At the intersection of gadgets and rockets, we find 
amateur rocketeers, who combine their love of flight with things that go boom. The NY Times describes the goings-on at the Tripoli Rocketry Association, and some of their recent accomplishments, such as sending an amateur rocket to a record altitude of 94000 feet. The article also makes note of some of the challenges of using explosives while keeping legal, and goes on to describe upcoming events such as the following..
The X PRIZE Cup exposition will be held in NM October 20 – 21, 2006 with $2.5M in prizes to be awarded for various achievements in rocketry & space. The Rocket Racing League X-Racer will be unveiled, a Space Elevator contest will be held along with other space-oriented initiatives.
Rumor has it that some enthusiasts plan to slip the surly bonds of Earth all the way to the moon.
A Cult of Backyard Rocketeers Keeps the Solid Fuel Burning - NYT, October 14, 2006
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Imagine a bunch of amateurs going to the moon? I guess it would be easy with GPS.
I’d be afraid to go ten feet in the air in a homemade rocket, but I wish these intrepid folks all the best.