France This Week!

Apologies again if you thought I disappeared... I'm working on getting internet in the house so I can post more at my convenience rather than the library's or cafe's. I leave for France on Thursday, and my hotel advertises free wifi, so hopefully I can continue my updates from there. I'm getting excited about the trip, though it worries me that the site team leader seemed fairly clueless when I talked to him last week. I don't like disorganization when it comes to travel arrangements and orders and important details. But assuming all of those issues get ironed out, the current plan is to leave here and arrive in Istres on Thursday, training with the weather team on Friday, begin 24-hour ops on Saturday, shuttle launches on Monday, come home on Tuesday.

Here is a basic overview of what I will be doing there: Istres Air Base is one of three Transoceanic Abort Landing (TAL) sites for the US Space Shuttle after it launches from Cape Canaveral, FL. If there is a problem during launch and the shuttle needs to land, it will land at one of these sites. The weather team provides 24-hour weather observations beginning 48 hours before a scheduled launch. For the shuttle to launch, weather must be "green" for landing at one or more TAL site. We'll be providing that info to the Kennedy Space Center. If the shuttle launch is delayed, we get stuck at the TAL site until it launches. Obviously, there are worse places to be "stuck" than the French Riviera... I just want to be back before the 21st to run a 5K with the weather flight, and then of course Thanksgiving. :)

So this week will basically be spent getting ready for that trip. The house is getting closer and closer to set up. I was fairly productive this weekend assembling two beds and getting rid of some more boxes. I tried to buy a TV but the BX was out of the one I wanted, so I have a rain check. House phone line will be activated tomorrow, and then I can get TV/internet/phone service. The Mini has had some trouble starting this past week, so it has an appointment tomorrow at a garage specializing in restoring classic Minis, which I'll take advantage of to get it thoroughly checked out and a few smaller "cosmetic" issues taken care of as well. I'm getting better at driving it, and it's so cute and yellow you just have to smile when you see it. :)

I also picked out my next two goal races this past week. Since I can't get into the London Marathon this coming April (if you would like to hear me gripe about this in detail, let me know, but for now I will refrain), I picked the Edinburgh Marathon in Scotland in May. It has a reputation for incredible scenery as well as a fast course, which will be a nice change from running up and down the mountains of Big Sur (but don't get me wrong, I will be doing Big Sur again when I'm back in the States in a few years). As a warm-up race, I picked the Dover Half Marathon in Feb, which I already know will be incredible scenery based on my previous visit. I'm really excited to finally have races and dates to plan for, so I will be setting specific training plans soon. For now, time for me to run to church, so that's all for now!