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- Jan 20, 2011
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Its been a while since I paid homage to birth place of modern aerospace in the US. Driving along and seeing the exit signs that point to Edwards AFB always gives me a pause.
I used to feel the same going through the town of Mojave where Burt Rutan was struggling to give birth to a new branch of aerospace. Then turds like Branson, Bezos, and the
biggest turd of them all, Musk, came along and I was done with romance. Still as a child of the 60s in Rochester New York who devoured books on jets from the library, being out there is a bit of a spiritual experience.
The Mojave Desert Advanced Rocket Society meets once a month 'North' of 'North Edwards' in the shadow of the lesser known end of the base. Or more like 20km a bit further north. From CA-58 to the Clay Mine Rd exit. Its a path I had not traveled in 5 years. I thought I was done with rocketry. Too damn old to chase rockets in 40 degree heat. And my co-pilot has been, and is still very ill... and 'insurance' does not cover everything here this country of GOP profiteers. So I sold every J and every K and have been selling dozens and dozens of my kit collection. And I invested what I could in Astronomy. Everything else went to the turds in our profiteering health care system.
But damn if that AP addiction is not wry!
All of a sudden I find I am rising on a Saturday morning at 6am (that alone was a first in 4 years). A few hours later, I am passing Palmdale's skunkworks in the distance, the huge windmill farms, and Mojave Spaceport. Fifteen minutes later I am shaking hand with rocketeers I had not since in 5 years. MDARS was still the intimate, laid back, happy launch it always was. And still is. However it was 9am and already 34C. Calm though with a lot of varying higher level winds.
I KNEW 41 degree heat would limit me. And I was right. I brought 8. Launched 3. And called it a day. A long ways to drive (200km each way) for three flights. But EVERY journey starts with
a single step.
I used to feel the same going through the town of Mojave where Burt Rutan was struggling to give birth to a new branch of aerospace. Then turds like Branson, Bezos, and the
biggest turd of them all, Musk, came along and I was done with romance. Still as a child of the 60s in Rochester New York who devoured books on jets from the library, being out there is a bit of a spiritual experience.
The Mojave Desert Advanced Rocket Society meets once a month 'North' of 'North Edwards' in the shadow of the lesser known end of the base. Or more like 20km a bit further north. From CA-58 to the Clay Mine Rd exit. Its a path I had not traveled in 5 years. I thought I was done with rocketry. Too damn old to chase rockets in 40 degree heat. And my co-pilot has been, and is still very ill... and 'insurance' does not cover everything here this country of GOP profiteers. So I sold every J and every K and have been selling dozens and dozens of my kit collection. And I invested what I could in Astronomy. Everything else went to the turds in our profiteering health care system.
But damn if that AP addiction is not wry!
All of a sudden I find I am rising on a Saturday morning at 6am (that alone was a first in 4 years). A few hours later, I am passing Palmdale's skunkworks in the distance, the huge windmill farms, and Mojave Spaceport. Fifteen minutes later I am shaking hand with rocketeers I had not since in 5 years. MDARS was still the intimate, laid back, happy launch it always was. And still is. However it was 9am and already 34C. Calm though with a lot of varying higher level winds.
I KNEW 41 degree heat would limit me. And I was right. I brought 8. Launched 3. And called it a day. A long ways to drive (200km each way) for three flights. But EVERY journey starts with
a single step.
However there was little damage. Ever heard of an 'Estes Dent'? The way the Ventris landed caused an 'Estes Dent' in the body tube. Already repaired
Thanks so much for the history of your rocketry life. Wow, so sorry to hear that about your wife. 
