In case you haven't heard of PARI (Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute), it's a site buried in the forest of North Carolina that was a NASA tracking station (the very one that relayed Neil Armstrongs hallowed words) and later a spy station during the cold war and following. It later was rescued (around 2000?) from demolition by a group that made it over into a non-profit center for basic radio-astronomical research as well as educational facility for K through college.
So, what better place for an early Valentines celebration?! Last night our friends Rick and Laurie watched the kids while we got to go enjoy dinner, star-gazing and storytelling at a very retro-cool site with two 85-foot radio telescopes to greet you at the entrance. Dinner was great, and the nerds in us were rapt--listening to the history of the facility, the recent advances made possible there, and visiting the collections of priceless images and data from all over the world. Though our sleepy bodies began to fail us at the late, late hour of 9pm.
Ok, ok, I know it's probably not for everyone, but we had a great time . . . and even had a good report from the baby-sitters when we got home!
(btw, no that's not us in the picture!!)
1 comment:
Sounds like a perfect Valentine get-away.
Post a Comment