Inventions: The Mother of Vacation-- Part 3: Huntsville and Austin

Continued from Friday.

HUNTSVILLE, ALABAMA: We wouldn't have reached the moon were it not for Huntsville. Rocket City (Huntsville's nicknamename) is where NASA developed the powerful Saturn Rockets (as a matter of fact, you can see a huge Saturn Rocket at nearby the Alabama Welcome Center on I-55). Alec Foege suggests a visit to the U.S. Space and Rocket Center "with a lot of cool hardware."

I'd like to add TOPSAIL BEACH, NC, where the early U.S. rocket program was begun right after World War II. The rocket towers still stand, some made into beach homes. Plus, there is a great museum there with the history of rockets developed there.

AUSTIN, TEXAS: The Texas capital is probably better known for its music scene and their huge South By Southwest Festival, a celebration of music, film and interactive technology. (Well, I knew about the music aspect of it.) Foege says Austin's rich music tradition attracts innovative thinkers.

10, 9, 8, 7.... ---RoadDog