We spent part of today running errands - a trip up to Walmart Supercenter on Merritt Island and we stopped at a Sunoco (you don't see many of these stations anymore) station on Merritt Island for gas - $2.619 gal.
Before returning to the RV, we stopped at the Information, Tickets & Travel office on post to purchase tickets for the Kennedy Space Center. We paid $34 for each ticket and the tickets are good for a second day visit within a week. The price for the tickets at the Kennedy Space Center are $39 plus 6% tax, so we saved a little over $7 a ticket.
Friday, May 28, 2010
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Space Shuttle Atlantis Landing
This morning we watched the Atlantis Space Shuttle begin its return from orbit to the Earth on TV. Then just before it approached the Kennedy Space Center we went outside to stand on the Banana River beach here at the campground to watch for it.
Sorry - no photos - we just couldn't see it, but we did hear & feel the sonic boom as it entered the atmosphere. Soooo - we went back inside to watch the landing on TV in the replays.
 |
| From Patrick AFB |
Sorry - no photos - we just couldn't see it, but we did hear & feel the sonic boom as it entered the atmosphere. Soooo - we went back inside to watch the landing on TV in the replays.
Visit with Lynn & Brian
We drove up to Titusville this afternoon to visit with Mike's cousin, Lyn, and her husband Brian.
Lyn is a math teacher at Titusville High School. Brian is retired and volunteers at the Brevard Zoo in Melbourne and enjoys playing golf. Their children, Nick & Katie, are both away in college, so we missed seeing them.
We had a great dinner and spent our time catching up. Lyn & Brian recommended going to the Brevard Museum of History & Natural Science in Cocoa and to the Brevard Zoo in Melbourne.
We're looking forward to Lyn & Brian coming down to Patrick AFB for a visit before we leave.
 |
| From Patrick AFB |
 |
| From Patrick AFB |
Lyn is a math teacher at Titusville High School. Brian is retired and volunteers at the Brevard Zoo in Melbourne and enjoys playing golf. Their children, Nick & Katie, are both away in college, so we missed seeing them.
We had a great dinner and spent our time catching up. Lyn & Brian recommended going to the Brevard Museum of History & Natural Science in Cocoa and to the Brevard Zoo in Melbourne.
We're looking forward to Lyn & Brian coming down to Patrick AFB for a visit before we leave.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Ron Jon Surf Shop, Cocoa Beach, FL
The wifi card for our old Dell computer died this morning and we need to replace it. Our first stop was at the BX on base and we found a Netgear USB wifi adaptor that will work.
Then we drove up to the Ron Jon Surf Shop in Cocoa Beach (their flagship store) to do a little shopping. Afterwards we stopped at the Walmart Supercenter on Merritt Island to buy some groceries. On the way back to Patrick AFB we bought gas on Merritt Island - $2.719 gal.
This afternoon I did a few loads of laundry at the laundromat here in the campground.
Mike made online reservations this afternoon for Lake Louisa State Park near Clermont, FL for the week of June 8-15.
Then we drove up to the Ron Jon Surf Shop in Cocoa Beach (their flagship store) to do a little shopping. Afterwards we stopped at the Walmart Supercenter on Merritt Island to buy some groceries. On the way back to Patrick AFB we bought gas on Merritt Island - $2.719 gal.
This afternoon I did a few loads of laundry at the laundromat here in the campground.
Mike made online reservations this afternoon for Lake Louisa State Park near Clermont, FL for the week of June 8-15.
Friday, May 14, 2010
STS-132 Space Shuttle Launch
Today is the launch of the space shuttle Atlantis. Since the space shuttle program is winding down, this will be one of the few remaining launches. When we planned our Florida trip for the year, one of our main goals was to be here to watch a shuttle launch.
We did see a shuttle launch several years ago when we were driving down the Florida Turnpike heading south to Lake Worth. A lot of cars had pulled off to the side of the road to watch the launch. It was quite impressive to view the shuttle lifting off even from that distance.
We ate an early lunch this morning and packed a cooler with water and snacks. A little before noon we drove over to the beach just across from the Main Gate at Patrick AFB . When we got to the beach we had no trouble finding a place to set up our chairs since only a few people were there ahead of us. We checked on ticket prices to watch the launch from the Space Center and the tickets cost from $41 to $59 a person, so we decided to watch from the beach.
We spent the time waiting for the launch just relaxing & enjoying the ocean view. The closer it got to launch time more and more people started coming to the beach and putting out their chairs or blankets. A young mother came with her 2 daughters & and an infant and set up her blanket near us. She was having a little trouble setting up her beach umbrella in the wind and Mike went over to help her. We enjoyed watching her daughters play in the sand and the ocean.
