Tis the season of Red Glare but the recent
wet
weather has prevented the crops from being harvested at Higgs
Farm. So
Toni and I found ourselves heading to the Central Sod Farm for a
rare
October launch. We crossed the Chesapeake Bay Bridge without any
issues
and enjoyed a leisurely breakfast with fellow rocketeers at
Hollys. We
then headed to Higgs Farm to complete some chores before
arriving at
the sod farm.
The wind was howling and the dust flying. It took a while to
decide
where to set up the launch equipment. A spot was found past the
sod
farm offices and the field was soon set up.
I had Shaken,
Not
Stirred prepped and itching to fly but was not happy
with the
possible recovery areas due to the winds. Shaken, Not
Stirred could
have smacked against the large irrigation system, or if it
missed that,
would have slammed into someone’s windshield in the parking
area. If Shaken,
Not Stirred
made it passed the parking area, it would have entered the trees
that
shade the office area. If it made it past the trees, it would
have
landed on the large roofs of the office or warehouse. I decided
to keep
Shaken, Not
Stirred
in the silo. Shaken,
Not Stirred will have to fly another day.
I videoed some flights and assisted other members the best I
could. The
weather was warm despite the howling winds and the dust devils.
A nice
day out in the sun watching rockets beats any day inside. Toni
and I
made our way back home when the sun started to set.
Red Glare XI dates are November 18-20, 2011. Many flyers east of
the
Mississippi are itching to fly and Red Glare XI is expected to
showcase
many of these large projects. If you like the roar of rockets
and
feeling the ground trembling from liftoffs, then Red Glare XI is
the
place to be. Until the next launch . . .
By Peter E. Abresch Jr.
By
Peter E. Abresch Jr.