3... 2... 1...

We are here in Titusville a block from the water and about 8 blocks from the park from which we intend to watch the launch. The parking lot there was full last night already, and I'm not sure we wont be 1,000 people deep when we walk up there. The town is turning into a madhouse.

But we're here! And, the weather looks very good.

We got in yesterday and checked into the world's shabbiest $140 motel. The weekly rate is like $160 here, and we're certain that's where most of their tenants come from. Monthly, is more like it, until they get evicted.

We unloaded, and headed over to Kennedy Space Center. We didn't book our tickets too far in advance, and thus missed out on the bus tours, which in hindsight would have been the thing to do. Oh, well. So the afternoon was spent browsing and simulating, then we came back to find the motel filled with more people like us (and a foursome on Hondas swapping lies in the parking lot.) We got our Chinese (mandatory on each road trip) and stopped at the ABC store for two beers and two coolers. One of each remains unopened this morning.

We both feel like crap for some reason, and a day in the hot sun is going to do us no favors. They're predicting 300,000 in town for this event, and a 3-hour traffic jam to get out. The 1000-in-24 for the ride home is out, because we're not going to take a great vacation and make it end in misery. We'll still get home early Sunday afternoon with smiles on our faces instead. We did negotiate a late checkout and so will be enjoying the a/c until an hour and a half prior to launch.

The news says with the few low-lying clouds in the forecast, we're a 70% likelihood for a go at 2:19.

Go, Atlantis!