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Grandma Goodard’s High
Power But Somewhat Less Than Exceptional Extreme Altitude Model Rocket Extravaganza and Chili Cookoff October 21st, 1989
By Larry Weber
October 21, 1989
dawned crisp as a snap of the fingers when you remember what you’ve forgotten. At 8:30 AM as we were setting up, the sun was warming Highlands Ranch Heritage Park. A sudden decision by the park officials to try to beat the next snow by finishing and testing the sprinkler system made our normal flight area into a swamp. By 10:00 we had moved north, were set up, had our warning flags out, and the first bird of Grandma Goodard’s High Power But Somewhat Less Than Exceptional Extreme Altitude Model Rocket Extravaganza And Chili Cookoff was in the air. |
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After two snows this
fall, we had the finest flying weather I’ve seen this year. The 45 or so spectators applauded, basked in the sun in, and complimented the members of C.R.A.S.H. and COSROCS on their High Power Rocketry. Five potential new members gave us their addresses and asked about the meetings. I guarantee that yours truly will never again be at a shoot or at GGHPBSLTEEAMREACC without at least 20-30 brochures. However, even with all of the help in timing and officiating I was lucky to get a grand total of five flights into the air. I managed to get 5-6 photos so I hope someone else got lots of pictures. All C.R.A.S.H. and COSROCS members were awfully busy. We wouldn’t have traded it for a day on the beach in Jamaica. Half the launch complex broke down. Even so we managed to get enough spectator and junior C.R.A.S.H. member’s rockets up so that the longest break in the day was 45 minutes at lunch. During that time Beth and I redid the plumbing on our field stove to heat up the chili and then warmed up both our entry and Danita Hellmund’s. We tasted chili for 15 or so minutes and then started shooting again. All during the early afternoon contestants and spectators watched and ate. Kevin McKinney managed to drop some wadding into Danita’s chili from 1200 or so feet, giving an authentic composite flavor to the stew. You should have seen the look on Danita’s face as she was fishing out the soggy wadding! |
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The chili tasting was
a bash. Beth Weber had the best Santa Fe Red. Danita Hellmund had the best Green. Bruce Markielewski had the most unique presentation (served directly from a cooler). Hirrel Weber had a BBQ Bean dish that wasn’t quite chili, and there were a couple of offerings from others that we didn’t get names from. No one could agree on the best and everyone went home full. Thank You all. Beth Weber got the DQ award with a CATO on her Lasersonic 1.2. Her Aerotech F20-8 blew up on ignition. We recovered all pieces and the propellent was scorched but had not ignited. You figure it.
Bruce Markielewski
got the Rainbow Parachutes ‘chute as he rebuilt and flew his glider entry 4 times. He flew it into the ground four times on two F’s and two D’s. We figured he should stick to parachutes.
Jason Muehls got a
Flat Cat Kit for persistence. First for coming all of the way down from Cheyenne, Wyoming and then for getting 8 flights from the same bird before loosing the nose cone. We stopped flying at 4:30 pm and tore down the Launch Pad. At 5:20 when I walked into the house it hit me that I never had made it to the men’s room. What a day!
The competition |
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| Senior “F” Boost Glide |
First place Second place |
Mike Hellmund Larry Weber |
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| Senior “F” Streamer Duration |
First place Second place Third place |
Larry Weber Mike Hellmund David Nauer |
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| Junior “F” Streamer |
First place | Todd Schneider | |
| Senior Olde Tyme Boost Glide |
First place Second place |
Kevin Kuczek Kevin McKinney |
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| Junior Olde Tyme Boost Glide |
First place | Ricky Wood | |