Date: Mon, 12 Jan 2009 14:16:04 -0500
From: "Michael Walsh" <mjw at press.jhu.edu>
To: <WSFAlist at KeithLynch.net>,<wsfa-forum at yahoogroups.com>
Subject: [WSFA] Re: Air & Space trip report ...?
Reply-To: WSFA members <WSFAlist at KeithLynch.net>

> Judith Newton <jnewton at ashcomp.com> 1/12/2009 1:25 PM >>>
>At 09:38 AM 1/12/2009, you wrote:
>
>>So, how was the trip to Dulles? Adventures? Did all survive?
>>
>>mjw
>
>The trip to Dulles was lots of fun.  We Marylanders met at Erica's
(Barry
>and Judy Newton, Sam L. and Cathy Green) loaded ourselves into Erica's

>Volvo and proceeded into the wilds of Virginia.  Brian Lewis met us in
the
>lobby of the museum.
>
>It is one huge hanger, stuffed with man-made things that fly.  We were
in
>time for a docent-led tour, so we took advantage.  We had a choice of
three
>docents: the "airplane guy," the "military guy," and the "space
>guy."  Guess which one we picked??
>
>Turned out he worked for a space contractor.  He had a lot of
additional
>interesting information, both in stories and a folder full of
>pictures.  Highlights: the space shuttle Enterprise (he had a pic of
all
>the Star Trek crew who turned up for the dedication) and the Concorde.
 We
>peppered him with questions, only some of which he could answer.
Turns
>out, though, he is interested in WSFA, so we gave him a card.  He may
turn
>up a meeting.

Handy thing, those cards.

Hey, perhaps he could arrange something for/with Capclave?

>In the interest of time and convenience, we had lunch at the "McCafe"
*
>yes, McDonald's is the food concession.  Nothing you wouldn't find in
any
>other MickyD's, but the wall of windows was nice.  We finished up with
a
>trip to the observatory on the 7th floor.  Nice view of the Virginia
>countryside, and if we squinted we could just make out Sugarloaf.
>
>Souvenir highlight for me? Pressed penny machines! A total of 4
machines
>with 4 different designs in each one, but I settled for 2 pennies and
a
>penny folder to keep them in * which I was delighted with, as the
folders
>are hard to find.  The penny machines cost $1.00 for each penny (PLUS
the
>penny); twice as pricey as any other I have ever seen in the U.S.

Three words: location, location, location.

> I also
>sprang for a float pen with the "blackbird" spy plane in it and a
magnet
>with the Enterprise.

I remember going an air show at Andrews - there was a Blackbird on
display.  Thing look like would get a speeding ticket while parked.

mjw