Back in Oklahoma.

Tomorrow is update day.

Since Florida... (preview)

Yeah, so a month goes by and we miss the last two weeks of the Academy, my five hours in OK, the conference at Ames, seeing about half of my Academy (MB, MB, DS, SD, KA, and CR), trip to Pasadena, Lewis Black, JPL interviews, Magic Castle, and tomorrow more JPL interviews (and more Academy... JM!).

I'll hit the updates when I get back to Oklahoma, oh, let's say, Thursday-ish. Lots of pics, lots of stories. You'll get pics.

for those about to rock...

When was the last time we had a rainy dreary day in Cleveland? Weeks, right? Weeks.

Today: Drear City, USA.

What's funny is that it started off sunshiny enough. I left late because I was doing packing stuff. I had planned to drive through the Metroparks and up Aerospace to catch some nature and some airplanes landing on the commute. But my turn to come up by the airport was blocked by two police cars, flashing their lights and sirens at a big ol' wild turkey. I slowed down and almost got out to help... whatever they were doing? They weren't really, you know, persuading it to leave the middle of the road. So I drove away down the curvy parksy road and then turned around and came back, and they were to the other side of the intersection by then, so I could drive up to the airport perimeter road that goes into Glenn. I took some video, but it's probably not going to come through. Then there were lots of security guys all over the place and a big truck parked in that little hollow-dip thing. Kinda some weird stuff like that.

So then the day got cloudy, then rainy, then poury, and it stayed that way until just at sunset when the clouds parted a little bit and gave me some pretty red sunset action. Way to try to make it up, Cleave-land. But it was pretty. Pics later. Probably before all the other pics because these will be on top.

Flight leaves at 7 am tomorrow. Back to OKC from CLE for about six hours, then on to SJC to be at Ames by nighttime!

PS: I actually heard the title song on Toni's radio today.

That's it.

They're gone. Three last night... the ones that really wanted to get out of here. Dropped Kelly off at the airport this morning, which was super hard and cry-y. But I'll see her again. I wore my high heels that she made me get, and like, and I can totally walk in them like nobody's business. Not even a thing anymore. Then one last bagel and coffee breakfast, then Kathryn and Kat got on the road in their different directions (NY and SC), and then Frank at about 11 am. But I totally got to put off saying goodbye to him because he wants me to drive to Buffalo this afternoon and watch football with his family and friends and hang out (what else do I have to do but pack? And all that work, but there's all afternoon tomorrow and Monday for that...). Plus, I know I'm going to see my GNC in the future. No doubt.

I think Ivan's still here right now. He's leaving this afternoon? Have I ever known what's going on with Ivan? No. So we're not worrying about that one.

My end present from these guys was a thank-you video they (KP) put together which is pretty much the most glorious tear-inducing thing you've ever seen. If you're me, or some of them. Just... perfect. Their segments captured each one of them so well, and it's just... Thank you, guys. SO going to miss you all.

BUT this time next week, I'll be in Northern California with Doug and Christy, Melissa, Marshal, David, Shannon, and potentially Kelley, Graylan, Christian, Kakani, and Joannah. That's most of my Academy at Ames. How much does that freaking rock?!?

And Mad Academy Props to Marshal Blessing, who freakin' SURPRISE FLEW INTO CLEVELAND for a day to see us and the final presentations of the 2006 Glenn Academy and induct the students into the NAAA. So awesome! Thank you!

Thank you to so many people for making this summer glorious.

Thank you.

Frank and I had the same tandem guy. 

More getting into the plane 

Omar was our alumni host, and jumped with us (along with his friend Max). 

Yeah, flight suits 

I appreciate any chance to wear a flight suit. Even if it's purple. 

Here we were during prep time... 

Taking off... 

Yeah, that's my purple leg hanging out of the door. The door wasn't closed for a lot of the trip up... Ascending to 18,000 feet while slightly hanging out of an airplane is a pretty wild ride. 

Getting in the airplane 

We love our Charlie's Angels poses. 

Our skydiving GRC group 2006 

Covered pool area in the vacation home I rented. 

Florida has about 3 cows, and we saw them all. 

Pretty. 

So that was the KSC tours. A couple days later, clouds were still awesome. 

That's the launch pad over there. 

Beautiful, beautiful Florida. This is where I watched the real Return-to-Flight (high five!) launch from at about this time last year. 

But the vehicles are so heavy that they crush the river rock into sand beneath the treads. 

The river rock Crawler path leads up to the launch pad. That's how the space ships get there. 

Cables go from the launch pad to these deceleration nets for emergency egress. 

That was the part of the fence lined up with the flame trench. Yeah, I said "flame trench." Too cool. 

Perimeter fence deformation from the last launch 

Approaching the 39B launch pad 

Some freaking beautiful clouds that day. And tornado warnings. 

But we couldn't actually go over there.