The Escape Plan

By now, I’m sure you’re all aware that Mousie is the intrepid leader of the Bear & Mousie project. I support the mission by providing technical services, and I'm currently her only patron. While this feels like a worthy investment of my time and resources, given Mousie’s noble, albeit rosy ambitions, I still find myself set on the stars.

I suppose you could define my ‘daytime occupation’ as online trading—a Bear’s gotta eat, and trading is, ultimately, a means to a greater end. In addition to the Bear & Mousie project, I have a variety of disparate hobbies that I dabble in, which require an income stream of some kind. For good reason, my primary focus has been rocketry. I ordered this NASA ticket to ride as a somewhat symbolic gesture, which felt representative of one of the driving forces that help keep me going on earth: my interplanetary escape plan.

Not that I plan on stopping at Mars. My destination is much farther than that.

World events of the last couple of years have made the urgency of my prime objective ever more apparent. Mousie has enthusiastically embraced the notion of space travel, as long as her little buddies and a pack of crayons might be brought in tow (this means more weight calculations and design modifications, of course). Mousie has never been one to pass up an exciting adventure, and is apparently set on accompanying me on all endeavours, including launching ourselves into deep space. She is fully involved and helps in whatever way she can, as she simultaneously completes what she has termed to be her ‘good works’ on earth.

So, the official blueprints of my rocket with escape pod will be designed specifically for a bear... and a mouse.

Above: My 'Escape Plan' blueprints. Note that my preliminary technical illustrations were drawn before I was made aware of the extent and depth of Mousie’s dedication. You may have already seen them in this video.

Elon Musk seems to have stolen my thunder just a bit, with SpaceX’s recent test rocket’s novel ‘retro’ design… And clearly, I’ve failed to meet my own launch date, as I now refine and adjust my rocket design to accommodate Mousie and cargo, and to find the resources, time, and energy to build it… and, of course, to execute test launches. For now, the project has been a bit on the back burner, partially due to budgetary limitations. Mousie has generously offered up her life savings of 32 cents to the cause—coins from her stash, which she calls ‘found objects’. I didn’t have the heart to inform her that all her monies wouldn’t cut it, so, I instead invested her change in the market so she could watch it grow. Mousie is decidedly optimistic.

Mousie breaks the ‘piggie bank’ to support the expedition.

Personal issues have made full mobilization an even greater challenge. Being a clawless, stuffed teddy in a turbulent human world does present its own set of obstacles… and not everyone has Elon Musk’s financial backing. Our last major progress was at LDRS 37, last May, when Mousie and I had the opportunity to test and observe ‘Large and Dangerous Rockets’. I don’t think Mousie fully appreciated the irony of our position in the group photo: shielded from an intense sun by a human helper, we sat just in front of Steve Jurvetson, an early financial backer of Elon Musk.

Mousie examines our test rocket, Oblivion, as LDRS event attendees assemble for an official group photo. I kept my noggin sheltered under the bag flap as we awaited the main shot. Mousie encourages you to try and locate her in the photo... I think I've already given you a a few helpful hints to do that ;)

Photo Source Copyright: BYOR at LDRS, May 19, 2018. Posted by Steve Jurvetson to his Flickr Photostream. Some rights reserved under an Attribution 2.0 Creative Commons License.

During our LDRS adventure, a couple of our teddy pals tagged along, including Boo Bear, who shares my passion for both mechanics and rocketry.

From left to right: Boo Bear, me, Mousie, and Teddy Yeti, who doesn't appear to be taking the heat well, even under our protective canopy. In the background, you’ll see The Brute, one of our test rockets, along with parachutes, motors, and other rocket paraphernalia. Things got dusty at the launch site, so Mousie covered us in blankets to protect our furs.

Boo Bear's post-shock fascination.

As excited as he was about the whole thing, Boo Bear got a little unnerved when an experimental rocket from the Jurvetson fleet land sharked and the nose cone shot into the crowd. It whizzed past us just a few meters away, breaking a neighboring vehicle's mirror. But, as Boo Bear’s shock transformed into an intense look of fascination, it was clear that he wasn’t all that shooken up.

Here’s the teddy group, chilling at the hotel later on. Teddy Yeti did a little better in the air conditioning.

I’ll try to provide you with updates as we slowly progress. Mousie has extended an invitation to everyone to join us ‘beyond the skies’... but you’ve gotta provide your own transportation! Seriously though, I’m inclined to think her wish has more to do with her grand vision.

Mousie looks to the skies in 'Super Snow Moon', February 19th, 2019.