Cape Cod Trip - Day 6

[bought some Cuffy's t-shirts and sweatshirts (1225L) - also bought some clothes at "The Shoe Department" at the Southwind Plaza in Hyannis (1310L) - bike rental on Cape Cod Rail Trail - with Dad and Beth]

Cape Cod Trip - Day 5

[visiting with Dad and Beth - got ice cream! - (Dad's boat in Bass River ?) - picked up some supplies at Dennis Public Market (1645L)]

Cape Cod Trip - Day 4

[got up early again - left Danbury and took I-84 to I-90 (until reaching MA-128/I-95 ?) - we got off the Interstate to eat lunch at Taco Bell in (East Walpole, MA ?) at 1315 - (making our way to I-495 ?) - then continued to the southeast until we crossed the Cape Cod Canal - staying with Dad & Beth - visiting with family - (Brewster Mill ?)]

Cape Cod Trip - Day 3

[woke up early - got gas in Chambersburg (0910L) and then drove over to Hershey for a tour of the chocolate factory - souvenirs at Hershey's Chocolate World (1230L) - drove north on I-81 and stopped for late lunch at McDonald's in Pine Grove, Pennsylvania - made a mistake at the I-84 intersection and ended up headed south on I-380 - shrugged that off and took I-80 towards New York City, figuring I could just by-pass the city on I-287 - that was a BIG mistake (LOTS of traffic!) - [eventually got across the Hudson on the Tappan Zee ?] - we had planned to be on in Massachusetts by evening, but because of the problems, we knew we'd never made it - instead, made our way back to I-84 and used a reward certificate for a free night at the Springhill Suites in Danbury, Connecticut - got gas after getting the kids settled]

Cape Cod Trip - Day 2

[visited Kentucky Horse Park all morning - bought souvenirs (1240L) and ate lunch there (1245L) before departing Lexington - drove east on I-64 and into West Virginia - got gas just west of Huntington, in Kenova (1505L) - then switched to I-79 - dinner at Pizzaria Uno near Clarksburg - after that, got on I-68 and continued east all the way to I-81 - beautiful mountains! - when we arrived in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, we got a free hotel night at Fairfield Inn]

Cape Cod Trip - Day 1

[Family Trip! - left Atlanta and drove north on I-75 into Tennessee - through Knoxville - after getting gas in Carryville (1500L), we got off the Interstate and used US-25W and TN-63 to get to US-25E - drove into the Cumberland Gap National Historic Park - placed our feet in three states! - used the gap to get into Kentucky (like Daniel Boone!) - ate dinner at the First Kentucky Fried Chicken in Corbin (1815L) - stayed at the Residence Inn in North Lexington - went swimming outside with the kids in the dark]

[Phoenix, AZ (USA)]

[itinerary uncertain - flight with Mike B. - probably the one when we went to Sky Harbor in Phoenix (wave off Southwest)]

Marietta, GA (USA)

[trainer with Scott - V1 cut]

Marietta, GA (USA)

[trainer with Jamie]

Goose Bay, Newfoundland & Labrador (Canada)

After checking out of the Flughotel (Icelandair Hotels) and returning to NAS Keflavik, we left Iceland this morning, bound for an unexpected stop in a very remote spot! I had once thought of driving up to Goose Bay, in the hinterland of Labrador (see 1990), but the roads did not seem good enough to take that risk at the time... Flying into the airport there was much better - I'm sure the drive would have been hell. During the arrival and departure, we saw some great views of the coast.  After fueling up our jet, we flew down to Atlanta (uneventful leg).  I arrived home (Douglasville) in the early afternoon.  Great Detachment!

Keflavik (Iceland)

Checked out of my room at the NAS Sigonella Bachelor Housing early and met the crew on the flight line.  We soon departed Sicily - bound for home!! Stopped in England for fuel (Mildenhall Air Base).  This was just my second time in the UK. The countryside was very pleasant looking - lots of fields and livestock - from the air (during arrival and departure) and the flight from the Channel coast wasn't too long. Unfortunately, we only stopped for a short time, so I don't know much else about the area.  Maybe I can return again another day...  We next flew to Iceland and landed at NAS Keflavik very late in the afternoon. Our detachment officer-in-charge soon sorted out our lodging situation while Erik got a rental car. We then got transportation (BSK Bifreioastoo Keflavikur) to our hotel, Flughotel (Icelandair Hotels), located at [Hafnargata 57]. Despite the availability of the car that Erik had obtained, no one else except me wanted to go to see the capital, Reykjavik. Their loss... When we got there (2000L), we bought some souvenirs. As it got later, I expected some darkness - but it never came. Meanwhile, we had a nice dinner (finished at 2100L ?) and then walked around the city for a while. Bought a few more souvenirs and then rode with Erik down to the coast. We were out until close to midnight and, by then, it was still as light as day! It didn't even seem time to head back to the hotel, but we went back anyway (arriving close to 0100 ?). As I was getting ready for bed, I marveled at the room in my hotel: it was geothermally heated, with a bed sitting directly on the floor (i.e. no box spring). The midnight sun outside the window as I dozed off was stunning!

