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

2015 marked the inaugural year for the Tri Club Championship Series, sponsored by Goodwell Fitness, and the almost too-good-to-be-true grand prize was a destination race package (flight, hotel and race fee included). The contest included almost a dozen local races throughout the 2015 season where athletes could accumulate points based on race distance and finish placement.

Since I am highly prize motivated, this challenge sucked me in immediately and by the end of summer, I had climbed my way to the top of the scoreboard. With just two events remaining, the top three slots were neck and neck, and it came down Scott Tinley's as my final opportunity to seal the deal. It all seemed a little unreal when my win at that race confirmed me as the recipient of the grand prize, a free trip to any location that Alaska Airlines flies!

The choice was obvious.

Over the years, I've won various loot at races, either for racing hard or for simply sticking around until the raffle is over. But rarely have I won anything that I can actually share with my #1 spectathlete, the man who groggily accompanies me to pre-dawn transition set-up, stands around for hours waiting to cheer me on during the twelve seconds that I pass by on the race course, and then helps me lug my gear back to the car when my legs can barely hold me up anymore.

It was time I properly thanked Brad for the role he plays in my triathlon success, and one thing he deserved was a second shot at our honeymoon.

He sacrificed much to make that original trip happen, with the intent that it was a one-shot deal. For months he stockpiled airline points, working a lonely, grueling schedule that included four flights and over thirty commuting hours per week, traveling back and forth between Wisconsin and California as a consultant. He worked long hours and lived in a hotel for the better part of year, with a laser focus on the end result: a first class dream vacation to Puerto Rico right after our wedding.

But things did not exactly go according to plan.

We did our very best to keep a positive spin on the experience, lest we seem ungrateful for the astonishing perfection that was our wedding day. But I know the "adventure" that began our Puerto Rico trip has never quite sat right with Brad.

A connecting flight cancellation and eventual re-route meant that we spent two days of our five day tropical vacation stranded at the airport, waiting in lines for re-booking, waiting to see if they could locate our luggage, waiting outdoors in the snow (with nothing but beach gear) at a makeshift shuttle stop amidst JFK airport construction.

The airline wasn't able to replace our first class booking and we weren't even seated next to each other on the eventual San Juan bound flight. It was a travel nightmare, and we arrived in Puerto Rico exhausted and ready to sleep for the remaining three days.

This serendipitous TCCS prize gave us a second chance to get things right. And where does Alaska Airlines fly? Hawaii!

Tropical Honeymoon: Take Two!

Of course, this prize isn't just a vacation, it's a race AND vacation (the best kind of trip, in my opinion), so I had to find a race in Hawaii to anchor our trip around. There were plenty of options to choose from, but I finally landed on the Waikiki Roughwater Swim, a 2.4 mile ocean race in Honolulu in September. This annual event has a significant place in triathlon history, as it was included in the first ever Ironman race in 1978, and is the reason the 140.6 starts with a 2.4 mile swim.

Honeymoon destination: Check

Iconic race in said destination: Check


Posted by Kimberly 10/26/2016

Nik enjoys motorcycling and rebuilding a 1970 Porsche 914.

In high school his interest in working on cars and motorcycles became an all-consuming passion, so he enrolled to study auto mechanics at UTI (Universal Technical Institute) in Phoenix, Arizona. He graduated from there in December, 2001.

Nik graduated from Ygnacio Valley High School in June 2000. He capped a stellar high school career with 10 varsity letters, including 3 in cross-country (all-BVAL, 1st-Team), 3 in soccer, and 4 in volleyball (all-BVAL, 2nd-Team). But up until 3 weeks before graduation, it was still unclear whether the administration would actually let him graduate -- they seemed to think he hadn't completed enough courses in Physical Education! He got a lesson in bureaucrats and their rules.

Nik finished his final high school cross-country season in remarkable fashion. A grueling schedule was loaded with invitational tournaments, in which they did quite well. In the Bay Valley Athletic League finals, Ygnacio Valley finished a close 2nd, placing an astonishing four runners in the first six in the league. Nik's 5th-place finish earned him 1st-Team All-League honors. In the North Coast Section Championships, Ygnacio Valley dominated the Division I final, placing four runners in the first nine and winning the Division I title easily. then it was off to respectable showings at the State Championships and Far Western Regionals, where Nik placed an impressive 25th place individually.

He also completed three years as goalkeeper for the varsity soccer team, and four years of high school volleyball, earning 2nd-Team All-League honors.

Posted by Dan 01/20/2003

After earning my degree in ecology and applying my knowledge to projects in various fields of research, it has become very clear to me that a) I love what I do, and b) I want to do what I love. Ecology, however, has many different branches. There is a myriad of directions to go in. While most of my education and experience has been within terrestrial ecology, I began to feel that I wanted to see what marine science was like. Part of my reason for seeking out this opportunity with a marine ecology student was to investigate the question, "Is this where I want to be?"

Well. So far... I'm thinking this isn't a bad place to be!

Peeking into tide pools and seeking hidden treasures

I have now returned from what was my first week "on the job," out at the coast of Ecuador. I am assisting a masters student of USFQ (Universidad de San Francisco Quito) in his marine ecology field research of intertidal invertebrate communities. So essentially, I spend one week of every month out at the coast, splashing around tide pools and looking at cool creatures hidden underneath rocks and shells. And when we've done all our work and the tide has come in? Well, we might as well jump into the warm blue waters and play in the waves, right? Correct.

Brittle star we found under a big rock. They get their name from their propensity to break very easily.

This past week was actually a very light work-load relative to what it typically will be, so it served as a nice introduction to the ecosystems I'll be working in for the next few months. It was a great opportunity to see the Ecuadorian coast, as well. This experiment has sites at multiple locations up and down the coastline, so I got to visit an array of beaches and towns, and try a variety of region-specific culinary treats. And all the fresh seafood I could eat!

The sun shines bright, the water is warm, the creatures are a-plenty, and the food is delicious. And if necessity calls, it's not hard to find a hammock to dangle in while the sun slips down into the big blue puddle. Not bad, I say. Not bad at all.

Photo slideshow: https://s470.photobucket.com/albums/rr68/GoodellsRule/Ecuadorian%20coast%20-%20First%20week%20in%20the%20field/?albumview=slideshow

Posted by Whitney 01/28/2011, revised 01/28/2011