Dear Rocketeers:
Consider this an invitation to come to Coalwood, West (by God) Virginia on Oct. 1 and meet the Rocket Boys of October Sky. See my website at
Cape Coalwood will be open all day for rocket launchings. Anyone wishing to assist in that effort would be welcome. E-mail Peggy Blevins at snipped-for-privacy@hotmail.com or me at snipped-for-privacy@yahoo.com to volunteer.
Note on the Cape: When we launched there in the late 1950's, the Cape was a huge open slack dump (coal tailings) surrounded by clear-cut mountains which allowed us to go to extreme altitudes and still recover our machines. Today, the forest has encroached until there is only a small area (about the size of two football fields) left open with many, many big trees all around for miles in every direction. Keep this in mind when you decide what size rocket you plan to launch. Suggestion: Rocketeers seem to get a lot of satisfaction by creating a display in their homes or offices with the rocket launched from Cape Coalwood and signed by the Rocket Boys. A signed book or video is a nice touch, too.
I will be around all day to sign books and rockets and DVD/tapes. We expect Roy Lee, O'Dell, and Billy to be there as well. Quentin (Prodigious!) Wilson we never know about until the last minute (he hasn't changed much). My mom (92 years old) may make an appearance if we can get her out of Myrtle Beach. Bill Bolt (who I called Leon Ferro in the book and was the lead coal company machinist who built most of our rockets) will be there and also Red Carroll, the only surviving Rocket Boys dad who often "volunteered" his truck to help in the original construction of the old Cape. Oh, you'll also be able to meet Emily Sue Buckberry who made me go to the county seat of Welch to buy a suit for the National Science Fair (the famous orange suit). She was with me that day when I suggested the moon-landing program to the then somewhat obscure Senator named John F. Kennedy.
Hope to see you in Coalwood!
Homer Hickam It is better to confess ignorance than provide it.