'11 Final Shuttle, Virginia, D.C. and back to Florida
On July 8th 2011, Bridget and I went back to the Kennedy Space Center to see the shuttle Atlantis launch on the final STS mission. We arrived the day before to severe thunderstorms which included a strike to launch pad 39B, fortunately all the action was at 39A.
We were up and out to Kennedy by 4 AM to catch the
fueling process, but still with a 30% chance of "Go"
Strapping-in Capt. Christopher J. Ferguson
Minutes to Launch and still 30% chance of "Go",
it really didn't look promising.
Still cloudy but a sufficiently high ceiling to light the fuse,
launch went without incident
Current configuration of the ISS as of the shuttles retirement.
Once agin, this was nearly an impossible photo to get
with so many people visiting on a launch day.
The KSC Rocket Garden; Mercury rocket is to the far left,
Gemini used the tall rocket in the middle,
and Apollo missions used the monster Saturn V laying sideways
Bridget in Engineering aboard the Enterprise (Next
Gen.)
checking on the warp drive and core
That's me using a pressure-point hold on a Borg
Next stop ... Lake House in Virgina
... then Washington D.C.
WWII Memorial
Korean War Memorial
Vietnam Wall War Memorial
200 Pennsylvania Ave.
Key West in November
Bridget and I enjoyed
bright, sunny and warm days ... and pleasant nights
First stop, the Aquarium
Catching up with a local fixture
Mallory Square for sunset, of course.
Key West is so laid back, even the cats don't bother to chase the birds
30 years ago I was singing folk songs abord the Young America on sunset cruises
A stop at the Worlds Smallest Bar
Kiwi adopted us at our cottage across from the Hemingway Home
I nicknamed him Rudy, short for rude kitty.
Plenty of six-toed cats
Sunset from the Top of La Concha Hotel deck
Paid a visit to Capt. Tony's, much of him is still there.
We ate at the corner taco place with a view of both Sloppy Joes and Capt. Tony's
Sunrise at South Beach
Southernmost Point
Off to the Dry Tortugas
You can see the Southernmost Point to the left of Duval St.
Fort Jefferson
Our Seaplane
Sunken U.S. Navy ship
Remember the Maine
Exploring No Name Key by kayak
Watch out for Tree Crabs
Key Dear aplenty
Relaxing at Cheeka Lodge in Islamorada
