Huntsville, AL? Why would we want to go there for a Regional?
 

I'm glad you asked. Here are some things to consider about the inaugural Rocket City Regional week 4 this season:

1) As home to NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center and the Army Materiel Command, Huntsville is a high-technology community with a significant number of large corporations having major offices or division headquarters in the area.

2) A recent analysis showed that "The Huntsville, Alabama, metro area is the best place for engineers by far"

3) The Convention Center venue (The Von Braun Center) is named after a Rocket Scientist - this city loves its engineers!

4) The Regional Planning Committee, bringing together many years of experience as members or mentors of FIRST robotics teams from around the country as well as serving in leadership roles as volunteers at numerous regionals, has received overwhelming support from local business and community leaders who are committed to bringing the best experience possible.

5) Huntsville is centrally located in the Southeast but far enough north to be within a reasonable driving distance for many teams in the central US as well.

6) Home to the Huntsville Space and Rocket Center and Space Camp (we're not allowed to say anything official about a team social yet, but just sayin'.....)

7) Lots of good, reasonably priced restaurants nearby that can handle a large team - both chains and local favorites - with Southern hospitality you have to experience.

I'd like to personally invite you and your team to join us for the Rocket City Regional this season March 23-26.

Re: Huntsville, AL? Why would we want to go there for a Regional?
 

Here's the all important question:

Where's the best BBQ joint in the area?

Re: Huntsville, AL? Why would we want to go there for a Regional?
 

Bob Gibson's or Whitt's. Lawler's is pretty good too.

Re: Huntsville, AL? Why would we want to go there for a Regional?
 

Granville's BBQ has GREAT ribs. The other stuff was good too.

Chuck Wagon BBQ in Madison is real good as well.

Went to the old Greenbrier, wasn't impressed. Perhaps their catfish is better than the rest of their offerings though.

The Space and Rocket Center is amazing. Their Saturn V building is far, far better than KSC's. There is so much cool stuff in there, like cutaways of engines and tons of parts/assemblies from the rockets. Absolutely a must visit while there. If they're still playing it, the Hubble IMAX video is pretty great too.

Re: Huntsville, AL? Why would we want to go there for a Regional?
 

I don't think we've found any bad BBQ joints around, so you can't really go wrong anywhere. Our favorite is Moe's, which is a small Alabama chain - they have the best smoked chicken wings and decent pulled pork.

Tim's recommendations are in Decatur, about 25 minutes west, and all definitely good. There are 2 Gibson's BBQ's in Huntsville with different owners (maybe related), Bob Gibson's in Decatur is definitely the best - he's won a lot of national competitions and has been a judge on one of the reality BBQ competition shows.

I'd have to echo Cory's recommendation of Granville's for ribs, and we have picked up whole smoked hams and turkeys from them for holidays. I like the old Greenbrier (not to be confused with "The Original Greenbrier" up the road at the interstate - the old Greenbrier is actually the original) mainly for the unlimited hushpuppies. Chuck Wagon is a local Alabama chain, everyone in Madison raves about it but I thought it was average.

There are a couple of places way outside of town that are worth the drive if you really want to do the Tour de 'Que - I'll recommend to the committee that we put out a comprehensive list for the teams. You may need to have someone with you who can speak or interpret Southern Drawl, it can be a little difficult some times.

Y'all come.

Re: Huntsville, AL? Why would we want to go there for a Regional?
 

I love how this stream has turned into a BBQ Joint stream 😂😂

Re: Huntsville, AL? Why would we want to go there for a Regional?
 

In other words, what Gary is saying is that you can try a different BBQ joint each night. :yikes:

Re: Huntsville, AL? Why would we want to go there for a Regional?
 

It may sound strange, but some of the best Cajun food north of New Orleans can be found at the Po Bo Factory in Huntsville also. I believe the owners are Katrina transplants. I highly, highly recommend it.

Re: Huntsville, AL? Why would we want to go there for a Regional?
 

8) Ed Sparks LRI

Re: Huntsville, AL? Why would we want to go there for a Regional?
 

Second that

Re: Huntsville, AL? Why would we want to go there for a Regional?
 

Been to SpaceCamp before.
Its an awesome experience if you've never been there before.
Huntsville is also a beautiful upscale area.

