Huntsville, Alabama 2024
NASA Student Launch Competition
Prologue
In April 2024, Jimmy and I made a trip to Huntsville, Alabama for the NASA Student Launch Competition. Jimmy was mentor to the Swamp Launch Team from University of Florida. Orientation, checking the students' rockets for flight readiness, and the Rocket Fair, occurred at the Von Braun Center. After that, everyone met at Bragg Farms, where the students launched their rockets. The following day, Jimmy and I drove home.
Day 1: Wednesday, 10 April 2024
Route: We drove north on I-75 to Tifton, Georgia, where we turned left onto US-82 and headed west. Just past Union Springs, we turned right onto AL-110 and drove north until we come to AL-108. We turned right onto AL-108 and continued a short distance until we reached I-85. We took the on-ramp for I-85 West and headed into the heart of Montgomery, just as the clouds let loose and rain came pouring down. We merged onto I-65 and headed north. The rain turned into a drizzle and stopped shortly after we passed through Birmingham. When we reached Huntsville, we merged onto I-565 heading east. We got off I-565 at Governors Drive and drove through town to get to our destination, the Nest.
We rented the bottom floor of a 3-story townhome near 5-Points called the Nest. It was a cozy place, with a fully functional kitchen with pots, pans, glasses, plates, utensils, a large refrigerator, and a stove and oven. There was a small round table for eating, with two high stools with seats that cantilevered over the legs. The seats were a bit precarious and kind of uncomfortable, but with a little care when mounting and the addition of a fluffy towel to act as a cushion, the chairs worked well.
There was a small room with cushy, comfy chairs and a television with Netflix and other such subscriptions. One evening, after dinner, we watched Last Action Hero starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and Austin O'Brien. Arnold played himself as an actor who played a character (Jack Slater) on an action-packed television series. Austin played a young boy (Danny Madigan) who was obsessed with Slater. Danny was magically sucked into the fictional world of Jack Slater. There was a lot of action, a lot of humor, and references to other movies and tv shows. Eventually the fictional characters, and Danny, were brought into the real world. The action continued and there wass a nice ending. (No spoiler alerts here.)
The bedroom had a large, nicely made bed and a table and chair that I used as my office while we were there. There was a big window that looked out at the back yard. A walk-in closet was off of the bedroom and contained stacks of fluffy towels, dish towels, and wash cloths, as well as robes, rugs, and hangers with enough space to hang our clothes.
A door in the kitchen opened to a small porch with stairs that led down into a backyard. The yard was very long, running parallel to the building, and not very wide, with a tall, wooden fence that also ran parallel to the building. Standing at the top of the porch, we could see over the fence and the houses behind us. The houses were set in a patchwork of fences and most of them had a dog or two in their backyard. The dogs were well-behaved and quiet.
Our hosts had named this place the Nest because a robin kept her nest with her babies above a light just outside the entry door. She was there feeding her babies when we arrived. Accordingly, there was a lot of bird-themed artwork in the home. It was a peaceful, quiet place, close enough to the Von Braun Center for Jimmy to walk to and from the rocket events happening at the center. We met our hosts on the morning when we were packing up to head home and had a nice conversation and a pleasant farewell.
We were taking an ice cooler with us, but on the morning of our departure, when we looked in the freezer there were only a couple of small plastic soda bottles filled with frozen water. We added the two bottles to the cooler and planned on getting a bag or two of ice to add when we stopped for gas. We packed the cooler with carrots, tomatoes, celery, lettuce, cheddar cheese, parmesan, pecorino romano, and mozzarella, and a plastic bowl with a snap lid with a recently made pizza dough. We also packed (not in the cooler) a can of black beans, a can of cannellini beans, jalepeños, a bag of flour, olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, and a few other spices. We stopped at a gas station just before getting on I-75, filled up, then buckled up and headed for the highway. An hour down the road, with many miles behind us and many, many miles to go before we would need more gas, we both realized: we did not get ice! We reviewed what we had in the cooler. The cheeses? They'll be alright. The veggies? They'll be fine. The pizza dough? Jimmy tells me this is perfect. The dough would rise on the ride up and when we reached our destination it would be ready for making focaccia. We continued driving and did not worry about getting ice. When we reached the Nest, the dough was risen, the veggies and cheeses were doing just fine, and we had a lovely dinner.
