Launchin'

 Yesterday we drove about 100 miles down the coast to Titusville to watch the last launch of DISCOVERY. There will be 2 more shuttle launches later this summer. I guess this is always a big deal as far as spectators are concerned and this was a close as we could reasonably get. Parked in a boat yard so missed the crush. Sat around in the shade for 4 hours with people asking us in what direction to look. We were pretty close although I have to say it was not launched from that grove of trees but about 5 miles away. Really an amazing sight the pictures cannot really show. A local guy in St Augustine told us that it could be seen from the beach just outside our condo but this was way better.

We could follow it all the way to the separation of the solid fuel boosters as it flew due west heading for orbit. Interestingly, we anchored island of Sal in the Cape Verdes where there is a huge runway that was the shuttle bail out point if it failed to reach orbit. We couldn't see Sal from Titusville.

Interestingly, the only thing that diminished the very long line to the ladie's room was the launch itself. There must be a link.

Business

Arrived in St Augustine on he 19th to find a really nice condo 10 feet from the pool and 100 yards from the ocean. Much better setup than last year being in a much smaller development and on the ground floor. Sun all day as well. One drawback was that I discovered a flat tire on one of the bikes so had to walk on the beach with everyone else. It was a Sunday of a long weekend so it seemed crowded. The beach gets much wider as one goes south. Walked about a mile and saw this guy flying a model plane amongst the huge kits. Last year I discovered that flying a kite, while satisfying, is a bit like fishing without a hook. Not much to do. The guy's plane had about a 39 inch wing span and was made of foam. Very small electric motor [about the size of a AA battery] and a rechargeable battery [about the size of an old school pack of gum] that gave him more than 15 minutes of flying time. They are called "foamies" and here is his.

Here is a babe on met on my walk.

Can't wait to try the bike but the pool beckons.

Idling

We have been in Belleaire since Monday afternoon and have done nothing. Just back from the pool and reading. Yesterday we went to the Yankee's spring training facility but all we saw were NY fans and a couple of fat guys trying to work up a sweat. $3/$4/$5 hotdogs from the same stand so figure the price was based on the amount of team gear one was wearing. Kelly and I were the only ones not wearing something Yankee but I told the security guy I had Yankee underwear and he let us in.

Here is the leader of the Evil Empire immortalized in bronze outside the stadium.

And here is the scoreboard. As I mentioned, there was no one there so the price was right.

And here is a view from Mary Laughlin's deck. It was important that I was 5 stories up when I took off my shirt as even Ahab couldn't throw a harpoon that far. I spent many waking hours here during the past week planning my future. To St Augustine on Saturday

The First Step

As with any well planned adventure the first step begins with Kelly packing everything we could possibly use in the next year or so. My packing consisted of  unwrapping a new toothbrush. We are taking 2 folding bikes from sailing days and hope to use them as last year on the beach.  My contribution was to suggest the placement of all the things we were likely to forget in the same place.

Left in 2 degree weather and arrived in NC in early evening having driven down the eastern shore of the Delmarva peninsula. Observations while driving include many more Methodist churches than any other and Mexican restaurants and stores.

Saw our last snow at Kill Devil Hill where the Wrights first flew. Hard to take a picture of the last of anything without taking a whole lot of pictures but this was a pile of snow about the size of the mashed potatoes in John Belushi's mouth in Animal House. Looked at a boat there but it needed so much more work than I have years left. Here is a picture of the monument on the hill. It is shaped like a pylon used in air racing. On to Belleaire FL and a couple days at Mary Laughlin's place. Going strong at 95.