One of the things I love about RV traveling is taking advantage of the unplanned events that pop up along the way. With a small adjustment to our itinerary, we were able to be in the path of totality for the solar eclipse on April 8, 2024. And so we set a course for Atkins, Arkansas to meet up with the eclipse at Paw Paw’s Pecans.

Getting there

It being a rather long trek to Atkins from Mobile, we broke up the trip with an overnight at Rivertown Rose Campground in Vicksburg, Mississippi. We had stopped at this place during our Mississippi River trip in 2022 and figured it would be a good spot for a break. And indeed it was! We were treated to some beautiful sunsets from our campsite facing west.

Vicksburg is a wonderful spot to spend some time while traveling around the country. We could have done that on this trip too. However, the traffic was predicted to be congested on the way to Atkins. Many people were expected to overwhelm the roads and services on the way, so we opted for arriving a day ahead to miss the crowds.

A wonderful spot for an eclipse

We were pleasantly surprised to have the roads pretty much to ourselves as we approached our destination. When we arrived, we found a good-sized pecan farm surrounding an imposing plantation-style home. And parked among the pecan trees were at least 40 RV units with campers settling in for the big show the next day. I said to myself, this feels a little bit like a mini Woodstock.

We strolled around to meet our neighbors among the pecan trees. Turns out many of them were owners of a unique camping vehicle known as the Storyteller Overland. A member of their Facebook group suggested Paw Paw’s Pecans as a good meeting place for the eclipse, inspiring many members of the group to travel there. They definitely made up the majority of the campers.

The next day, more campers continued to arrive. Billy, the owner of Paw Paw’s, said he had 63 campers on site for the event. People began arranging themselves in comfortable spots to view the movement of the moon across the sun.

A group set up near us brought a large telescope and used it to project an image of the sun on a whiteboard. The colander hanging from the ladder projected multiple images of the sun onto the white sheet spread on the ground, like a pinhole camera with many lenses.

While the eclipse was in totality, the telescope’s owner gave everyone a few seconds to view it directly through the eyepiece. It was amazing to see the corona around the shadow, with solar prominences emerging from it. One of the prominences was so large that it could be seen with the naked eye while looking at the sun during totality. It appeared as a large red spot at the edge of the corona.

As totality approached, and for the roughly four minutes it lasted, the temperature dropped noticeably and the daylight dimmed as it does at dusk. Stars and planets became visible throughout the sky.

After its star turn during the afternoon, the sun left us with a peachy end to the day.

Our hosts

A few words about our hosts for this event, Billy and Charlotte, the proprietors of Charlotte Teresa Plantation, and the operators of Paw Paw’s Pecans. This enterprising couple manages the pecan farm and its shelling and shipping operation. They also run a bed and breakfast from their home, make at least a dozen kinds of fudge, and sell pecan products in their gift shop. Charlotte also makes quilts and other stitched items, and these are offered in the gift shop as well. They are ambitious, friendly, and never too busy to chat with you. Their offerings are available online also, and camping visits can be booked through Harvest Hosts. We’re glad we found them!