June Alumni Camp Weekend

[pilotgirl21]

OK, so I wrote a myspace blog about the Alumni weekend. I'm just going to copy it over here. Enjoy! Pics to come soon! My avatar that I put up today is a new pic from camp.

Well, I have returned from yet another trip to Alabama to the United States Space and Rocket Center (USSRC), home to Space Camp (SC). I hadn't been down there since 98, so there were quite a few changes done, but most of the things were still familiar.

My flight arrived at Huntsville International Airport at 9am on Thursday morning. I was surprised to find a camp van waiting to pick me up. To make a long story short, the van was supposed to pick up somebody else that had taken the same flight as me. Somehow our names got mixed up.

So, I had almost 5 hours to kill before camp started. I decided to get my shopping over with. I bought plenty of souvenirs. I met up with three other fellow campers at lunch...Diane (who was my roommate), Ben, and "Richasi". Diane started leading us on a private tour of the training floor to places that weren't there when I last visited camp. I took plenty of pictures.

When camp finally started, we had our normal orientation and we decided what positions we wanted to be for our mission. Even though I wrote down pilot, I ended up as shuttle commander. That means that I could kill everybody on landing, since I was the one who had to land the shuttle.

After dinner, we had a few guest speakers: Mike Durant, Jamail Larkins, and Story Musgrave. They told us their stories and we had questions and answers. After we were done with the guest speakers, we had some of the astronaut trainings...the 1/6th gravity chair, which feels like walking on the moon...the MAT, the spinning thing that I won't go on...and the 5DF and the MMU, which simulate moving around and working in space. That was a lot of fun. Then since we were all tired, it was off to bed in the Hab. And I needed some rest, since by that point I had been awake for 19 hours.

Friday morning started with the terrible breakfast (all meals were terrible!). We traveled over to the Aviation Challenge (AC) camp for what was supposed to be a dunker exercise, where you are lowered into the water in a section of an airplane or something and you have to get out. Turns out the dunker was broken, so we ended up having raft races. We split into two teams of six, and then divided into groups of 3. My group...Nathan, Chris from team Columbia, and myself were actually pretty good at the raft racing. Oh yes, and we did the centrifuge from AC, which was featured on the Amazing Race when they came through SC. That was really fun.

We had our team photo(s) taken also. We had our individual team photos and then we took an alumni group photo. We were all supposed to pay for our extra photo, but a Very Nice Person covered the costs. We got to sit and listen to Story Musgrave speak again, this time it was on a very personal level...only the alumni campers were in on this speech. "Richasi" and I decided that we did not want to attend the Ares Briefing, so we got ourselves some dippin dots. I finally met Jason in person at that point. I had been corresponding with him over hab1 and on aim, and we had been at camp the same week back in 1998.
After talking with Jason for a bit, "Richasi" and I walked around the museum, which was great because the museum was closed, so it was nice and quiet. We had dinner and our mission training after dinner. I was the commander of the space shuttle...and that was new to me! I had been pilot and I had been a payload specialist, but never commander. I was responsible for bringing my crew and ship back home and landing on the runway. The landing training didn't go too well. My crew was killed four times during training.

After training, we had some museum sim time. We went on the Mars sim ride and climbed the indoor rock wall. Why is it that whenever I climb a rock wall, I cannot land on my feet at the bottom? I always land on my back! After the sims, we had our actual mission. Low and behold, I safely brought my crew home and landed in the trees next to the runway. At this point, some of us were ready for an Abort to Otters (ATO), the bar at the Marriott next to the USSRC. I had a lot of fun of course. I met Commander Hot Dog at that time.

Moving on to Saturday, we had another crappy breakfast. After breakfast, we saw the IMAX "Hail Columbia". It was nice to finally see this movie again! Even though Columbia no longer exists.

After the movie, we took the bus over to Area 51 and took part in the high ropes course. There was a 50 foot climbing wall. For those who didn't want to do the climbing wall, there was a ladder (can't remember it's exact name) on the other side. After reaching the top, you got to go down the zip line. You were chained with 2 other members of camp (or in my case, only 1 other person since I was in that leftovers group). Your fellow campers were also holding the ropes so that you wouldn't die if you fell. I put my life into my fellow campers hands, and I survived the climbing wall with no major problems. The zip line down was so much fun. It felt like you were flying. The hardest part was at the top...you had to fall forwards. Once I got over that fear (and I'm pretty fearless, but I was 50 feet above the ground), the zip line was over way too soon.

