Thursday, January 21, 2010

Skywatch Friday - Boise Sunset

Taken December 18, 2009 while driving along Interstate 84 east of Boise, Idaho.



To see more fabulous skies, visit Skywatch Friday. Each week the Skywatch team hosts this wonderful meme where you can see or share skies from around the globe.

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Remember Whensday No. 33 - Huntsville & NASA

This week for the Remember Whensday meme, I am returning to Huntsville, Alabama. Recent tweets from Kennedy Space Center and NASA had me thinking about a trip that included a stop at the Alabama Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, sometime in the late 70's.

Karen, Rick & Sally @ Marshall Space Center

While this isn't the greatest of pictures (what the heck is up with my sister?), this is the three of us sitting inside a space capsule. I do not remember if this was a mockup or a real one.

At the time we were there, the space shuttle program was still in development. I remember being able to see inside a mockup of the shuttle as well as other exhibits and simulators about the shuttle and other space programs. I think there was a exhibit sort of like the old carnival Round Up ride that let you get an idea on G-Force.

That visit has always stayed with me and I still like to follow along with the going-ons of the space program. I never wanted to be an astronaut but space flight is fascinating! Going to Space Camp would have been cool though.

Here are some of the postcards I bought during this visit. Wish I could find more pictures of our time there, but came up empty.

Marshall Space Flight Center
Tours of the Marshall Space Flight Center are conducted by the Alabama Space and Rocket Center, Huntsville, AL 35807


Orbiter on NASA 747 in Huntsville
The Orbiter Vehicle "Enterprise" arrived in Huntsville, AL in March 1978 to begin testing for the first flight in 1979. The Orbiter is 122 ft. long, 78 ft. wide, and is the first "Space Airplane."

Alabama Space and Rocket Center
The world's largest space vehicle, the Apollo Saturn V, is exhibited at the Space Center. The Center is open year around from 9 to 5.

Dynamic Test Stand - Marshall Space Flight Center
Constructed to test the 363 ft. (110.7m) Saturn V Moon Rocket, the stand has been converted for Space Shuttle testing. This is part of the NASA Bus Tour conducted by the Alabama Space and Rocket Center, Huntsville, AL 35807

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Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Remember Whensday No. 32 - See Rock City

This week in the Remember Whensday meme, I am traveling back to Rock City atop Lookout Mountain just outside of Chattanooga, TN. Rock City is actually in Georgia.

Karl and I just completed a whirlwind trip across the United States from Washington state to South Carolina to visit my in-laws for Christmas. As we were driving from Nashville to Chattanooga along the interstate highway, I started seeing the signs to "See Rock City". Some were billboards shaped like a house, others were painted on barns.

See Rock City - December 2009

I got all nostalgic thinking about a vacation we took when I was a teenager that included a visit to Rock City. I decided then and there to dig out the old photos from that trip. Judging by the photos, I'm thinking the trip was around 1975, maybe even 1976. I believe I had my driver's license when we did that trip.

We were camping up in Pigeon Forge, TN with our travel trailer and my dad came with us on this particular vacation. My parents were divorced so it was kind of strange to have him along. He hadn't been involved in our lives very much the prior several years and was trying to reconnect with us. We took a side trip to Chattanooga and stayed at a Howard Johnson hotel down there.

From left to right - Susan, Rick, Karen & Sally

I remember all kinds of rock formations, both natural and man-made. I also remember climbing lots of rock steps! And the large paper bumper stickers that got put on every visitor's car while they were in seeing Rock City. You could easily tell who had been to Rock City when driving around Chattanooga or the Great Smokey Mountains National Park.

What a bunch of hams!

Rick, Sally, Karen & Dick at Shelter Rock

Rock Display

Susan at Mushroom Rock

While we were in Chattanooga, we also visited Ruby Falls (and got another bumper sticker), the Incline Railway and the Chattanooga Choo-Choo. It was a fun side trip.

Ruby Falls Advertisement - December 2009


Underground at Ruby Falls - Sally, Karen and Susan

Thanks for tripping along with me this week in the Remember Whensday meme. To see more or to share something yourself, click on the Remember Whensday badge below.

Monday, January 11, 2010

Remember Whensday No. 31 - Happy New Year

Looks like I forgot to post my Remember Whensday for last week. Never too late to get it in!
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This week I am sharing photographs of Karl's grandfather, Harold. I never had the chance to meet Harold since he passed away long before I met Karl.

I know he loved photography and had his own darkroom in his garage. Many of the old photos we have today were taken by him. I think Karl inherited his love of photography.


Harold

I hope you had a great holiday and an even better 2010!