Myrtle Beach & Softball

Myrtle Beach State Park Myrtle Beach, South Carolina - Friday, July 26, 2019
Morning 73 Degrees, Wind N at 1 to 3 Mph, Humidity 82%, sunny.
Afternoon 84 Degrees, partly cloudy.

It was a long day at the ball field, there are nine fields at this park, busy. They won the first game seven to four (Ariana plays third base for this team and sometimes plays first base).
Ariana hit a home run to center field with two runners on base. That made the score seven to zero. The second game was even better seven to zero. Now they came crashing down they lost the third game zero to five. That was a long day. The games are time limited to ninety minutes but they were back to back with only a short brake between games. The next game is later afternoon tomorrow (Saturday).

Zane needed some beach time

After dinner we stopped by the beach here at the state park for Zane. He needed to have some ocean time before dark.

Eastern sky at sunset

Myrtle Beach State Park Myrtle Beach, South Carolina - Saturday, July 27, 2019
Morning 74 Degrees, Wind NW at 4 to 5 Mph, Humidity 81%, sunny.
Afternoon 84 Degrees, partly sunny .

A late start and a lo-ong night. The first game started about four thirty (ninety minute games) and went seven innings. They won five to one and have a one game rest and play again. The second game started after seven and they lost zero to one. We are done, eight games in four days, three games on Friday.

Myrtle Beach State Park

Buster’s spot Holly Springs, North Carolina - Tuesday, July 23, 2019
Morning 77 Degrees, Wind NE at 3 to 4 Mph, Humidity 90%, mostly cloudy.

We got up late this morning to be a traveling day. We left about ten thirty for Myrtle Beach State Park as Ariana has a softball tournament starting tomorrow thru Sunday. On our way I stopped Buster for diesel fuel in Latta, SC lower price here in South Carolina. Weather was an issue coming thru Dunn, NC and the first twenty miles on interstate ninety-five. Came down hard never got up to highway speed that first twenty miles. After that we drove out of the weather and was mostly sunny the rest of the trip. One hundred eighty nine miles for the trip. The state park is like a Forest with all the trees and spaces to park RV's. there is no satellite signal for the television while parked here.


Myrtle Beach State Park Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Afternoon 86 Degrees, Wind SSW at 1 to 2 Mph, Humidity 79%, sunny.


Myrtle Beach State Park Myrtle Beach, South Carolina - Wednesday, July 24, 2019
Morning 68 Degrees, Wind SW at 1 to 2 Mph, Humidity 96%, cloudy.

We got the rain last night for a couple of hours. Two games are scheduled for today and one tomorrow. One and one for games today. The team won the first game six to nothing and lost the second game four to one. 


Myrtle Beach State Park Myrtle Beach, South Carolina - Thursday, July 25, 2019
Morning 70 Degrees, Wind SW at calm Mph, Humidity 81%, sunny.
Afternoon 83 Degrees, Wind NE at 2 to 4 Mph, Humidity 58%, sunny.

Ariana playing first base

Only one game scheduled for late morning today. We have a split reservation for Buster here at the state park. We have to move Buster down the road six lots for one night and again tomorrow we move again until we leave on Monday morning.

The team won their game seven to one today and the next game is tomorrow (Friday) at one forty-five. Ariana played third and then first base positions. Then it is a matter of win and play again or lose and play Saturday.

Toilet Valve

Buster’s spot Holly Springs, North Carolina - Friday, July 19, 2019
Morning 77 Degrees, Wind NW at 1 to 3 Mph, Humidity 91%, partly cloudy.

Fifty years ago the Saturn five lifted off the launch pad, orbited the earth and headed for the moon. Our launch preparation job was complete, now we had to “clean up”. Our propellant loading equipment was considered contaminated with fuel and oxidizer. With the mobile service structure in a safe parked position our task was to flow the system with a solvent solution to clean the system and sample to ensure that the system was safe. With that done we then purged the system with dry nitrogen and sample to complete the process.


