R22 Discussion Group

Bob,
We got a cheap room at the Ramada right off I-95 at exit 215 which is the  
entrance to the Kennedy Space Center. Trip out was ten minutes or so. Trip 
back  was a nightmare. My guess is that the local (underpaid and under 
funded)  authorities were unprepared for this many people for this launch. After 
all, the  Federal Government has stated that the average citizen has lost 
interest in the  space program. Tell that to the 40,000 plus people that were 
in the area to  watch a 20 second launch last week.
We signed up for the ticket lottery and if we are able to get tickets will  
be back in April for the next launch of STS 134. Perhaps next time we can 
get  together and get really, really drunk on some good rum. Kimberly and I 
loaded up  in Florida and brought home two cases of the large bottles of Mt. 
Gay Rum. We  saved almost $12.00 a bottle over the local prices. Almost 
makes a monthly trip  to Florida a good investment.
The day after the launch we had lunch at Lou's Blue's overlooking the ocean 
 in Melbourne. I thought about contacting you, but we were already very 
tired and  cut our day short to be rested for the trip home Saturday.

Rummy

In a message dated 3/2/2011 12:59:52 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,  
bobandkathyr22 at bellsouth.net writes:

Rummy:  Actually you did well if you got in by 9.  I did  not get back to 
Stuart 
until 10.  It took me an hour to go one mile  right after the launch.  
Should 
have brought the BBQ grill and  chilled out with some Mount Gay for a 
couple of 
hours.  No doubt  about it, it was total gridlock; but worth the effort.  
The 
police  traffic effort left much to be desired where we were as well.   

Another friend did not get  back to Orlando until after 11,  so going north 
to 
Daytona or south to Stuart was not a bad way to  go.  I stayed on US 1 all 
the 
way down as all of the cross overs to  95 were jammed up.  

Bob

The Rhodes 22 Discussion Group

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