This is the biggest campground we’ve ever been to, more than 5,000 sites for both RVs and tents, and right now we’re in line waiting to get in. It’s the morning of Thursday, August 17, 2017. The solar eclipse is four days away, but we’re staking our claim.

Madras, Oregon, is in the high desert, east of the Cascades, directly on the centerline of totality. Astronomers have been talking about this small agricultural community for years. In all the country, it has the best chance for clear skies. The city of Madras — say it like “glad” or “sad” — took note, and that’s why thousands of cars and campers are inching toward the Kentucky bluegrass fields that have been turned into a campground for the week. They call it Solartown.

We have friends scattered in line behind us, four other families, and we’re keeping tabs on each other through an Instagram chat named the Madras Marauders. “Marauder: one who roams from place to place making attacks and raids in search of plunder.” This isn’t accurate, of course. But it’s also not inaccurate. We do roam from place to place. We’re what social media calls hashtag vanlife, except our homes are Airstream trailers.

The hours drag on. It’s 90 degrees. “So happy to have my bathroom behind us,” someone writes in the chat. “Let’s just stay here! This field looks good,” adds another. Then: “Think we can take showers in the crop sprinklers?”

Also this: “The two nudists in front of us just gave up and left?!?!”

Eventually, we all make it in and rendezvous. “First left, into the sun, by the porta-potties,” someone offers as directions to a latecomer.

Other people keep streaming in throughout the weekend. We hear from the outside world about traffic jams and possible gas shortages. Oregon calls in its National Guard, just in case. Inside Solartown, though, we’ve got our own chill, fully functioning mini-society. It’s like Burning Man for nerds.

Someone puts out the word that they’ll be conducting an eclipse presentation for whoever wants to come. Hundreds of us show up. This is just some family, some…