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PLANET ROCHESTER

NASA astronaut Pamela Melroy feels grounded whenever she visits her home in upstate New York.

BY SALLY HOWARD

In 2006, US Air Force officer and NASA astronaut Pamela Melroy became the second woman in history to command a space shuttle mission. But despite her 38 days in space, it’s the earthly pleasures of her hometown of Rochester, NY, that are often closest to her heart.

You’ve traveled to some far-flung spots through your careers with the Air Force and NASA. What’s the best thing about being home?
“There are few places with the quality of life of my hometown of Rochester in upstate New York. My parents and older brother and family still live there, so I go back regularly, and I always love the contrast with the heat of Houston, where I’m based for NASA. There are many wonderful things about the area, but the best is the perfect balance between town and country. Within 20 minutes of leaving downtown, you can be in this lush rolling countryside. It’s great for cycling, and there’s nothing more liberating than cycling in the fall sunshine, taking in the explosion of color in the fall leaves.”

Dinosaur Bar-B-QueIs fall the time to see Rochester at its best?
“Fall is undoubtedly beautiful. Throughout September and October, locals and visitors all love to drive around and take in the leaves as they change color from green to that bright russet red and faded yellow. My favorite place for a fall leaves display is Letchworth State Park (www.nysparks.state.ny.us), carved through by the fast-flowing Genesee River. It’s great to camp there, or take a cabin. You can still kayak and whitewater raft in the park in the fall, too, if you’re feeling adventurous.”

Is there anywhere in Rochester to learn more about space?
“I’m involved with the Rochester Museum and Science Center (www.rmsc.org), and it’s a real joy—completely underrated. Their educational activities on space travel and the Earth are great. The Planetarium is one of the best in the country, with awesome astronomy and star shows and rock music laser light performances, so there’s plenty for big kids, too.”

Rochester Museum and
Science Center Do you have any other must-visit places?
“My No. 1 favorite place—and my secret spot—is Erie Canal, [at] a park near my parent’s former home in Pittsford, southeast of Rochester. The canal has a fascinating history, built across the states in the 1800s to open the West to goods from the Eastern Seaboard cities. Now, it’s a great spot to take a picnic and relax. I love to imagine how it might have been when it was first built and to watch the boats lazily making progress through the locks. My No. 2 unmissable experience is a Rochester Amerks (www.amerks.com) hockey game. They’re one of the oldest franchises in the AHL and have had their ups and downs, but I’ve been with them all the way since I was a kid.”

Does Rochester dining beat space mission food?
“You bet ya! Everyone knows where I like to eat in Rochester, as I’m such a creature of habit. Nick Tahou Hots (www.garbageplate.com; 585-436-0184) is a Rochester landmark, founded in [1918]. Although there are other pretenders to the invention, Tahou invented the famous Garbage Plate. I love it: It’s a gut-busting combination [with your choice] of hamburger, cheeseburger, steak, hotdogs, Italian sausage, white hots [or] fried ham and eggs on home, french fries or beans, and dressed with Nick’s hot sauce. You’ll need an afternoon off work afterwards to digest it. If I’m feeling more modest, you’ll find me at the Dinosaur Bar-B-Que (www.dinosaurbarbque.com; 585-325-7090), a great rib joint with branches in Syracuse and New York City. I’ll always take home a jar of their roasted garlic honey sauce.”

a Rochester Amerks
hockey game How does it feel to be up in space, and what’s it like when you return?
“We astronauts say that you don’t come back to Earth with anything you didn’t take with you, but it’s inevitable that you scrutinize who you are as a person and your relevance to this tiny globe. Imagine how it feels for everything you know and love—every person, your hometown, all the culture and music that’s ever existed in human history—to fit in a single window pane. It certainly gives you some perspective.”

FUN FACT:
Letchworth State Park
is known as the Grand
Canyon of the East Is Rochester proud of your achievements in space?
“Absolutely. In fact, I sometimes find the outpouring of support humbling—especially when I’ve been on space missions and the community really rallies behind me. I often visit Rochester schools and events such as the annual WHAM Sportswomen of the Year Luncheon. It’s wonderful when young girls say that they’re really inspired by me, and it’s important to let kids know that math and science can lead to an interesting career. Most of the kids are fascinated by the prospect of a NASA mission to Mars. I remember [feeling] the same about the Apollo moon landings when I was a kid.”