We set out for Cape Girardeau, Missouri, at about 9:15 am. On a normal day, it would only take about 90 minutes to get there from Arnold. However, it took three hours because of construction and the huge amount of traffic. We arrived about 15 minutes before the eclipse began, giving us just enough time to find a park to watch the eclipse.
The moon began moving in front of the sun right about 12:42 pm. We spent the next hour taking turns looking up to check the progress and commenting on how the eclipse was affecting the light and temperature.
Totality happened right at 1:58 pm and lasted four minutes. The view was just amazing and pictures do not do it justice.
After totality ended, we packed up, ate a late lunch at Rosati’s Pizza, and began the trek home. Normally, that would take about 3 1/2 hours, but the traffic nightmare that we encountered to get to Cape Girardeau was even worse on the way home. It took eight hours! Despite all that, no one complained, and everyone agreed that it was worth the trip. If you ever have a chance to see totality, go.