Day 2: Thursday, 11 April 2024
It was about a mile and a half from the Nest to the Von Braun Center, where the pre-flight rocket events were happening. Though it was a cold and drizzly day in Huntsville, Jimmy opted to walk to the center. The night before, we plotted a route from the Nest to the center. Start down Holmes Avenue.
The north end of Holmes Avenue runs through the Old Town Historic District. Most of the houses in Old Town were built between 1870 and 1930, though there are a few that were built before the Civil War. The neighborhood is composed mostly of Victorian homes with ornate decorations. The yards are small, well-kept, and many have very prettily tended gardens. Jimmy enjoyed this part of the walk.
Once you get to Church Street, turn left, go one block, then turn right onto Clinton Street. Now you would be in downtown proper. There are stores and cafes and other buildings clustered together in a charming way and not overbearing.
Turn left when you get to Madison Street and the world opens up, with Big Spring International Park to your left and the Von Braun Center to your right. Continue on Madison Street until you see water flowing in a canal. Turn right and follow the canal to the back of the center. There you will see the entrance to South Hall, where all the pre-flight rocket activities were being held.
The Swamp Launch Team arrived early and took the front-row seat at Orientation. They were instructed on the sequence of events (orientation, flight check, rocket fair, and finally flight day) and what would be expected for each event. They were given strict and thorough instructions on protocol and safety. And they were implored to be respectful to the people and property of Bragg Farms, who provided the range for flying the rockets. After Orientation, team rockets were checked for flight readiness. The students of the Swamp Launch Team were told their wiring was too messy, to go and clean it up, then come back for a re-check. Jimmy reported that the students replaced the old, dirty wiring with new, clean wires and, though it was still a bit chaotic, their rocket passed on the second review.
(with a slight detour)
Jimmy called me in the afternoon and said he left the Von Braun Center and was walking back to the Nest. A few minutes after we hung up, I looked at Google maps on my phone and saw the Jimmy dot just starting to head up Holmes Avenue. Thirty minutes later or so, I thought to myself, hmm. Jimmy should have been back by now. I checked my phone. The Jimmy dot was far down California Street, heading south, away from the Nest. I had no idea what route he took to get there. So I called him, he answered, and I asked him if he knew he was off track. He said he was starting to think he might be going the wrong way. I asked him if he was near a cemetery, and he said yes, a really old and interesting one, and that he was taking pictures. Thus started Jimmy's adventure into Twickenham and the Maple Hill Cemetery.
In 1805, John Hunt founded a small settlement in what was then the Mississippi Territory (now Alabama) that would one day be called Huntsville. Hunt was drawn to the area by stories he had heard from native Americans about a Big Spring with ever-flowing water that was fresh and clear. By 1808, there were 300 people in the town. Also in 1808, Madison County was created and Hunt's settlement was in Madison County. In 1810, Leroy Pope arrived and began buying and selling land, bringing in new settlers and rapidly increasing the town's population. Pope also petitioned the territorial legislature to make this new town the seat of government for Madison County. Pope succeeded and he declared the name of the town to be Twickenham, after the home of the English Poet Alexander Pope. Then came the War of 1812 and English names became unfashionable. The name was changed to Huntsville in honor of the town's first settler.
The Twickenham Historic District is located on the west side of California Street. The houses in Twickenham were built from the 1810s to the 1960s, but predominantly most of the houses were built before the Civil War. Besides Twickenham, there are two other Historic Districts in downtown Huntsville: Old Town, already mentioned, and Five Points. The houses in Five Points were built from 1892 to the 1950s. Twickenham was declared a historic district in 1972; Old Town in 1974, and Five Points in 1999.