Buster’s spot Holly Springs, North Carolina - Saturday, July 20, 2019
Morning 77 Degrees, Wind NW at 1 to 2 Mph, Humidity 89%, mostly sunny.


Will the day was going along nicely and a afternoon nap when we realized we had a flood pouring out of the toilet room. I had to get outside and shutoff the water supply to stop the flood from continuing. We realized the toilet was overflowing. After cleaning up the water in the hall and into the bedroom we realized the water valve for the toilet was leaking past in the closed position. I am looking to find a part number on the computer and trying to figure out if I could purchase a replacement valve in the morning. My daughter came over for something I forgot what and we were talking about the problem. She was checking on her phone who is open on Sunday, no one. Her husband came in along the was also getting involved. With this problem we were ‘dead in the water”, I could not turn water on or the toilet would over flow as there was no valve put in by the coach manufacture. I said could we get a cap for the supply line and then we could have water on everything else. John said why don’t we put a valve in the supply line. He went to Home Depot for one and put it in about ten that night. We have water and can put water in the toilet. We ordered a new valve from Amazon with Prime Delivery, it will be here Monday. 
 

Added Shutoff Valve

Buster’s spot Holly Springs, North Carolina - Monday, July 22, 2019
Morning 80 Degrees, Wind NNW at 3 to 5 Mph, Humidity 85%, sunny.
Afternoon 93 Degrees, Wind NW at 3 to 6 Mph, Humidity 47%, partly sunny.

The replacement valve showed up in the US mail delivered today. Replacement was easy two screws and water supply line and hose to the vacuum breaker. It was a different meaning of hugging the toilet, to change the valve. The valve was bypassing internally. Normally you step on the pedal and the plastic plunger goes down allowing water into the toilet.

New vale on the toilet

Apollo 50 Years later

Buster’s spot Holly Springs, North Carolina - Wednesday, July 17, 2019
Morning 81 Degrees, Wind NE at 1 to 2 Mph, Humidity 90%, sunny.
partly sunny afternoon in possible thunderstorm

A little late on the date’s. fifty years ago I was part of the “Launch Team” for the Grummam Lunar Module (LM) that landed on the moon. I was one of many workers on the ground support that loaded propellants, drinking water and gases on the space craft. We maintained the equipment for this work. We had loaded the hypergolic fuel and oxidizer into the LM tanks. These fuels were used in three engines. The decent engine (10,000 pounds of thrust), the RCS or reaction control engines and the ascent engine (3,500 pounds of thrust). There were actually sixteen RCS engines (small on the corners) four up, four down, four left and four right to control pitch, roll and yaw attitudes
one hundred pounds of thrust each.

This fueling is a restricted access operation and the workers on site are in suits with  self contained breathing air. The “air packs” are serviced with liquid air (-198 C) that is brought to room temperature using a heat exchanger. These supply the user with breathing air for up to two hours with one filling. The suit is slightly pressurized as this keeps the propellant from touching your skin or breathing the vapors.

 The “stack” serviced fuel, cleared and then set up for and serviced oxidizer. Another operation we loaded liquid helium (-452.2 °F) but not an operation that required restricted access during the loading process. Gases loaded were breathing oxygen, Helium and Nitrogen and drinking water . The service module and the LM loaded propellants at the same time.

First stage of Saturn V, laid down

 “The stack” Saturn five, consisted the of following; first stage (Boeing Aircraft) RP 1 and LOX liquid oxygen fueled. Second stage (North American Rockwell) Hydrogen and LOX fueled. Third stage (McDonald Douglas) Hydrogen and LOX fueled. Guidance ring, three feet high, International Business Machines (IBM). Saturn LM adapter (SLA), tapered cone housing the LM during the liftoff to orbit. Command Service Modules (Liftoff and landing on earth) (North American Rockwell). Escape rocket on top for the Command Module only. In the stack with the LM’s legs folded in the stow position the cups (pads) at the end of the legs were within inches of the fuel tank of the third stage.

