Date: Tue, 5 Aug 1997 20:35:48 -0700
Subject: July 30 - August 5: Another busy week
As promised, here's a brief update of this past week's activities.
WEDNESDAY:
We did indeed leave at 6 AM and the other van did indeed leave at 3 AM. Our driver woke up late so we left thirty minutes late. I spent the extra time putting my resume ($$$$) online. I got to bed Tuesday night around 2 AM and got up around 5:30. I took shot gun (front passenger seat), which meant I got to navigate through San Francisco and on into Yosemite park.
We got to Yosemite around 10:30 and spent a few hours in the park. Many photo stops. Yosmite is a beautiful park. Montana doesn't have anything quite like Yosemite, but Glacier still rules. We failed to rendezvous with the other van. Since they were an hour ahead of us, we ended up going south on the less scenic route which was much shorter. We went through Fresno, Bakersfield and Mojave, a place I had been ten years ago. It looked much more beautiful this time (as nice as desert can look). We arrived at the Rio Mirada hotel at 7 and got to the Dryden Academy condo at 7:30 where we visited for the rest of the night. We beat the other van there.
THURSDAY:
Woke up at 6:15 after another "full" night of sleep. Who needs more than four hours of sleep? Who needs sleep? We left for Edwards Airforce Base and Dryden Flight Research Center at 6:45 - 45 minute commute. After getting badged and a discussion with the Dryden academy, we attended a video conference with the other academies (Marshall and Goaddard). This was the first time that all four academies were together (virtually).
After the video conference, Dryden academy took us on a tour. Among the things we saw on the tour were: the outside and inside of the 747 shuttle carrier (the one that carries the shuttle), the X38 (what will become the escape vehicle for the international space station), the shuttle transfer crane (used to lift the shuttle on to the 747), the XR 71, F 18s and F16s. After the tours, with lunch in the middle of the tour at the fabulous yet crowded Dryden cafeteria, we got to talk informally with former astronaut Gordon Fullerton. This guy flew on STS 3 (the third shuttle mission), flew in the shuttle test mission (Enterprise) where they dropped the shuttle from a 747 and let it glide down to earth, and helped design the cockpit of the shuttle. Right before the presentation, we got to fly simulators. I was the first to fly the F18 simulator. I did okay, but crashed real hard on landing.
After the presentation, we headed to a bar and socialized with the Dryden Academy and then hung around at the hotel for a while with Doug.
FRIDAY:
The day started at 8:30 when we travelled down to Rockadyne (?) and Skunkworks to get a presentation on the X33. We also saw the place where the X33 would be assembled and the tools (ie big braces) that would be used in the process. After what I heard at the presentation, I am very confident in the X33 landing in Great Falls. I think it is really safe. By the time they get done with all the testing, it will be safer than many airplanes flying today. There is nothing to worry about with it being pilotless. Since Rocketdyne has just been bought by Boeing and Skunkworks is owned by Lockheed Martin, the two big rivals have to work together to build it. Ironically, we were at the Boeing plant and I forgot to bring my Boeing cap.
After that tour, we headed down to Pasedena and JPL (Jet Propulsion Lab) to eat at their cafeteria and to hear presentations from more JPL people. Saw a lot of neat stuff there. We got to park in the director's VIP spots. Very nice spots.
That evening, we headed to Beverly Hills where we had dinner and relaxed at Doug's wife's mother's house. Dryden was still with us. We finally checked into the Holiday Inn BayView (without Dryden) in Santa Monica around 10 or 11.
SATURDAY:
There's only word to describe saturday: DISNEYLAND. I'm sure you've all been there. If you haven't, you know enough about it. I hung out with the Kalispell guy from Dryden and the Dryden director. I went on most of the hit rides and caught Fantasmic (A show at the end of the day). Got there at about 10. Left at 12 (midnight). Oh, and I also was able to find time to (try to) visit the Anaheim KOA. I won't say if I made it or what I found to build suspense for the family - I'll talk to you later!! Got back around 1 and went straight to bed.
SUNDAY:
Checked out of the motel at 7:45 AM. We had breakfast in Ventura at the Holiday Inn there. Then we drove up the coast, partly on 101 and partly on highway 1 (the PCH). Nice view. Due to traffic, we didn't get back to Doug's until about 8. There, we had some pizza and then came home to try and get some sleep.
MONDAY:
The early van was out of the question. I took the late van but still was tired. It was another day where I ran around a lot and got little done. The printer still wouldn't print. I was getting closer. We had Jack Farmer, one of our RAs PI, speak on Mars Exploration around 7. Before the talk and after work, we went to Walmart where I picked up five roles of pictures. Total films developed: 9. Number exposed yet undeveloped: almost 3. On the way back from Walmart, we ate at a brand new Boston Market (you can tell my priorities in life - food food food!). Now I was way to nice in saying that IN N OUT wasn't bad, but I'm going to have to say Boston Market was awesome. I really liked it. Denny's watch out. Your looking vulnerable as Don's favorite restaurant. Last night, we prepared for our group presentation that we had to give to our curriculum manger (academy staff person) at lunch today. That was what I was so busy with last night. I had to give that at lunch today.
TUESDAY:
Another PI day. I was able to start the morning by regaining dial-up access. This is what the guy did for me a few weeks ago that I lost when I reinstalled Linux. I also worked a little on my part of the group presentation. The group presentation went real well. This afternoon, I had a different guy help me try and solve the printer problem, It still looked perfectly fine to me. It should work, but it doesn't. We think that we need to reload it because it might have gotten messed up when we transferrefed it over from disk. I hope that works. I was also able to contact the same guy that helped me on the dial-up and he put netscape on Linux for me. Overall, it was a great day. And now, let the hunt begin. I'm going to do a little job hunting right now. I am savoring every moment down here, but I also can't wait to get back up to Montana. Hope that all are in good health, but I know all are not. I know Grandpa's in the hospital, but I don't know the details. Would like to (hint hint family). Warm day in the bay area (near 100). Hope it's nice up there.
Don Olinger
p.s. Football is starting soon. If anybody has any info on them Griz, I would love to hear about it. It's tough being deprived of my Grizzly sports news. You can plan on me being there for the Stephen F Austin game.
Go Griz!!!!!!