I recently vacated Texas and made the jump for home in Aroostook County, Maine. We have a 15 passenger van for getting people onto canoe trips, hauling trailers, etc. Last fall I took out a bunch of seats, put a cot in the back, and lived like a king while traveling. #vanlife I took it to Texas, spent time with family, canoed the lower canyons of the Rio Grande, and had an amazing time. Like living in an RV, without going outside I was able to sleep, cook, coffee, bathroom, etc. It’s really all about your systems.

Today was a short drive, only a few hours from a rest stop down on the interstate in Augusta. When I got home, there was too much snow to drive up to the house, so I carried a few things up, got some water at the well, heated it, then bathed and washed off the funk of the drive. It felt great. I smelled much better afterwards.

All along the upper reaches of the drive, there were people in every turnout getting ready for the eclipse. So was I. After visiting with a few friends. I went home and watched the full eclipse with my neighbors. It was amazing. 3 minutes of full darkness. It got colder, I saw Jupiter, and now have a solar eclipse story to tell around future campfires.

But after the eclipse a question lingers, demanding an answer. It was dark for three minutes. It seemed like night. When I was hanging with friends across town, we grilled some stuff and had beer. My question: was this day drinking? Will it go on my permanent record? Part of me thinks it couldn’t be day drinking because it was night. For three minutes. As usual, I have questions but no answers.

Hail the Orb!