LM ready to be put in the SLA

 RP1, Hydrogen (-423.17 °F) and LOX (liquid oxygen -361.82 °F) were loaded during the final hours of launch preparation. And these cold liquids were topped off during the final minute of preparation. The third stage engine was used twice on the mission, first to was used to finish to orbit and again to brake orbit and head to the moon.

"The Sack" Being Transported to the Pad

Atlanta weekend, travel home

Atlanta Marietta RV Resort Marietta, Georgia - Saturday, July 13, 2019
Morning 78 Degrees, Wind W at calm Mph, Humidity 88%, partly cloudy.

Today’s game was scheduled for two o’clock today and was delayed by light rain and local area lightening. If there is a lightening within seven miles so they cleared the fields and wait one half an hour. We were delayed until five o’clock so we started to head to the car, as soon as we were in the car the sky’s opened up. We then went to dinner today John’s uncle and cousin (and the cousins family) came to the field today as they now live here in Georgia. We are waiting for information on rescheduling the games.

Jay & John

Atlanta Marietta RV Resort Marietta, Georgia - Sunday, July 14, 2019
Morning 72 Degrees, Wind SSE at calm Mph, Humidity 94%, mostly cloudy.
Afternoon 91 Degrees, Wind ESE at 3 to 5 Mph, Humidity 48%, partly cloudy.

No rain today. After nine o’clock last night the games were canceled. Ariana & John traveled home this morning we have a leisure day and travel tomorrow 
   

Atlanta Marietta RV Resort Marietta, Georgia - Monday, July 15, 2019
Morning 72 Degrees, Wind W at calm Mph, Humidity 74%, partly cloudy.

Buster started moving after ten this morning. I did not want to get out there in traffic too early. We took interstate seventy-five south to interstate two eighty-five east to interstate eighty-five north the rest of the day. Interstate two eighty-five was still busy and there was an accident (fender bender) on the right shoulder, everyone go slow and take a look at the police doing paperwork. Interstate eighty-five north moved well but there was a lot of vehicles on the road. Total traveled today was two hundred and six miles. We has a mix up at the planned RV park and they were full. In talking to the owner he muenchened another Passport America park close by (seven miles). I called them and there was room for Buster to park there. It is one stop back down the interstate and two miles off the interstate.


Iron City RV Park Blacksburg, South Carolina - Tuesday, July 16, 2019
Morning 74 Degrees, Wind N at calm Mph, Humidity 90%, mostly sunny.

Another afternoon in the ninety’s, rain possible.   
We drove Buster one exit north on interstate eighty-five getting diesel fuel $ 2.779 a gallon. Then continued north on interstate eighty-five to Charlotte, NC changing to NC 49 to Asheboro, NC where we switched to US 64 east to Holly Springs. Going this way we saved nineteen miles of driving. In Pittsboro, NC there was a rain shower that I used the wipers for a few minutes.

Atlanta Thursday - Friday

Atlanta Marietta RV Resort Marietta, Georgia - Thursday, July 11, 2019
Morning 76 Degrees, Wind NE at 1 to 2 Mph, Humidity 91%, mostly cloudy.

Ariana a bat

Lost the first game 4 - 5 and won the second 12 - 2 then went to dinner. These games were on different fields (field 4 & 2) only a ten minute brake between games to change fields. My wife and I got there late. Not only the distance but there is elevation change. From field four to field two is up hill and around past field three, we got there after the start of the first inning. After we were there Ariana hit a home run to center field in the second game.

 

Ariana playing first base

Atlanta Marietta RV Resort Marietta, Georgia - Friday, July 12, 2019
Morning 74 Degrees, Wind SW at calm Mph, Humidity 92%, cloudy.

