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Travel

Along The Way: Space Center Houston

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Space Center Houston in Houston, Texas

We spent two nights in Galveston before our cruise, and took advantage of the proximity to visit Space Center Houston. Known famously for “Houston We Have A Problem” it is the home of Mission Control, specifically the The Christopher C. Kraft Mission Control Center, from which NASA led Gemini and Apollo missions, including the momentous first lunar landing mission as well as early space shuttle missions.

The Mercury 9 spacecraft named ‘Faith 7’ flown by astronaut Gordon Cooper on May 15, 1963. On display at Space Center Houston in Houston, Texas
Gemini V capsule which carried astronauts Gordon Cooper and Charles “Pete” Conrad Aug. 21, 1965 to Aug. 29, 1965. At Space Center Houston in Houston, Texas
Apollo 17 Command Module on display at Space Center Houston in Houston, Texas
Apollo moon landing display at Space Center Houston in Houston, Texas

As a space geek from childhood, having the opportunity to visit Mission Control was a bit of a thrill. NASA has completely restored the center to look like it did during the moon landings. They sourced manuals, binders, furniture and even ashtrays from former workers and have turned it into a bit of a museum. The tour took us into what had been the VIP viewing gallery, where we could look through the windows while re-enactments of various scenes from Apollo 11 played out on the screen, including the tense moments of landing at Tranquility Base.

The Christopher C. Kraft Mission Control Center, from which NASA led Gemini and Apollo missions, including the momentous first lunar landing mission as well as early space shuttle missions. Space Center Houston in Houston, Texas
The Christopher C. Kraft Mission Control Center, from which NASA led Gemini and Apollo missions, including the momentous first lunar landing mission as well as early space shuttle missions. Space Center Houston in Houston, Texas
The Christopher C. Kraft Mission Control Center, from which NASA led Gemini and Apollo missions, including the momentous first lunar landing mission as well as early space shuttle missions. Space Center Houston in Houston, Texas

Another highlight of the center is Space Shuttle Independence, which is on display on the back of one of the converted Boeing 747 aircraft which were used to transport the shuttles from California back to Florida between missions. Both craft were open to walk through, with plenty of information displays. The size of the combined vehicles is quite impressive!

Space Shuttle ‘Independence’ and Boeing 747 transport aircraft on display at Space Center Houston in Houston, Texas
Space Shuttle ‘Independence’ and Boeing 747 transport aircraft on display at Space Center Houston in Houston, Texas
Space Shuttle ‘Independence’ and Boeing 747 transport aircraft on display at Space Center Houston in Houston, Texas
Space Shuttle ‘Independence’ and Boeing 747 transport aircraft on display at Space Center Houston in Houston, Texas
Space Shuttle ‘Independence’ and Boeing 747 transport aircraft on display at Space Center Houston in Houston, Texas
Space Shuttle ‘Independence’ and Boeing 747 transport aircraft on display at Space Center Houston in Houston, Texas
Space Shuttle ‘Independence’ and Boeing 747 transport aircraft on display at Space Center Houston in Houston, Texas
Space Shuttle ‘Independence’ and Boeing 747 transport aircraft on display at Space Center Houston in Houston, Texas
Space Shuttle ‘Independence’ and Boeing 747 transport aircraft on display at Space Center Houston in Houston, Texas
Space Shuttle ‘Independence’ and Boeing 747 transport aircraft on display at Space Center Houston in Houston, Texas

The overall museum is very well done, with actual Mercury, Gemini and Apollo capsules, a space rock you can actually touch, information on the upcoming Artemis missions and lots of other space memorabilia. It was a great visit. Having been to space centers at Cape Canaveral, Huntsville and now Houston, NASA have done a commendable job preserving these bits of history.

Cockpit of Space Shuttle ‘Independence’ at Space Center Houston in Houston, Texas
Cargo Bay of Space Shuttle ‘Independence’ at Space Center Houston in Houston, Texas
Cargo bay of Space Shuttle Independence at Space Center Houston in Houston, Texas
Inside the shuttle transport Boeing 747 at Space Center Houston in Houston, Texas
Inside the shuttle transport Boeing 747 at Space Center Houston in Houston, Texas
Inside the shuttle transport Boeing 747 at Space Center Houston in Houston, Texas
Space-X Falcon 9 Rocket booster on display at Space Center Houston in Houston, Texas
Space-X Falcon 9 Rocket booster on display at Space Center Houston in Houston, Texas
Saturn IV building at Space Center Houston in Houston, Texas
Travel

Along The Way: Vicksburg National Military Park

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Cannons with the Illinois Memorial in the background. Vicksburg National Military Park, Mississippi

Actually a destination in itself, we spent only a few hours at Vicksburg National Military Park in Mississippi. It was an appropriately gloomy day for visiting a former battlefield, I thought. These are just a few representative photos from this memorial to what was one of the most important and decisive battles of the Civil War.

