posted 10-24-2001 12:02 PM               

The best part of the trip for me was a stop at The Outpost. After reading "Dragonfly" this was a bar I wouldn't miss. Had Phyllis drop me off on the way back to the Holdiay Inn for a swim with the boys. The Outpost is like a history tour of NASA. It has more space stuff than I could begin to describe. I did not know in advance but it is also the bar where "Space Cowboys" was filmed. I was told producer Clint Eastwood asked for it's inclusion personally.

The Outpost is the real thing and still the place where NASA goes to wet their wistle. I can attest for the quality of the Pearl beer, it is a tradition that all shuttle crews spend their last night out, there. After an hour or two Phyllis was back to pick me up. The barmaid let my three boys check everything out (it was 7pm so only the after work crowd was there). My kids reconized the signed dollar bills hanging from the rafters and the pool table from the movie, they thought it was great.

The family then went to Frenchie's, across the street, for dinner. It's talked about alot in "Dragonfly" too but that's another story.

We didn't see George Abby at ether of these hangouts but the book says they are his favorites.

Would love to hear comments from others who have been there.

posted 10-24-2001 01:44 PM               

Thats great! I visited JSC the one and only time in April. I have pretty much the same idea you did. The "Space Center" museum wasnt that great...but in fact, the moon rock display room was the coolest part!

After, me and a few friends and family went to the STS-1 20th anniversary party. I had gotten tickets through a JSC employee-friend, but in fact the public had somehow made it in because some TV station told them they could go. So it was mayhem, ut I had one of the greatest nights of my life, meeting 10 or more astronauts and getting a lot of autographs.

And what better way to top it off? I insisted we check out the Outpost. Now, Im 17....but in fact, it was after hours, and my friend made sure it was ok to let us in. Nice little bar indeed...lots of great and memorable photos and autographs on the walls.

http://geocities.com/ovcolumbia/Outpost.html

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-Ben

http://www.geocities.com/ovcolumbia/totaleclipse.html

posted 10-24-2001 11:24 PM               

A great menu too. They serve food, and the menu (not printed) has cheeseburgers, and of course, cheeseburgers. <G> This is NOT prime rib ground up either....the grease liteally POURED off of it. But it was pretty tasty. You had to have a beer to cut the grease. <G>

And yes the memorabilia is quite impressive.

Best,

posted 10-25-2001 12:58 AM               

Thanks!

posted 10-25-2001 02:10 PM               

Come down NASA Road 1 from I-45 towards JSC. The town you go through first has a lot of contruction going on right now with NASA Road 1, so be patient. Stay in the right lane so you won't get stuck behind someone that is attempting to make an impossible left turn.

Cross Highway 3 (also called Old Galveston Road). If this intersection is not labelled or you missed the name, it is right where you have to cross some railroad tracks. There is a stretch of road that has a power plant with pine trees on the right. At the 2nd light (El Camino on the left and Egret Bay on the right), take a right. You are going towards League City.

Turn into the gravel/mud parking lot of the shack that's the first building on the right. It's the Outpost.

Frenchie's is catty corner from where the Outpost is next to a Baskin Robbins.

I think the old washing machine is still on the porch. Everyone is friendly. Visit before my last visit, Chris Kraft and his wife were in there handing out chili cook-off flyers and yaking with the other retired NASA folks.