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

Great weather, great venue, great race--what a way to finish the 2009 triathlon season! We're on Australia's Gold Coast to support Kim as she competed for Team USA in the 2009 ITU Triathlon World Championships.

Australia has been good -- the weather is sunny, 23 degrees (or 73 degrees for the folks back home), and just a light breeze. For the benefit of spectators, the course is entirely on city streets and parks (even the 40K bike leg) and folds back and forth several times past the spectator area.

Kim completed the Olympic distance course 40th overall against 635 women from 42 countries! She was USA's third overall finisher.

Of the 84 competitors in the Women's 25-29 Age Group, she finished 16th, and was number 1 for Team USA!




Posted by Dan 09/12/2009, revised 09/19/2009

Nik completed his final race for the Cal Poly cycling team, the Wheelmen. The Western Collegiate Cycling Conference's final race of the 2011 Mountain Bike season was hosted by Cal-Berkeley at the Bailey Bike Park course.


Nik racing down the slalom course at Bailey Bike Park


Posted by Dan 11/14/2011

When you are new in a country or area or city, there are always the locations/ attractions that people ask you, "Have you seen this yet? Have you done that yet? Have you gone there?" Well I have finally gone to one such place that I've been hearing about since my arrival in Quito. Mindo is a beautiful escape for those who love the natural world. It is located in the cloud forests of Ecuador, about 3 hours outside of Quito. These are high-elevation forests that are fed by the rains that precipitate out of clouds rising up the flanks of the Andes. With hundreds of species of birds, flowers of every color of the rainbow, and crisp, clean, refreshing rivers, it is quite a weekend treat.

I got to see a toucan! I took this photo with my friend Heather's SLR camera... and now I'm hooked.

It should be noted that due to this trip, I am now resigned to the fact that my next earned income will be going towards a nice SLR camera and lenses with which to capture the incredible and colorful life of the world around me! But for now, I just make do with the camera I have, and capture the wildlife that comes close enough for the capability of my lens.

Have a peek at some of the birds my lens and I saw!
(the pictures at the beginning of this album are not from Mindo)

Photo album: Birds and flowers and smiles in Mindo
https://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2349064&id=19700757&l=d016e16106

Posted by Whitney 04/07/2011, revised 04/07/2011