Other than getting hit with a possible tornado, this is a must do regional!:)

Re: Huntsville, AL? Why would we want to go there for a Regional?
 

Five words: Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail

Re: Huntsville, AL? Why would we want to go there for a Regional?
 

Lafayette and Baton Rouge are both farther north than New Orleans, and each has better Cajun food in gas stations than New Orleans has at sit-downs. Maybe you should move that line up to 31N or so.

-- said the half-Cajun boy who grew up in the suburbs of New Orleans

Seriously, looking forward to heading up to Huntsville. I'm not sure if we'll make it this year (esp. with Rocket City being the week after Bayou), but soon.

Re: Huntsville, AL? Why would we want to go there for a Regional?
 

So based on Sean's involvement in this thread:

:rolleyes:

I've been to Huntsville recently, it is a pretty great place. For teams adding this regional, add an extra day to see some of the space stuff. And to have some BBQ for Sean.

(note, that is a made up quote. I can see him saying it, but presently those words in that order have not yet left his fingers)

Re: Huntsville, AL? Why would we want to go there for a Regional?
 

Yeah, he was on my original list (much higher then 8) but I wasn't trying to steal ALL the teams away from other regionals so I left him off to give them a fighting chance.

btw my position on the Regional Planning Committee is unofficially titled "person who does whatever Ed says to do", for which I gladly volunteered.

Re: Huntsville, AL? Why would we want to go there for a Regional?
 

The day that the 2011 Tornadoes came through and knocked out the main power grid here for 4 days, my wife and I were driving to St. Louis for the Championship and we just missed them (we stayed in St. Louis an extra day until our power came back on). The next year I was parked in the volunteer lot at the Championship and had major hail damage to my car from the tornado that came by during Einstein. Hopefully we're early enough in the season but you never know - we were at a Smoky Mountain regional where there was a tornado warning during the competition, but the venue was a shelter so we just kept going.

Re: Huntsville, AL? Why would we want to go there for a Regional?
 

I'll throw in my two cents here. Huntsville is a great town. It is easy to get to via I65, it is a beautiful part of the country at the southern end of the Appalachians and not far from Chattanooga or Nashville. The NASA complex is something special to see. And yes, there is Ed Sparks.

Re: Huntsville, AL? Why would we want to go there for a Regional?
 

I just wonder if the BBQ talk will increase the BBQ of the event...

Re: Huntsville, AL? Why would we want to go there for a Regional?
 

Can somebody whip up a graph comparing regional BBQ quality with Regional BBQ scores? I'm sure we have that data floating around the interwebs somewhere.

Re: Huntsville, AL? Why would we want to go there for a Regional?
 

I concede to your obviously superior experience...and move the line as suggested. ;)

Re: Huntsville, AL? Why would we want to go there for a Regional?
 

Are any of the NASA powerhouse teams in a 7 hour drive radius interested? Pink? Robonauts?

Re: Huntsville, AL? Why would we want to go there for a Regional?
 

Houston and Titusville are both about 10-11 hours drive but we'd love to have them; Pink came to Bayou a couple of years ago which is about the same distance.

Re: Huntsville, AL? Why would we want to go there for a Regional?
 

Normally I'd object to fake quotes, especially fake quotes from me, but this time it pretty much nailed it.

Re: Huntsville, AL? Why would we want to go there for a Regional?
 

Sounds like the RPC better get some BBQ vendors to the Rocket City Regional. I'm a fan of MOE'S and the Chuck Wagon.

The event will be held at the VBCC South Hall ...... lots of room for robots.

Looking forward to it!

Re: Huntsville, AL? Why would we want to go there for a Regional?
 

Count Team Fusion 364 in!

It is only a 6 hour drive for us, we can bring fresh seafood from the Gulf if you need it.

Re: Huntsville, AL? Why would we want to go there for a Regional?
 

In case you didn't see it (this was changed from TBD just before registration opened), Rocket City Regional is one of the 2 regionals identified this year for NASA regional challenge grants, up to 10 rookie and 10 veteran grants.

Re: Huntsville, AL? Why would we want to go there for a Regional?
 

