November 2008 Rocket Launches in Lucerne Valley, CA

Lucerne Valley is home to "ROCSTOCK"...a monthly Orange County rocket club event held on the dry lake bed off highway 247. Twice a year they hold the really big rocket launches and air space is opened for the "really big" rockets that might cause air traffic controllers some second thoughts had they not granted permission for the flights.

On our way out to the launches we passed a man flying low next to the highway in some sort of ultra light jeepy looking home made thingy. The picture was zoomed out of our car window at about 65mph.

It was a beautiful clear day. Rocket trails went straight up for thousands of feet before the wind caught them...then it was only a slight change in direction.

We enjoy watching the serious " rocketeers." Some were observed by a group of the Civil Air Patrol. A large group of the rocket people spend the night on Friday and participate until Sunday when the weekend event comes to an end. Friday nights launchers show off their skill with LED lit rockets. The fire power is well observed as they take off into the night sky.

The Scouts are out in force during these events, working on their merit badges. Grampa Thomas gets to sign off on those badges as the Science guy.

During previous events we've seen a paper towel size cardboard tube used for the center of the rocket come down "ballistic" right through the roof of one man's new motor home (driven for the first time). We've watched many rockets come down without their parachutes and smash into pieces on the desert harden lake bed. Those are expensive toys to crash. A fair majority spend up into the thousands $$wise just for the motors. That doesn't include the countless hours spend designing and building their rockets. There is usually a heartbreak moment for one someone during these events.

The Boy Scouts love to start out their rocket careers with the smallest rockets...one called the mosquito. They can be shot pretty high considering their small size. We've seen JPL out there and during the June event we've met people from Switzerland and Germany who flew to SO CA desert just for this event.










The last shot is of a rocket that was just visiting the event. The motors to launch cost in the neighborhood of $2,000...they're "saving for the next launch it again some day." Young rocketeers and scout groups are on the scene at most ROCSTOCK second Saturday events between Barstow and Big Bear off 247.