The moon beamed its crescent smile and the stars winked in approval as the dark morning sky brightened in the first phase of Space Shuttle Endeavor's lift-off. Then a fiery burst and the shuttle was streaking into the sky, a black contrail snaking behind the bright red ball.
This was our second attempt to witness the launch. We were on the same Banana River Bridge yesterday, fingers poised over the record buttons on our cameras, waiting for lift-off, when the launch was cancelled due to low-lying clouds. Yesterday, Sunday, the crowd was larger. Cars were parked on the shoulders of the highway as far back as the mainland and there was much more traffic congestion. Today, I suppose, many had to go to work. But there was a crowd none-the-less. They were huddled against the early morning chill in blankets and in their cars which were jammed in every available space on the shoulders and the median of the highway leading to Cape Canaveral. Police cars were present, but the "No Parking" signs went unenforced as we awaited the history-making final, night shuttle launch. When the voice of an announcer squawked from a car radio that the launch was a success, a cheer rose from the assembled masses. The red fireball slowly shrank in size as it reached across the Atlantic Ocean, and the cars began to disperse. Another once in a lifetime event to check off on our bucket list.
We're spending some time in Orlando with our dear friends Dolly and Alan. Today the men are going to a car auction, and the ladies plan to have some girl time.
No comments:
Post a Comment