I set my alarm for 5.20am

Five minutes before the launch window

Of a rocket bound for the International Space Station

From the NASA Wallops facility

Forty miles south of my home

I fell asleep thinking about rockets

Dreaming about rockets

Waking up to the alarm thinking about rockets

Quickly dressing while listening to the live countdown

Stepping outside on the balcony at T minus 60 seconds

It was pitch black with low clouds

I knew where to look from previous launches

My eyes were glued to the dark horizon

As the flight director announced MAIN ENGINES START

My heart was racing

A bright white glow appeared on the horizon 

LIFT OFF!

Streaking skyward for a brief few seconds

Disappearing behind thick clouds

I lost visual contact but could hear the roar of the rocket engines

Listening to the live NASA feed on my phone

Calm voices reading off the flight checklists

They kept saying things were NOMINAL

Within a few short minutes, the payload was in orbit

Somewhere over Australia

Always a thrill to witness a rocket launch

Such an amazing feat of engineering

My excitement was way beyond NOMINAL

I decided not to go back to bed

Opting for watching a very NOMINAL sunrise

While eating my NOMINAL breakfast

After writing a very NOMINAL poem

I started the countdown for the launch of my NOMINAL bicycle in a few hours

Going through the pre-ride checklists

Tire pressures NOMINAL

Lights function NOMINAL

Brake test NOMINAL

Gear change test NOMINAL

Water bottle top-up NOMINAL

We are GO for the bike ride at 8.45am Eastern time