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MClark

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Location
Glendale, AZ
For those of us who have never been to the MDRA launch site how about some advice from those who are regulars.
Recovery area, open, swamps, trees?
How high before dual recovery?
Are non rocket type mosquitos a problem?
Weather expectations in early April?

Any restaurants recommended to go to or avoid?

Fill us in.

M
 
Ok, I haven't been back to MDRA at Higgs Farm in awhile, but I'll bite.

Recovery area, open, swamps, trees?
- all of the above,............. but primarily open field, with stands of trees.

How high before dual recovery?
- isn't that a matter of preference, and wind conditions?

Are non rocket type mosquitos a problem?
- never noticed.

Weather expectations in early April?
- As the MDRA guys like to say: Yes, the weather will be there, and so will we.

Any restaurants recommended to go to or avoid?
- The famous Tommy Higgs Road Kill Café - all you need o know for eats onsite:
https://www.mdrocketry.org/launches/images/Higgs_Farm_Back_Field_Full.jpg
https://wpsite.mdrocketry.net/higgs-farm/
 
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No swamps. It's a farm so there are some excavated drainage creeks that you sometimes have to cross to recover your rocket, but there are a couple of bridges. Parts of the field can get soggy in the spring after rain. This spring Tom Cohen got his pickup stuck out in the field. I tried to pull him out with my F350 dually and also got stuck. The landowner had to pull us both out with his big 18,000 lb tractor. They like to avoid that sort of thing.

Have never gotten a mosquito bite there.
 
Good place to fly. Ditches, but bridges. They put on a great launch!
 
This is East Coast, so dual deploy might come surprisingly low for people accustomed to desert or Kansas, where there's reports of people single-deploying at 5,000 feet and above. Personally, if it is much over 2,000, I dual-deploy.

Mosquitoes have never bugged us (get it?!) there, but I keep bug spray and sunscreen handy anyways.

Weather... Layers is the approach the family and I use. Boots recommended in case you have to traipse through the brambles through one of the ditches, but plenty wear sneakers.

Tommy's Roadkill Cafe is some good stuff, and it's the landowner so I make a point to patronize. Offsite, by hotels, there's a few good places.

Field has good cell phone coverage on Verizon and AT&T and whatever the pay-as-you-go thing is that I have for my nosecone tracker.

Later!

--Coop
 
If you are staying at the main hotel in Easton (or anywhere in Easton), there are plenty of restaurants. It is probably the biggest town on the Eastern Shore in MD.

April weather is sometimes foggy, sometimes rainy, sometimes cold ... or, warm, sunny and beautiful. No one will know until show time.

In March, I launched my Radial Flyer to 13,000+ feet. Dual deploy was drogue at apogee and main at 700. See map below for where it came down.

RF L3.jpg

About 6,875 feet (1.3 mi.).
 
If you are staying at the main hotel in Easton ... It is probably the biggest town on the Eastern Shore in MD.

Salisbury is the largest town on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. It was the "big city" that we'd visit for really important shopping trips when I was growing up.
 
I took a summer class at Washington College in Chestertown. I noticed a distinct lack of big cities.
A nice area but the bridge near Annapolis gave me the creeps.

M
 
How is it possible you guys are getting me psyched up
for this launch already and it's almost a year out.......
EVERY launch MDRA puts on at Higgs is just a crazy great time.....
This one's gonna take the cake for sure....

Teddy
 
How is it possible you guys are getting me psyched up
for this launch already and it's almost a year out.......
EVERY launch MDRA puts on at Higgs is just a crazy great time.....
This one's gonna take the cake for sure....

Teddy

You and me both! I want to register my BIG PROJECT, but I haven't even started building it, yet. :wink:
 
You and me both! I want to register my BIG PROJECT, but I haven't even started building it, yet. :wink:

You da man John..
As time progresses the builds come out better and better...
Don't put any E9's in this one,, lol..

Are you going to BARC tomorrow ???

Teddy
 
No, I'm going to MDRA tomorrow.

