crowd that also had come for the State Fair that finished up the day before.

I checked the right time to be there.

I purchased the right eyewear weeks before from my local Extension Office and bought extra for family visiting from near Cedar Rapids, Iowa who came the weekend before the event.  They planned to drive back and see the eclipse in the Totality Zone on their way home.

The most important preparation I did was to create a Playlist for my MP3 Player!  There was a lot of dancing going on by me...all alone...on the trail...with my special eye wear on...dancing like nobody was watching!  If there was anyone watching as they were riding by, I was oblivious.  Except for this one young guy that stopped and we acknowledged the experience together for about one minute and then he rode on as I continued to dance.  I'm sure he sensed I wanted to be alone.  Back at the Sedalia Depot before I loaded my bike, I stopped to chat with visitors outside and exchanged looks and conversations that united us in the special events of the day.  I met a couple women who drove from Canada that I visited with the longest as they were very friendly and had come such a long way combining the day's event with a weekend at the State fair which ended the day before.  The drive home for me took twice as long as cars left the Totality Zone with traffic backing up from stop lights in all the towns.  Like me, I think most people still kept their smiles and the waiting time was spent just remembering and being grateful for the opportunity.  It was an awesome day!

Here is my complete list with the song in red played during the Totality:

2017 Total Eclipse of the Sun Playlist

Man on the Moon – R.E.M.

Bad Moon Rising – John Fogerty

Fly Me to the Moon – Frank Sinatra

Talking to the Moon - Bruno Mars

 Dancing in the Moonlight - King Harvest

Moonshadow - Cat Stevens

Moondance – Van Morrison

Shepherd Moons – Enya

Brain Damage – London Philharmonic Orchestra and Peter Scholes

Brain Damage – Pink Floyd

Eclipse – Pink Floyd

Harvest Moon – Neil Young

Waiting for the Sun – The Doors

While I parked my bike by the bench, I chose to observe the event starting an hour before.  I looked at plants and took photos so I could compare the progression later as the moon eclipsed the sun.  During one selfie, I noticed my progressive prescription eyeglasses did not darken outdoors as usual! The changes were so gradual but obvious especially afterwards when I viewed the photos at home.  I was interested in being alone with nature and experience the spiritual aspect.  I wanted to observe the sounds and actions of the natural things around me using my senses in a quiet peaceful setting.  

Some of the sounds and actions I observed and captured on sound video were an increase in the sounds of cicadas and birds including one crazy mixed-up rooster from a nearby farm.  There was a dog barking but I didn't want to capture that.  All happening as the sun gradually disappeared and came back again.  Another big change was the air temperature!  It dropped about 10 degrees before and then went back up about 15 degrees after.  Then there were the amazing crescents on the ground!

Below is the music photo video I produced that was the cause of the delay in posting this updated version of my post.  My attempt to include the actual song I played (in red from the list above) before, after, and during the total eclipse of the sun failed to post.  It was over 5 minutes long and I had to get it down to 3 minutes which was accepted here.  When I shortened the music I could not get it to sync with the photos.  Frustrated, I decided to choose the song that has been in my head the most and is still there now...Moonshadow by Cat Stevens!  I actually included the word "Moonshadow" in the post title as it was the first word I wrote so I guess I should have listened to my intuition from the start!  So now I have two versions to remember and included one here.

Note:  If it still doesn't post the video when I hit "publish" I will keep trying because it is really worth the effort.  If it doesn't work a 3rd time, I will just print some of the best photos and leave it at that.  

Later:  It looks and sounds like success from my end this time!

For best viewing, please click on the enlarge icon and turn up your sound.