We had lunch and then took the bus over to AC to do sims. Way too much sim time. Almost 4 hours of sim time. And I had no idea how to get the brakes off, so I wasn't going anywhere. My backseat pilot and I were just joking around through the headsets while I was still searching for that button to let the brakes go. Finally that sim time was over.
We had a special dinner with another astronaut, Hoot Gibson. He had many stories to tell about his time in space.

We had a joint mission that we pushed for on Saturday night. Both Columbia and Challenger teams worked together on this mission. I was in mission control as Flight Director for this mission. It was a pretty boring job, so I was making noises and talking about concessions (long story) and feeding Nathan some peanut M&M's (not exactly feeding them to him, but I gave him a bag of them). I also retired a few times from the job.

After the mission, we had yet another ATO and Hoot Gibson was also there. Some of us stayed out until almost 2am at a bar that is supposed to close at midnight. I really really had an absolute blast that night (for anyone who was still there, you know what went on). I think the ATO's helped bring many of us closer together.

And now it's Sunday, our last day. After cleaning out our rooms and looking at breakfast (LMAO I didn't actually eat breakfast that day), we had some free time until viewing another IMAX. Nathan, "Richasi", and I walked around the museum and gift shop. We saw "The Dream Is Alive" that morning, another movie that I hadn't seen in many years. I brought my own concessions to the theater and yelled at "Richasi" for purchasing concessions at the expensive concession stand. Sad times afterwards...graduation time. And then camp was officially over. I had to say good-bye to the Columbia team...and it was hard since I had grown closer to especially one of them the night before.

The Challenger team made its way to the Marriott and ate some real food for lunch. Many of us still had plenty of time to kill, so we spent some more time around the museum and went to say good-bye to Jason. We hitched a ride back on the camp bus to the airport and spent almost two hours there before I had to say good-bye to another few people. Oh yes, and there was that one lady that dropped her food on the floor across from "Richasi" and me and then she picked it up and ate it. LOL, sorry, I had to throw that story in because it still cracks me up everytime I think of it. Anyways, we said our good-byes and got on our separate planes. My plane touched down at 8:40pm and I got home around 10:15.

If you have never experienced Space Camp, you may not have read through this long blog. I wanted to write down my experience not only so I could share it with everybody, but so that I won't forget any of the wonderful times that I had at my Space Camp weekend. I hope that one day many of our teammates will go back at the same time and be able to enjoy each other's company again. Until that time...there is e-mail, myspace, and hab1 to keep us all in touch. Maybe some of us will even visit each other one day in the future. Only time will tell. I know that I miss everyone so much already and the great time that I had at the Alumni Weekend and I know that one day, I will be returning to the USSRC and participating in yet another Space Camp.

[Hotdog]

it was a weekend that ended too soon. One of my ideas for the Alumni Association is a set weekend every summer known as "Alumni Weekend". Much like this past weekend. Alumni from around the country, from years past would all converge upon the Rocket Center, either for a casual visit or to enroll in a special Alumni Camp set aside for that weekend. It would happen every year. Imagine hundreds of "Commander Hotdogs" coming back to tour the Center again for the first time in forever, and getting to know the current staff and trainees as well as catching up with old friends and former staff, etc. It would be great for the alumni as well as the SC program. Campers would look forward to this event every year, and i think current SC graduates looking for reunion-type of events would embrace this as well and would be more inclined to stay involved with Space Camp post-camp if this was a sure thing.

[rkolker]

Well, since I was commanding the ascent portion of the second sim, I should probably complain about the Flight director bailing out on me, except since I only talk to the capcom, I didn't know until later

The biggest disappointment was the sims. They didn't take into account these were experienced campers and would want a well organized, challenging sim, and more than one of them. Too much time at Aviation Challenge. I wasn't there for raft races or air combat, I was there for Space Camp.

I was glad I attended. I met good people, and that's always great, but the program itself was a disappointment. I hope they take all our advice into account for August.

[JennieM]

Thanks for posting the recap. I agree with having an Alumni Weekend every year. If they won't do that, maybe Hab1 can come to a consensus on a weekend and everyone that wants to go, sign up for that weekend.

[iheartspacecamp]

I can't wait until August! and I definitely agree that they should do it every year!

[rkolker]

Just a suggestion.

Instead of waiting for Space Camp to set up an Alumni session every year, work with them and organize it using this site. If the alumni come as an organized group, they can work with SC management to provide the experience they are looking for.

This is what we have done in the past with Enterprise Team (and other groups have as well) and Mike Flachbart and the gang are open to working with groups like this.

