I see we have a Space shuttle launch scheduled for next Saturday, June 13th. Would love to run down. Any local info on love bugs, Hotels, best spots to watch? (I posted this in regional also but didn't know how much traffic that forum gets. Maybe a Corvette watch spot?, so I don't get locked.)

 

I'd try the 406 Bridge. It leads to the Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge from Titusville. My suggestion is to park in Titusville and walk to the bridge. After the launch it will be much easier to leave and head for 95 then if you tried parking closer to the bridge.

 

i bet a vette could totally take that space shuttle!

 

Trying to remember where Milton is located. As suggested Astronaut park is the absolute best spot (I-95 to SR406 then east to US1 cross and find a place to park. There is construction going on at the bridge and on towards the east side so that will cause less space to be available.

If you go south to SR50 (either from US1 or I-95), you'll be at Ecklers (Ecklers is just a mile south of SR50 and US1) and there is a huge parking lot there which is a Corvette haven. You would see it just fine from their parking lot too, plus afterwards do some shopping I see they are having a big sale.

It's just a few miles difference between the two places.

Love bugs for some reason are a little late right now and I got a pretty good dose of them last weekend coming over SR46A then south on I-95 to Melbourne. The nice thing about the SR50/Ecklers location is that there is a car wash about a couple miles before US 1 I think just before the RR tracks where you can use the wand to wash off the love bugs. (Used it before for the same reason.)

There are hotels back at both intersections of SR406/I-95 and SR50/I-95. The best of them are at SR50/I-95. I'd say SR50 is your best and safest bet. Other than that your really heading back to Cocoa/Cocoa Beach which probably has some great deals right now. Tons of motels at Cocoa Beach.

 

The Love bugs are light this year so far. I have more not paired up then paired climbing on the house. I guess love isn't in the air. The mosquitoes are a different story. You will cover the front end of the car if driven at night. At least they won't dissolve your paint.

As mentioned if you want Corvette friendly Ecklers is the place. Although the traffic up there kills me so I just stay home and watch from the driveway.

 

Have fun!

 

Are you spending the night or driving back the next day? If you're spending the night, you can probably just get a hotel room close to the river and cut out all the traffic mess. Since it's a Saturday they'll probably be more people than usual. I'd call and get a room as soon as possible for Friday night so you don't have to fight traffic on launch day.

 

That would be sweet! But I'm in Palmdale and the best I could get is if it is going to land @ Edwards

It'll be a picture perfect day - so take some if you can

Thanks,Matt

 

I thought there was a place called jetty park.

 

Jettypark is in Cape Canaveral and forms the south part of the port entrance. That's a ways from where the shuttle launches. The SR406 and SR50 locations are about as close as you can get, other than driving to New Smyrna and going to the national seashore there (Apollo Beach) but there is very limited parking and again its a fee to get in the park. Although you would still see the launch from at Jettypark unless your staying in that area, that's a ways out of the way plus they charge you to get in.

In the olden days, Jettypark was much different then it is today, and the rocket launches were off the pads that you can see along the coast from there. Those were the Titans and Atlas rockets and a few others. I grew up in Cocoa Beach and was there when there was nothing there when the space center was just getting started up.

 

Thanks for all the info guys, we'll spend the night Friday night, probably pick a motel tonight for reservation. Milton is in the Florida panhandle, about 7.5 hours away.

 

If you GoogleEarth and in the fly to enter Sand Point Park Titusville FL it will fly you right to it.

You can see how close you are to the launch pad.

If you push the map towards the south till you hit 50 following US 1 on the intercoastal you'll see Ecklers and nearly across the street is a little bed icon for the Clarion hotel. Zoom out and you can see how close you are there. Ecklers is at N28° 32'57.48

At the intersection of I-95 and SR 50 there is nearly a dozen of the top name hotels. GoogleEarth will tell you which ones they are and the info on each.

 

Before you make a definite plan, there is a chance the launch may be pushed back until Sunday morning - would be slightly earlier than the planned time for saturday morning. I work with the United Space Alliance on site and from what I have heard, many think it will move to Sunday... just a heads up. Also, enjoy the launch and the traffic just makes me want to

 

I watch the lift-offs from my backyard. I will miss this one I
will be traveling in Europe in June---lucky me.
Yes I am a big stinky-PU

 

Sorry about the launch man. Without a doubt, anytime I know somebody is making a big trip to see one they scrub it for a few days.

 

 

Thats the problem with the shuttle launches, the first date they set for them usually always gets scrubbed. If you plan a two week vacation around a shuttle lanuch then you might actually get to see it.

 

Have fun and take allot of pictures!!

 

Wow. I've seen a couple members from Melbourne, Titusville, and a few from near by, but you are in my back yard. I thought I was the only one from Rockledge. I'll have to keep my eye out for a Mag Red.

 

Sweet....