Redmond's "Rocket Man" and sons end the season with a Bang.

I first met Dave Randall and his family during a Hartman Park forest restoration work-party. His boys are Scouts and BMX jumpers. Linda, his wife, works for the LWSD.   Dave’s largest rocket is 22 feet tall, 150 pounds and reaches up to 2,500 feet.  Randall's “the Redmond Rocket Man”!  And his younger son, Joshua  is learning fast (right) with his upscaled Estes kit, "The Mosquito".   

Here's Dave's story: 

In Redmond, 60 Acres park is often used for flying low power model rockets when soccer is not in session, including the winter months. We head to rural areas to launch our 5 pound and larger rockets.

Last weekend, hobby rocketeers gathered in the small central Washington town of Mansfield, near Chelan, for the last big launch of the 2009 Washington Aerospace (WAC) flying season. Students from University of Washington and Ingraham High School participated while learning and demonstrating real rocket science in action.

David's latest project was a team effort with three other local rocketeers. "We wanted to go big. Real big," David said about his team's rocket named "U4EA". At 22' tall and weighing 150 pounds, it was the biggest rocket ever launched at the Mansfield site. "The liftoff was absolutely majestic. And the feeling as we watched it take to the sky, was, well, U4ic!" The rocket used a cluster of five rocket motors to achieve its required thrust and carried two cameras on board. Special altimeters recorded the flight and ensured the parachutes were deployed at the perfect.

While some folks remember the Estes rockets flown in schoolyards or local parks, WAC hosts launches with bigger rockets. The larger rockets can weigh over 100 pounds and fly as high as 14,000'. Coordination with the FAA ensures safe flying for both rockets and airplanes. Rockets at Mansfield fly to an average altitude of 4,500' and weigh around 5 pounds.

Redmond rocketeer Dave Randall says: "I fit squarely into the group of adults known as 'BAR's' - or Born Again Rocketeers." Many adults in the hobby, like Dave, returned to the hobby with their own children participating in rocketry as a science class or Scouting activity. Indeed, the entire Randall family participates in rocketry. From Estes kits to big scratch built rockets, a crowd-favorite "Tin Man" rocket that was featured on the cover of a national rocketry magazine.

Typical rockets require over 20 hours to assemble, paint, and prepare for flight. Schedules for northwest rocket launches can be found at www.rocketsnw.com. The hobby boasts over 3,000 active flyers nationwide with local launches occurring in many states across the country.

- Dave Randall

Dave's rocket story is timely with NASA’s launch of the “Mars Rocket” (2 min. video) on 10/28. The booster on the Mars Rocket was 100 meters long, it reached 150,000 feet and traveled almost 5X the speed of sound.

NAR website (http://www.nar.org/) and WAC website (http://www.washingtonaerospace.org/)
Story and photos by Dave Randall
Edited, Yoder

LETTER: Redmond Bike Park a move in the right direction, improves community

Redmond Bike Park - work party -  credit/ cor

LETTER from Dave Randall

This particular location doesn't represent a "new" bike park - rather an "official" bike park. The dirt jumps have been there for years, and have attracted a variety of people and behaviors that are both positive, and not so positive. I see the Redmond Bike Park as a move in the right direction for the following reasons:

1. You have a large group of young people actively and voluntarily engaged in improving their community.

2. These same young people are working with the parks department and city government to bring about change that is important to each of them.

3. The riders will seek out locations to build bike tracks and build them. Without the proper oversight and guidance, are more likely to build inappropriately designed tracks on private property.

4. The riders are in shape! They have traded time with their Nintendos and XBOX's for time exercising, building cameraderie and staying in shape.

5. The location of the Redmond Bike Park will receive more "housecleaning" attention by the riders that are proud of their accomplishments by keeping it cleaner and discouraging illegal behaviors (dumping, drugs, etc)

6. Through interactive discussions with Hillride and other organizations, the riders are learning about smart ways to build, ride and have fun.

I know that many folks, especially Carolyn Hope, have put a tremendous amount of effort into ensuring that the Redmond Bike Park becomes an location that supports off road biking and jumping for all skill levels and maintains the right balance between maintaining the integrity of the location and providing a high quality recreational facility.

As with most change, there are concerns and considerations. And, I have seen and heard concerns come from the riders, the parents, the neighbors, and the community. As a result of the input, there has been an incredibly thorough amount of planning that has gone into the Redmond Bike Park to ensure its success. I anxiously await the announcement for the next scheduled work party!

Sincerely,
Dave Randall
Redmond, WA
June 2, 2011

"Up, Up and Away" with the Randalls

Over Memorial weekend, I enjoyed a fun day watching the Randall family of Redmond, WA. and his club launch hobby rockets up to 7,500 feet into the air.  Dave Randall, a Microsoft Program Manager, was one of two staff running Washington Aerospace Club's "Fire in the Sky 2010" event. Every year Dave & Linda and their sons Thomas and Josh drive their RV to the wheat lands of Mansfield, WA. for club launch events. (The next Mansfield launch is 6/26-27). At 60-acres South, the rockets are limited to 2,000 feet; in Mansfield the ceiling is 7,500 feet.   Watch John Norris's humongous "hobby" launches here.

