Sunday, September 12, 2021

Mission Complete


So yeah, Sandy Eggo, was out there in July and August, went back again in September. Above is the view from my hotel room, pretty nice, neh? Odd thing though, I can see where I work from my room. See the arrow below? That's where USS Zumwalt (DDG 1000) and USS Michael Monsoor (DDG 1001) are tied up. The latter is where I've been working over the past few months.


Now don't bother to zoom in (it's all rather pixelated) I did that for you...


The two angular looking things under the bridge? That's the two ships, 1000 is on the left, 1001 is on the right. (Last time I was here they were swapped.) The big flat top, well, bigger than a Zumwalt-class destroyer, that's USS Makin Island (LHD 8), she's having some work done on her flight deck I believe.

So when I get up in the morning, provided the maritime layer (think fog/smog/mist) isn't too thick, I can see whether or not the ship is still there. That is, "Oh yeah, she's still there, guess I gotta go to work.)

This trip was half as long as the last one, the first trip was to exercise the systems in preparation for the testing we did over the past week. From what I could tell, that first three weeks was time (and money) well spent, the past week went great. Sure there were the occasional glitches and "WTFs?" but all in all, things went well.

So well in fact that we finished a day earlier than expected.

I could, in theory, have flown home on Saturday. But, I did not, check your calendars. I decided not to tempt fate. The Missus Herself said, "Good call." So I flew Sunday instead and spent Saturday chillaxing, sittin' on the dock of the bay, watchin' the tide roll away...

Okay, Beans started it, I mean c'mon man, two music posts in a row? Now I have to get home, fire up the computer and listen to all those videos. Sigh, my work is never done...

Just heard that there might be a return engagement out this way come November. But it goes over Thanksgiving...

That I'll have to think about.


Managed to make it to Shakespeare's twice on this trip, to make up for not going on the last trip. Monday night was a team building thing, dinner with the team as it were, with special guest star Tuna.

Thursday night was a meet-up with fellow Lexican BigSoxFan and an old Air Force buddy of mine, Greg, who I hadn't seen since 1978 (for those of you playing at home, that's 43 years ago). As Greg said, "We were airman once, and young."

Yes we were. Gotta say though, Greg has aged far more gracefully than I, must be that SoCal life style. Had a great time chatting with Greg and his wife.

Hadn't seen BigSoxFan in ages either, I think not since the last Lexican Sandy Eggo gathering I went to some years back. He's doing well, fellow New Englander he, not sure how he wound up in Sandy Eggo, but he's been here a while. Good man.

Left Shakespeare's in plenty of time to get back to the hotel and hit the rack before the standard five o'clock start on Friday. Too bad that one of the longest (and slowest) trains I've ever seen was between me and said hotel. Felt like I'd been transported out to the road from Lemoore to Fresno where the miles and miles of nothing gets interrupted by a train track, complete with long slow train to wherever.

But I got a solid four hours of rack time before having to get up and go to work (maritime layer made the ship invisible, I guess that stealth stuff works... Oh, wait). Thank goodness Friday was a short day.


Around the time you're reading this, I'll probably be airborne and winging my way back east.

I'm getting kinda old for this, but hey, I actually live for this kinda thing.

Yeah, I am a little nuts...




28 comments:

  1. Safe travels and no headwinds Sarge.

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  2. An Otis Redding earworm, and a book/movie reference in one post. Well done.

    Take care.

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    1. I refrained from mentioning the dropped box of laundry detergent on the stairs.
      Yep, I watched the Tide roll away. :)

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  3. @OAFS/

    BTW, did you ever manage to catch Otis's act in person live? One HELLUVA performer!

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  4. Great news Sarge. Nothing better than ending the work ahead of schedule.

    I actually had occasion to fly yesterday (the monthly visit to check on the property and visit TB the Elder and Mom). On the second leg of our flight, the pilot actually came out prior to the flight (e.g., in the corridor at the front of plane) and talked to us. Asked any first responders to stand up (everyone clapped), thanked everyone for flying on the anniversary of 9/11 given everything that the day meant (I suspect - and I had not thought about it before - this is probably a hard day for all commercial pilots). It was very tastefully done. Reason number 575 why Southwest continues to get 90% of my flying business (basically, anything that is not overseas).

    Safest of travels!

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  5. Hey Old AFSarge;

    Glad that you are heading home, Safe travels and no you ain't nuts......Just watch for the squirrels, they have been kinda eyeballing you though ;)

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  6. Always good to hear about that effective 'stealth' technology for the ship -- especially when it is enhanced by the fog!

    Also good to hear your work is having a positive effect on the tech systems of a new ship (new class iirc?).

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  7. Travel over Thanksgiving? Maybe if you and The Missus are Thanksgiving at LUSH's palatial abode, otherwise seriously disrecommend it. Bleh, travel around TurkeyBird day. Am so glad to not be doing that ever again. Miss family but not the traveling.

    Hope you get a day off to unwind before jumping back in the saddle at work. The Missus and your bed ;probably miss you terribly...

    And, glad your work experience was positive. Doing a TDY and having it all go in the crapper would have been no fun at all. Been there, done that, got the scars of blame and shame...

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    Replies
    1. With retirement looming on the horizon, I need to get my licks in.

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  8. I got used to seeing them in Bath. That was enough for me.

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  9. I flew up to Boston yesterday, for a fishing trip today .... that didn’t materialize due to high winds and a small craft advisory in RI. Guess there was a little bad luck incurred due to the timing.

    Got to spend the time hanging out with my brother and his family, so that’s always nice. Gotta remember what’s really important on these days that make you think...

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  10. It was good to see you and you're welcome back anytime!

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Just be polite... that's all I ask. (For Buck)
Can't be nice, go somewhere else...

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