Atlas 5 Rocket Launch Viewed from Cocoa Beach

Marlon heard that there was going to be an Atlas 5 Rocket launching this evening, so we headed over to the Cocoa Beach Pier to view the launch.

This Atlas rocket was to launch the first Wideband Global SATCOM spacecraft...whatever that is. Here is the video as recorded by DOUG with the camera...

and here's the same event recorded by MARLON with the camcorder...

The pictures following were taken when we returned to Cocoa Beach during the daytime the following Saturday.

Although the sand at Cocoa Beach is not white like at Navarre Beach, it is pretty clean.

A small sea gull struggles to keep hold of his food.

Marlon made sure to take off his $1 shoes so they didn't get wet.

This is the Cocoa Beach pier where we viewed the Atlas Rocket launch days before. We stood at the very end near the Tiki Bar.

To see a few more pictures of the Atlas Rocket Launch and Cocoa Beach, go to http://public.fotki.com/Marlonfleenor/1/2007/october/atlas-rocket-launch/ and http://public.fotki.com/Marlonfleenor/1/2007/october/cocoa-beach/ .

To be continued...

The Great Outdoors Resort, Titusville, Florida

Next we headed to The Great Outdoors RV, Nature & Golf Resort. But we'll just refer to it as The Great Outdoors from here on out. The Great Outdoors is located in Titusville, Florida and is just 12 miles from the NASA Visitor Center at the Kennedy Space Center.

All of the RV sites at The Great Outdoors are deeded to individual owners and are quite large. There are several different types of properties at the park. Property in the park sells from $69,900 for a basic RV site all the way up to $800,000 for a resort home with RV garage.

Our street came with its very own family of cranes.

Although we didn't see any, apparently there are also alligators prowling around the property now and then.

Deer are seen at all times of the day and night in many sections of the park. This deer was enjoying the peace and quiet of the nature trail while we were bicycling down it.

This marked the first time we had removed the bikes from the RV to ride them. Hopefully, we will do it more often in the future.

Marlon put together a video of the nature trail at The Great Outdoors. Click below to view it.
Sammy finds peace and relaxation in the plush driver's seat.

Rving presents plenty of opportunity to learn how to play shuffleboard if the desire ever hits.

This stream is nestled away behind residences on the nature trail.

We had our first annual service for the motorhome here at The Great Outdoors, including an oil change for the engine and generator as well as a new fuel filter.

While the motorhome was in service they loaned us an electric golf cart to explore the park. Driving the golf cart reminded Marlon of his Toyota Prius.

Deer stop and wonder at the golf carts as they fly by.

There's one of our new filters now.

We stayed exactly a week here at The Great Outdoors venturing out to Cocoa Beach and Titusville a few times and simply relaxing. A visit to the Kennedy Space Center was planned for October 23rd to coincide with the launch of Space Shuttle Discovery.

For more pictures of The Great Outdoors, go to http://public.fotki.com/Marlonfleenor/1/2007/october/the-great-outdoors--1/ .

To be continued...

Casey Jones Campground, Lake City, Florida

Upon leaving Sunset King Lake Resort in DeFuniak Springs, Florida our next final destination was The Great Outdoors RV & Golf Resort in Titusville, Florida near the Kennedy Space Center.

As it was more than a 400 mile haul to Titusville, we decided to stop near the halfway mark in Lake City, Florida for an overnight stay at Casey Jones Campground.

We may have to revisit Lake City sometime to see what's around there.

For a few more pictures of this campground, go to http://public.fotki.com/Marlonfleenor/1/2007/october/casey-jones-rv-park/ .

To be continued...

U.S. Air Force Armament Museum-Fort Walton Beach, Florida

After leaving the Gulfarium, we headed to another attraction in Fort Walton Beach. According to their website, the U.S. "Air Force Armament Museum is the only museum in the world dedicated to the collection, preservation and exhibition of artifacts and memoriabilia associated with Air Force Armament and its platforms of delivery."

And it is definitely quite a large collection.

This is a B-25 Mitchell medium bomber. This type of airplane was used in every combat arena during WW II.

This RF-4 Phantom II, developed during the early 1960's, was used to take a wide variety of pictures and observations during reconnaissance missions.

The Bell UH-1 Iroquois, "The Huey", has been modified to more than 15 different models. This particular helicopter served in Vietnam from December 1967 to June 1970.

This CGM-13 Mace Missile was a redesign of the more cumbersome TM-61 Matador Missile.

Luckily, this didn't just fall out of the sky.

Inside the museum was placed an actual Airborne Battlefield Command Control Center.

This is an inside view of the ABCCC. Several more can be found in the link below.

Only two types of nuclear bombs have ever been used in warfare. This one, The Fat Man, was the second and last nuclear weapon detonated in 1945 over Japan.

An interior view of the museum gives you an idea of the size of the exhibit area.

Outside the museum was this monument dedicated to all recipients of "The Purple Heart".

For many more pictures and information placards of the U.S. Air Force Armament Museum, go to http://public.fotki.com/Marlonfleenor/1/2007/october/us-armament-museum-/ .

To be continued...

Gulfarium-Fort Walton Beach, Florida

Today we visited The Gulfarium in Fort Walton Beach. The Gulfarium, opened in 1955, is the "oldest continually operated marine show aquarium in the entire world!"

Here's a photo of the Gulfarium dating to the '50s.

Here's the Gulfarium today.

One of the stars of the Sea Lion Show takes time out from her break to give us this candid pose.

These penguins are warm climate penguins...they don't like snow and ice.

Sea lion Molly shows us how she can balance a ball on her nose.

In the Multi-Species Show, sea lions and dolphins perform together. Here they demonstrate that they are friends.

The dolphins wait in anticipation of a scrumptuous snack.

These river otters love their fish.

Marlon trains this dolphin to eat out of his hand.

Doug takes a break to look down on Gulfarium's Dune Lagoon.

The Dolphin Show, featuring a 400,000 gallon tank, is the premiere show at the Gulfarium.

This is the home of performing sea lions who have retired. Here a couple are soaking in the sun.

Marlon couldn't pass up creating a video at The Gulfarium. Click below to view it.
For more pictures of Florida's Gulfarium, go to http://public.fotki.com/Marlonfleenor/1/2007/october/gulfarium-fort-walt/ .

To be continued...