Pain's Summer Road Trip (Version 1?)

[Pain]

Okay, I'll be honest, the biggest reason for the delay was I, somehow, hadn't ever posted the barber pics online anywhere. Not sure why, other than there are almost 300 of them. It did take a while.

So here is a link to the whole gallery -
http://xspain.smugmug.com/Other/Shut...48809714_2Sd3P

Or

http://tinyurl.com/oxmhwo

I'm only gonna hit a few of the higher points. It is really somewhere you have to go to if you like motorcycles. Even if you have to take a car.


The lowest level, with the cars, was closed. I guess it's offices and shop space, not generally available for the public and less so on the weekends. The little food place was closed as well, which was annoying since I wanted to spend all day there, once I got in.

I know, I HAD been planning on just spending a few hours there and then head to the atlanta area, but once I got to looking around there was just no way.



A Seca Turbo, I've always wanted one of these, but before you start pinging me with ones in your area I don't have the room or cash for another project. Which sucks, I don't mind saying.



These two bike are an excellent example of self promotion. The guy, a lawyer or banker or something, made a bucket load of money and used it to take himself and his girlfriend around the world and these two beemers. Then he managed to get a world record and a book deal.

There is something to learn from that, but I opted not to buy the book and find out.


Car or Bike? No one knows, so it wasn't released in the US. Vespa has something similar now.


Not just bikes (this car didn't come up to my knee).


Yeah, not much else to say here.


The scooter converts to the suit case. Not light, though, and I'm guess they wouldn't let it onto an airplane these days.


This sculpture is repeated, in least in theme, here and there in the museum. It's supposed to be about speed and racing, but felt a bit...well..anyway.

From here I headed to a campground. The next day was a travel day to get to Manatee Hammock for the shuttle launch.

So, I guess that will be it for today then too, huh?

[Pain]

The classes:

How to keep idiots in suspense. 101

How to stretch a ride report out over an entire year. 201.


Classes taught by Dr. Pain.

Its not quite like that...but you know I actually spend a lot of time riding and not much time online. At least in the summer. But I'll have a few RR to post up if winter ever gets here.

[Wildkat]

Very cool!

Definitely going to have to put the museum on my list of places to go...

Wait... it's already on there...

Looks like it was a most awesome trip

[cruiser]

Always enjoyable ride reports. Like reading a book with a new chapter every day.
I did a few Rustic Roads up my way this summer but no camera at the time.

[Pain]

I'll kinda gloss over the riding to Florida. It was smooth and uneventful. Suffering is a good traveling bike, though I really should save up and spring for a custom seat. I'm also a little annoyed about the consistent 35mpg, when I've done every mod to improve the mpg on this site I can find.

I reached Manitee Hammock campsite early enough to go to the local suggestion for dinner. It was a little diner place, hard to find, and cheap.

I had to get up early the day of the launch, to catch my "VIP" bus to the Kennedy Space Center. There were something like 500 people there. 8 buses. I wasn't feeling very VIP.

The ticket was good for 2 days and the KSC, and while we were there at 930am or so, the launch wasn't until 2pm, so we got to wander a bit first, told to be at the bus at noon. I've never done this tour thing before so the schedule was disturbing.

I took a lot, I mean a WHOLE LOT of pics from the space center.

http://xspain.smugmug.com/Travel/Shu...73795311_8Gx4G

or

http://tinyurl.com/p6pajq


The Rocket Garden.


An actual Mercury/Redcap capsule. I would be constantly stunned, floored really, over the number of "actual" stuff I would see on the trip. I mean, I've been to the EAA, and seen mock ups of various rockets and planes, but there is something different seeing the real thing.


Re-Entry damage to a heat shield, this was a Mercury 6 capsule IIRC (Which means it did orbits)


Scale models of the rockets. To see a Saturn 5 launch must have really been something.


The shuttle and the Hubble. There is a lot to see at the KSC, and I tried to limit myself on the first day to areas that were less crowded. The rides and interactive exhibits were the busy areas so the more museum-esk stuff was where I spend my 2+ hours. I still saw a lot, but soon it was time to head for the bus.

I had hoarded water bottles, and filled 4 of them before leaving the KSC. We were headed to a causeway, 6 miles from the pad, and it was already in the low 90s.


VIP seating. As it happens water bottles were $1, so that wasn't too bad. Still sucked. We were stuck here for 2 hours, it got to 100 degrees, and both my cell phone's batteries ran low.