[Richasi]

It would happen every year. Imagine hundreds of "Commander Hotdogs" .

I don't know if they could handle hundreds of Commander Hotdogs!!!

[Richasi]

The biggest disappointment was the sims. They didn't take into account these were experienced campers and would want a well organized, challenging sim, and more than one of them. Too much time at Aviation Challenge. I wasn't there for raft races or air combat, I was there for Space Camp.

If we had gotten to do the Helo Dunker rather than Raft Races, I think our experience at AC that day would have been much better. That said, I enjoyed the Raft Race too. And the High Ropes/Zip Line. The only part of my AC time I did NOT enjoy was the Dog Fighting. Why? A quick 10-minute or less lecture on what the buttons do that was highly inadequate. Since I'm not a pilot I knew I'd never fly those sims. So I didn't. That time was really and truly wasted. Although Lisa and I made a good time of it paired up for the sim =)

Otherwise, I do agree that we should have had at a bare minimum, two 2-hour missions just like regular adult camp does. THEN they should have layered at least a 6-hour or 8-hour EDM just for the alumni.

I must say I had a great time and can't wait to go back to Camp. I've not felt this way about Space Camp in quite some time!

[Richasi]

Instead of waiting for Space Camp to set up an Alumni session every year, work with them and organize it using this site. If the alumni come as an organized group, they can work with SC management to provide the experience they are looking for.

I wholeheartedly agree. I'm doing this now with a group of Cirque du Soleil fans. We get together and enjoy each other's company. Something grass roots like that could very easily be done here. We come to a consensus on what Adult Program and Week/end to try and go from there.

I'm definitely open to doing this. And with our friends at the USSRC, we should at least have a great time. Anyone else interested?

[Benji]

For those who didn't want to do the climbing wall, there was a ladder (can't remember it's exact name) on the other side.

Giant's Ladder

Oh yes, and there was that one lady that dropped her food on the floor across from "Richasi" and me and then she picked it up and ate it.

Ewwww, gross!


It was a real pleasure meeting everyone. I hope our paths will cross again, soon.

[Princess]

I am in for next year!

I remembered as a kid (1987) that this was the best camp I had ever attended ..now I can say that as an adult (2007) as well.

Amen to not doing the "dog fights" again and Halleluiah to a longer mission in space

Even with them losing my luggage (both arriving at camp and at home)..this was the best time I have had in a long while J

[Richasi]

Even with them losing my luggage (both arriving at camp and at home)..this was the best time I have had in a long while J

Jeezu, you got shafted twice? What airline did you fly so I know to avoid them in the future?

[Boomerang]

I'm guessing it was probably Delta. We have a joke down here at camp about what delta stands for.

Don't
Expect
Luggage
To
Arrive

[pilotgirl21]

LOL, I flew American, and I think that my flight was the only one not delayed on the way back. Actually, we landed about 15 minutes early.

I would be interested in setting up a weekend every year for camp. That would be great! I had a great time at camp and the people who went to camp were just wonderful. I hope to cross paths with many of them again at camp.

[Princess]

Lucky you ...my flight carrier was American as well

[Richasi]

I've flown Delta for years and haven't once yet lost a bag. The first time I flew American my bag was lost for days...

[Boomerang]

Well i dont know if the main delta air lines is as bad as their regional carriers that now fly most of their flights. I recall seeing 2 of their regional carriers listed among the top 10 worst airlines high on the list for losing luggage. The meaning of Delta was told to me m,y first day here when the person picking me up commented on how lucky i was that my luggage arrived with me.

[pilotgirl21]

I've only flown commercially on two round-trips in my life. The first time I was 10 and we flew on the now non-existant Midway Airlines and we carried our bags on. This was the second time I ever flew and the first time I checked my bags. I watched my bag being placed onto the plane, so I knew that it would be there when I got off. And I took a direct flight, which I know that many of the others that flew had connecting flights, which may lead to baggage getting screwed up even more.

[des]

Hah! I have to share that with a friend of mine who loves these. I guess I will have to change planes from Southwest (just about the only airline that flies out of here).

I have 3 1/2 more weeks of summer school and some real serious stuff to deal with my mom who has Alzheimers. I am still planning on August camp-- but am holding on a little bit more.

BTW, my little camp is up to 10 and we are capping it, as the logistics for 10 are really quite enough.

--des

I'm guessing it was probably Delta. We have a joke down here at camp about what delta stands for.

Don't
Expect
Luggage
To
Arrive

[monkeynautt]

I had my flag shipped home because I didn't trust the airline. That and it didn't really fit in my suitcase.