Day 6: Totality
Total Solar Eclipse
By 9:00am I had all my camera gear set up: Tripod, glasses, solar lens. It’s important to note that while photographing an eclipse, you need to wear protective glasses while looking through the camera viewfinder. You also need a solar cover for your camera lens or you’ll fry it. I purchased this solar eclipse photography bundle on Amazon and it worked great.
Photo taken by eclipse travel friend, Jürgen, from Austria
I was able to capture each stage of the solar eclipse: Partial Eclipse, Total Eclipse, Totality, Total Eclipse End, and Partial Eclipse End. For me, the trickiest part was keeping up with the level of exposure as the phase was nearing totality.
As the sun phased into totality, a bright white flash appeared and then nothing but darkness remained. In place of the sun was a giant glowing ring with gray solar flares thrashing about. People started screaming and taking their protective glasses off. The world around me was so dark; it was difficult for my eyes to adjust. As soon as I looked up towards the sky I instantly spotted Venus! It was like having a pair of telescopes for eyes; stars looked fatter and much brighter than usual. It felt like space was going to fall on top of me! Totality lasted only about two minutes.
The whole experience felt like a dream, it was surreal and totally unnatural. Watching it made my short list of most incredible life moments.
Before everyone departed, we all signed an eclipse poster and took a group photo (I was packing up my gear). I’m still blown away by everyone’s kindness. Ironically, we were each given a sun rock as a souvenir; the state rock of Oregon.
Off to Terrebonne, OR, to hike Smith Rock!
SMITH ROCK STATE PARK
Oregon has very diverse geography; the coast is lush, the middle is mountainous, and the eastern region is straight dessert. It only took three hours to reach Terrebonne, where we planned to take Misery Ridge Trail through Smith Rock State Park.
Misery Ridge Trail | 3.7 miles, Loop | Elevation gain: 3,360 ft. | 3 hrs | $5 permit
Cliffs of basalt and tuff were sculpted from years of erosion by the Crooked River Caldera, leaving behind what is now Smith Rock State park.
The 4pm heat was miserable, which was fitting for Misery Ridge Trail.
Rock climbers were at every turn on this trail!
Misery Ridge summit view
A popular landmark at Smith Rock is Monkeyface: a 350 foot rock spire that resembles a monkey head. People often free climb Monkeyface.
This hike was extremely strenuous, but so beautiful. It's impressive what nature and weather can create over time.
Fun fact: Smith Rock is generally considered the birthplace of American sport climbing! -climbing.com
MILES HIKED: 3.7 | ELEVATION GAIN: 900FT.
BEND
Our campsite was at Tumalo State Park Campground in Bend, OR. On the way, we found a healthy restaurant called Laughing Planet Café.
What’s for dinner: GF Sumac Salad: kale, curry-roasted chickpeas, spinach, roasted cauliflower, quinoa, apples, dried cranberries, and feta tossed in roasted red pepper sumac dressing, and the Korean BBQ Bowl: beef , broccoli, and jasmine rice, topped with cilantro-lime slaw, quick-pickled cucumbers, toasted sesame seeds, and spicy Korean BBQ sauce. It was exactly what we were craving after a long day in the sun (or lack there of, haha)
Laughing Planet Cafe, 913 NE 3rd St, Bend, OR 97701
TOTAL MILES HIKED: 3.7 | TOTAL DISTANCE TRAVELED: 134 MILES
CUMULATIVE MILES HIKED: 37.5 | CUMULATIVE DISTANCE TRAVELED: 757