Maple Hill Cemetery is the oldest and largest cemetery in Alabama. Leroy Pope was buried at Maple Hill in 1884. Confederate and Union soldiers are buried at Maple Hill. Other burials include governors of Alabama, US senators and representatives, two German-American rocket pioneers brought to the US after World War II (Konrad Dannenberg and Georg von Tiesenhausen), and General Samuel H. Moore who, though a General, is more famous for his cow Lily Flagg, a 960-pound Jersey who, in 1892, produced a half-ton of butter, making her the world's largest butter producer for that year. Lily Flagg is not buried at Maple Hill.
The Maple Hill Cemetery became official in 1822 after Leroy Pope sold the land to the city. At the time, the cemetery covered 2 acres of land. Now, it occupies 100 acres and has more than 80,000 burials. Maple Hill Park is located on the east edge of the cemetery (red star in above map). In 2007 the city tried to expand the cemetery by using the park as burial grounds, but people living in the surrounding neighborhoods put their collective foot down and said "No!" And the mission to expand the cemetery was halted. The park is the most haunted spot in Huntsville. It is said that the ghosts who haunt the park are the souls of children who died during the 1918 flu epidemic.
Jimmy told me when he was a boy, he went to cemeteries with his family to visit the graves of relatives. Inspired by the many headstones, instead of hearing 'cemetery', Jimmy heard 'cementary'.
My favorite image Jimmy brought back from Maple Hill was of a tree trunk colored yellow with vines of ivy carved into the trunk. This was a centuries-old tree that was severely damaged in storms and had to be cut down. The lands keepers at the cemetery were heartbroken at the thought of the removal of this tree. So they had the top cut off and carried away and commissioned artist Roark Phillips to do the carving on the tree.
You can see more of Roark Phillips art at his website: https://elkrivercarving.com/.
When I saw that the Jimmy dot on my phone was approaching the Nest, I went outside and sat under the porch on a bench. I watched down the street in the direction from which he would be coming. It was still cold and drizzly outside. The robin was in her nest with her chicks. Then down the street, I saw him! Jimmy dot had become Jimmy. His hair and clothes were damp and he looked like a weary traveler, but he was smiling. And while I took pictures of him, he took video of me, the old camera-camera show down. He sat on the bench with me and we watched the rain and the robin. Jimmy asked "What's for dinner?" I said, "black beans, tortillas, cheese, and salad."
On the first date Jimmy and I ever had, he invited me over for home-made pizza. He picked me up and, as we were driving to his house, he made a joke: "I decided not to make pizza and instead got a couple of Road Doggies." He side-eyed me with a smirkish grin, put his right arm up in a defensive position, kind of scrunched away from me, and said, "Don't hit me! Don't hit me!" I wasn't sure how to respond. Then he laughed and said he was only kidding and his body relaxed back into normal driving posture. That night, I was amazed as I watched him create a pizza. The dough and sauce were freshly made, he used the best cheeses, fresh mushrooms, fresh basil and oregano, and really good olives (not the black ones in the can). He did everything without effort, it was a performance, a dance, and all throughout, he interacted with me. I was impressed. And then, when the pizza came out hot and steamy, the crust perfectly browned, and the cheese and toppings a work of art, I was astonished. When I first tasted the pizza, I thought: wow. This is good. At the time, the pinnacle of my culinary expertise was making a cold cheese sandwich, you know, a very simple one: store-bought bread, cheddar cheese, mayonnaise, and if I'm really on my game, maybe tomato and lettuce. Jimmy taught me how to cook and, over the years, I have become quite good at it. So, on this second day in Huntsville, Alabama, while Jimmy was finding his way home from his unexpected adventure, I started black bean soup, made tortillas, and prepared a plate with cheddar cheese and veggies. I was sure to include what Jimmy taught me is the most important ingredient in any recipe: Love.