The view was good-

This was the only place I could find where there was a view of the shuttle on the ground. Most of the viewing sites were screened by trees.

I watched the launch though binoculars. I took a video too, but it isn't that great. I don't have a great camera for that sort of thing, and you can find good to awesome pics online. I wanted to SEE it, so I did. It was not as loud as I was expecting (Which is not to say it wasn't loud), and much brighter than I could've imagined. Almost like the sun.


And then it was gone.

We got back to our bus, where the driver annouced a) we would not be returning to the KSC for the rest of the day, but instead heading for the parking lot and our cars and b) We had not been told that our tickets had to be validated to be good for the second day. This validation was only available AFTER you had left the KSC, which we hadn't and now wouldn't. We were (understandably) upset but this.

After much discussion the driver agreed to take us back to the KSC to get out tickets correctly validated but that was all. Some of the families hadn't planned on spending a second day a the KSC, but to see the rest after the launch. I don't know what happened with them, I'm hoping the got some sort of refund. Worse, some of the buses did go back for the rest of the day, apparently our driver just wanted a shorter day.

Gator Tours - don't use them. I don't know if there is even someone else, but there has to be. They were the only bad part of the whole thing, and I'm glad they didn't wreck anything for my trip.

Hmm, not as many pics this time and more of my prattle. I will have to do better, sorry.

[Pain]

The next day I wanted to go and see other attractions in the area. My ticket was good for a 2nd day at the KSC, but so were the tickets to a couple thousand other people, and I thought waiting a day would reduce the crowds.

I had been paying attention to the signs around the KSC, and saw one for Valiant Air Command Warbirds Museum. Like all little boys I like my fighter planes, so I decided it might be a good place to go.


I learned a lot about the Valiant Air Command. They aren't just a museum, more like a flying exhibit. They restore the planes and then fly them to air shows and the like for people to see. There were a lot of veterans there, pretty much enough for each visitor to get a personal tour. The amount of knowledge just loitering in the lobby was awesome.


There wasn't much pre-WWII, which isn't surprising once you know the place is for flying exhibits.


There was a lot of stuff on WWII, Pearl Harbor specifically.


By hey, how about some planes?


TBF Avenger

Just looks mean, don't it?

MIG 15

F-80

All the pics from this stop-
http://xspain.smugmug.com/Travel/Shu...2_SJuCv#P-1-20

Or

http://tinyurl.com/mh6srr

[Pain]

But my day wasn't done. along with the KSC admission the ticket was good for the Astronaunt Hall of Fame, a smaller building near the KSC but definitly off campus. The weather was still hot, I was at about 4 gallons of water a day I think, so air conditioning sounded really good.






Gus Grissom's Actual Mercury space suit - It was IN SPACE for 15 minutes!! Not a mock up, not a cast off or spare, this VERY SUIT! SO COOL!!!!

This sort of thing happened to me a lot on this trip. You might think I would get used to it, but I wouldn't






Actual Kitty Hawk command module, from Apollo 14 - yeah this sat on the SURFACE OF THE MOON!


Of course, the history of space flight hasn't been all roses. Good men and women have given their lives in the pursuit of the stars. I didn't take many pics here, the flash seemed to disturb the serenity of the place. There was a family there of one of the names too, children looking up at the name of someone they may never have even met and probably wouldn't remember. I left when once I figured out who they were, embarrassed to have even heard a little.


Cool statue/mural in the front lobby, which I had seen seperately on the way in, but the combination didn't strike me until I was loitering in the lobby, dreading going back out to the heat.

I refilled all my water bottles after this and headed back to the campsite. I think I went looking for ice cream, which turned out to be more of a chore than I expected. The next day I was planning to return to the KSC to see everything I had missed before.

[trbig]

There was a family there of one of the names too, children looking up at the name of someone they may never have even met and probably wouldn't remember. I left when once I figured out who they were, embarrassed to have even heard a little.

Just me, but I think I would have thanked them for their family's sacrifice. After 40-50 years, the sting of pain of the death has probably wore off, and the willingness to share their little part of history may have been a chance missed. BUT.. I wasn't there in your situation and don't know all the facts.

I also find myself staring about 10 times longer at displays of ACTUAL legitimate historical objects. My dream is to go to the Smithsonian at some point, but afraid that I would never leave once I entered.... shirt soaked in the front from mouth wide open in awe.. I get awestruck watching the Antiques Roadshow sometimes.. lol.

Great report, Pain.


Tod (Idiot in suspense..)

