From the correct perspective...

Here's the true story about going to Fort Davis, McDonald Observatory. That's all the room we have for the 2 of us. ---->

Left at 1:45 pm Tuesday , late in the day for us. Usually I'm just about getting back from a ride, not just starting out. We've got food for dinner, lots of extra clothes and plenty of time to go the 190 miles there. Wrong. At the Sierra Blanca Border Inspection Station the Venture dies and won't restart. We pull out of the way, but instantly are told "You can't stop here" So they stop all the traffic and we push it to the opposite side. I pull off the battery cover and it restarts after 10 minutes. There's a short in the handle bars. I put in a circuit breaker rather than a fuse. It resets after cooling and shutting down all power. Off we go.

I'm not driving the speed limit, because I really do not speed much any more, Retired Remember? So we're a little behind schedule stop only 2 short times. Get there only 10 minutes before they open. We have to get ready for dark and eat dinner in 10 minutes.

The first activity is a repeat of what we did last fall. I volunteered to be "earth" and they did a demonstration of the solar system. We go inside and see their software they sell. We bought it on our previous trip, $160. Except this 5-7 year computer is too old for it to run well.

At 8:30 is the second activity. The instructor is very knowledgeable, knew every constellation and many many star's name. He has a hand held laser that seems to touch individual stars. Can project several miles.

Then they set up several large telescopes from 12 -20 inches. (Ours is a 70mm -2 1/2 inches). We see jupiter and it's clouds, several star clusters, with 1/2 million stars, and 2 nebulas, several hundred of lights away. Really cool.

On our way in we see deer. The astronomers remind us of the suicide pigs (Havalinas?). Great.

We leave at 9 pm. 4 hours home. It's warm in the 60's. Last year we froze in 40-50's. We do not even see 1 car the 42 miles back to I-10. The first 19 miles is very twisty. 25-45 mph. An Owl jumps off the road, we nearly miss by a few feet. No deer or pigs. Thank You Lord.

Linda actually has too many clothes on! Few trucks and cars, bike runs good, no problems.

Get home at 12:45 am. We're beat the next day, but had a great time.

Going back in Nov to look thru the 107" telescope. WaY CooL! Taking the car, dahhh.