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A Serendipitous Solar Eclipse

by Brian on May 21, 2012 in Arizona, Travel, United States

We don’t usually plan well enough to arrive in specific locations during special events. We always seem to just miss festivals and cool cultural goings on. So it was a little surprising when we discovered that our travels took us directly in the path of the first solar eclipse to hit North America since 1994.

We decided to stay a couple of extra days in Holbrook, AZ, so we could take in the event at Petrified Forest National Park. We’ll have a ton more to say about this park in future blog posts, but suffice it to say, there is far more here than just a bunch of rocks that used to be trees. It’s a surprisingly awesome national park and a terrific place to have watched this unusual occurrence.

Last night’s show was what is called an annular eclipse, which is a special type of partial eclipse. Unlike a total eclipse where the moon completely blots out the sun, in an annular the moon is far enough away from the earth that it leaves a visible ring of fire (and it burns, burns, burns.) It really does, too, if you stare at it with unprotected eyes.

Don’t Follow the Lights

by Brian on May 18, 2012 in Texas, Travel, United States

Sam: “There are dead things, dead faces in the water.”

Gollum: “All dead. All rotten. Elves and men and orcses. A great battle long ago. The Dead Marshes. Yes, yes that is their name. This way. Don’t follow the lights.”

At first we thought they were car headlamps shining faintly across the vast expanse of the West Texas desert. Slowly they moved to the right, roughly in a row; four in all, until one of the middle lights went dark. The others followed suit, winking out in no particular order. Other lights appeared within the general vicinity, mostly white but also red and blue. Some drifted left. Others moved vertically or bounced around at random.

Reports of Marfa’s softly glowing mystery lights date back as far as the 1800’s, with rumors of even earlier sightings. They’ve been explained as everything from swamp gas, to the reflections of car headlamps, to UFOs. Some still maintain there is no explanation for the nocturnal apparitions.

If you find yourself in Marfa, TX, look to the south for an interesting show. But if you’re tempted to strike out in pursuit of the lights to uncover their mystery, know that miles of dangerous desert have long helped shield their secret. It’s probably best if you enjoy them from a distance and don’t follow the lights.

Travel Reward Card Smackdown

by Brian on May 16, 2012 in How To, Money & Finance, Travel

The best reward card for travel is not what you think

courtesy of Stuart Miles

There is a dirty little secret in the world of Mileage Reward Cards. It’s a secret no one else will tell you. In fact, most mile-hoarding travelers don’t even know.

Those miles you’re accumulating on your reward card. They’re not free!

You’d never know that listening to the countless travelers who brag about the “free” flights they get courtesy of their mileage cards. But it’s true. You pay a large price for using a mileage card. I’m not even talking about the annual fee most travel cards now charge.

This dirty secret holds true even for efficient card users who avoid interest charges and late fees by paying off their balance each month. (Anyone who pays credit card interest should strongly consider cutting up their cards regardless of any reward program, but that is a topic for an entirely different blog post).

Photo of the Day: Saint Mary’s Church, Fredericksburg, TX

by Brian on May 15, 2012 in Photo of the Day, Texas, Travel, United States

The Caverns of Sonora

by Brian on May 14, 2012 in Texas, Travel, United States

A worthwhile stop in its own right, the Caverns of Sonora is also perfectly situated to break up the long drive through West Texas. A small campground with water and electric right at the cave makes it especially convenient for those of us with RVs or tents.

We had originally planned to go on the “Discovery Challenge Adventure” tour that requires a 50 foot repel into the cavern. The high price ($120 each) repelled us alright, but that probably turned out for the best. As we understand it, the Discovery tour doesn’t go into the areas of the cave with significant formations. And Sonora’s formations are some of the most unique and spectacular we’ve seen anywhere, including the path through the “Belly of the Whale” shown above. Check out more photos of Sonora on our Facebook Page.

We owe a special shoutout to CountrySkipper.com (another Travel blog) for giving us the 411 on Sonora. We drove straight past it in the fall and probably would have missed it again on our way back west had Sabrina not given us the heads up. Thanks for the awesome tip!

As a reminder, reader suggestions are always welcomed. Let us know about the great stuff hidden in your backyard that doesn’t make it into guidebooks. If we can get there, we’ll write about it here.