[Pain]

My dream is to go to the Smithsonian at some point

I'm getting there. Didn't see all of it, but I'll have some tips. Plan on 6-8 days if you go, and bring towels for the drool.

[Pain]

The next day I headed back to the KSC. I really didn't know how long it would take me to see everything, so I planned on the whole day.

On launch day there was a clearly marked section for motorcycle parking, right outside the gate. Not anymore, though. I was there early enough that I still got a spot pretty close, the tour buses were already unloading.

The first thing I wanted to do was the Shuttle Launch Simulator, but they didn't allow cameras inside.

It was very cool, not just a big screen and rocker arms, the whole room really rotated.

After that I wandered around, looking at stuff.



There are tour buses that wander the general area on a set schedule and route, so I hopped on one and headed to see more things.


The vehicle assembly building. It actually has it's own weather inside. The flag is the size of a football field.


The crawl way, leading from the assembly building to the various pads. That's Endeavor in the background, on pad 39b.


So, the carbs are where? This is a shuttle engine, which had reached the end of it's service life. It was pretty big.


The launch control bunker, 3.5 miles from the pad. I watched from 6 miles out.


There were 3 of these, shuttle prep buildings. they were pretty close to the assembly building, and Discovery was in the far one.

The big stop on the bus tour is the Apollo Building. It has a large lobby where we all stood around looking at this -

Before heading into this-

Where there was a very dramatic recreation of a Saturn V launch. No people, just lights and sounds. It was pretty neat.

Inside the next room was a full size Saturn Rocket, broken into it's various sections. It was...whatever comes after Gigantic.

Shuttle engine looked like a toy next the the Saturn V boosters.


Around the outside of the hanger were little information displays for all the Apollo Missions, even the canceled ones. There was also a gift shop and diner. I spent a lot of time here, walking under the Saturn V was humbling.

Oh, and there were some gators. I mean, I took the pic because wild gators are cool, but there were definitely not the highlight of the tour.


After this I bade farwell to FL, and started to head north. There were a few other little stops,


But on the whole it was time to move on.

[MaximPhil]

Hi Pain,
Thanks for sharing. I visited the Valiant Air mmuseum in 2008 I too had a personally conducted tour by a vet of the Korean conflict. I thought I was just lucky. I have been trying to get to Barber for years and must try harder.
Maxim Phil

[oseaghdha]

Nice. Thanks!

I was down in Cocoa beach in the 90's trying to catch a shuttle launch.
Alas, it was rained out.

KSC was way cool to see, and there were some great bars down on the beach!

[trbig]

Arms crossed... tapping foot... waiting patiently (OK.. maybe not REALLY patiently..) BUT.... where's the friggin Smithsonian, man!?!? Dang tease..



Tod

[Pain]

Sorry, went to Warren's WI Cranfest over the weekend, the gf had a booth selling Usbourne Books. I was helping, I guess. Not sure how helpful I was, really. Rode the Ural there, and hid it in the back so people wouldn't constantly talk to me about it.

Instead they only occasionally talked to me about it.

Anyway, we left off our tale, well my tale anyway, as I was headed north. The next area of interest was Colonial Williamsburg, but I had given myself two days to get there, and found a camping area. Buck Hall Recreation area was awesome, only 4 tent sites and a dozen or so RV sites. Few lights, but there were flush toilets and showers. The night sky was....well I live in a city so I might be easily impressed, but it was impressive.

For some reason I took almost no pictures, only this one -

So I'll have to go back sometime.

Anyway, the next day was traveling again. I had researched another campsite in Virginia. It was a bit disappointing, more of a fisherman's retreat, or somewhere for the guys who got kicked out of their houses to live. It had a very sad feel to it.

About this time the gf complained I wasn't taking any bike pics, which was true actually, so I snapped off one quick-


The campsite was also much more pricey, twice what I had been paying further south. I had known this would happen, but it was still a bit of a shock. As it turns out there was another campsite closer I could've used, but I didn't know.

Tent set up, and Williamsburg was the next day. The bike was mostly unpacked, as I had done in FL, both to make it lighter and give me room to leave my riding gear on the bike. I had been doing a good job on securing the straps (Which I had not been removing), but for whatever reason didn't retie one, and it got caught in the rear wheel. The strap was destroyed, and the rack for the vetter was bent, making the trunk crooked and cracking the tail light lens. I didn't know it yet, but the sidecase racks also both cracked. Still got me home, though.



Cool 3d map of the grounds. I had gotten there 45 minutes before they opened. It was before Memorial day, and they were on off-peak hours.

