Having just experienced my view of the total eclipse I expected to hear many reports from classmates visiting areas to see totality. There were a few but the most descriptive was Dudley Kay with Jill visiting a site at Orangeburg, South Carolina, a couple hours north of their home. He wrote: that it was “a spectacular, almost religious experience” and “two-plus minutes of the blocked sun with shimmering corona were awesome.” He did point out the difference between a 98- and 100-percent eclipse (we saw the former without leaving Big Canoe, Georgia) is like a merry-go-round compared with the Cyclone. I agree. Others appreciated the event to the point of Peter Elias proposing a mini-reunion for the 2024 total eclipse, picking various points along the path of totality to have classmates get together. Of course, Dud’s description included a vignette about the last time he had been in Orangeburg, South Carolina, on a spring break trip with roommates Peter Schenck and John Briganti.

All of us who failed to attend missed another terrific mini-reunion with Sandy Alderson hosting classmates at a Citi Field New York Mets game. We can only repeat the superlatives laid on previous such meetings with many attendees, wonderful food, drink and conversation and a fun, close baseball game to watch despite a Mets loss. Party favors included Mets bobble-heads and garden gnomes. One description of the crowd was everyone looked healthy, wealthy and wise or at least two out of the three.

Upcoming minis are Portlandia, which will be long past when you get this; Homecoming, which will be just past; and the Dartmouth vs. Brown game to be held at Fenway Park November 10. You can still make that one.

Allen Denison sent me a brief recap of the Portland, Oregon, mini. Participants included John Mathias, whose daughter Alice ’07 is a co-producer of the show Portlandia; Arthur Fergenson; Terry Bright with Brenda; and David Dunning and, of course, Martha Denison. Allen hosted an architectural and historical walking tour of Portland and Alice led the group through the Portlandia set. The following day many of the group checked in as extras for an upcoming episode of the show.

Yet another mini was a Bay Area gathering for a Mount Tamaplais ’69 obambulation in mid-August. My favorite heart surgeon Craig Miller was joined by Mike Vasey, Jim Treadway, Dick Lahey and Bruce Hamilton as they trekked up this mountain with no apparent ill effects for their efforts. All enjoyed the view and cocktails at Dick’s home afterward and expressed their intent to repeat this adventure soon.

Craig shared a note from fellow Montanan Bill Yellowtail, who provided some insight to his life since politics. Bill retired from an honorary professorship at Montana State University in 2013 and returned to his family ranch, where he now follows cows through familiar hills. His wife of more than 30 years, Maggie, is a gifted artist whose longstanding patience with him is much appreciated by Bill. We hope to see both at the 50th reunion.

—Steve Larson, 837 Wildcat Trail; 10328 Big Canoe; Big Canoe, GA 30143; (360) 770-4388; wheat69@outlook.com