Best weekend x-c's

[SIG600]

I'm out of idea's for weekend cross country trips, you can only go to the same places so many times. Wondering whose got some good three day road trip bender stories/locals.

 

[GulfstreamSDL]

Williams Gateway in phoenix is a nice one. Busy military fuel stop and satellite airport to PHX - plus a restaurant on the other side of the FBO counter. No more than 35 minute drive to Tempe, and away from the hustle and bustle of Sky Harbor.
All the Miramar guys come a lot, and the Yuma jets are in every weekend. No one from the east coast ever comes (extremely rare), they always go to PHX! Shame on them.

 

[talondriver]

If you're XC with an AAL or UAL reservist, try Opa Locka Airport north of Miami and stay at the Sherry Fontenac Hotel on the beach (not sure what other US carriers have access to the hotel). If not for the sun and sand, stay there for the International (female) FAs...WOW.

As for Williams Gateway...I concur with Gulfstream. But, like any other growing city, expect gnarly traffic if you stay towards downtown. There's a lot of growth out here but Willie's still out in the "sticks". I don't see a lot of Miramar jets. Mainly Huggys' Beale '38s D ) and Yuma harriers. The Navy T-45s usually come from Tejas.

 

[Fury220]

Austin. The Driskill hotel (a historic landmark) has a military rate (90 bucks a night, last I checked), and it's located a VERY short stumble from 6th Street.


NAS New Orleans is fun if it's the right time of the year. I was there just this past weekend...I'm surprised I still have brain cells that work.


Whenever I go to Phoenix, I always land at Sky Harbor. Then, I grab a room at the Hilton in Scottsdale. Just a quick walk to the bars in Scottsdale. The girls are plastic, but I'm there to look...not to touch, so it's OK with me.


Huntsville, AL was great because it was a short drive on Saturday to the Jack Daniel's distillery. Free tours!



I'm sure I have more gouge, but I can't think of any more right now...

 

[AdlerDriver]

If you're XC with an AAL or UAL reservist, try Opa Locka Airport north of Miami and stay at the Sherry Fontenac Hotel on the beach (not sure what other US carriers have access to the hotel). If not for the sun and sand, stay there for the International (female) FAs...WOW..

I could be wrong. Unfortunately, I think the Sherry Fontenac Hotel might not be in business anymore. I can't remember if I heard it's not a crew hotel anymore or it closed altogether. Maybe someone else can confirm or deny. My memory of the discussion when this came up is way too fuzzy. I gotta cut back on the binge drinking.
:beer:

 

[Huggyu2]

...Mainly Huggys' Beale '38s D )...

Hey!!! I resemble that remark!!!
Phoenix is fine, you just need to set up the rent-a-car with the folks there in the lobby with the FBO. Besides Scottsdale, there's a gorgeous hotel in Tempe called the Mission Palms that gave us the military rate. Great location.
For West Coast locations, I'm a huge fan of North Island. Lots of guys like to go into the Gas Lamp, but I just stay there on the Island and cab it/walk around. Coronado Brewing Company (CBC) has great food and brews many types of beer; the Best Western is across the street and the rooms are only about $20 above the gov't rate. It's the nicest Best Western I've ever seen. Brigantine is great for seafood. And of course, the Hotel Del for a Whisky.

 

[Fury220]

^Yeah, NAS North Island was a lot of fun.

In the Gas Lamp district, I like the Yardhouse. Biggest bar I've ever seen...all stocked with beer taps. Order a "yard" and they'll bring you a 3 foot tall glass of beer filled with the brew of your choice. I played "stump the bartender" and he had all the beers I could think of. It was a great way to start the night.

 

[C-150ETOPS]

The Sherry is still open.

 

[HoursHore]

If you like skiing, Hill AFB is right around the mountian from the 2002 Olympic Downhill Mtn. Eagle County CO has a fuel contract. I saw some T-45's there years ago.

Fury, they let you go to New Orleans the weekend before Mardi Gras?

 

[psysicx]

If you come into Phoenix Sky Harbor come to Swift and say hi.

 

[SIG600]

Ok.... I see you guys go to all the same places. I've yet to see one that I haven't been drunk at yet (except Hill, decent skiing near by?).

Anyone going to Scottsdale make sure you hit the Martini Ranch. Some of the best talent I've ever seen ANYWHERE (and made for one story telling night).

 

[Mongoose69]

St. Patty's Day weekend

Try Savannah Georgia on St. Patty's Day weekend. The Guard (reserve?) has a CRTC there with ACMI land/water ranges and great debrief facilities. Riverwalk on St. Patty's Day was second only to New Orleans.

