Kennedy Space Center

March 17th Trip to Kennedy Space Center with Wayne and Ruth. Since we now have a car, it is possible to take trips to those places in Florida we missed on our original Loop trip. When we left Ft. Pierce last year we were in such a big hurry to get to Norfolk for the Looper Rendezvous that we bypassed the Kennedy Space Center, BIG MISTAKE. This is a great stop for anyone doing the Loop, lucky for us we had a second chance. This is an unbelieveable place. We first went to the 3D IMAX theater to see a film about the Hubble Telescope. I did not realize the mission that it was to perform, and then the maintenance and repairs that had to be performed in space. We then went to the Apollo Lunar Center. There were many displays of equipment and samples of moon rocks and crafts. Nancy just had to touch the moon rock. Probably won't be contaminated by the rock, but will get something from someone else touching the rock. We also expierenced the launch of an Apollo mission. The center had reassembled the actual control room, video, and audio of the Apollo mission to the moon. We went through the Orbitor and could see the shuttle bay, living quarters, and cockpit. We next went to Launch Pad 39B, where the next launch is to take place on Apirl 19th. The Orbitor is sitting on the pad and being preped for launch. The trip from the Orbitor Assembly Building to the launch pad takes 8 hours. It is only 3 miles. We had to try some SPACE DOTS, this is supposedly the ice cream of the Astronauts. I think I will stick with the real stuff. We finished the afternoon off with another 3D movie in the IMAX with a movie about the construction of the International Space Station. Being an 0ld machinist and manufacturing guy this was amazing stuff. Makes me wish that I had come to Florida as a young man and got a job at the Space Center. We finished the day having dinner with our good friends and traveling companions Wayne and Ruth Pollock. We are saying our goodbys for they are moving on North, home to Canada and completing the Loop. We vowed to see each other again, hoping that we will make it back to Canada and doing the small triangle with them soon.