Final Mission

[Updated 10/14]

After flying cross-country atop a specially modified Boeing 747, Space Shuttle Endeavor makes its way slowly through the streets of Los Angeles on its final journey from Los Angeles International Airport to the California Science Center where it will be on permanent exhibit.

Shuttle Endeavor visits the donut shop

Endeavor waits patiently

Come a little closer

Look! A spaceship coming down the street!

Excitement builds as this bizarre procession approaches

Endeavor

Up close and personal

Vertical Stabilizer
OMS Pod
Wing Leading Edge

Engine cones

... and there it goes

Squeezing 'round the bend

Safely ensconced in a visitor pavilion at the California Science Center

On the nosie!

Up close and personal
Vertical stabilizer towers over the main engine cluster
Starboard OMS pod with RCS nozzles visible as well

A space shuttle main engine on display for close inspection

Into the Sunset

Scenic Coast of Central California

Avlia Beach, San Luis Obispo

Avila Beach Pier, San Luis Obispo

Piedras Blancas Lightstation, near San Simeon

North from Ragged Point

Ragged Point Sunset

Big Creek Bridge

Ventana Vista

Point Sur Lighthouse

Point Pinos Lighthouse
(under restoration)

Bixby Creek Bridge

In the Mist

Chips Fire - Aerial 40,000' MSL

Updated August 28, 7:00AM-PDT

Huge smoke plume from Chips Fire, Plumas County, CA
The dark spec in the center of the frame is a commercial airliner at cruise altitude suggesting the cloud topped out higher than 25,000' MSL.
Image taken Aug 2, 2012, about 5:00 PM-PDT

Smoke drifting towards the northeast from the Chips Fire
The fire is burning off the lower left of the frame and was not in view on the side of the aircraft where I was seated.
Image taken August 23, 2012, about 8:00 PM-PDT

Latest Incident information [Inciweb]


Notice: Firefighters have made significant progress battling the Chips Fire as can be seen in the latest MODIS imagery (below). Interest in this blog post has waned. As a result, it will be updated less frequently and the incident information will be accessible through the Inciweb link above, but will no longer be replicated here.

This fire is by no means out, and still represents an extreme hazard in the region. If it resumes its rapid growth and/or interest in this post increases, updates may also resume.

NASA MODIS images

Annotated image of fires burning in the vicinity of the Chips Fire
Barry Point, Fort Complex, Holloway, Reading, Hanson, and Chips fires shown
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8/27 afternoon pass
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8/27 morning pass
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8/23 pass
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8/22 pass
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8/21 pass
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8/20 pass
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8/19 pass
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8/18 - afternoon pass
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8/18 morning pass
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8/15 pass
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8/14 pass
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8/13 pass
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8/11 afternoon pass
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8/11 morning pass
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Shrinking plumes as firefighters work to get the blaze under control
Image 8/9 19:15 UTC /  11:15 PDT
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Smoke plumes over Northern California and Nevada
Image 8/7 21:05 UTC /  13:05 PDT
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Look before you cross

Seattle Great Wheel

This is the inaugural weekend for the brand new Seattle Great Wheel, a large Ferris wheel on a pier on the Seattle Waterfront. As one might imagine, the queues for this attraction are fairly long - roughly an hour from the beginning of the ticket line to boarding the gondola. The price is $13 per adult; $8.50 for children 12 and under.

More information: Seattle Great Wheel web site.

The Seattle Great Wheel on Opening Weekend

The ticket is a card with bar codes that correspond to an account that can be reloaded and reused. One is pictured at the bottom of this post.

The ride is smooth and comfortable. The gondolas are enclosed. There are narrow slit windows at the top that can open for ventilation and there is also heat and air conditioning. There's even a call button on the ceiling in case someone has an emergency. The ride can operate rain or shine. And it has that new Ferris Wheel smell!

Edge-on

A few of the people in the gondola I rode were initially a bit skittish about the heights but settled down after the loading rotation and were fine after that.

This thing is big

I am not posting many view pictures - we'll leave that for the experience of riding the thing. I will comment though that at about 200' high, the view of the waterfront is quite impressive, but it is dwarfed by the city itself.

From inside a gondola it looks a little like a roller coaster

I don't know if I'd make this a regular thing, but I enjoyed it and might return to share it with visitors on special occasions.

The wheel also has an elaborate LED light show which I will return to photograph some evening in the future, when the days are shorter.

The ride is smooth and comfortable with Air Conditioning!

Viewed from the Pike Place Market skybridge

Ticket card

Hello There

WSU Team Logo Aircraft - Alaska/Horizon Airlines

WSU Cougers Logo Aircraft takes off from Seattle/Tacoma International Airport at Sunset

Alaska Airlines' regional carrier, until recently known as Horizon Air, operates a fleet of smaller regional aircraft. Many have been decorated with team logo art from various college teams in the areas they serve.