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

I met this baby at Machinery Row Bicycles. We've been writing love letters back and forth ever since. It could be getting really serious.


Posted by kim 03/20/2011

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

This past Sunday, I went on a day trip to go bouldering with the JCU rock climbing club. Bouldering is a type of rock climbing that generally involves shorter ascents - like on boulders instead of large rock faces. Ropes and harnesses are not used, just mats below the climber, so bouldering trips are much easier for the climbing club to organize - less hassle.

Grandma mentioned that she couldn't really picture what the activity and the terrain would look like, and I'm sure she's not the only one, so below is a picture of some of the climbing that was going on this trip. If it helps you understand what's going on a little better, we're focusing on tiny little features in the granite that we can get a foot (essentially a toe) or some fingers on. There were some great photo opportunities later in the day (and an incredibly beautiful GINORMOUS boulder), but my camera battery died early, and I foolishly left my spare at home.

Bouldering on granite boulders with the JCU climbing club

Posted by Whitney 03/17/2008