Entrance monument at Vicksburg National Military Park, Mississippi
Cannons with the Illinois Memorial in the background. Vicksburg National Military Park, Mississippi
Vicksburg National Military Park, Mississippi
The US Navy Memorial at Vicksburg National Military Park, Mississippi
The Texas Memorial at Vicksburg National Military Park, Mississippi
The Alabama Memorial at Vicksburg National Military Park, Mississippi
Monument for Confederate Brigadier General Lloyd Tilghman at Vicksburg National Military Park, Mississippi

The sheer number of casualties from Vicksburg alone is overwhelming, and was just a portion of the overall losses from the war. War didn’t make any more sense then than it does today, and unfortunately it doesn’t seem like we’ve taken the lessons to heart.

The Illinois Memorial at Vicksburg National Military Park, Mississippi
The Illinois Memorial at Vicksburg National Military Park, Mississippi

There are hundreds of monuments across the battlefield, and the largest and most impressive were those from individual states. For a history buff a lot of the battle lines were marked, with information on the troops stationed there at various points of the battle. A little too detailed for me, but interesting to try and understand the scope of the place.

USS Cairo, a restored Civil War–era gunship at Vicksburg National Military Park, Mississippi
USS Cairo, a restored Civil War–era gunship at Vicksburg National Military Park, Mississippi
USS Cairo, a restored Civil War–era gunship at Vicksburg National Military Park, Mississippi
USS Cairo, a restored Civil War–era gunship at Vicksburg National Military Park, Mississippi
USS Cairo, a restored Civil War–era gunship at Vicksburg National Military Park, Mississippi
USS Cairo, a restored Civil War–era gunship at Vicksburg National Military Park, Mississippi
USS Cairo, a restored Civil War–era gunship at Vicksburg National Military Park, Mississippi

I was especially interested in the USS Cairo on display. The ship was salvaged from the Mississippi River years after the war. It has been partially restored and rests on a cradle under this large canopy. The mechanical components of the ship are pretty much intact.

National Cemetery at Vicksburg National Military Park, Mississippi
Travel

Along The Way: Columbus, Georgia

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Eagle and Phenix Mill in Columbus, Georgia

We made an overnight stop in Columbus, GA, a former mill town on the Chattahoochee River along the border with Alabama. The Eagle & Phenix Mills Buildings have been converted into apartments and condominiums, and much of the downtown area has become a dining and entertainment area.

Eagle and Phenix Mill in Columbus, Georgia
Eagle and Phenix Mill in Columbus, Georgia
Eagle and Phenix Mill in Columbus, Georgia
Eagle and Phenix Mill in Columbus, Georgia
Eagle and Phenix Mill in Columbus, Georgia

We spent only a brief amount of time in Columbus, but on the morning of our departure I managed to do a little photography on the way to and from breakfast.

Along the Chattahoochee River in Columbus, Georgia
Along the Chattahoochee River in Columbus, Georgia
Machinery in a former power plant along the Chattahoochee River in Columbus, Georgia
Machinery in a former power plant along the Chattahoochee River in Columbus, Georgia
Machinery in a former power plant along the Chattahoochee River in Columbus, Georgia
Eagle and Phenix Mill in Columbus, Georgia
Travel

Along The Way: Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park

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Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park near Macon, Georgia

On our recent trip to Texas, we made a stop at Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park near Macon, Georgia. We had intended to visit several years ago, but this was one of the many parks whose visitor centers had been closed during the Covid hysteria. We got to visit this time.

Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park near Macon, Georgia
Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park near Macon, Georgia

The park is a prehistoric American Indian site, boasting more than 12,000 years of continuous human habitation by many different American Indian cultures. American Indians first came here during the Paleo-Indian Period hunting Ice Age mammals. Around 900 CE, the Mississippian Period began, and people constructed mounds for their elite, which remain here today.

The site was also the scene of several Civil War battles.

Entrance to ceremonial mound. Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park near Macon, Georgia
Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park near Macon, Georgia

The largest dig ever conducted in this country occurred here at Ocmulgee and the surrounding area. Between 1933 and 1936, over 800 men in Roosevelt’s Works Progress Administration (WPA), Civil Works Administration (CWA), Federal Emergency Relief Administration (ERA & FERA), and later by the Civilian Conservation Corps excavated under the direction of Dr. Arthur R. Kelly from the Smithsonian Institute.

Visitor Center. Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park near Macon, Georgia

The site was declared a National Monument in 1936. In 1937 the National Park Service, along with U.S. Congressman Carl Vinson, General Walter Harris, and Dr. Charles C. Harrold, completed a list of needed development projects including construction of a museum, restoration of archeological features, access roads and parking, tree planting, and fence construction – all to include the detached Lamar Site, where a levee was also needed.

One Lane Tunnel. Perhaps the worlds’ smallest? Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park near Macon, Georgia
One Lane Tunnel. Perhaps the worlds’ smallest? Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park near Macon, Georgia

 

Photography

Sunrise On The River

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Sunrise on the Mississippi River approaching New Orleans

Our approach to New Orleans was really interesting, because it involved an 8-hour transit up the Mississippi River from the Gulf of Mexico starting around midnight. Sunrise occurred about an hour from our arrival, and I was up early to catch the morning light. This is an easy edit of one of my photos from that morning, although I have many more to go through once we get home. Needless to say, a quiet sail up the river in the early morning was quite special.