Sigonella, Sicilia (Italy)

[Worked all day. Lunch at Del Taco (1415L).] Packed all evening and took care of my room charges just after midnight. Headed to bed right after that.  Staying in NAS Sigonella Bachelor Housing.

Taormina, Sicilia (Italy)

[Had an extremely early flight today with Mike B. - we actually got night time during the first leg.  (itinerary uncertain but flight time total was 4.6 so could have been Aviano)]  After landing back at NAS Sigonella, I drove to the Navy Exchange, where I picked up some souvenirs (1150L) and Del Taco (1210L) before heading back to my room. Much later in the day, Herb came by to recommend that we should all go to Taormina for a film festival. Picked up some cash at the ATM (1800L) [and got some dinner ?] before heading north on the Autostrada. I'd been to the beautiful town on the cliffs before - very fancy - and even seen the famous amphitheater. But I learned this evening that a person really hasn't lived until they've seen a movie or play in the old Roman Theatre with Mount Etna in the background! Herb's friends met us and got us good seats. We saw a few movies (most in English with Italian sub-titles). What an experience! I can see why the builders picked the site - we had awesome views all night. Chip drove us home, headlong at break-neck speeds all the way...  Spent the night at the NAS Sigonella Bachelor Housing.

Souda Bay, Crete (Greece)

[very early "out and in" with Mike B. - Sicily to Souda Bay to Sicily - back to my room by 1130L - ATM withdrawal on base - staying in the NAS Sigonella Bachelor Housing]

Valletta (Malta)

[Flew with Mike B. from NAS Sigonella to Valletta (Malta) - it was a quick day - in fact, I was back on base just after noon - got lunch at Subway (1305L) - staying at the NAS Sigonella Bachelor Housing]

Siracusa, Sicilia (Italy)

[no flight scheduled] Day trip: to Siracusa. According to tradition, the city is built on the site of the home of Calypso, the goddess who held Odysseus against his will (see Homer). We visited the city museum (with artifacts from the early First Millennium) and stopped at the old theatre. On the way home, we drove to Misterbianco and picked up wine for the room at the Auchan Ipermercati (1835L).  Staying at the NAS Sigonella Bachelor Housing.

Paris (France)

After a rather unsatisfying stay at the Holiday Inn Paris (Charles de Gaulle), we got a pretty early start today.  First, we rode in an airport operations van from Charles de Gaulle Airport to Le Bourget Field.  Somehow, the fact that we had some passengers to take out of France must have assisted us. The strike wasn't over, but we were able to find at least a couple of cooperative Frenchmen to help us leave. The flight from Paris to Sicily (with Mike B.) was quiet (on the radio), since the rest of the world apparently was avoiding France...  Staying at NAS Sigonella Bachelor Housing.

Paris (France)

[Mission with Mike B. from NAS Sigonella to Paris.]  This was one of those amazing "lost chances." I wasn't planning to stay in Paris, but an air traffic controller strike (countrywide) caused us to be grounded. Before we landed at Le Bourget, we circled over the Eifel Tower for nearly an hour. Once on the ground, the handler took us to the site on the airport where "Lucky Lindy" got out of his airplane in 1927.  The ride from that historic location over to a hotel near the Charles de Gaulle Airport was long and took us farther from the city. When we got to the Holiday Inn Paris-Charles de Gaulle and checked into our rooms, we learned that all buses, trains and other ground transportation were also striking. This didn't deter me - I would have walked - and I had brought civilian clothes.  Unfortunately, no one else had (damn it...).  As a result, our aircraft commander told everyone to stay together.  So, we spent the entire night in a hotel bar - 20 miles from downtown Paris. You know that T-Shirt "Someone I know went to Paris and all I got was this ____ T-Shirt"? That is how the trip felt...

Sigonella, Sicilia (Italy)

[Flying with Mike B. - destinations uncertain (Naples & Olbia ?) - Staying at NAS Sigonella Bachelor Housing.]

Patti, Sicily (Italy)

[trip to Caleca Italia factory - shopping for "seconds" finished at 1245L]