Wednesday, January 31, 2001
Houston, TX (USA)
Checked out of the Vacation Inn very early (0540) because I wanted to get on my way out of town! While doing our mission planning, I discovered that I didn't even have to do any training on the way home because my student is already done with everything! Called John and told him I'd be at his promotion - he seemed happy... I asked one of the other guys to return my rental car to Enterprise the following day and he agreed. We departed El Centro early and flew to El Paso. After a fuel stop, we headed to Houston. At the latter location, we had a problem while talking to one of the controllers (I think it was the fact that we only have UHF and couldn't do the approach he wanted) - he put me in holding about 50 miles south of Houston. When we switched to another controller, she helped us out and we made it into Ellington Field OK. Following this fuel stop, our flight to Pensacola was uneventful (we arrived at around 1800). John was actually still at work and I was able to walk over to where he was. Met his co-workers and he showed me around his office. He later drove me to [my hotel]. Met up with Ann and John's Aunt for dinner at Chili's. Stayed up late talking...
Tuesday, January 30, 2001
El Centro, CA (USA)
One more day in El Centro... Before leaving the Vacation Inn, I called Nicky again (0730). Worked all day - the weather was (still) great. It's been an awesome Detachment! Some of the guys had heard about a steak restaurant, located about 30 miles north of here, and we all decided to check it out after work was done. We didn't leave the hotel until around 2000 and it took around 45 minutes just to locate the town. It ended up being a little place - almost deserted - but there was indeed a restaurant there. It was called "Town Pump." I was impressed by the menu - more choices of steak and the different cuts than I have seen before. Had a great dinner - I think everyone did. Afterwards, it a lot of time to get back to Imperial...
Monday, January 29, 2001
El Centro, CA (USA)
After saying goodbye to my cousins, my flight student and I left Long Beach and flew back to El Centro this morning (arrived at the NAF by 0900). Once I got inside the hangar, I learned they had me on schedule for two more flights. This was definitely a bonus - I even got some solo leads. All the flights were great and I headed back to the Vacation Inn and planned to settle in for an evening at Scribbles. Had dinner there (sat down at 1700). While I was there, I got a really unexpected piece of news our Detachment has been extended until February 1st. I thought I was staying too but my boss told me "you did one extra day here - so go on home." With this additional evidence of his happiness with how I handled the first few days of the trip, I figured I'd ask if I could stop through Pensacola. My cousin (John's) job promotion was going to be happening there over the weekend and I hoped to attend. I really didn't expect to get a "yes" but he told me "have a good time" (!!!). Before bed, I called Nicky (2015) to tell her the news. I guess getting here "early" was a really good thing...
Sunday, January 28, 2001
Long Beach, CA (USA)
Slept in a little late, but I forgot that we are three hours from the normal kickoff time I'm used to! The Super Bowl party actually began around 1400 - lots of Leo and Mary's friends came. It was a pretty good game and we got to watch the first episode of "Survivor" when the game ended - I had really never watched it before, but I liked it. Stayed up late again after Mary and Leo drove me around town a little bit. Sunset was great. I'm glad that I was able to visit them while I was out here. I leave tomorrow...
Saturday, January 27, 2001
Long Beach, CA (USA)
After shepherding all the students and wayward instructors for over a week, I'm in pretty good with the boss now. As a reward of sorts, he told me I could take one of the students "and get some training done somewhere until Monday morning" (!!!). I had called my cousins - Kathy, Kevin and Mary - earlier in the trip to see if we could get together while I was here. Ended up hearing from Mary's husband, Leo, this morning: they are having a Super Bowl Party! They offered to put me up at their place if I could come, so I took off from El Centro around 1600 and got to Long Beach (after stops in San Diego) at around 1900. On final, a giant stork (or heron) took off right in front of us - I was SURE we would hit it, but we lucked out... Leo picked me up and took me back to their house - it is nice! Went over to Patsy's Irish Pub in Westminster and had some drinks. Back to their house after that - we stayed up late talking and got to bed after midnight...
Friday, January 26, 2001
Thursday, January 25, 2001
El Centro, CA (USA)
[called Nicky at 0730L - El Centro Detachment - worked all day - staying in the Vacation Inn]
Wednesday, January 24, 2001
El Centro, CA (USA)
[El Centro Detachment - worked all day - called Nicky at 1715L - got cash from ATM in El Centro at 2010L - staying in the Vacation Inn]
Tuesday, January 23, 2001
El Centro, CA (USA)
[El Centro Detachment - worked all day - staying in the Vacation Inn - called Nicky around 2000L]
Monday, January 22, 2001
Sunday, January 21, 2001
San Diego, CA (USA)
Got up around 0800 and we (me and other members of my squadron) left in a 15 passenger van at 0900. Took I-8 over the mountains and got into town around 1100. Spent some time poking around near the beach - and then went over to Point Loma. Got cash from a NFCU ATM at 1300 and ate lunch at Gordon Biersch, a great brew-pub (started at 1345 and spent a few hours there). Some of the guys wanted to stop at an Indian Casino we had passed on the way into town. Reluctantly, I agreed to this plan and ended up losing $100 in short order. Actually, this is a normal experience for me on Navy group trips to casinos - I then hung out for several more hours while everyone else had their own fun... Drove back to El Centro around 2000. It was getting dark as we came over the mountains and got a good look at the lights of the Imperial Valley. Called Nicky soon after we got back to the Vacation Inn and talked to her until it was time for bed. Always a great day when you get to visit San Diego!
