We've been here at the Edwards AFB Famcamp for a few days now and have been very busy.
On Wednesday we drove down to San Diego to visit our daughter-in-law Adrian who has been going to graduate school at San Diego State since Justin has been deployed. We had a really nice visit and had a wonderful pizza dinner.
Justin will be getting home tomorrow from his deployment in Afghanistan. It has been a long ten months for him and I can assure you, a very long one for Adrian and us as well. During our visit with Adrian we learned that he has been honored with an assignment as a company commander. More details on that will follow.
Since it was such a long drive to San Diego, we got a room at Miramar Marine Corps Air Station which turned out to be only 10 miles from Adrian's apartment. So we spent the night there and returned to Edwards yesterday morning.
05/05/2013
On Friday we drove out into the desert to find a Geocache near the YB-49 Crash Site, northwest of Edwards. The base is named for the test pilot, Captain Glen Edwards who was the pilot. More images here: https://www.google.com/search?q=yb-49+crash&client=firefox-a&hs=7FO&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=-I2GUd3kNOX4igKSnYCIBw&ved=0CDEQsAQ&biw=1467&bih=753
We then spent the evening with John and Melay Marcrum who live in Lancaster. John fixed us a very tasty rib and sausage dinner and we had a great time catching up. Thanks very much John and Melay for your hospitality and friendship.
Yesterday morning we hooked up and headed over the Tehachapi Pass and down into the San Joaquin Valley, arriving at NAS Lemoore about 3 PM. We're going to stay here tonight and then head up to Fresno tomorrow morning.
05/06/2013
Since there isn't a whole lot to do and see in this part of the Central Valley, especially near Lemoore, we have been just kicking back. We got our laundry done (free here), got some cleaning done and not much more.
Today we are heading up to Fresno to spend a week visiting my mother and the rest of the family.
05/10/2013
Joyce and Mother took a drive up to one of the local casinos on Wednesday so that Joyce could make her donation to the local welfare fund. Then, they decided to go do it again today! Later in the evening we had supper with my brother Alan and his wife.
Mother's computer, which she has had since 1993, finally died, so yesterday Joyce and I took her to the Apple Store "to look around". It didn't take her long to decide on a new iMac with all the bells and whistles. It's a beautiful go-fast machine and will serve her needs very well.
05/14/2013
Yesterday we moved up to Calistoga to visit Joyce's family. If you haven't driven in California lately, watch out! The roads that we took from Fresno to here were bumpy, full of cracks and generally a mess. Highway 12 from Lodi to Fairfield was very bad. For most of the way I never got over 50 MPH and for 90% of the drive I had to stay below 40 MPH.
05/18/2013
We had a very good time visiting with the family in St. Helena and of course, the time went way to fast. We're going to need to spend more time in the Napa Valley the next time we come back.
Yesterday morning we made the short run to Travis AFB and are now parked in the Famcamp. We're going to be here for a week visiting friends and attending the 7th, 44th and 86th Military Airlift Squadron's reunion.
The first event was held last night at the Hometown Buffet in Vacaville. Thirty-seven folks showed up and we all had a great time. Some tall stories, er...lies were told and a lot of laughter was heard all over the restaurant. On young man stopped me and asked what was the occasion. When I told him, he laughed and said his company would never have anything like that. There is something really special about being part of an organization that you want to see your co-workers again.
Yesterday, the reunion day started with a visit to the C-141B, 63-8088 here on Travis AFB. Being onboard that beautiful lady brought back many memories of my Air Force career including my younger days in aircraft maintenance when I worked on her as a young airman in the 602 Organizational Maintenance Squadron, then to my last flight as a flight engineer. What a ride!
With my best friend, Jim Glaspey.
Is it time for crew rest?
Jim's normal position during cruise!
With Troy Fore, Ed Zakarakas
Engineer...Arm the doors please!
Later we gathered at Pippo's Ranch in Vacaville for the main party. I won't go into all the detail but suffice it to say there were a lot of war stories told, a good amount of adult beverages consumed and even a few tears were shed. It was good to see all my "old" friends again.
7th & 44th Members.
86th Members.
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