Virginia Beach, VA (USA)

Even though I finished most of my work on Wednesday, I went in with everyone else at 0730L. Got my final write-ups complete and took care of phone messages and email archiving for several hours and then decided to look for a quick meal nearby. Since most of the old eating establishments I used to frequent have closed in the last few years, I resorted to a "roach coach" that everyone recommended. Turned out, they made a mean Philly Cheesesteak! Since it was raining, I ate in the old cafeteria - and ended up running into some old friends. Visited with them for awhile and then met up with Damon, Pete and John. Figured we'd be done with everything before 1500L - but boy, was I wrong! Ended up sitting in the conference room waiting for our de-brief for several hours. One piece of good news in the meantime, though, was that JT promised me a flight on Friday. We ended up being "released" at 1530L - but that means we'll have to finish tomorrow. Damon had skipped lunch, so he wanted to go out for happy-hour and snacks right away. All of us joined him, and we drove down to the Waterman's Restaurant (on the boardwalk in Virginia Beach). Turned out to be a good call! We shared fish tacos, buffalo style fish bites, cheesy fries, rockefeller oysters and some good beer. The weather still wasn't cooperating, so we ate inside. Still, we watched surfers and had good conversation. Drove back to our hotel around 1845L. Stopped for souvenirs on the way - I think I found some good ones (limoncello almond candies!). Packed and watched TV until around 2230L - then bed.

Norfolk, VA (USA)

Didn't get up too early, but had to coordinate a car before the other guys got to busy at work. Ended up hanging out with Damon and Ethan from about 0900 to 0930 and then took the car over to Norfolk to drop off my logbook at Long's-Roullet (bookbinder). They plan to make it pretty (for posterity). I was on my way back from the city (passed by the home of the kids' favorite Norfolk Tides) when I got a call from Damon that my flight had been extended to a overnight trip. As much as I wanted to take it, I knew that the inspection was far more important than getting flight time - so I declined. Stopped to see Floyd and Yvonne (our old neighbors) for a quick visit - they had presents for the kids (as usual). I think we all wish we still lived in Virginia Beach... Went back to my room (1100) and changed so I could get going on the inspection again. Got a little bit done, but then found out the rest of the guys were going over to the Golf Club for lunch. Ended up having a great chat with Mike while I dined on a Cheese-steak that had tomatoes (seemed unusual, but it was good). It started to rain as we returned to work and it didn't stop for the rest of the day. Wrapped up work around 1630L and went to change in my room for an immediate dinner run. This time, it was just Damon and me - so I took him up to Shore Drive (via Great Neck) and we ate dinner at Bubba's (on the water). We enjoyed a nice meal - I had blackened Rock Fish. Finished around 2000L and headed back to the room. Miserable - cold and rainy and long walk from car - but the room warm and dry. While working this evening I missed a few calls and texts - one thing I've been noticing all week is that cell service where I've been staying is horrible! I don't remember that, but inside the hotel I can't receive calls... Did get some work done on my laptop (wireless internet) and even squeezed in some job hunting. Bed around 2330L.

Sandbridge, VA (USA)

Started the work-day at 0730L (skipped breakfast). JT offered me a flight on Wednesday and I wanted to get as much done as I could - ended up being relatively successful. Had planned a working lunch, but got ahead by noon. Ended up having lunch at Quizno's with my counterparts (mmm). Got to nearly 75% of my inspection by the end of the day. Headed back to the room at 1630L and actually got a little bit of work done before the dinner caravan left (for a second attempt at Margie & Ray's). This time, we were successful! Ethan's recommendation was a good one (he went there on a family vacation last summer). The special for the night was all-you-can-eat shrimp. I somehow screwed that up, though, and ended up with a plate of so-so fried shrimp when I really wanted grilled. Fortunately, the salad and she-crab soup made up for that road-block. After trying to eat some of the fried, I gave up and asked for a second plate (grilled) - it was excellent. Left very satisfied. Back in my room, took care of more emails and watched a little TV. Tried to stay up late, since my flight isn't until noon tomorrow...

Sandbridge, VA (USA)

[CFLSW Inspection Trip] Got up early this morning for a trip to Virginia Beach. One nice thing was that our inspection team only needed to review one unit this time (unlike our recent trip to Willow Grove). We departed at around 0900L and arrived in Virginia around 1230L. It was dreary and cold - and rain was threatening... We got our rental cars and I took everyone over to the Golf Club for lunch. Saw several old friends there and had a good meal. We were able to check into our hotel (NAS Oceana CBH) early - the process was quick, too! Back to work at around 1400L. After a quick kick-off, we got started on the review. After just an hour or so, however, we adjourned to the wardroom for meet & greet. Saw lots of new faces since I used to work there... Back to my room for about an hour (1730) - took care of work emails. At around 1830L we left for dinner in Sandbridge. Ethan had a place picked out (Margie & Ray's Seafood Restaurant) but when we got there the sign said they were closed on Mondays! Before going to a different place, we drove along the beach in Sandbridge - most of the guys had never done that. We eventually ended up at Lucky Oyster Seafood Grill. The meal was really good - I had Portofino shrimp and scallop pasta (with mushrooms and sun-dried tomatoes). We stayed for several hours and, before we knew it, it was nearly 2230L! Back in my BOQ room again, I unpacked and went to bed at around 2330L.

