We were in Carbondale, IL. Rented a cottage in a state park in KY to be within driving distance on the day. Over 4 minutes of totality and it was great. My son and I saw the 2017 eclipse from my brother's front yard in NC and we started planning this trip then.
I agree with many that it's not unusual for us to know that an eclipse is visible from the earth, but it is relatively rare for it to be a total eclipse AND someplace you can actually go and experience it in person. It's mathematically very satisfying that the sun and our moon span the same half-degree in our sky, making these kinds of eclipses -- where you can see the star's corona -- rather uncommon in the universe.
Plus, it was a nice excuse for a road trip with people I love.
Photo with my cell phone. Best I could do.
