The Coulter Curse? - No Owner Miscue

Good old Red was bad old Red tonight. My little workhorse Coulter 10" tele really let me down to say the least.(Wrong, it was my mistake being in too much of a hurry! My anticipation got the better of me.) Here I spend my day cooking, cleaning making sure my wifely is taken care of and helping my neighbor Edi with his gardening working my time around one thing - outreach program at the park! The weather is wonderful and I am geared for outreach. I am loaded for bear thinking about Mars, Luna, Orion, Gemini stuff to show off along with new posters , books and stuff to use in my street program. The Sidewalk Guy is back and primed! The park is busy tonight with the good weather - lots of walkers, runners, families. Yes it will be fun tonight.

Well I get to the park and I start to unload and some folks from last season recognize the SUG and the word is spreading quickly around the park - He is back! Table and materials out and people are coming over, questions are flowing already and my outreach mojo is at peak level. Time to set up trusty old Red - Red who has had LOTS of space on this blog and my fav outreach buddie.(yes he is and will be still) Time to aline the mirrors and........Oh no broken mirror cell! (WRONG - I was not paying attention to what I was doing. I was conversing with a visitor with excitement and moved the adjustment screws too far out!)The old push pull just died. Red is down and out and I'm totally bummed as are the 5 folks waiting for a glimpse of Luna and Mars. THERE WAS A COLLECTIVE SIGH FROM THE ASTRO STARVED MASSES GATHERED AT MY LITTLE OUTPOST. Yes indeed the Coulter Curse hit tonight. ( Not accurate at all, no curse just being mechanically challenged as I am even with this simple thing.)

What a way to kick off a new season! Well there was some redemption. As I was packing up a fellow stops by and introduces himself , Craig who is the proud owner of a 8" Reflector EQ Mounted Orion Telescope. He saw me setting up and had to find out "what's up"! Well anyway he and his scope have been sidelined for sometime with backyard lighting issues and navigation problems. As we converse I give ideas has to to how "we" can move his astronomy forward. His eyes light up with excitement and he is ready to start again. Is this a potential local astro buddy and street astro partner? He was impressed with the whole outreach thing - maybe a kindred spirit? I await his phone call!

2/22/10 Update From RED the Plumbing Piece Focuser 10"f4 Telescope:

Yes I am back after SUG'S fix and a scolding by me with a clean mirror, and aligned optics. We enjoyed some Lunar time and had a blast watching sunrise across the Selenic landscape. We are a pair to say the least - SUG with his floppy hat,
bottons and pins on his vest, red flashlight around his neck and acting like a kid who never seen the moon before. Me a primitive scope sitting on a orange milk carton case, particle board box mount, and well my focuser........

A perfect match!