They came by foot......forget it.

Titusville, Fl.: people arriving at the last minute for the late afternoon shuttle launch.

one of the viewing areas

Well, it's either watch the launch from the traditional location, or head off into the woods and find a place on the river bank.

This road is permanently closed to vehicular traffic, but provides easy access to the shore line.

Or should I say, easy access to places where one can begin the last fifty feet of hacking, falling and tripping their way down to the river.

Regardless, shuttle gazers occupied every open spot.

These woods also offer a variety of unusual wildlife and exotic insect species.......here we see a giant yellow jacket that has learned to walk upright.

The view........binoculars recommended.

The white thing on the horizon is the vehicle assembly building.....the launch pad is to the left.

Here it is!.....the one and only launch shot. I had the video camera rolling the rest of the time.

Heading toward the exits.

A satisfied crowd emerges from the depths of scrub oak and palmettos, covered in spiders, ticks, vines, mud, sand spurs and poison ivy. Piece of cake.

Guard dogs on high alert, ready to bark.

do's and don'ts

wind-whipped contrail

Shuttle taunts traffic by doing a fly-by at left.

On his way to go lay down, Officer Duncan O'Rourke brags to cohorts about emptying doughnut bin on back of motorcycle in one hour flat.

This strange object was originally thought to have fallen off the shuttle, but was later identified as a kid.