I have spent the last year, on and off, in Warner Robins Ga this year. I see the article lists that as #2. WR has great people but it is one of the last places on earth I would live. So I find the list suspect ;)

Re: Huntsville, AL? Why would we want to go there for a Regional?
 

CRyptonite is looking into a tour of the Space and Rocket Center at some point during our visit. We're excited to get to know all the teams from the area as well as meet up with our good friends the Robonauts once again. Can't wait to see what other teams decide to make the trip and support the rookie regional.

Re: Huntsville, AL? Why would we want to go there for a Regional?
 

Sorry to hear about the hail damage!
We were soo lucky!
That last day, we decided to park in the structure and didnt get hit by it.
We had no extra insurance purchased for our minivans and would have been hit with a major bill!
One of our Hawaii teams was not so lucky and had to pay $$$. Her insurance company and the rental car company were battling in a long drawn out process on what the exact charges were going to be.

Re: Huntsville, AL? Why would we want to go there for a Regional?
 

Its great seeing that both you and 118 are headed there. We just found out today that the NASA grant is supporting this event also. Its too bad they didnt announce it much earlier after teams had already applied.:(

Re: Huntsville, AL? Why would we want to go there for a Regional?
 

http://bbqfrc.x10host.com/event_info...alhu&year=2016

Yes we do, just have to work on the food part still...

I'm going to try to keep BBQ FIRST updated as much as I can during the offseason. You can check out all the other events there as well.

Re: Huntsville, AL? Why would we want to go there for a Regional?
 

Please send all BBQ (food) samples to me. I'll take care of the evaluations. :cool:

Re: Huntsville, AL? Why would we want to go there for a Regional?
 

...

8) Ed Sparks LRI

9) Walk inside the International Space Station and practice docking a robotic arm? See the latest in astronaut food? Bedrooms? Toilets? Now you can in Alabama

You can do that and more in a new exhibit opened Tuesday at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville. It's called "ISS: Science on Orbit," and it's in the main center building on I-565.

http://www.al.com/news/huntsville/index.ssf/2016/01/want_to_walk_inside_the_intern.html#incart_river_h ome

Re: Huntsville, AL? Why would we want to go there for a Regional?
 

Same here, I had a good time. The facility there is really nice quality and less crowded then Canaveral. I wish we could go but we only have to resources to go to one regional and were going to the St. Louis regional this year. Next year hopefully.

Re: Huntsville, AL? Why would we want to go there for a Regional?
 

von Braun? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEJ9HrZq7Ro

Re: Huntsville, AL? Why would we want to go there for a Regional?
 

I definitely recommend it as well. Their Hot D**n sauce is amazing along with the rest of their food!

Other good places that my wife and I liked there were Papa Gyros and Ol' Heidelberg (German).

Re: Huntsville, AL? Why would we want to go there for a Regional?
 

Unpopular opinion time:

On the topic of Barbecue, if you ever go to the KC regional, we also have some great stuff. I, having lived here all my life, think it's the best I've ever had, but Barbecue is like politics...

Also, on the topic of space camps, a smaller option is the Kansas Cosmosphere (cosmo.org), which has a ton of really awesome summer camps. I don't know about the Huntsville camp, but these ones have a full scale shuttle simulator with both decks on the shuttle, as well as a SAFER simulator and a 5-console mission control, all connected together. It's very cool. Highly recommend it to anyone.

Re: Huntsville, AL? Why would we want to go there for a Regional?
 

I was gonna say: "Rockets". That should be more than enough. Food is just the icing on the cake (so-to-speak)

Re: Huntsville, AL? Why would we want to go there for a Regional?
 

Yeah, I guess when we drive by the Saturn 5 every day we just take it for granted around here.

Re: Huntsville, AL? Why would we want to go there for a Regional?
 

Pretty impressive when you can walk up to it and look down the throat of the beast. I am envious.

Re: Huntsville, AL? Why would we want to go there for a Regional?
 

Team 343 Metal in Motion is looking forward to heading to the Rocket City Regional this year. We look forward to making new friends and catching up with old ones that we don't see as much.

Re: Huntsville, AL? Why would we want to go there for a Regional?
 

Teams heading to the Rocket City Regional make sure you get your tickets to the Robots and Astronauts launch Party. The official team Social of the Rocket city regional. The attached Flyer has all the details.