Arbuckle Mountains, OK (USA)

We went to visit the Arbuckle Mountains in Oklahoma today. I'd been there earlier in the month and seen several things that I wanted to visit again with the kids. Erin & Brenna wanted to hang out with friends, so it was just me and Mollie. We left around 1145 and headed north on I-35. It only took a little more than an hour and a half to get to the first exit into the mountains (town of Davis). Our first stop was the Arbuckle Wilderness - a drive-through safari we've seen signs for on the highway several times. The only problem ended up being the HUGE line to get in. There were so many people that we waited in our car in the parking lot (line snaked through like at Disney World!) for over an hour. When we finally made it into the park, though, it was well worth the delay! We saw all kinds of animals - even a white tiger! The animals weren't frantic or pushy like at other parks, so we had to coax them over to the car. We fed an ostrich, some emus, llamas and water buffalos. Other cars got luckier - zebras and giraffes. There were so many interesting animals - wild and rare! Mollie was very excited to see they had Przewalski's Horses (she says they are very rare and that she hadn't seen them at other parks because they seem to be shy). These animals actually walked over to the fence and we got some great video. We were in the park for almost two hours. We wanted to get some souvenirs but the line was too long... We then headed over to the Chickasaw National Recreation Area to try to get Mollie's Junior Ranger badge - we arrived just as the rangers were leaving. Still, we took a nice walk to Antelope and Buffalo springs and Mollie completed the workbook anyway. We saw lots of people swimming in the creeks throughout the park - wish we had brought a bathing suit... We'll have to go back! We did see the bison in the park - that was fun, too. Our next planned stop was Turner Falls. It turned out to be another long line and it was clear we wouldn't be able to take full advantage of the park's amenities. Postponed it for a future visit. Instead, headed back into Davis and had dinner at Pizza Hut. Mollie and I had great conversation all day long today and we enjoyed another nice talk during our leisurely meal. It was just getting dark when we headed home on I-35 again. Things were going OK until near Ardmore, when we came across a dead-stop traffic jam. Luckily, we were able to get off at a nearby exit and we turned onto US-77 (parallels the interstate) - about 15 minutes later we were ahead of the traffic jam and made it across the Red River without further delay. We stopped to pick up kolaches for Nicky and the twins at Rumpy's (mmm...). One last highlight of the day was when we saw fireworks in the distance near Denton (not sure what it was...). Home around 2100L.

Albany, GA (USA)

With the time change, it was hard to get up early for my brief. But it was a beautiful day to go flying! My first flight with Neil, who is new (but has 12 years of airline experience). Our mission today was to go to San Diego to pick up 60 people and then fly them (along with all their equipment) to Albany, Georgia (Southwest GA Regional Airport). We got out of Fort Worth about 20 minutes early (0840L) and had a great flight to the west coast. Great scenery (White Sands, Salton Sea, etc.). Arrived about 30 minutes early - that was good, since we needed every minute or extra for fuel and cargo to make up time lost on the required fuel stop... Weather was awesome - warm temperatures and light breezes! Took around 1015L and had another pretty easy flight back to Fort Worth. The old Chuck-Nine doesn't have the performance to make it all the way, unfortunately... It was a great turn, though, and we were back in the air before 1600L. Our flight over to Georgia was a little more difficult - dodging clouds, especially. We had some sort of radio problem as we were setting up for the approach - worked out OK after Neil switched over to the tower. Another quick turn and we headed home. On the way, we heard the commercial traffic stacking up on their way into Atlanta - glad we weren't going there... Made it back to Fort Worth just after sunset - great views of the city. Ended up with 10 hours - not a bad day!

Key West, FL (USA)

Finally got another flight today - it seems like forever since the last one... Mission with Greg again - this time to Key West and Virginia Beach. Weather was great in Fort Worth and we got out of town on time (0900L). Flew across the Gulf of Mexico all the way to South Florida - but couldn't see the ground until we arrived in the Keys. It was balmy on the ground, with a little mist and rain. Turn was quick, though! Took off for Virginia Beach and immediately began to encounter weather - but it got much worse as we flew north. Our route took us out over the Atlantic Ocean to North Carolina (east of Wilmington). Thunderstorms everywhere... Very windy and low ceilings but we landed OK and got fueled up before weather got worse. I flew the last leg and we dodged weather all the way to Georgia - after that, it got clearer. We could see the ground as we crossed the Mississippi River. Saw the huge lakes along the Texas & Louisiana border - they look inviting... The setting sun began to affect the view (in our face), but we lucked out and descended into the DFW area with a thin haze layer in the distance - it blocked the sun a little. After that, we saw some great scenery in Dallas and Fort Worth. Field was actually still open (a rarity), so we did an extra approach and landing. Felt rusty this morning, but feeling better about being back in the plane by the time we landed (1830L). Got all the paperwork done and made it home just as it got dark.

