It was 39 years ago today that a good friend from university (now Ryadian's father) and I were in Brandon, Manitoba for our first total solar eclipse. The weather was crisp and clear, with thousands of people traveling to the snowy Canadian prairie for a glimpse.
We joined many others in watching totality from the parking lot of a Husky truck stop just south of the Trans-Canada Highway. We were just north of Brandon and only 2km from the center line.
It was a glorious experience, and as people often do, we found ourselves asking "When's the next one?" as soon as it was over. The answer then was over 38 years in the future, August 2017. To college kids that feels like forever!

Last August's eclipse was also a wonderful experience, made all the better by sharing it with friends from the forum. Here's to the next North American eclipse, on April 8, 2024.