Columbia was the gem of the Antelope Valley

The Antelope Valley Press ^ | Feb. 2, 2003 | VALLEY PRESS

[BenLurkin]

For the Antelope Valley, space shuttle Columbia represented the pinnacle of

the region's aerospace achievement, culminating in the first orbital flight April 14, 1981, with a crowd of 300,000 waiting on the dry lake bed at Edwards Air Force Base.

Space shuttle Columbia, lost with its crew of seven during re-entry Saturday, was built in California, landed many times in the Mojave Desert and had its last major overhaul in Palmdale.

[lainie]

US Air Force Plant 42: "Birthplace of Aerospace Systems"

This dirty desert town doesn't have a lot going for it, but the industry is certainly the largest factor. Perhaps two or three times per month, I see a stealth fighter overhead. Thanks for the post.

[Capitalist Eric]

The orbiter operated with more than 230 miles of wiring. During the overhaul, Columbia's 24,000 tiles that form the shuttle's external wall underwent rigorous inspection.

Perhaps not rigorous enough. (((shaking head)))
Nobody deserves to die that way...

[BenLurkin]

"dirty desert town"?

On the contrary, we have big sky, great sunrises and sunsets, schools that aren't quite as bad as those down below, light traffic, churches that preach God's word, the Palmdale Playhouse, the Lancaster Jet-Hawks, Blackbird Air-Park, plenty of chain retail outlets, and best of all: that wonderful gentle breeze that wafts down out of the mountains from time to time.(:>)

We've lived here 10+ years and I like it more and more all the time, despite the commute from H___. If I never had to go down below again, that would be just fine.

[lainie]

Yeah, that commute would kill me. Luckily, it's not an issue. I've been here six years. My thoughts on the place have gone from despair and contempt to quiet acceptance, with the occasional appreciation. I said occasional! It was a huge shock coming from Virginia, what can I say.

You forgot to mention the AV boasts TWO In-n-Out Burgers and FOUR Wal-Marts. Now that's somethin' to be proud of.

[BenLurkin]

I've seen Virginia and it is indeed beautiful. Particularly the Shennendoah Valley and the area around Lexington where one of my brothers went to college. Leaving that to come here would be a shock indeed!

Having moved to the West Coast from Cleveland the weather doesn't seem so bad, and having lived down below for over a decade, the A. V. like a place where my family could have a better way of life. Let's chat again. Right now I've got to force myself to retire for the evening and be ready to work tomorrow.

[Duramaximus]

On the contrary, we have big sky, great sunrises and sunsets, schools that aren't quite as bad as those down below, light traffic, churches that preach God's word, the Palmdale Playhouse, the Lancaster Jet-Hawks, Blackbird Air-Park, plenty of chain retail outlets, and best of all: that wonderful gentle breeze that wafts down out of the mountains from time to time.(:>)

15 years here in the Antelope Valley... where the wind doesn't blow, it sucks. I have seen the cities of Palmdale and Lancaster go from decent bedroom communities to becoming a wasteland. This all started when the state opened up the prison east of Lancaster. With the prison came the human debris; their impact on the area in the form of increased crime, graffiti, etc. Today there are areas of Antelope Valley I refuse to go near, even during the daylight hours.

The 14 freeway is definately the commute for H___. I hoped the HOV lane would free-up the traffic congestion at rush hour. Was I ever wrong. Between the new home construction here, and the Santa Clarita Valley, it went from bad to worse.

I don't mean to take away from the enjoyment you find living here, it is just that I have lived in far better places. If the right job opens up with my employer, Aerospace, I am outta here... just like the So. Calif. job market.

I am pleased that you find it nice up here.

[Types_with_Fist]

FOUR Wal-Marts

Four Wal-Marts! Just how small is this place? How the heck can any town smaller than Chicago have four Wal-Marts?

[babble-on]

this is my favorite song about the Palmdale area:

Village of the Sun
by Frank Zappa

Goin' back home
To the Village of the Sun
Out in back of Palmdale
Where the turkey farmers run, I done
Made up my mind
And I know I'm gonna go to Sun
Village, good God I hope the
Wind don't blow

It take the paint off your car
And wreck your windshield too,
I don't know how the people stand it,
But I guess they do
Cause they're all still there,
Even Johnny Franklin too
In the Village of the Sun
Village of the Sun
Village of the Sun, son
(Sun Village to you)

Little Mary, and Teddy, and Thelma too
Where Palmdale Boulevard
Cuts on through
Past the Village Inn & Barbecue
(I heard it ain't there...
Well I hope it ain't true)
Where the stumblers gonna go
To watch the lights turn blue
Where the stumblers gonna go
To watch the lights turn
blue-ooo-ooo-ooo-ooo-ooo-wahhh?

[lainie]

The valley has about 250,000 residents if I'm not mistaken, and two main small cities (which never find an end to subjects about which to bicker).

This guy is from here:

[lainie]

Where was the east prison? It was before my time. We were house hunting last year and the current westside prison area (how many prisons have been up here??) is referred to in real estate lingo as "Prison View Estates." There's also a federal pen out in Adelanto.

[lainie]

FZ was from Lancaster, right? So is the guy that plays Victor Newman on Young & the Restless.

[lainie]

Have you ever seen it *look* like that here? If so tell me when -- so I can make the trip. Every time I've tried the Poppy Festival area, I've come up empty.

There are five types of weather here:

1. Too hot.
2. Too cold.
3. Too windy.
4. Too hot and windy.
5. Too cold and windy.

[Duramaximus]

Where was the east prison?

My mistake... I meant west of Lancaster.

There are five types of weather here:

1. Too hot.
2. Too cold.
3. Too windy.
4. Too hot and windy.
5. Too cold and windy.

The wind isn't always blowing, it just seems that way. In most cases one of the above will apply.

[lainie]

You're right -- there are 3 or 4 days per year when "calm, mid-temperatured" are the conditions.

Since you're in aerospace, let me ask you a question. What were the sustained booms that went off all day yesterday? I'd say they were sonic but a) they lasted too long and went on all afternoon, and b) in light of Saturday, I couldn't imagine what would be airborne so long.

The house would shake and a low rumble would continue for a few seconds, then we'd hear it 2 or 3 more times per hour. It was much louder outside. Engine testing of some sort?

[tubebender]

That looks similar to the center spread in the current COUNTRY MAGAZINE. How's the fishing there...

[babble-on]

yes, high school in Lancaster, and his first recording studio was in Sun Village. He worked for some time for $7 per night at the Village Inn in Palmdale.

[babble-on]

The Johnny Franklin in that song is a guy who was in his high school band.

[BenLurkin]

I tell the folks down below we have two seasons: Too d___ hot and too d___ cold. But actually there are a lot of nice days out here, especially when you get used to the wind.

[BenLurkin]

That is a photo of the Poppy Preserve, and as FReeper Lainie will tell you it doesn't look like that very often.

No fishing out there either I'm afraid, just a lot of people with cameras (including foreign tourists) when the weather is nice.