Vandenburg Space Force Falcon 9 Rocket Launch
Many of us would love to tour the Vandenburg Space Force installation and watch a rocket launch. Unfortunately, Vandenburg is closed for group tours with or without a launch. Since we can’t visit in person, here are two remarkable videos that show the launch of a Falcon 9 Rocket. Both videos are from a vantage point we couldn’t experience if we wanted to.
(1) The following 10-minute video shows the recent (07/13/26) SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launch with a payload of 27 Starlink satellites. After liftoff, cameras on both the upper and lower stages record the event from the rocket’s vantage point accompanied by occasional dialogue from the Command Center. At about 2 1/2 minutes into the video, the lower stage separates, slowly returns to Earth through the clouds and ultimately sticks the landing on the SpaceX landing pad.
(2) The second video is a dramatic condensed (1 minute) view of an entire launch / return sequence. It shows a Falcon 9 launched from Vandenberg in November 2020 carrying an Oceanography satellite that was built to measure the height of the ocean.
SLO Police & Fire Department (1856-2006)
In 2022 our RAM Daytrippers were treated to a tour of SLO Fire Station Number 1, the 9/11 Memorial and the adjacent Training Grounds. For those who are interested in history, the following 8-minute video provides some interesting glimpses into the SLO Police and Fire Department spanning 150 years from 1856-2006.
San Luis Obispo Police & Fire Department 150 Year History
Painted Rock
For those who could not make the April 2026 RAM outing to Painted Rock, this video from Arrowhead Overland highlights the journey to Painted Rock and its historical significance.
Carrizo Plain Superbloom
This video provides a further exploration into the Carrizo Plains National Monument in southeastern corner of San Luis Obispo County. The video also captures the spectacular wildflower superbloom from the spring of 2023. A RAM Daytrip was planned for April 2023 but was canceled due to exceptionally heavy rainfall and impassable roads.
Exposition Park Raceway
A little over a century ago San Luis Obispo was home to the fastest one-mile dirt racetrack in the country. This rare footage captures that slice of history. The racetrack was located in and around current day Meadow Park. The rock outcropping on the southern side was called Cheapskate Hill so that residents could view the race without paying for a seat in the bleachers.
