Atlantic Coast Tour
April 7th, Jetty Park to Cape Kennedy KOA

The rain that started yesterday continued all through the night without a pause. Our tent performed well having only minor dampness in one corner where water ran underneath us. The rain quit by morning and we promptly set about drying things out while we ate our breakfast. A neighboring camper visits us. This guy is riding a motorcycle to Quebec Canada. We talk about tenting in the rain. He tells us that he dug a trench around his tent to keep the water from going under. Louie is familiar with the technique but we don't have the tool for the job. Before we leave camp we hose sand off of the bike. Louie can only shake his head with disgust.

Back on the road, we begin to encounter rumble strips put there to warn autoist that the road narrows at the bridge ahead. The temperature is cooler today and we have made good time so we decide to visit the Kennedy Space Center today rather than backtrack tomorrow. An armadillo watches us as we ride by. "Aren't armadillos nocturnal" we wonder. Louie stops the bike and hops off to have a close encounter with an alligator that is partially submerged in the swamp next to us. The alligator smiles for Louie as he snaps his picture. Bec spies a manatee floating in the water. Manatees are exclusively vegetarian. But, they are big, round, and fat. Bec says, "A diet of salad cannot be slimming if it makes these animals that fat! I want some french fries!"

When we arrive at KSC we drive our rig right up to the entrance. We talk to a guard who tells us that we can take our gear off the bike and store it in a secured kennel for visitor's dogs. This service is free and we can lock the bike right outside the door.

Obviously, nothing is cheap these days and admission to KSC is no exception. We bite the bullet and fork over our money. KSC is a much larger complex than the Houston Space Center. Tour busses take us from place to place to see the sights. Our favorite was the launch control center. Unlike that in Houston this place comes alive with a launch countdown flashing lights and shaking windows. It is very realistic. We also get to touch a real moon rock. We hold hands while doing so. Bec thinks it is soooo romantic.

It is peak tourist season in Florida so the lines for the exhibits and busses are long. Louie passes time by cracking jokes. At one point in the tour he asks a total stranger to take his picture as he streaks down the crawler road. Later at the International Space Station construction complex, he ponders why Jamacia does not have a space laboratory? Bec says "It's because they are already spaced out". Everybody is a comedian. It is a long visit and all of our food is in the kennel. We are forced to pay $4.25 for a hotdog and $3.00 for a 12 ounce drink. We think the astronomical prices are a reflection of the rising cost of rocket fuel.

We don't have time to see everything because we have to hit town for groceries and still make it into camp by sunset. Finally, we roll in to the Cape Kennedy KOA just as the sun sets. The camp is the best we've had so far on this trip and we are happy to be staying here for two nights.

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