STONEYCREEK TWP, Pennsylvania USA — When the Pittsburgh Tripoli Rocketry Association received an invitation to launch rockets at Quadfest, the club members never dreamed they would have an audience.

Members of the Pittsburgh Tripoli Rocketry Association, Joe Psolka, Dave Rose, and Christine Rial prepare a high powered rocket for a demonstration launch at Quadfest in Stonycreek Township Saturday. Photo: Bob Leverknight.

Nearly 5,000 people watched as three high power rockets streaked into the sky over Mountain Ridge Trails ATV Park in Stonycreek Township on Saturday, during the park's all terrain vehicle festival.

Tripoli Pittsburgh holds several high power launches a year at the park, which features lots of acreage for club members to recover their high altitude rockets. It also is a secluded location, good for safety.

“We have a Federal Aviation Administration waiver for flying to 12,000 feet above ground level,” said Christine Rial, one of the rocketeers. She counted down the launches over the park's public address system.

The three rockets, sitting on custom built launch pads, each scratch built to slightly different designs, thrilled the attendees of Quadfest. Almost every eye turned skywards at the sight of the carbon fiber stilettos streaking skyward.

These rockets, unlike their smaller cousins, the model rocket, are powered by ammonium perchlorate propellant, the same fuel that is used in a space shuttle's solid rocket boosters. The rockets come with a fairly high price tag.

“These are expensive toys,” said Dave Rose, president of Tripoli Pittsburgh.

“It was amazing,” said quad rider Justin Bujnowski, of Greenville, N.H. “I was surprised at how loud they were.”

“We took a 10-hour trip to get here,” he said, after watching the rockets being recovered from the grounds of the ATV park. “I love it out here, the trails are great. We'll be back.”

“I'm like a kid in a candy store here,” said Edward Strange, also of Greenville N.H.

In addition to the rockets, there was something else in the air at Quadfest.

That something else was dust. Despite almost Herculean efforts to control the dust, a haze that was visible from miles away hung over the site. Organizers of the event were almost constantly wetting down the main trails in an attempt to control the dust.

“We are estimating there are almost 5,000 riders here,” said Jay Zimmerman. “That's almost double of last year.”

Quadfest concludes today, with a quad bike mud bog as the final event.

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