Almost like a religious experience, the trek to the Mecca of amateur rocketry begins in the fall of each year, with all points leading to the deserts of northern Nevada.  The destination is slightly northeast of Gerlach, on the flat expanse of the Black Rock Desert, and the event is known as BALLS.

One of the first rockets I got my hands on was the Giant Leap Rocketry Escape Velocity 2.6, one of their line of "Ready to Fly (Almost)" kits, a 2.56" speedster that includes everything you need other than a motor and launch pad to build and launch your own high powered rocket.

Heavenly Hobbies has a unique, no ... a revolutionary, rocket called the Backdraft, a BT-60 based three-foot rocket that utilizes a retro-rocket recovery system, and brings delayed-deployment concepts to the masses.  Colorado's Dr. John Smolley reviews this interesting kit.

Steve Shannon finally tames Old Man Winter out in rugged Montana while at the same time constructing a Heavenly Hobbies' Brutus 2.6 Payloader.  After the cold weather finally broke and sun filled the skies, he pressed the launch button and then shared the results with all of us here.

Darrell Mobley reviews Ky Michaelson's new book, "Rocketman: My Rocket-Propelled Life and High-Octane Creations," a rare insight that reveals more about the strength and endurance of the indomitable human spirit than about the pursuit of rocketry itself.

2007 TARC contender Lucas Kalathas has written an excellent product review of the Public Missiles, Ltd. 3" Bull Puppy.  Included in his article are numerous improvements he made to make his Bull Puppy even more spectacular.  Read along with Lucas as he tells how he did it.

Just north of Interstate 80 in Princeton, Illinois, north off of state road 26, is a small town named Limerick.  Or not.  There's not really a town there, it's just a spot on a map.  What is there, though, is acre after acre of flat farmland and home of Tripoli Quad Cities' Midwest Power.