Day 13, July 26th, Moon Germs

After returning home, and a day off, Jen, Vince & I took a field trip to the USS Hornet, at the old Navy Base, in Alameda. Just a 5 minute drive from our home, the USS Hornet was celebrating the 40th Anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon Landing. We missed the Saturday event with Dr. Buzz Aldrin (I wish I could be called "Dr. Buzz") but still had a great time. It was my 3rd visit, but this trip had new meaning. Besides the other important chapters in the ship's history, the Hornet had the honor of picking up the astronauts after they returned from the moon, and splashed down in the ocean. Upon their return to Earth, the astronauts were quarantined for 21 days, for fear of spreading "moon germs", in a custom built 1968 Airstream, the same year as ours. Fascinating. It was great to see how similar the amenities were in the Airstream Mobile Quarantine Facility. Same sink, cabinets, curtains, & toilet, plus a few things we didn't have, like the airplane seats and conference table. Pretty cool.
After we returned home we listened to the 1972 CTI recording, Joe Farrell's "Moon Germs"; a quartet featuring heavy hitters Herbie Hancock, Stanley Clarke, and Jack Dejohnette. You know that's good.

Those of you familiar with George Lucas's THX-1138 may recognize the
Posey Tube as one of the underground expressways in the film.
For us it's just how we connect Alameda.

Colonel Vicente Aello and Captain Skidmarks return from Mars

The 1968 Airstream Mobile Quarantine Facility being loaded
onto the Hornet prior to Astronaut recovery

Apollo 12 capsule. The Airstream was used to quarantine astronauts
after this mission, as well.

Vince found ashes in ashtrays of these seats in the Airstream.
Smells like somebody's smoking moon rocks.

The Airstream MQF in some of it's glory.