Welcome to KSC

Finally, the time has come after all the long hours, hard work and endless meetings, it's November. We're here at Kennedy Space Center...and we all hope we're ready. Looking around the room in the meeting today, people are serious, but not panicked...not yet.

The JPL staff is neatly tucked away in a building called the MOSB (I have no idea what that stands for).

Today was about finding my way around, checking in with everyone who needs me, and getting settled. Fred Battle was kind enough to show me the local facilities on base, and Bob Koukol gave me the end-to-end tour of Cocoa Beach (all 5 miles of it). Got my cube (near one end of the farm) and I'm ready to go.

Got my first glimpse of the local fauna, too. KSC sits in the middle of the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge...plenty of birds: osprey, vultures, egrets, countless shore birds, and these funny lizard-like creatures. Pretty cool.

The wind was blowing out of the north, not suitable for launch. Tropical Storm Sean is out to the east, kicking up some good waves.



The viewing gallery won't be this one, I'm told. Too close for our payload. Too bad, this one has a nice view.

Tomorrow, I'm going to the little white building you see through the bleachers. Hope I'm not afraid of heights.

Trail Review - Sycamore Canyon

One of the few MTB trails in the IE with multiple sections of singletrack riding, Sycamore Canyon is tucked into a semi-urban setting in Riverside. There are several access points, the main parking lot on Central Avenue is at the bottom of some heart-pounding climbing right from the start. For the hucker crowd, riding from one of the access points off Allesandro will keep you from having to turn the pedals too much. The terrain at Sycamore features steep climbs and descents over firm but sandy decomposed granite. Some rock outcroppings have been incorporated into short sections of slickrock that many will find challenging.

Pros: Singletrack riding, good variety for all skill levels. Terrain is rideable year-round in almost any conditions; it never seems to develop deep sand, only a few spots are muddy in the rain.

Cons: To make this one of the best riding parks in California, more trail work is needed with emphasis on tight, twisty, turny trail that puts some emphasis on cornering. But maybe that will happen, there seem to be groups in the are devoted to trail-building.

Bottom Line: 4 out 5 stars.

Trail Review: Claremont Wilderness/Cobal Canyon

Overall: 1 out of 5

Location: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=3814%20N%20Mills%20Ave,+Claremont,+CA+91711

Description: 5 mile fire road loop in the Claremont Wilderness Park. Approximately 1000 feet of climbing.
Pros:
Easy access at the parking lot on N. Mills Avenue, great vistas.

Cons:
98% fire road riding, this ride is not technically challenging; most of "trail" sections are featured in the video. There are lots of hikers on this trail, so fast descending is NOT recommended.

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYMfuRbzH0s