Disney World or ????

One year, Mom decided we should go to Daytona Beach, Florida for a family vacation. Debbie was already married so she missed out. Mom, Kim, Beth and I loaded up our 1974 Chevrolet Nova and headed to Daytona Beach.

None of us had ever seen the ocean, so it was a pretty big deal. It stormed one day so Mom took us to the theater to see Jaws. Kim refused to walk into the ocean beyond her knees after seeing the movie. I was hoping to see a real shark!

Mom wanted us to have lots of fun and participate in many activities. She had come up with a list of activities and randomly picked two each day. We took turns picking which option would be our activity for the day.

One day the options came up Disney World or The Kennedy Space Center. Imagine Kim and Beth's horror when they realized that it was MY turn to pick!!!! Certainly everyone in their right mind would pick Disney World. It's not like the daily loser got put back into the rotation for a future outing. No; if I didn't pick Disney World we simply were not going to Disney World.

They begged.

They cajoled.

They bargained.

They resorted to threatening.

I HAD to pick Disney World.

Well... As you may recall from an earlier blog; my fallback career position was to be an astronaut. The Kennedy Space Center was where astronauts launched into space. Space Mountain had nothing on the genuine article. We had an opportunity to see space history. We had an opportunity to go on the bus tour and see the Launch Control Center and launch pad 39B; where all of the Apollo moon missions had started. We had an opportunity to walk on the same ground as Neil Armstrong!!!!!

They kept begging.

They continued cajoling.

They made new offers.

Their threatening became more intense.

There were two very important considerations that had to be taken into account when making a decision of this magnitude.

Consideration number one; the Kennedy Space Center was geek heaven! It was everything I dreamed of.

Consideration number two; selecting the Kennedy Space Center would forever torment Kim and Beth.

I thought about it. I thought long and hard. Okay, I thought about it for maybe an attosecond. (That's one quintillionth of a second; or 10 to the negative 18th power for the none of you that care.) We were going to The Kennedy Space Center.

Despite what Kim and Beth's "recollections" may reflect; we had a wonderful time. Admittedly I had a much better time, but it was a wonderful day. I could barely contain myself as we approached the Space Center. You could see the Vertical Assembly Building (later changed to Vehicle Assembly Building) in the distance.

We spent some of the most wonderful hours of my young life on the Cape Canaveral grounds. The woman at the ticket booth increased my joy even more, if it was possible, when she told us there was a satellite launch scheduled for that afternoon.

Life simply could not get any better!!!

We walked through the entire museum (some parts twice); seeing historical artifacts and science displays.

We took the bus tour; where we got to go inside the Vertical Assembly Building.

We got  to ride on the same road that the Apollo Saturn V rockets crept along on their way to the launch pad.

We were allowed inside the actual Launch Control Center bunker. Imagine my joy when I was able to stand were mere feet away from the computer consoles where real rocket scientists sat to launch real space exploration missions.

Nothing, though, could compare to the awe of going inside the perimeter security gate at the launch pad to see the exact spot where America's brave space explorers lifted off to break free of Earth's gravity and enter the vastness of Space.

Perhaps the only mark on that wonderful day was the postponement of the satellite launch. Even that couldn't minimize the joy I felt that day.

I have still never been to Disney World.

Given the choice today; I would pick The Kennedy Space Center again.

I'm sure you're not surprised.