Heading to Virginia.....

[voyager9]

[godfather voice]What do ya got against Jersey, eh? Maybe a little swim with the fishies will change your mind... [/godfather voice]

C'mon.. it's Joisey..

And as for the drivers... trust me, I've lived in many other states and Jersey isn't even in the top 5. Mass, Delaware.. whoa boy.

Then again, it's free to enter Jersey, but you gotta pay the toll to leave..

[voyager9]

I live in Norfolk. According to you I should live in a steel fortress with 8inch guns surrounding my house.

I don't care where you live, but that sounds kinda cool...

[hwoods]

C'mon.. it's Joisey.........

Then again, it's free to enter Jersey, but you gotta pay the toll to leave..

toll??....... By Chance, do you mean Troll??........

[FWDbuff]

C'mon.. it's Joisey..

And as for the drivers... trust me, I've lived in many other states and Jersey isn't even in the top 5. Mass, Delaware.. whoa boy.

Then again, it's free to enter Jersey, but you gotta pay the toll to leave..

That's because it sucks so badly, it's a privilege to leave!!!! And I agree with you about Mass......But Delaware doesn't even come close to Jersey. Did you ever hear about the proposed NASCAR track in Jersey???? When the people from Jersey were shown the plans, they look puzzled, and said "Where are the jughandles for the left hand turns?"

[st42stephenAFT]

That's because it sucks so badly, it's a privilege to leave!!!! And I agree with you about Mass......But Delaware doesn't even come close to Jersey. Did you ever hear about the proposed NASCAR track in Jersey???? When the people from Jersey were shown the plans, they look puzzled, and said "Where are the jughandles for the left hand turns?"

Haha... Jersey-ians do love their jug handles.

I guess they scrapped the NASCAR track and just made the Turnpike and Parkway into quasi-race tracks then. Seems to be the feeling when you're out driving on them :-P

[pasobuff]

Oh boy this has turned into a barrel of laughs!.....When I am heading somewhere, I HATE sitting in traffic - I'd rather be moving on a local road than sitting on the highway.....

I have pictures from the base at Norfolk...lol...my Dad kept telling me to stop taking pictures of the ships before we got in trouble haha.....should go see where they are.....

I think I'll be printing this thread out and taking it with me for reference on my trip - rofl....

Oh - I will be heading down OUTSIDE of DC/Philly/Baltimore etc....will touch base with you guys who are in the area when the time gets closer! .... Have to check into one or tow of the hotels mentioned too for my overnight on the way down. I'll atually have a little 'extra' pocket money - was able to trade in points for my night in DC and am only shelling out $40- for that night instead of $150!

[FWDbuff]

Deleted, messed up somewhere......

[FWDbuff]

I have pictures from the base at Norfolk...lol...my Dad kept telling me to stop taking pictures of the ships before we got in trouble haha.....should go see where they are.....

If you are into Navy ships and will be in the Norfolk area, how would you like to go aboard the (ex) USS Zuni ATF-95? She is a 205' Fleet Oceangoing Tug, which is currently being restored (myself and my father are both founding members of the restoration/museum group.) In 1946, she was turned over to the USCG, where they changed her name to something you might recognize- The USCGC TAMAROA, WMEC-166. Was made famous by real-life events depicted in the movie The Perfect Storm.

While the ship is not open to the general public at this time, I can make some phone calls and get a firefighter friend a tour from the bilge all the way up to the wheelhouse. Let me know if you are interested.

http://www.zunitamaroa.org/

[pasobuff]

that would be AWESOME FWD......one question though - can you check if it would be possible to bring someone (Dad) with me? He is actually in the USCG Aux. although right now he isn't too active.....

[FWDbuff]

that would be AWESOME FWD......one question though - can you check if it would be possible to bring someone (Dad) with me? He is actually in the USCG Aux. although right now he isn't too active.....

Absolutely, especially for the USCG Aux Member. Both of you should wear clothing that can get dirty, warm as it gets pretty chilly below the water line this time of year, and sturdy shoes. Be prepared to climb some steep ladders (steps.) I need a date from you and a general time frame (morning, afternoon....)

[pasobuff]

Cool!...I will send you a PM with possible dates - my brother and nephew are flying in for the weekend too - so not sure what our plans will be for each day.....THANKS! My step-mom said my Dad would LOVE this!

[CaptOldTimer]

Other than telling you stay in I-81 and then I-64to stay away from the garden state, once you get in the Tidewater area plan to go to Norfolk's and take this harbor cruise.

http://www.navalbasecruises.com/

Also you can visit the USS Wisconsin and other great sites.

