It's Time To Go Fly

On the night of the 8th of February, these were the words heard around the world from launch director Mike Leinbach who told the astronauts just before liftoff. "It's time to go fly."
"We'll see you in a couple weeks," replied commander George Zamka. "It's time to go fly."

Now our events leading up to this moment:
7th Feb, Sunday 1:00AM alarm goes off --------Ummmm, not sure, I'm sleeping soundly, Do I really want to go to see this thing. Yah, I guess we have waited a week for it. Better go.
2:00AM we pile into our neighbors, Larry and Sally's Ford F250 crew cab and head down town. Traffic heavy already, and once near the sea shore even more so. Appears no parking available, but then by some stroke of magic one appears in a Masonic Lodge Parking lot for a $10 "Donation". We take it and then it is just a short walk to the Space Park, where perfect observation is available. We take chairs, cameras, blankets, and pack them all to the small area just across a neck of water from Space Park. This area is still part of the same park, but a little less known. There were already many people there, in tents, in chairs, and in sleeping bags, but we were able get up to about the 3rd row from the front. We set up our chairs, poured a coffee, and sat down to wait out the count down.

It was rather cold, but not too windy. We had put on lots of clothes, at least, all we had. We remembered a conversation we had before we left High River. "We are not taking winter coats, We are going to Florida." Well now, "Eat those Words." However we did have enough with the blankets we took to keep us relatively warm. Time drug along slowly, clouds came and went, the moon came up, but then dissappeared behind clouds, a helicopter circled overhead, people chatted quietly, tension built slowly, but soon it was about 4:30AM. Then the discouraging word rushed through the crowd via hushed conversation. First quietly and then louder and finally with a tone of finality to it. "Launch Scrubbed tonight due to low cloud cover". The crowd dispersed quickly, and in a very controlled manner and we arrived home by 5:30AM. Had a coffee, and went to bed for a few hours sleep.
Feb 7th, Sunday Morning ----
Woke up at 9:00AM, made coffee and breakfast. Neighbors Larry and Sally, elect to return to Fort Lauderdale, and try to see some future Launch. They pack up and leave by 10:00. They were a great couple,so we will keep in contact with them in the future via email. We have wanted to go down to a restaurant called Dixie Crossroads, at the recommendation of a couple that were camped next to us at Lake Okeechobee. We went today, and it was all that they raved about! We had Hush Puppies, caesar salad, and Rock Shrimp, 4 dozen of them,

We had never experienced Rock Shrimp before, so really did not know what to expect. They are what the people recommended to us, "Like a small Lobster," only a couple of inches long, but split open, and broiled. They serve them with a small seafood fork, and it is easy to pick the flesh from the shell. Soak it in drawn butter or seafood sauce, and just taste the wonder of it all!!! Ummmmm!!!! And they do taste just like lobster!
Returned home in preparation for another Launch tonight.
8th Feb, Monday Morning 12:00AM - Denice and I head back down to Space Park. We are going earlier tonight than we did last night to try to get a front row seat. We are successful! Not nearly as many folks here tonight. I guess many have to work tomorrow and also the Super Bowl is on tonight. We took lots of blankets and all he warm clothes that we had as well as a couple of RV chairs for the long 4 hour wait until the scheduled launch at 4:14AM. Clouds passed by and at times it looked like another "Scrub," but at other times skies were relatively clear. Four hours sitting in the cold with nothing to do is a LONG time, but finally it was 4:10AM, and it looked like a "GO" We could hear the crowd starting the "Countdown" and all at once it erupted! Massive bright firelight lit up the whole world. We had organized ourselves that Denice would do a video, and I would take as many "stills" as possible. I know my hand were shaking, partially from the cold, but also in anticipation of the reality of after so many years of finally experiencing a launch. No words can describe it other than"AWESOME." Slowly at first, but with increasing acceleration we watched it climb into the heavens, and through the wispy clouds. In about 3 0r 4 minutes it was all over.
These are a series of my Pictures:

BUT WELL WORTH THE TIME AND EFFORT WE HAD PUT INTO IT.

And to complete this Blog, a repeat of the quote from the Mission Commander:
"Looks like the weather came together tonight," launch director Mike Leinbach told the astronauts right before liftoff. "It's time to go fly."
"We'll see you in a couple weeks," replied commander George Zamka. He repeated: "It's time to go fly."

Here is a few Official Pictures from NASA:

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Endeavour and six astronauts rocketed into orbit Monday on what's likely the last nighttime launch for the shuttle program, hauling a new room and observation deck for the International Space Station.
The space shuttle took flight before dawn, igniting the sky with a brilliant flash seen for miles around. The weather finally cooperated: Thick, low clouds that had delayed a first launch attempt Sunday returned, but then cleared away just in time.
There are just four more missions scheduled this year before the shuttles are retired.
"For the last night launch, it treated us well" Leinbach said.