The NC on my Formula 200 is as tall as my son. :grin:
 
The bridge/tunnels across the Chesapeake Bay. I looked it up the toll is $15 .
It looks like an unusual ride, driving across the ocean.
Is there any reason not to go this way? How is it if the weather is poor?

M
 
The bridge/tunnels across the Chesapeake Bay. I looked it up the toll is $15 .
It looks like an unusual ride, driving across the ocean.
Is there any reason not to go this way? How is it if the weather is poor?

M

12 years ago or so I decided I wanted a Prelude..
It took me quite a long time to fine the right one..
It was in Virginia..
I hadn't been on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge and Tunnel in many years,, since I was a kid...
So We flew down to Virginia, picked up the little sports car and drove home one the CBBAT..
On a stormy day..
There were 4 to 6 ft seas in the bay..
At the mid point of the crossing your over the horizon..
Waves would hit the side of the bridge and spray over the car..
We felt like we were out in open water in a canoe...
Great trip,, great run..
Going this way adds quite a few hours to the trip..
Don't be in such a rush, like I always am,, it's a beautiful run,, you'll remember it always...

Teddy
 
Oh yeah,,
The Cape May New Jersey to Lewes Delaware ferry is also a beautiful ride...
I was on this ferry once and bottle nose dolphins were playing with the prow wave the boat was making...

Really cool ride if your going that way at all...

Teddy
 
Coming from Phoenix Map Quest is says it adds about 4 hours.
Must be real slow going driving the length of the peninsula.

M
 
I go over the Bay Bridge for every MDRA launch. I haven't had any long waits over the last several years. And the LDRS dates should be ahead of the major beach season too. They usually have one contraflow lane going East (ie one lane on the normally westbound span is used for Eastbound traffic). If the weather is bad, they close that lane so the traffic might increase. But if they have to do that, it might also bode poorly for the next day on the field.

PS - The toll is worth the time savings IMO.
 
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The bridge/tunnels across the Chesapeake Bay. I looked it up the toll is $15 .It looks like an unusual ride, driving across the ocean.Is there any reason not to go this way? How is it if the weather is poor?M
Mark,

If you are crossing into the Eastern Shore from the west, (other than any tolls before you hit the Maryland border), the only toll will be the Chesapeake Bay Bridge ($4.00 unless pulling a trailer)... If you are taking I-70 get off on I-270, then the Washing Beltway I-495 east, to US route 50 east, which will take you all the way to the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. If you take I-70 all the way to Baltimore, you will have to double back on the Baltimore beltway and I 97 to get to US 50 and the bridge...
 
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Egads, I can't believe I didn't catch the error in toll rate! I paid little attention because with EZ pass I haven't paid much attention in years. I hope my earlier comment didn't jinx my drive today.
 
Coming from Phoenix Map Quest is says it adds about 4 hours.
Must be real slow going driving the length of the peninsula.

M

Yes Mark, this is correct..
But this is if you're coming in from a bit north..
Do what Fred W said,,
Come in from the south a bit more...

Teddy
 
Map Quest has the route way north then cutting south to the bridge, looked like the long way.
On the way I must go through Kentucky and West Virginia, I have to check them off the list of states I have driven through.

M
 
Map Quest has the route way north then cutting south to the bridge, looked like the long way.
On the way I must go through Kentucky and West Virginia, I have to check them off the list of states I have driven through.

M

Well, I guess there is no reason for me to suggest a route. I ran it in GMaps and the suggested route makes it easy to accommodate your requirements. No way I wouldn't take Rte50/the BayBridge for the last leg.
 
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The route a GPS gives can be kind of strange...
All GPS's don't give you the same route..
I think it's a question of the software running the thing...
I think it'd be a good idea to ask 3 different online services ( Google maps, Map Quest etc.. )
See what the difference is between their routes...

Teddy
 
Keep in mind the North Bay Bridge (Near Annapolis) is $4.00. $2.00 for each additional axle. Weather on Md's Eastern Shore is often varied. If you don't like it just wait an hour or so, It'll change. Good restaurants on Kent Island and at the Narrows.
FWIW
 
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