Light rain last night after we came home.
Two games today (lost both) separated by a one game brake. For our sake we did not have to change fields. There was a one game brake between games where we waited in the tree shade. These are pool games and are eighty minutes finish the batter long. Tomorrow’s games are one hour and fifty minutes

Atlanta - Marietta, Georgia

Cherokee RV Park, Blacksburg, South Carolina - Tuesday, July 9, 2019
Morning 75 Degrees, Wind E at 1 to 5 Mph, Humidity 94%, cloudy.

Travel day again and Buster started moving earlier today as I controlled the cat, keeping him inside with no sneaking out checking out the neighborhood. First up was stopping to get diesel fuel for Buster then onto interstate eighty-five south. Half of today travel was in South Carolina and the rest in Georgia. Two hundred and five miles traveled with a lot of road construction in South Carolina. As we got closer to interstate two eighty-five I could see more vehicles, high traffic. On interstate two eighty-five after five miles there was an accident, there was a fender bender type accident blocking two of five lanes of traffic. The emergency vehicles had not arrived yet, too much traffic. I have to be carful in lane selection being a long vehicle (Tan Jan in tow of a forty foot motorhome) slow and easy. It was only ten miles on interstate two eighty-five and two miles on interstate seventy-five north then a couple of local roads to the RV Park. Congestion all over the place.

Atlanta Marietta RV Resort Marietta, Georgia - Wednesday, July 10, 2019
Morning 76 Degrees, Wind NE at 2 to 4 Mph, Humidity 88%, cloudy.

We had rain last night and forty chance percent of rain at two o’clock this afternoon.
Atlanta Legacy Showcase for this week.  Ariana’s team had one game schedules for today at Atlanta Legacy Showcase Tournament, they won. John and Ariana traveled down from Holly Springs during the day for the five o’clock start time. We meet at two and had lunch together before the game.

Ariana at bat

Weather held off and on our ride home to Buster there was a rain shower. We were starting our traveling south on interstate seventy-five (five miles) the windshield started getting wet. Looking out the vehicles traveling north (the other way) had the showers and wheel spray that made it look that they had more rain than we had.

June - July

Buster’s spot Holly Springs, North Carolina - Sunday, June 30, 2019
Morning 73 Degrees, Wind NW at calm Mph, Humidity 79%, sunny.

Ariana had a softball tournament in Greensboro, North Carolina. There were two games on Saturday and one on Sunday, only five teams in their age group winning the  tournament. The nice part was the games did not start early and it was still light arriving home. We took two cars as they have to be on site early (an hour and a half) to check in and warm up prior to the game.


Buster’s spot Holly Springs, North Carolina - Saturday, July 6, 2019
Morning 75 Degrees, Wind NW at calm Mph, Humidity 92%, cloudy.

Softball tournament (Ariana) Burlington, NC (2) wins. There was a two game wait in between games, so we went to dinner that was the plan. If they lost the first game it was only a one game wait. It was almost dark when we started driving home so Chris drove my car. Weather held off and was a little better today.


Buster’s spot Holly Springs, North Carolina - Sunday, July 7, 2019
Morning 79 Degrees, Wind SW at 1 to 2 Mph, Humidity 91%, partly sunny.

First game schedules ten to two in the afternoon was almost a half hour late starting. They won that game late. There was a wait for another game to decide who would play Ariana’s team. That game is the losers bracket. Ariana’s team was still in the winners bracket as they have won all their games. Waiting there was a threat of rain and thunderstorms that came and stopped the losers game and they were declared the winner of the tournament.

Ariana in back row center (black Hat)

 
Buster’s spot Holly Springs, North Carolina - Monday, July 8, 2019
Morning 75 Degrees, Wind NW at calm Mph, Humidity 91%, cloudy.

We are on the road headed to Atlanta, Georgia for a tournament that starts Wednesday. We got started latter than planned as Raleigh got out and took over an hour for him to come in. We do not chase him as it just makes him run. Two hundred miles and we are stopping in Blacksburg, South Carolina for the night. We traveled two hundred miles today.

July 4