May 2, 2009

Titan Museum and Drive to Organ Pipe

We got up early and buttoned up the carbus for travel.  We left it parked in our old site and headed 30 miles south to the Titan Missile Museum. 

Very cool, especially since I spent every third day for almost four years in a spot just like it.  The docents were very knowledgeable and gave a nonstop information filled tour.  When they learned I had been a crew commander they bounced references off me occasionally and it was fun to chat with old missilemen.  When the tour reached the control center they plopped me in the commanders chair and had me do the simulated launch.  I even got a card verifying that I turned the key.  It was fun.  Sue got questions from others on the tour about what it was like to be married to someone in that job and what family life was like.

View of missile from top.

This fellow was on the shoulder of the road as we walked to a geocache near the missile museum.  I almost stepped on it.

 

After the tour we went back to the carbus and headed west and south to Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument.  Not much to describe.  Long, straight, two lane roads.

The sun has set and I am now looking at lights of a town in Mexico several miles away.  Bummer.  Thought we might find total isolation out here.  Should be dark enough to have good look at stars though.