Rockets on the Doorstep

I was able to see today's rocket launch from the front yard, which actually gives the High Desert a high mark in my book, which was immediately taken away by having a January temperature of 62 degrees. Come on now, it's January! I should have been shivering on a frosty lawn while my breath billowed around me in white plumes, instead of standing there wondering if I should put on sun screen.
But that's a minor point. The High Desert does have some redeeming features, and being able to see rocket launches is one of them.

This was the Vandenberg "Heavy Lifter", so called because it's the largest American rocket in the fleet, and was carrying a payload which includes a 24 ton satellite. That's insane when you think about it, but awesome at the same time.