Pay no attention to fruit loops. He is just a school kid in Williamsburg/James City County and unless he is with an adult he doesn't venture across the James River.

I'll drop you a pm on this as well. Your pm file is full!!

[pasobuff]

CoT - I've cleaned out my PM box, you can resend!

[CaptOldTimer]

CoT - I've cleaned out my PM box, you can resend!

Sent again.

[FWDbuff]

Also you can visit the USS Wisconsin and other great sites.

If the Zuni/Tamaroa is where I think it is, she is tied up at the pier next to the Wisconsin. (I have not been aboard her in over a year, at which time she was still inside NAB Little Creek.)

[CaptOldTimer]

I think she is across the Elisabeth River, in Portsmouth, VA.

http://www.zunitamaroa.org/

[notfruitybutloopy]

Don't buy gas past about 8PM around Williamsburg, that's when most people go out to hassle anyone at the pump.

I am not even from here, but the constant, "Oh Norfolk is so bad..." is getting old. Newport News is far worse and you're telling the person to go get gas there at night...pot kettle

Never said Williamsburg wasn't bad. Gang violence is so through the roof here as well as drug use and teen suicide, there's too much of a gap here, it's either really old rich folks with nothing to do or us high school kids with rich mommies and daddies that'll bail us out at the first sign of trouble, and then of course the cops that roll lights and sirens into the KFC drive thru to get their free chicken. : (


Granted that may be true, but I've only been to the more lower class areas of Norfolk because that's where the hobby shops and smaller more bargin shops are, but I would not be caught out at night in either Norfolk or Newport News. And I think you would agree too.

That's because it sucks so badly, it's a privilege to leave!!!! And I agree with you about Mass......But Delaware doesn't even come close to Jersey. Did you ever hear about the proposed NASCAR track in Jersey???? When the people from Jersey were shown the plans, they look puzzled, and said "Where are the jughandles for the left hand turns?"

Why do you think Washington got the heck out of there? He was probobly sitting there thinking "Oh my god Jersey sucks, I need to save my men from this terrible torture, we must leave immediatly." So he got together all his troops and boats and crossed the Delaware, and just happened to find the Hessians, so seeing a moment of oppertunity, Washington killed and captured them, and had a wonderful Christmas, all to get out of New Jersey.

[tree68]

Other than telling you stay in I-81 and then I-64to stay away from the garden state, once you get in the Tidewater area plan to go to Norfolk's and take this harbor cruise.

Yeah - I was going to suggest I-88 to I-81 to I-64, unless you want to run down US17 from Winchester to Fredricksburg, where you'll hit the other NASCAR track - I-95, and thence onto I-64.

Last time I went down I-81 in PA it was mostly clear sailing, except for that one-lane stretch southbound between Wilkes-Barre and Hazleton.

Another option is to take I-83 south out of Harrisburg, then pick up I-95 south of Baltimore. That means putting up with the Capital Beltway, however, and that's often a zoo, depending on what time you hit it.

If you really want to get adventuous, go to Balto, take I-97 to US301, which will take you to Richmond, where you can pick up I-64....

Enjoy your trip!

[FWDbuff]

Pasobuff:

I called the Director of Operations of the Zuni/Tamaroa this morning. Unfortunately it does not look like they will be able to accomodate you this weekend, as they will be moving the ship from it's current location to another location tomorrow. It is unknown what the conditions for access will be like once they reach the new location. They will not accept visitors unless the brow is able to be dropped onto a solid pier, and they dont know exactly where they will be at the new location, not to mention they may not be able to access the ship on weekends. I was asked to pass on regrets from the foundation as they hate to turn down visitors, especially ex-Coasties and Navy personnel. Please keep the ship in mind the next time you are in the area.

As for me, when/if you will be passing through, if you want to meet up if the time is mutual for both of us lets do it. I will probably be busy Friday and Saturday with funeral stuff for a friend who passed suddenly yesterday. But gimme an idea of when/if you'll be passing through and mebbe we can arrange something.

[FWDbuff]

http://www.zunitamaroa.org/gallery27/index.html

Some pics of me with a Naval JROTC class aboard the Zuni/Tamaroa, doing some damage control/firefighting training back in the spring of 2002. I am the tall buff looking dude with the high and tight haircut, sunglasses, and navy blue uniform.

Somewhere else in the picture galleries are some shots of myself and my father doing some repair work on one of the fire pumps, and some shots of me preparing dinner one night for the crew out on the steel beach.