Since this was our first time to see a launch we weren't quite sure the exact location where the shuttle would launch from - we're about 24 miles south of Kennedy Space Center. We just watched the same area everyone was looking & at 2:20 p.m. ----
We were too far away to hear the sound of the launch - the wind was blowing from the east so any sound was carried away from us. But the launch was still very impressive and it was thrilling to be even this close.
We did see a shuttle launch several years ago when we were driving down the Florida Turnpike heading south to Lake Worth. A lot of cars had pulled off to the side of the road to watch the launch. It was quite impressive to view the shuttle lifting off even from that distance.
We ate an early lunch this morning and packed a cooler with water and snacks. A little before noon we drove over to the beach just across from the Main Gate at Patrick AFB . When we got to the beach we had no trouble finding a place to set up our chairs since only a few people were there ahead of us. We checked on ticket prices to watch the launch from the Space Center and the tickets cost from $41 to $59 a person, so we decided to watch from the beach.
We spent the time waiting for the launch just relaxing & enjoying the ocean view. The closer it got to launch time more and more people started coming to the beach and putting out their chairs or blankets. A young mother came with her 2 daughters & and an infant and set up her blanket near us. She was having a little trouble setting up her beach umbrella in the wind and Mike went over to help her. We enjoyed watching her daughters play in the sand and the ocean.
 |
| From Patrick AFB |
Since this was our first time to see a launch we weren't quite sure the exact location where the shuttle would launch from - we're about 24 miles south of Kennedy Space Center. We just watched the same area everyone was looking & at 2:20 p.m. ----
 |
| From Patrick AFB |
 |
| From Patrick AFB |
We were too far away to hear the sound of the launch - the wind was blowing from the east so any sound was carried away from us. But the launch was still very impressive and it was thrilling to be even this close.
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Looking forward to Space Shuttle Launch
The space shuttle Atlantis is scheduled to launch this Friday and we've started seeing more RVs arrive here. Lorrie says that the campground will probably be full by Friday.
Yesterday we went shopping at the BX and today we got groceries at the Commissary. Both facilities are large and have a good selection.
I also did laundry yesterday at the laundromat here in the campground. They have 5 washers and dryers at a $1.00 a load.
We've really been enjoying the weather here. We've checked the temps in other parts of Florida (especially central Florida) and we are 5 - 10 degrees cooler. We usually have a good breeze which helps keep it feel cooler.
Mike did get a better photo of the Blue Herons today. Everyone here stops to check on them and watch the birds and take photos. The chicks really keep their parents busy feeding them. They make a "clacking" type noise - that's the only way I know to describe it - when their parents are feeding them. I've even heard them at 1 a.m. when I've been sitting up reading.
Yesterday we went shopping at the BX and today we got groceries at the Commissary. Both facilities are large and have a good selection.
I also did laundry yesterday at the laundromat here in the campground. They have 5 washers and dryers at a $1.00 a load.
We've really been enjoying the weather here. We've checked the temps in other parts of Florida (especially central Florida) and we are 5 - 10 degrees cooler. We usually have a good breeze which helps keep it feel cooler.
Mike did get a better photo of the Blue Herons today. Everyone here stops to check on them and watch the birds and take photos. The chicks really keep their parents busy feeding them. They make a "clacking" type noise - that's the only way I know to describe it - when their parents are feeding them. I've even heard them at 1 a.m. when I've been sitting up reading.
 |
| From Patrick AFB |
Monday, May 10, 2010
Manatee Cove FamCamp
This morning Mike went to the FamCamp office and paid for us to stay here a month - $440. The campground accepts mail, so we called American Home Base this morning to have our mail sent here.
The post firing range is right behind the FamCamp and our RV, so we woke up this morning to gunfire. It was startling, but we knew to expect it from the various blogs and comments we've seen about the campground. The 747 that is parked at the airfield has been running its engines since we arrived yesterday. Mike says they are probably running some kind of test on the engines.
Here are some photos that we took of the campground today.
Here is a photo of the Blue Herons that are nesting in the Australian pines across from us.
Since we are close to the airfield, Mike was able to get some photos of the Huey that was practicing touch 'n go this afternoon.
The post firing range is right behind the FamCamp and our RV, so we woke up this morning to gunfire. It was startling, but we knew to expect it from the various blogs and comments we've seen about the campground. The 747 that is parked at the airfield has been running its engines since we arrived yesterday. Mike says they are probably running some kind of test on the engines.
Here are some photos that we took of the campground today.
 |
| From Patrick AFB |
 |
| From Patrick AFB |
 |
| From Patrick AFB |
Here is a photo of the Blue Herons that are nesting in the Australian pines across from us.
 |
| From Patrick AFB |
Since we are close to the airfield, Mike was able to get some photos of the Huey that was practicing touch 'n go this afternoon.
 |
| From Patrick AFB |
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)