Re: Heading to the Cape this weekend

Well another update:

Went back on Sunday. Definitely more crowded. After a few exhibits, lunch
(again, tasty and not that bad of a deal) we headed out to the causeway.

This was actually pretty cool. First time I've ridden past the Industrial
area.

Anyway we were basically at the exact center of:

http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=h&ll=28.509201,-80.604715&spn=0.026172,0.032659&z=15

(hard to tell but basically we could sight up between the two islands and
had a clear view of LC-39A.)

With binoculars we could clearly see the orbiter in front of the ET and
SRBs.


We also had some great views of LC-40, 41 and 37 and some of the other stuff
on the Cape itself.

We could hear the thunder rolling in as the announcers were updating us on
the weather. But it was clear, odds were getting slim.

Finally at the end of the T-9 hold, they cancelled and we all climbed back
into our bus and headed back to the visitor center.

As I mentioned, once you use your bus ticket, you don't get a refund on it.
But they did give us a coupon to get tickets for Monday's attempt.
Unfortunately, with my work schedule I couldn't stick around another day
with the family. Of course turns out it's a good thing I didn't buy another
set of bus tickets for this launch. :-)

Anyway, while a tad expensive, even my wife thought the bus ride out to the
causeway and the view from the causeway was pretty cool.

(as a point of historical note, I saw STS-3 from the causeway further south
at Cocoa Beach and that was impressive then. I'm sure this would have been
even more impressive.)

Anyway, I think we'll try again, for a non-summer launch when the t-storm
issue is lower.

Overall, a LOT of travel (we were staying at my mother-in-law's outside of
West Palm Beach). And I had to get up at 5:30 AM so I could fly out to work
this morning.

Overall, pretty cool and a great experience, but not as great as I had
hoped.



--
Greg Moore
Ask me about lily, an RPI based CMC.
"Greg D. Moore (Strider)" <mooregr_delet3th1s@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:LKCdneei7bCx18TXnZ2dnUVZ_hydnZ2d@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Quick update:

So got there around 11:00 AM today and was told the launch was scrubbed.

BUT, fear not. The ticket policy is pretty good.

Basically when you buy tickets, you are buying them for a particular
LAUNCH, not a particular day. So we have tickets for STS-127, whenever it
launches.

In the meantime, the tickets get you into the visitor center and basically
into anything that's open that day.

So, we saw the IMAX (r) 3-D Space Station movie (2nd time for me). For no
additional cost.
Rode the simulator (for no additional cost).
Got the bus to the Saturn V center (no additional cost).
Could have seen the ISS center (no additional cost) but ran out of time.

AND, we get back in for the next attempt (currently scheduled for
tomorrow) at no additional cost.

AND, even once it launches, you can come back the next day (I think that
policy is more useful when it's a mid-day launch).

While there, we were able to upgrade to causeway tickets. Again, if it's
scrubbed before we get on the bus, they're re-usable. If we ride the bus
out and it's scrubbed, we lose. I can live with that.

Overall, it's actually a darn fine deal.

Now, lunch. Like most places, a bit overpriced. ($30 for 2 adults and 2
kids). BUT, surprisingly not a bad deal.

The pulled pork sandwich wasn't 1/2 bad actually. (actually pretty good).
And, despite it not saying it on the sign, came with a large french fry.
So that wasn't too bad.
The marinated chicken sandwich my wife had was actually very tasty. And
included large french fry and drink.

The kids meals (chicken tenders for one, hot dog (a LARGE one)) with fries
and drinks weren't a bad value.

Basically it was a good size lunch and fairly tasty.

And we found out it was free refills on the drinks. So we kept a cup for
the rest of the day and filled up a couple of times.)

So no real complaints there.

So, hopefully tomorrow's launch goes without a hitch. (Or else I can't
stick around for it.).

More later.



--
Greg Moore
Ask me about lily, an RPI based CMC.




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