Dena Martin: From the Editor

As a former Oregonian, I couldn't help but follow how Monday's eclipse impacted my old stomping grounds. I grew up in Condon, Ore., a town very similar to Waitsburg. The City of Condon website describes it as, "a proud, century-old farming community nestled between miles of rolling, golden wheat fields." Sound familiar?

In Condon, the 'Fabulous Fourth of July' is the equivalent to Waitsburg Celebration Days. The celebration includes a parade, soap box derby, family games, breakfast and dinner in the park, dancing and fireworks. I spent several July Fourths serving food to the crowd from the drive-in across the street from the park, where I worked as a teen.

These days, the population of Condon is listed at 685, but it was right around 1,000 when I was in high school – very similar to Waitsburg.

But this week, my quiet little hometown, was turned upside down. Condon took advantage of the fact that it is 15 minutes from the 2017 eclipse "path of totality" with advertisements encouraging eclipse enthusiasts to "Be Part of History" and "Take the Backroad to Totality."

The ad boasts RV and tent camping, food, beer, and wine, and live music. Camping spots were made available at the park, the fairgrounds, and the golf course. The city brought in port-a-potties and handwashing stations and even offered free shuttle service to the path of totality.

A special Gilliam County Eclipse web page states, "local infrastructure is somewhat limited in parts of our region. We recommend visitors fill their vehicles with fuel ahead of time and keep tanks topped off as much as possible." (The closest decent-size town is an hour away.)

I had to laugh as "limited infrastructure" is a bit of an understatement for the size of the crowd expected. Visitors were well-warned however. The page also suggests that visitors "unplug" for the weekend because the number of attendees will likely tax the cell towers.

"Look on the bright side, you won't have any trouble disconnecting and recharging out here," the website says.

A former Condon classmate posted on Facebook Monday morning that her kids were sitting outside counting all the cars going by. Small town entertainment!

I can't help but consider how Waitsburg would have handled such an opportunity. I have no doubt we would have pulled it off with excellence, much as we successfully hosted hundreds of Cycle Oregon racers in 2010.

While I spent my junior high and high school years in Condon, I was born in Redmond, Ore and my family members still live in Bend and Prineville. Prineville is an eclipse hot spot and residents have been warned for months to treat the event as a natural disaster by stocking up on essentials and staying home.

Eclipse followers began arriving in town in July and stories have been shared of outrageous rates being charged for tent and RV spots at "pop-up campgrounds." One man reportedly rented out a train container for $1,500/night. Last Thursday, traffic into Prineville was backed up 15 miles.

My brother and sister-in-law, Bret and Jenny Agee, own a metal fabrication business and sold decorative items at the Symbiosis Gathering of 30,000 people camping at Big Summit Prairie, 40 miles east of Prineville. The land is owned by rancher Craig Woodward, who began drilling wells last year to ensure there would be enough water for everyone camping there.

I can't wait to talk with Bret and Jenny when they get home. Symbiosis is touted as a celebration of music, dance, creativity and freedom of expression. It's part carnival, part mystical, and completely over-the-top. Costumed attendees are filling the campgrounds with their artistic creations. (Google the event for some interesting images.) I'm curious to see how much of a mess will be left in their wake.

My family is about as redneck as they come (don't worry, they're redneck enough that they would consider that a compliment), and this week is sure to have been an eye-opener. I wish I could have been a fly on the wall. I might need to plan a trip home just to hear the stories.