Day 3: Friday, 12 April 2024
The rocket teams arrived at the Von Braun Center and, while they were setting up their booths to showcase their rockets, one by one the teams were escorted into another room to have their team photo taken. Once done, they would return to their booths and continue setting up.
This is the NASA Student Launch Rocket Fair, held every year, and open to the public. As well, the mentors and judges and family and friends of the rocketeers attend. You can walk from booth to booth and see some amazing rockets. The students are all very sharp and enjoy explaining how their rockets were made, how they would work, and what their projects are. It is a bustling, busy crowd and there is a feel of excitement in the air, for the following day would be launch day.
Big Spring International Park is built around Big Spring, the spring that lured John Hunt into the area. Big Spring is still gushing out water that is clear and fresh. The Von Braun Center and the Huntsville Museum of Art are located in the park. There are pools of water and canals intertwined with stairs, bridges, and walkways that are open, interesting, and aesthetically pleasing. Large Koi fish swim in the pools of water.
Eggs nestled under a bush, near the Four Way Test sign, gave evidence of other animals making use of the park. Rocks, grasses, and wildflowers lined the banks of the waterways, providing more habitat. A snake was sighted hanging out in the rocks. The park has a pleasant and calm atmosphere. It is a good place for a stroll.
We decided we wanted chicken for dinner, so we made a trip to a local grocery store, the Star Supermarket. It was a quaint store, with narrow aisles and small shopping carts that just fit the aisles. The produce department had wonderfully fresh vegetables that were probably locally grown and there was a bona-fide butcher shop with a massive glass display up on a raised floor. Behind the glass was a huge array of meats freshly cut and prettily presented. While we waited for the butcher, Jimmy noticed the rib-eye steaks, a bit down the counter from the chicken, lined up on the top-most tier, looking out from the other side of the glass. The butcher came out, a big man looking down on us from behind the counter. We decided on a few chicken tenders. While the butcher wrapped the chicken, Jimmy's gaze turned again to the rib-eye. Jimmy said, "those are some nice rib-eye." I asked if he wanted some. He said no. The butcher handed me the chicken, I put it in the basket. We moved on, and as we walked past the rib-eye, Jimmy's eyes fixated on the steaks, his head rotating to maintain eye contact. At the end of the counter, he tore his gaze from the steaks and once again looked ahead. We went around the corner. Then, Jimmy stalled. He let go of our cart and walked back to the display. I grabbed the cart and followed him. The butcher stood there, looking down, anticipating. Jimmy said he would like a rib-eye, please. After careful consideration, Jimmy picked his steak. The butcher reached in and plucked out the chosen parcel of meat, held it up in his big beefy hand and modeled it as a prized meal, turning it this way and that way, light shining off angles of moistened flesh and bone. I could almost hear a choir of angels singing. The butcher exclaimed, "Nice choice!" Then wrapped up the carefully stalked and captured prey and handed it to Jimmy. Later, at dinner, Jimmy declared it to be a very good steak.
18 May 2024: I'm at home writing about Jimmy's rib-eye. Jimmy is patting out pizza dough. I mention to him what I am writing about and he says, about the rib-eye steaks at the Star Supermarket: "I've never seen a display of dead animal parts that was so appealing."
After we were done at the supermarket, we a quick trip to the Dollar Store that was on the other side of an alley, south of the supermarket. Jimmy needed flip flops. When we got to the store, there was a "Going Out of Business" sign and, through the big windows, we could see rows and rows of empty shelves. Not a good sign, but optimistically, we entered the store. We were the only customers. There were two guys at the counter. I asked them, where are the flip flops? And they pointed to the wall to our left, and told us there weren't many left. But Jimmy was already picking up a pair, his size, and said, "yes, these are perfect!" They were a cheap pair, like I used to get from 7-elevens when I was a kid, and they had the American flag waving across the foot of the flops, but they would serve their purpose. The tag on the flip flops said they cost a dollar something, but when they rang up the amount, it was a total of 12 cents plus one cent tax. What a deal! We went back to the Nest, Jimmy showered, put on his new flops, and we had a great dinner. The flops made it home with us and Jimmy still uses them, but I'm expecting they'll blow out any day now.