Saturday, January 20, 2001
El Centro, CA (USA)
Things getting a little more organized this morning - more people started to arrive at around 0900. We've still heard reports of stranded aircraft across the Mountain Time-zone - my Boss (back home) is still very unhappy... Flew twice more today - the weather in El Centro is great! I love this place - no clouds, mountains and Salton Sea, sand dunes (etc.). After I got done with the second flight, learned I'm off tomorrow because other people need to fly (some guys have to make up for being late...). [Had the car to myself, so] I stopped in El Centro to eat dinner at Denny's (finished at 2055L). Drove over to the movie theatre [in Imperial] and caught the 9 PM movie ("Cast Away"). When I got back to the hotel (Vacation Inn) afterwards, some of the guys were awake and told me they want to go to San Diego tomorrow. Sounds like a plan!
Friday, January 19, 2001
El Centro, CA (USA)
Since no one else from my squadron was expected to arrive in El Centro today, I ended up becoming the "guy in charge". My boss (back home) told me to get as many students going on their training as possible. Between me and the Venezuelan Exchange Pilot, we were able to fly four training missions (two flights each). When two more planes unexpectedly arrived in the afternoon, I took a division out for some four-plane work. The result of all this effort was that some students can solo tomorrow... Also got directed to create a night solo route in the Imperial Valley - I'll check that out soon. Had a few more stragglers show up in their Buckeyes after dark - it appears we might actually be able to get even more training going tomorrow. Up late again at Scribblers. Spent the night at the Vacation Inn.
Thursday, January 18, 2001
El Centro, CA (USA)
Checked out of the Kelly Inn (Air Force Inns) at 0805 and got out of the chocks by around 0900. The weather was great. My student and I flew from San Antonio to El Paso and got gas. After that, we flew to El Centro (arrived at around [1200L]). In addition to actually arriving on the correct day, I and got all three training flights completed for my student. This was a huge detail because, it turns out, we were the only ones who made to the Detachment location today! Meanwhile, the other 20 planes won't be here until at least tomorrow night. They decided to go through Denver (?!!!) and ended up getting stuck in a bad ice storm. There'll be hell to pay for this one... But we (our flight of two Buckeyes, including my Venezuelan Exchange Pilot friend and his student) are heroes! The maintenance guys (and the 40 students who came in on a DC-9 yesterday...) were also very happy to have something to do. After picking up my rental car (from Enterprise) [at 1225 ?], I drove over to Imperial and checked into the Vacation Inn. It appeared to be much nicer than the lodging on base at NAF El Centro... Spent some time relaxing and exploring the areas near the base before heading back to the flight line to ensure the schedule was approved for the following day. Met some of the Blue Angels tonight at a nearby bar, "Scribbles" (2020). Bed around midnight. Long day, but feeling good about starting this Detachment!
Wednesday, January 17, 2001
San Antonio, TX (USA)
[Detachment to El Centro] Woke up early this morning for our flight out to El Centro (CA). Waited for nearly five hours for the fog to lift - it never did. Our boss was pacing the room for hours trying to get us to leave. However, the rules are written for our students to ensure we don't fly in this kind of weather... Finally, after it was clear we wouldn't get there by tonight (the original plan), he gave us the green light to leave - for any destination that would get us to California by tomorrow night. I decided to go with an exchange pilot (from Venezuela) and we figured out that the weather was nice down in New Orleans (and as far as San Antonio) - we got permission to fly our students down there so they could fly their training missions. Got there around 1600, got gas and left pretty quickly. Arrived in San Antonio just as the sun was setting. We flew into Kelly Air Force Base, a place I figured we could easily get lodging. Unfortunately, this plan immediately hit a snag: it turned out that they were in the process of closing down and all lodging was restricted to "needs of the Air Force." Luckily, they were very nice and found some rooms for us at the Kelly Inn (Air Force Inns). In true "Chair Force" style, they also welcomed us to their bar, "The Kelly Club", which was still open nearby (despite the BRAC process). Had a few drinks (finished by 1900L) and then I called my cousin, Andy. He drove over to pick me up and then he took me over to his place (he also drove me by his work). I'm glad I ended up In San Antonio - an unexpected surprise...
Sunday, January 14, 2001
Pensacola, FL (USA)
[(day trip ?) - drove to Pensacola to visit John, Ann and Duncan - party - gas on "Highway 98 West" at 1815L]
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