April 8, 2024
Coast-to-coast: San Francisco to Savannah (Part 8)
By Simon J. Lau
We almost gave up on the eclipse today. The cloud cover was so heavy that I figured there was no way we’d see anything. Still, we decided to stick it out in San Antonio through totality just to experience the darkness, and I’m so glad we did.
Instead of staying in my hotel’s parking lot like I had planned yesterday, I ended up at a restaurant with a dog-friendly patio. To my surprise, they handed me eclipse glasses without me even asking. I’d called at least half a dozen places trying to find some with no luck, so this felt like a small miracle. I hadn’t planned on using them, I figured I’d rely on the LCD screen of my DSLR, but with the clouds and glare, the camera barely picked up anything. Thanks to the glasses, I managed to catch glimpses of the partial eclipse through breaks in the clouds.
What made the whole thing unforgettable was the moment of totality. The light dropped, the air shifted, and for a moment it felt like the world had paused. I couldn’t help but wonder what it must have been like for ancient civilizations to witness the same thing without any idea of when or why it was happening. Today we have apps and forecasts to tell us what to expect, but back then it must have felt like the sky and time itself were coming apart.
On a separate note, Bruno’s rocking a new leash and collar today. He also got a proper name tag. Up until now I’d been using the free QR code tag we got from the shelter when we rescued him, but a lot of the places we’ve been don’t have reliable cell service. I wanted him to have something with his name and my number printed right on it. He looks pretty handsome in his new setup.
Soon after, we set out for Galveston, a coastal city on the Gulf of Mexico. I’d been curious about this place ever since a friend told me a story from one of his visits. He came here to fish, ignored hurricane warnings, and kept casting until the police finally pulled him off the beach. He joked that he came to Texas to experience freedom, but even in Texas you can’t be free. Ever since hearing that, I’ve wanted to see Galveston for myself.
This is the Galveston Island Historic Pleasure Pier, a waterfront amusement park that stretches out over the Gulf. From the boardwalk you get wide open views of the coastline, with waves crashing beneath the rides and games. It reminded me of the Santa Monica Pier in Los Angeles, with its neon lights, carnival rides, and ocean backdrop. The difference is that Galveston feels grittier, rough around the edges, and nowhere near as polished.
For tonight, I splurged on an upgrade at the Red Roof… PLUS+! At $55 I couldn’t believe my luck. The facilities were newer and, honestly, it’s the nicest place we’ve stayed so far. To be fair, the bar hasn’t exactly been high. Bruno seemed perfectly happy with it too, and maybe that’s what really matters.
Finally, our route from San Antonio to Galveston (250 miles or 402 km).
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