Astronomy Club Embarks on First Annual Bike Ride to the Moon
Apr 10th, 2009 | By Harold | Category: Breaking News, The UniversityThe Brigham Young University Astronomy Club embarked on its first annual bike ride to the moon yesterday after an extensive 2 hour planning session the night before.
The club’s president, John Gibbons, made the decision after watching the movie “E.T.”. In an interview 15 minutes before take-of, Gibbons expressed his childhood dream to peddle to the moon on a mountain bike.
“That’s why I joined the club, in the hopes of finally making it to the moon,” said Gibbons. “I’ve been riding my bike to class everyday for a year, so I guess you could say I’m ready. It’s the same thing, just going in another direction. ”
Gibbons said that the trip should be easy, even if he didn’t have an extra terrestrial with telekentic abilities to help him.
“I have the priesthood,” said Gibbons.
Gibbons will be joined by seven other Astronomy Club members.
Some of the members do not have bicycles, so will be using other forms of transportation including scooters, roller blades, and longboards.
Sarah Jensen, a sophomore from Lake Michigan and Vice President of the Astronomy Club, is excited to roam the lunar surface on her unicycle.
“I started riding it (the unicycle) last month, and its really hard,” said Jensen. “But on the moon, I won’t be able to fall because of the whole gravity thing, right?”
The University was unaware of the Astronomy Club’s lunar bicycle trip, but upon news of their departure wished them “luck” and to asked them to “let us know how it goes.”
The club began the launch on the top of the Tanner building, dressed in homeade “space suits” made of tin foil and coat hangers. Each club member was equipped with a medal rod, which according to Gibbons, was to be used to push away debri in the earth’s atmoshpere.
After their departure from the top of the Tanner building, Gibbons could be heard yelling something to the crowd below, but was inaudible due to the overwhelming amount of lightning in the sky at the time.
Oh astronomy club, always doing the coolest field trips!