Total Eclipse of the Katy Trail

The big day finally arrived as we woke at 6:00 a.m. to get ready and drive to the Rocheport Trailhead for the start of the Total Eclipse of the Katy Trail Ride. We joined 498 other riders on the 31.5 mile ride from Rocheport to North Jefferson City.

The ride started at 9:00 a.m. About 9:15 a.m., Ken had a flat tire! Fortunately we were near a trailside bench where we started to change the tire. An experienced younger cyclist stop to help, and we were back on the trail in about fifteen minutes. Our first stop was 8.8 miles down the trail at the McBaine Trailhead, where volunteers and staff provided ice water, bananas, and salty snacks. Next stop in seven miles was Easley (more water, bananas, and granola bars).

Another 8.9 miles took us to the Hartsburg Trailhead, where lots of riders gathered to view the eclipse. Everyone got out their eclipse glasses to check the progress of the eclipse. Even partial eclipses are quite impressive when viewed through the glasses, although it still looked like a bright sunny day until totality grew closer.

You can still see clearly defined shadows at 1:07 p.m., only five minutes before totality, although the temperature had dropped, and the light had a strange cast.

Then came totality. Just amazing! Even Ken's camera with no special filters was able to capture some of the experience, but nothing can match being there in person and seeing it with your own eyes.

Afterward we cycled on another 10.4 miles to the North Jefferson Trailhead, where our bikes were loaded in Ryder trucks. We had chili dogs and chips before boarding our motor coaches for the trip back to Rocheport.

After months of preparation and jitters about how the ride would go and the possibility of adverse weather, everything was wonderful. Can't wait for totality on April 8, 2024!

We later watched the NOVA special Eclipse Over America. The science being done was impressive, but one of the things that impressed me most was that one scientist,  Williams College astronomer Jay Pasachoff, counted this his 66th total eclipse of the sun!