As is tradition the PI will finish off the run with the last blog. This run marked our 7th year operating at LCO making great images and science. This run was no exception with great science delivered (despite the many clouds we encountered as winter is definitely coming). I’d like to thank all the LCO staff that did a great hosting us and I’d like to thank all the observers that came out to work with MagAO.
I’d like to show some great photos of the packing up process that was done in just one day (a new record).
Below is the ASM ready to be packed up and driven down to the clean room (where it will wait a year for us to come back — but we will come back).
ASM in DaylightASM coming offJoseph fixes the stuck pin in the ASM cartJared and Joseph with th ASM — end of run!
Admin Edit:
Post failed to include a song of the day, please see 2018A Blog Rules.
Therefore the admin will choose a song of the day:
When we got to La Florida airport in La Serena, it was foggy. And it got foggier. So as we waited for our plane to land so we could board it and travel home, we slowly lost sight of the runway. Then we heard the plane as it buzzed the runway and decided it couldn’t land. That’s a bad feeling.
The official hotel of MagAO, the Casino Enjoy, was full. So we had to downgrade and check into the Costa Real — a.k.a. the GPI hotel.
At the Costa Real Hotel bar, working on getting flights for the next day.We got complementary empanadas con queso, at least
We ended up with essentially the same itinerary, 24 hours later. So we got some time for a walk around La Serena.
The view of our La Serena street corner
It’s actually been 5 or so years since we bothered to spend time in La Serena. La Recova is the same.
We remembered the La Recova fountain.La Recova
We are now in Dallas. As we landed at 5 am this morning we were greated to notifications that our flight to Tucson was delayed 20 minutes. The delay has continued to grow.
The text messages received by Joseph in the span of a few hours
Our next major problem was that the first officer’s chair was broken. We were actually buckled in and ready to go, then they kicked us off to repair the chair. Deplaning number 1.
Here we are in an Airport restaraunt, after deplaning.
So. Next. We got on the plane, a little faster having rehearsed once. Everything looked good. Pushed back, taxied for a while, and then stopped. After sitting for a bit, the skipper got back on and started with “Well folks, I guess it’s one of those days . . .” Apparently a fuel gage problem, so we pulled back to a (different) gate.
And then the cops boarded the plane. Yeah.
So we aren’t home yet. We’re back in the terminal in DFW, waiting to board a different plane and try again. We are making lots of friends here in the refugee camp, and AA is giving out free food.
Refugee camp A21. The free pretzels made Laird unreasonably happy.
I don’t know where I’ll be tomorrow. I’ll probably still be wearing the same clothes though.
Update:
I’ve been trying to make it home
Got to make it, before too long
Oh I can’t take this, very much longer…
We finally made it:
Your intrepid adventurers in Tucson at last, with luggage in hand.
I’ll admit that I expected my Uber to break down the whole way home.