Mineral Wells, TX (USA)

Mollie wanted to go biking again, so we left home around 1015 this morning. Our destination was the Lake Mineral Wells Trailway, which we had visited two weeks ago. The weather was cold and windy, initially - but by the time we reached Weatherford the sun was out in full view. It really didn't take long to get back to the bike trail. We planned to begin our day at the Lake Mineral Wells State Park. Before we got there, I saw a sign for the Clark Gardens Botanical Park. It seemed like a worthwhile place to scout - Spring will be here soon! The only evidence today of its potential was the map we found at the visitors center - but we did see daffodils. We definitely need to return when the trees begin to flower... After that we drove over to the State Park (using our pass again). We had only planned to ride bikes, but when we stopped at the park store the owner told us about something called a Wild Walk - scheduled for 1400. It seemed like fun, so I made a reservation by phone before we drove up to the trail head. Our last experience seemed so easy - flat railroad bed, covered with sand and gravel. Unfortunately, this trailhead wasn't on the actual trailway - we had to ride for 2/3 of a mile to get there (down 5% grade...). Basically, we had to walk, since it was too steep for Mollie. When we reached the bottom, we took photos of some HUGE longhorn cattle in a nearby pasture - we were probably only about 10 feet from them! After that, we headed West - back towards the city of Mineral Wells. I wanted to ride back to where we had stopped last time - from mile marker #14 to mile marker #17. The trip was OK - windy and cool at first, but later warmer. We had to peal off layers of warm clothes as we went. Mollie was a trooper - making it all the way back to Farm Road 1195 without complaining. One of the highlights was a tall pedestrian bridge over (four lane) US-180. Mollie got to practice her braking... Getting home was tougher - not just because portions were up hill, but because Mollie wasn't used to the distance. We did see several families on the trail during our return ride. The hardest part was when we had to climb back up the steep hill to our car (1355). Luckily, we made it back in time to have lunch before the Wild Walk began. We had to drive down to Penitentiary Hollow to meet the ranger (David) who would be our guide. Out of the 15 total people on the tour, we were the only ones who had never been to the park. What a "nature walk" it turned out to be! It involved climbing over steep rocks and crawling through tunnels and narrow crevices - fondly nick-named "the guillotine", "the squeeze", "the funnel" and "Patrick's house." Mollie warmed up to the trail, along with other kids. In fact, she ended up walking right behind the ranger - while I was in the back of the line. I'll admit that I couldn't make it through "the squeeze" - but neither did any of the adults in our group. The ranger told us about some funny quotes he had heard through the years as folks made it to the narrowest part of the crevice and realized they were too "big" to get through - one of the best was "Mom made it - Dad is too fat!" But, we all tried every one of the natural obstacles - and got very dirty in the process. One of the highlights - besides the view and physical challenge - was watching the sport climbers and rappellers who climb the rock walls in the park. It looked like fun... After our hike was over (1630), we stopped by the park store for souvenirs and some additional local guidance (for our next visit!). We drove home via US-180 and then turned down Farm Road 113 towards Millsap. That turned out to be a quick way to I-20, which we used to get home. On the way, we made a quick stop at Teskey's (equestrian gear - see AUG 2009) and Walmart for a few items. Later, we had dinner at Milano's Italian Restaurant in Aledo. We had a great meal - and great conversation. I often forget Mollie's true age - she is really growing up! We made it home by 1930. Tired again - but ready for more!

Oklahoma City, OK (USA)

Planned to drive home at around 0600, but (after waking up on time) ended up getting stuck on some work emails before I left, delaying my departure until 0700. I checked out of the Indian Hills Inn (Air Force Inns) and then left Tinker AFB.  On the way home, I encountered no traffic at all! Took I-240 to I-35 (tough to get exit!) and headed south. Weather was great all the way. Even with a stop for gas in Thackerville, I still made it back to the Enterprise branch to return my rental car at 0930. They drove me home (arrived at around 1000).  Nice trip!

Norman, OK (USA)

After a restful night's sleep in the Indian Hills Inn (Air Force Inns) at Tinker AFB, I was awake at 0600.  I took care of work emails and then, just as I was getting ready, I realized I forgot to bring a key component of my uniform... Oh well, made it work anyway! Made it over to the conference at 0745 (quick!). Spent entire morning there and didn't get to have lunch until around 1300. But then my meal at China House was very good.  Afterwards, I went back for more meetings. We wrapped things up at 1600 and I spent a little time with the Contractors, "selling" my resume... Went back to hotel to change around 1700 and then went shopping for some household items I never have time to get... Decided to check out Norman again - this time I was more successful. Walked around on Main Street and then ate dinner at Coach's Restaurant & Brewery, a BBQ joint. I tried the BBQ Spud (baked potato - with peppered turkey - smothered in BBQ sauce), a Caesar salad and a Coach's "Downtown Brown." Walked around for a little while - visited the James Garner statue. Then, drove back into the college area, finding the college hang-outs on a little street near the quads. Eventually got on I-35 and drove up to I-40 (to return to my hotel). Had a chance to pick up some souvenirs for the kids. In my room around 2100. Tired...