SpaceX Falcon Heavy – Inaugural Launch

3-2-1 – Liftoff

After the last scrubbed attempt of the Atlas rocket launch, I miss my chance to see a live rocket launch.  I really want to see a live launch. I’m pretty bummed that the next scheduled launch at the KSC,  Kennedy Space Center, is a daytime launch. I really want to photograph a nighttime launch. They say things work out for a reason. If I had seen my original launch, I wouldn’t have made the trip back for the inaugural launch of the SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket. The Falcon Heavy is a concept from the visionary Elon Musk. […]

Kennedy Space Center, FL

T Minus 10 hours 12 minutes –

The Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex is organized into Mission Zones where attractions and tours are Space Suite Kennedy Space Centergrouped by chronological era. From the dawn of space exploration to current and ongoing missions. I’m in the park just as the gates open and opt to skip ahead in time.

The one thing I really want to do is the Shuttle Launch Experience. Veteran NASA astronauts call the simulation the next best thing to flying aboard the space shuttle.

To ensure I beat the crowds, I dart across the park quickly looking through the Rocket Garden heading over to the Atlantis Discovery Center.

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St Petersburg Supergraphic

A Winters Tale, St. Petersburg, FL

A Winters Tale

Before I begin my Winters Tale, its worth noting I am trying to escaping the cold of Kentucky. However, my first week in Florida offers an unusually long period of temps below freezing.  In such, the initial foray into RV living is not without challenges.  With temps dipping below freezing, the nightly routine is to disconnect water and sanitation hoses. On nights when temp is just above freezing, I don’t sleep soundly. I wake up every couple of hours to run a little water from each of the faucets and flush the toilet. […]

Georgia Supergraphic

Georgia Beaches & Peaches

Barbie Beach –

Trying to find a “Peach” connection in December is a bit of a challenge. I check out Peachtree City in search of a Georgia Peach or just something peachy but am quickly diverted from my peach hunt once I learn of Barbie Beach.

Barbie Beach Sign - Curious CraigI am not far outside of Atlanta and nowhere near the ocean. The Beach is just outside of Peachtree City in Turin, GA. The Beach is a popular attraction for locals and has even been the subject of a Cannes film festival documentary. Barbie Beach intrigues me and is something I’ve got to see.

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Mammoth Cave Supergraphic

Kentucky Caves and Kangaroos

Traveling in a fried-out Kombi

I turn off of I-65 at the Mammoth Cave exit. The stretch of road leading to the visitor center is lined with kitschy tourist traps. Right off the exit is a towering T-Rex promoting Dinosaur World.  Big Mike’s appears to be the powerhouse of rock shops, but this doesn’t dissuade some locals from piling their geodes on pallets and makeshift plywood tables to hock their crystalline rocks and other novelties. I admire their capitalistic idealism.  Of course, there is the always ever-present southern favorite: hillbilly mini-golf, taffy and fudge shops. […]