Move over NASA, Mad Mike's set to launch from Amboy
Don't expect Amboy to look anything like this come Saturday afternoon. Photo courtesy of NASA.
Those of us who live out in the Mojave Desert are used to seeing strange things in the skies. Whether it's a Marine Corps Osprey, a Virgin Galactic launch out of the Mojave Spaceport, a test flight from Edwards Air Force Base, something that doesn't exist cooked up by the Skunk Works, errant drones, brightly burning meteorites, or the odd UFO mothership out at Giant Rock, most of us are fairly used to taking these things in stride.
So, it probably shouldn't come as a surprise that an aging limo driver from Apple Valley who thinks the earth is flat will be launching a home built, steam powered rocket from Amboy this Saturday. Yeah, whatever.
"Mad" Mike Hughes, who has messed with steam powered rocketry before, not without injury, is planning to launch himself from one of our favorite Route 66 stops in the Mojave, about a mile in his home built rocket. Reportedly, he plans to gain about 1,800 feet in altitude, and go around 500 mph in his flight. If all goes well, this flight will lead to two things: a follow up rocket launch that should take Hughes high enough to see the edge of the world (not the horizon, the edge), and his candidacy for governor of California. Nothing like utter ignorance and political ambitions all mixed together. It's a wonder Hughes isn't already in Congress.
If Hughes' flight is successful and he survives, this adventurer, who admittedly is not a big fan of science, look for him to believe whatever his next major sponsor believes. Hughes seemingly converted to flat earthism after his previous fundraising goals failed. When he converted to the nonsensical flat earth doctrine that defies logic (Uh, how did anyone circumnavigate the world if no matter what direction they went, they would encounter an edge?), he succeeded in raising nearly $8,000 for his rocket launch (Don't laugh - it doesn't sound like much for space exploration, but for desert journalists, it's a princely sum!).
The public is discouraged from attending Saturday's launch out at Amboy, whether Albert Okura, the town's owner, has his Juan Pollo food trailer open or not. We're hoping he'll land in Amboy Crater, adding one more chapter of weird but true stories that involve the little volcano that could. But wherever he lands, we hope Hughes doesn't mangle or kill himself, or anyone else, nor start a wildfire, or cause some kind of mayhem on the road or rails. You are encouraged to go to his website at www.madmikehughes.com and pay to watch the pay per view video of the launch.
In the meantime, check out videos of Mad Mike Hughes in action! Some of the videos are, uh, eye-opening. Or something.
A 2014 launch.