I got to the Chelsea Piers so early on this bitterly cold, blustery day, that I was the only one there for hours. But I'm such a NASA and space shuttle fanatic that I wanted to be sure I had a front and center view of the Enterprise flyover the Statue of Liberty and up the Hudson. At the urging of the news media many had decided to head to the Intrepid Museum but I knew the Statue of Liberty was visible from my vantage point at the Piers and really hoped I wasn't making a mistake.

Eventually other people started to trickle onto the Pier and by the time one of the spectators (a woman with exceedingly good vision) shouted, 'There it is!' there were over thirty people freezing on the pier with me. It was so exciting to see what was at first only a speck of light grow bigger as it flew over the bridge and made a left hand turn to Lady Liberty. I think everyone stopped feeling the cold (I know I did!) and became a wide eyed six year old again.

The plane eventually turned up the Hudson in our direction and we oooh'd and ahhh'd while trying to get the best possible shot of this historic moment. Many of us waited after the shuttle flew out of sight and we were rewarded when we spotted it making it's leisurely way back down the Hudson and right past us. Eventually, it headed north again and disappeared for good from sight. I started to feel the cold again and headed home where a hot cup of coffee would warm me, as would the memories that will live with me always.