In 2017 we hosted a gathering of friends at a campground in Idaho to observe a spectacular total solar eclipse.  Seven years later, the sun and moon will once again align over the US, and we have reserved a small section of Texas, 500 meters from the eclipse centerline, to observe it, hoping to repeat that earlier wonderful experience.  

Many of the original eclipse revelers are planning to join us again, but there are some remaining campground openings.  If you are intrigued by the possibility of witnessing a total solar eclipse, please review my original invitation, descriptions, and links below, especially the update that includes the costs of the accommodations.  If you think you’d like to join our eclectic group of eclipse chasers, let me know.  Otherwise, you may want to plan for the next total eclipse in the US… in 2044.

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Invitation Update—September 2023
A year and a half ago, I sent out an invitation to the 2024 total solar eclipse party that Poldi and I will be hosting in Texas next April 8.  At the time our accommodations were uncertain, but we have now committed to, and reserved space at Zuber’s Rio Frio River Camp for three days around the eclipse.

We had responses from a number of you ranging from “sign us up” to “want to, but we’re too old for this camping stuff”.  Well, we have options.  And maybe they will work for those who want to experience this rare event.

If you would like to join us, we have reserved a cabin, with three queen beds, and we have reserved three “shelters”, which can accommodate four each, with your cots and air mattresses, or tents pitched outside, or (small) RV parked at the site.  Electricity is available in all, and in the cabin, running water (and toilet).

The expense depends on your choice between these accommodations.  The cabin will cost  $200/person, the shelters $100 each.  It’s all a bargain as I view it, having queried the various accommodations along the eclipse path last year (they all know about the coming eclipse and the demand for rooms).  This will get you a place to stay for three nights (the minimum booking), and a seat at the camp meals picnic table.

The cabin holds a queen bed, and a double queen bunk bed. Those who win the beds in the cabin must yield the kitchen to Poldi, who will be once again preparing meals for the camping group. Her success at the previous eclipse party has only emboldened her to take on new outdoor delicacies.  She may ask for assistance in that effort.

Zuber’s is willing to take on “day guests” at a modest fee of $10.  Some of you may find that staying at a more civilized hotel setting is more your style.  If so, we still invite you to join us, at the centerline of the eclipse (over four minutes of totality!).  You can stay somewhere outside the eclipse path (at non-totality pricing), but drive to join us at the centerline.  San Antonio is nearby, about two hours, enough time to join us by the start of the eclipse, starting around noon.  Other towns may also be within range.

The reservation begins on Saturday night, April 6 and runs through the night of eclipse day, Monday April 8.  Travel is by whatever means you choose.  Poldi and I will be driving from Minnesota, perhaps leading a caravan, arriving Saturday.  We expect it to take 2-1/2 days of driving (two overnight stops somewhere).  Others of you may have tighter schedules, or other plans.  You may join us at any time.  If you plan to fly, and then rent a car, be aware that thousands of others will be doing the same— make your arrangements early (is it already too late?)

Our full capacity is 18 (6 in the cabin and 4 each at 3 shelters), and can also take in eclipse-day visitors.  We currently have 12 eclipse viewers who have expressed interest, and so we are now wanting to finalize the guest list.  Let us know if you’d like to be on it!

Zuber’s location along the eclipse path:
http://xjubier.free.fr/en/site_pages/solar_eclipses/TSE_2024_GoogleMapFull.html?Lat=29.62272&Lng=-99.74603&Zoom=9&LC=1

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Original Invitation– May, 2022
We had an excellent time at our eclipse party of 2017, and we’d love to host another when the next great American eclipse occurs in 2024  on Monday, April 8.  To that end, we have been making plans, including Thor taking a reconnaissance trip to the eclipse path in Texas.  Why Texas you ask?  It’s not our usual travel destination, but solar system dynamics are oblivious to human-drawn political maps.  They are also oblivious to weather, so in an attempt to optimize the likelihood of clear skies on eclipse day, we need to be as far south and west along the path as possible.  Here is a chart of the cloud cover for the time in April along the eclipse path.

I’m not sure if this chart represents how much of the sky is covered, or how often the sky is covered, but it is apparent that Mexico is the best place to observe the eclipse.  Not eager to drive through Mexico, we are limiting our search to the US, which takes us to… Texas.

It turns out that the eclipse path runs through a pleasant part of south central Texas known as “Hill Country,” that contrasts with its flatter or harsher or more urban or more desolate areas.  It is the equivalent of what Minnesotans call “Up North”, a place to escape the city, or to relax on vacation.  To Thor, it is not quite as nice as the North Woods, but he is highly biased.

We were hoping to find a similar setting to 2017: a campground, and if that were not available, perhaps a lodge, or some rustic cabins.  Unfortunately, nearly all of the places along the center line of the eclipse are already booked!  Unlike in the years before 2017, all of the accommodation businesses from campgrounds to hotels along the 2024 path are fully aware of the upcoming event, and have been making arrangements with tour operators to commit their facilities to them. 

I found one campground however that reminded me of our Idaho location along the Snake River:  Zuber’s River Camp on the Frio River.  They had already committed their RV sites to a tour group, but they had tent sites, “shelters”, and cabins still available.  They would not provide a firm reservation, but we are penciled in for three shelters and a cabin, all in a corner of the site, not far from the river and not far from the bath house!  See the pictures in my “reconnaissance report” for Zuber’s.

There is no guarantee of course.  There is a 1 in 3 chance we will be clouded out, but with enough good spirit, we can enjoy an excellent reunion together in Texas in 2024.

If you are interested in joining us for the Eclipse Reunion, please let us know right away.  We think we can accommodate eight families or so (two per site), depending on what each party’s needs are.  The first step is to find out who is interested, and then we can figure out how best to use the space. Please let us know of your tentative or firm interest, how many will be in your party and if you need a cabin or a tentsite or small camper trailer space.

We look forward to another excellent eclipse party in 2024!

Thor and Poldi