There is a bus that will take you to the the "downtown" area, but I opted to walk. It was pretty cool.


Colonial Williamsburg is one of those places where there was a lot, a whole of of cool history. You can almost feel it...under all the stores and crafty stuff and people selling, well, the cheap crap you get to buy at 4th of July events.

I grew up doing rev war re-enactments, so I am very familiar with the history of the region, and made sure I took in the sites



There was an old cemetery with a church (Still a 'working' church. People actually live in Williamsburg. They have to make sure their cars and stuff are off the streets during the day)




One other cool area of the grounds was the first mental hospital. No one lived there anymore, but it had some cool exhibits inside.



Just like my bedroom back home.

There were also several museums, with everything from art to silver to wooden Indians.



Pics for proof.

It was also Fife and Drum day, which was a lucky break. I could hear the music just about anywhere on the grounds. Brought back good memories from my younger days.



I left Williamsburg earlier than I had expected and decided to head for Yorktown. It wasn't far, and was much more historical (as opposed to commercial) than Williamsburg.


Looking out from the British Rampart. This is where the building and exhibits were.


Not a great pic, but that is the ACTUAL TENT Washington used for the Rev war. It was from his conference tent. His actual tent was there too, but the pics didn't turnout. Still so cool.


The redoubt the colonial troops stormed as part of the battle. The french stormed the other, but this one is slowing falling into the bay.


After walking around the battleground (It wasn't really that big) I found out there was a driving tour and had to give it a try. There was a CD to listen to, but I wasn't able to try that.


The road was very scenic, one lane and one way through the woods with little signs and pull outs.


The Surrender Field. It rained a bit while I was here, but the sun came out again right away.

Last place I decided to see was the Yorktown Monument, which was actually harder to get to that I would've thought.


It seemed like it had been a long day, and I decided to head back to the campsite. The next day I had to ride into DC, and wasn't sure I was looking forward to it.

[Pain]

Wow, no foot tapping or anything? People must be getting used to my random updates

Anyway, I had previously researched a campground in DC, maryland actually, called Cherry Hill. It was actually perfect, and I would recommend it to anyone travelling there willing to camp. It is connected to public transit, the staff is friendly and helpful, and the tent sites are secluded and quiet.

Of course, it is also HUGE, and I got lost on the way from the check in building to my site. They did give me a map, and I did sorta look at it, but I figured it was just a campground and how bad it could be?

Well, I got the map back out and found my way.

On a different note, I did have a bit of a thrill on the interstate, looking over to my left and seeing the Washington Monument. It's pretty big.

The rest of the travel day was spend doing laundry and cooking hot dogs.

I took the metro to what I thought was the National Mall, looking for the Smithsonian Castle to start with. I may have gone to the Spy Museum, but there is no photographic evidence so no proof. If you were to be in the area, though, I would recommend it. You know, based on what I heard. Don't believe the "1 and 1/2 hours" thing on the website, give yourself a day.


Found a fairly large park with this fountain and a few sculptures

And I thought I was in part of the mall, but in fact it was just a 'smaller' park next to it. The actual National Mall was much larger...



I was closer to the capitol building, actually. Hard to tell.

The castle was easy to find, once I had found the mall,






I ate lunch in the castle before heading down to the Air and Space Museum. I picked up a few maps and information too.


The monument in front of the Air and Space Museum. Security was the usual metal detectors and bag searches I'd been passing through since I got to Florida. The good thing was the atrium windows looked into the lobby and all the good stuff I was in line to see.



Again, there were simply too many cool things to catalog, but I'll pull out a few things. The rest are here-

http://xspain.smugmug.com/Travel/Shu...2_zz4PA#P-1-20

or

http://tinyurl.com/yenarjz

Now thats out of the way

The ACTUAL model from the Original Star Trek series. It was actually in the gift shop, of all places.

Yup, the real one.

Yup, also the real one. I might have geeked out a little at this point.


Hee hee

Apollo 11, ring any bells?

Not the actual Voyager, it's pretty far away now.


The bear has a cool story -


I also went to the Museum of American History, many to see the Star Spangled Banner. Pictures weren't allowed (though I was tempted to take one anyway, no flash) so I just took one of the outside of the room

There was also this statue -


Heh, can't imagine why they didn't want to keep this out front.

Anyway, the rest of my time in DC was spent looking at the monuments. You will have to wait for my next post, though. If anyone even cares now that the Smithsonian is out of the way