Linda Randall, introduced me to Mansfield's Mayor Snell and his dog. Snell has been mayor for 20 years and he runs the show in Mansfield, as "strong mayor". (pop. 300) He is pleased eight seniors graduated this year from their K-12 school and is grateful 3-4 launch events are held in his city every year.  Linda works for the LWSD. 

The Randalls' are active outdoor volunteers in the Redmond community. Josh, Thomas and their BMX friends have played a key role in the early development of the Redmond Bike Park. They attended the clay-modeling design workshops, went on BMX field trips with the city, attended Steering Committee meetings. The whole family pitched in to help restore the forest surrounding the Park during a Cascade Conservancy event.  Both boys are active scouts.  When they are not "Up, Up and Away" you can usually find the Randalls' on Thursday at Oddfellows Grill's  "Trivia Night".

Reported By Bob Yoder
Slides by Yoder

Some related announcements: 

The Cascade Conservancy invites Redmond citizens to a Land Steward sign-up meeting on June 12.

"Brighter" -an exciting movie premier and fundraiser for the Redmond Bike Park
June 10, 2010 at 7:00 pm

Final Draft Design Input Meeting  for Redmond Bike Park on June 30 - open to all.

Hartman Park - Redmond Bike Park area forest restoration work-party:  September 25 - 17300 NE 104th Street

Education Hill Car Prowler Activity Caught On Security Camera

Hello Ed Hill neighbors!

Randall's Home Security Web Cam shows prowler 

This week, we had a car prowl at our home on 88th Street – nothing taken as far as we can tell, but the person was recorded on surveillance video. So we have some information that may help you and your families.

At 11:26pm on 11/2/10, the person walked up to each of our three vehicles and tested only one door lock on each car. One of our three vehicles was unlocked and the person stood on the outside of the car and reached in to check through the contents of the center console. A flashlight was used. The person climbed into the driver’s seat and checked the contents of the glove box. Then the person carefully closed the door, and went into the rear car door to check out some items in the rear of the vehicle. Our roadside emergency kit was looked through, but nothing appeared to be taken. The person carefully closed the door, and tried the passenger door lock on our other vehicle.

The best description I can give of the person at the time he was recorded: Male, approx 6’ tall, 180-200 lbs, wearing light colored pants that were baggy around the bottoms of the pant-legs, black shoes, and was wearing a backpack. The person was on foot, and no vehicles were passing up or down the street within 10 minutes of the prowl. A police report was filed, so they are aware of the activity.

The person was walking – no vehicle activity prior to the event, leading me to believe he was local and may walk the route regularly.

Dave Randall
Education Hill, Redmond
Read other RNB contributions by Randall

Will our community "Realize" Redmond's Bike Park?

Kids are modeling clay to create bike jump ideas for the park. Bike jump
professionals gave talks. The kids also traveled to neighboring BMX parks for ideas.

Carolyn Hope facilitates bike park
design workshop at Horace Mann
President Richard Cole attended

OPINION:  In this week's City Council meeting at least six or seven parents addressed council in the "public comment period about the "Redmond Bike Park" (RBP) development project. RBP is a BMX/mountain bike jump park project on Education Hill.  It's been delayed by an appeal.

One citizen was adamantly against the park, calling it useful for only a small minority of the city population.  His back-yard faces the park.  Another was not against the park but bothered by the Notice process.  He lives a short walk on Ashford Trail in a nearby housing development.  All the other speakers were fathers of BMX biker youth vested in developing the park from years of volunteerism and seeing the good the sport brings to their children.  They spoke with passion and eloquence.  Dave Randall, was the first speaker.  Dave's comments are recorded in a Letter to RNB here. 

But, my reason for writing is to ask where is "Realize Redmond'' (RR) when the community and city needs their support the most?  "Realize Redmond" is a nonprofit, public-private partnership funded by City Council (6-1, Cole) with $50,000 in taxpayer seed money.  Realize Redmond used to be called the "Redmond Foundation". The mission and vision hasn't changed.  READ MORE >>

Michelle Vallene, our longtime PEPS group friend, educator and mother of three announces a New York City media blitz of her new book!

"What Children Need to Learn to Read, by Michelle Vallene" - The Complete parent's guide to ensuring literacy, a love of reading, and school readiness.  Birth through the Early Grades. 

Hi Bob,

As you know, I was accepted to attend the National Publicity Summit in New York City this next week to promote my new book. I am leaving on Saturday and won’t be back until the following weekend.  In New York, I will be meeting with producers from TV shows like Good Morning America, The Today Show, etc. and magazine and newspaper editors and radio show producers. It is like speed dating with the media. I have been working with a media coach and taking on-line classes for the last couple of months to prepare my story/show pitches for the media.

I am excited, but very nervous about going!  By the way, we have extended the pre-order date to October 30th so people can still pre-order my book at our current website.

Pre-order book here:  http://www.chateau-education.com/book.html

Thanks for your support!

Michelle

Bob's note:   Wow, Michelle!   Congratulations!  Thanks for sharing your book and this "breaking news" with me!  I look forward to your feature story in the local reporter.  Good luck on your tour!  I will try to find the AMAZON.com link to add to my site so readers can order your book!   When you come home next week from New York and have some time, I want some coffee time with you at Tulleys!   

-Edited by Bob Yoder
Photo by Dave Randall