The terms of the campground reservation required a three-day stay.  This was fine with us; it was a beautiful location, and we would be entirely avoiding the post-eclipse traffic jams.  So Saturday and Sunday and even Monday morning—eclipse day– were open to enjoy the scenery at our place in Texas Hill Country.

Our compound within the camp comprised “Cabin H” with power and plumbing, and three shelters (“7” “8”, and “9”), which were basically screened-in porches with an electrical outlet.  The shelters were surrounded by outdoor space to pitch a tent or park a camper.

Our fellow eclipse partiers gradually joined us on Saturday and Sunday.  They set up their camping arrangements (tents, campers, shelters, or cabin facilities) and then went exploring.

There was quite a bit to explore.  The Rio Frio runs through this part of Texas, but its water levels fluctuate.  In this particular section, there are cold water springs that feed it, hence its name.  The water was high enough to make a small recreational lake above a dam, and a beach-lined stream below. 

On the other side of the river was Garner State Park, an area designated as one of the most beautiful in Texas and worthy of an entrance fee.  We had pre-purchased passes to the park, but it turned out that we could just walk across the dam and enjoy the many trails and features of the park.

The members of our eclectic group had a number of intersecting interests.  Many chose to hike to the top of “Old Baldy”, the dominant feature overlooking the river and our campground.  There was a serendipitous confluence of birders in the group who shared their passions and skills in finding birds unique to the area, thereby adding to their life lists.  Everyone enjoyed walking the banks and wading the shoals of the Frio River.

There were other groups at Zuber’s as well.  There was a section partitioned off as an RV Park.  It had been reserved two years earlier by the South Florida Airstream Club.  They arrived in a large caravan, arranged their shiny metal homes on wheels to their satisfaction, and awaited the eclipse.

We saw many other eclipse enthusiasts as they were doing their own explorations of the camp.  And we caught glimpses of people dressed in capes and goggles and other attire that was fashionable centuries ago.  The rumor was that they were Wiccans or maybe modern day Druids, here for their solar eclipse rituals.

Our group didn’t include any sun worshippers, at least not in that sense, but it was diverse enough to include a couple of professional dance instructors.  This might not have been anything other than a curiosity of our group statistics, but it turned out that on every evening, Garner State Park sponsors a riverside dance!

There we were, a few feet away across the river, with dance instructors to demonstrate and prepare us for the Texas two-step.  It was irresistible, and half our group crossed the dam at sunset to sneak over to the Garner Park dance pavilion.  At least one of them later bragged about dancing with a tall Texan in a ten-gallon hat.

Here is an image gallery of the day. Click on a thumbnail, then scroll through.

---

The weather was beautiful and clear.  After the sun set, the sky darkened to reveal a myriad of stars, more than we normally can see.  The moon was not around, of course (think about it), but we were also in a region of very little light pollution, and so the night sky was spectacular!  I recall being out under the branches of the oak trees sheltering us, and seeing stars that obscured my recognition of the constellations.  This is the level of “stark raving dark”, a condition sought by my fellow amateur astronomers when they go out to observe.

By Monday morning however, the day of the eclipse, the weather had changed significantly.

---

Thor and Poldi’s Eclipse Party 2024
previous | beginning | next

---