Day 4: Saturday, 12 April 2024
It had been drizzling/raining for the first 3 days we were in Huntsville and the rocketeers were worried we might not be able to fly on Saturday. The weather forecast predicted flight day would be sunny with little to no rain, but the ground was so wet that might cause the flights to be delayed until Sunday.
By Friday night, the decision was made: the launch was a go for Saturday, but only a minimal number of cars would be allowed to park at the farm. When we got to Bragg Farms the next morning, we were directed to continue to Murphy Hill Baptist Church, where we parked and rode a bus to the farm. When the parking lot at the Murphy Hill Baptist Church was filled up, cars were directed to park at the Madison County Co-Op and St. Rebecca Presbyterian Church. The bus drove from the farm to the Co-Op, to the Presbyterian Church, to the Baptist Church, and back to the farm all day long. An hour or so after the Swamp Team launched, we got on the bus and took the tour, then was let off at the Baptist Church. We got in our truck and took the back way out to get home.
Preparation for launch required face-painting in Gator colors, eating junk food, drinking Capris Sun, and - oh yea, putting the rocket together! And a final group photo before heading out on the range.
The team was scheduled to launch in the second round. When the time came, their rocket was ready. They carried it out into the field, put the rocket on the launch rod, and turned on the electronics. Then they came back to the viewing area.
As the rockets launched, this was how the crowd responded:
Look up! There it goes! Sometimes: Heads up! It's coming in! When the drogue comes out, you get a lot of yays! When the parachute comes out, the crowd claps and cries out in joy. If the parachute fails to deploy, you get a collective aaaaaaughhhh..... Rocket people are a very emotional sort of people.
The Swamp Team's rocket flew true, the drogue and the parachute deployed, and though the rocket landed rather distantly from the launch site, it was intact and ready to fly again, another day.
Well, it was late, so we ate more of the chicken and rib-eye with salad and went to bed. The chicken was gone but there was still a substantial amount of rib-eye left over and Jimmy said, "tomorrow, we will get ice to get this rib-eye home." We stopped at one gas station in the morning (we had to fill up) and we did fill up, but the store itself was closed. So we went to another gas station right next door and got ice. The rib-eye made it home and so did we.
Day 5: : Sunday, 14 April 2024
We planned to return the same way we came, but there was a change of course at the start of our journey. Instead of hopping onto I-565, we ended up on US-231.
At first, I was confused, but it soon became apparent that we were not getting on I-565. We were on an access road for US-231 and US-431, and we went up on-ramps then down off-ramps a few times before we actually merged onto US-231 (blue circle on above map). By this time, I figured out we were on US-231 and realized we should have taken Clinton Avenue to Governors Drive to connect with I-565. We decided to keep course and try a new route.
US-231 began in the city but morphed into suburbia and then to the countryside. At Laceys Spring, we turned right onto AL-36 west, which cut across to I-65. It was a quick escape from the city and very little Sunday morning traffic and few red lights passing through the suburbs and, once in the countryside, a pleasant drive with nice scenery. About a half an hour later, we began seeing bail bonds, lawyer, and Repent! or go to hell! billboards. We knew we were getting close to the interstate. We made to I-65, hopped on, and headed south. This detour added about 15 minutes to our drive.
When we crossed over the Alabama-Georgia line, Jimmy took some nice pictures of the Eufaula Railroad Bridge as we crossed the Chattahoochee River. On the other side of the river, we lost an hour, as we shifted from Central to Eastern Time. We continued driving and we drove and drove and then drove some more and finally made it home near midnight. We greeted our cats, asked if they missed us, and they said, "oh? You were gone?" Many thanks to our neighbor who lovingly cares for our cats when we are gone. It was good to be home.
teresa marie yawn 7 June 2024