Cheers,
-Mongoose

 

[Huggyu2]

More thoughts: if at North Island on a Friday, stop by the World Famous I-Bar, just down the street from Base Ops. The T-Line guys will give you a ride. The Aviator Ale is good,... and quite strong.
Want to hit the Northwest? Boeing Field (KBFI) is great. They gave us a van for the night, we stayed downtown. The Seattle Museum of Flight in on the field; there's a good "aviation store" with books, shirts, and other pilot stuff; about 20 minutes away from KBFI, on the west side of Puget Sound is a great restaurant called Salty's. Sits right on the water and has a great view. If just doing a gas-and-go, we'll grab the courtesy car and do lunch there (minus the cocktails).
Also, we did Whidbey Island. We canx'd a scuba trip, but ended up driving to the town about 20 minutes away. It's real small, but had a couple of good bars and restaurants. The VFR leg from Boeing Field to Whidbey is a blast.
Like museums? Spend the night a Midland, Texas, and spend a few hours the next day in the Confederate Air Force Museum.
Ft Worth Alliance: they'll give you a free rental car for the night. The Worthington (a Marriott-branded hotel) gives the gov't rate. Last time I was there, the NY Yankees were staying there. It is walking distance from EVERYTHING, including Flying Saucer (hundreds of beers), Razoo's Cajun, Billy Miner's, and one of those Brazilian Meat Houses where you drop about $40 and crawl away in a food coma. About a dozen other good restaurants that I can't remember the names of.
Ellington: reserve a "VOQ" room early from the FBO, if you're on a budget. A very nice setup, and they've got a bar. Head down to Kemah's boardwalk (about 25 minutes) and grab seafood. There are some good nightclubs on Nasa Road 1, but the FBO girls can point you in the right direction.
NASA gives a public tour at Johnson Space Center (about 15 minutes away), but if you work it early using the "military pilot" angle, you can probably get more "behind the scenes".

 

[Fury220]

Oh yeah...I'll echo the Ellington words...best FBO *ANYWHERE*.

Call them before you T/O, and they'll order you pizza for free. Grab the pizza, then head to the "Briefing Room" (read: home theater) to chill with a movie (do they still have the playboy channel?).

If you get stuck there, they'll take care of you. I make it my normal Friday night stop on the way to KVPS and my other stops in the FL panhandle.


Also, Alliance in Ft Worth is the HEAT! Owned by Ross Perot, they'll take care of you! The "talent" at the desk is typically first-rate, to say the least...


I did an out and back to C-springs once...didn't have the time to check out much in town, but we had lunch. Check out a place called "SOLOs" which is close to the civ side of the field. It's a restaurant built around an OLD USAF refuler (can't remember which one), and you can eat in the old fuselage. I have pictures of me at the controls in the old cockpit. The food is good, and the talent is always ready to go the extra mile for dudes in bags (sts).

 

[SpoolDaddy]

My spelling will be out to lunch, but here goes:

1. Land Utapaou, layover Pattaya Beach, Thailand, pack your durex.
2. Osan special, GI Joes, I don't remeber anything else, but it was great! (Actually, I do remember the MP's busting my buddy Frag for being "out and about" past curfew, though I successfully lured his already paid for lady of the night to the keg party we had going on the roof of our hotel while Frag was put in cuffs and hauled away. I even bought her breakfast, thanks Frag!)

Domestic just lacks the appeal of the international or "national" league when on a cross country but if you must:
1. Mammoth Mountain, you can stop there, just don't land heavy or take a full bag of gas for takeoff.
2. Same goes for Hailey, Idaho (Sun Valley). Beware of overzealous reporters writing soft porn articles describing your takeoff and then getting them sindicated and therefore printed in the early bird. That cost me a week of flying, and I was the OpsO.
3. Whidbey Island or Burlington... and then journey north to Canada, God bless the Ladies of the North!

Six Clear and SF, SpoolDaddy

 

[SIG600]

If you get stuck there, they'll take care of you. I make it my normal Friday night stop on the way to KVPS and my other stops in the FL panhandle.

Were you at KVPS Super Bowl weekend? Stopped through there for gas and there were a few T-38's on the ramp.

2. Same goes for Hailey, Idaho (Sun Valley). Beware of overzealous reporters writing soft porn articles describing your takeoff and then getting them sindicated and therefore printed in the early bird. That cost me a week of flying, and I was the OpsO.

Alright story time.

 

[DaveGriffin]

If one of the AF guys gets a chance to check out a F-22 for the weekend, make sure you don't drive it across 180 long.

 

[talondriver]

...Beware of overzealous reporters writing soft porn articles describing your takeoff and then getting them sindicated and therefore printed in the early bird. That cost me a week of flying, and I was the OpsO...

Also, be aware of the retired col or even msgt watching your pulls in the pattern and feeling the need to use what military authority they still believe is entitled to them.

Unfortunately, anytime this happens, you're guilty 'til proven innocent.

Should this flow into another thread?? "Good deal XCs shot down due to alleged buffoonery"

 

[AA717driver]

The Sherry in MIA is still open and, despite the rumors, the front desk says they will stay as they are.

Martinair, Lan Chile and some other tasty delights await. I get pool reports from my non-furloughed buddy when he lays over there. Poolside pop machines that dispense beer. When the bar closes, they just walk away with the cash drawer. Honor system prevails...

It's ugly--I've rarely gotten to bed before 0400. Several hoppin' bars nearby.

I know AWA used to stay there, too. (That explains a lot.) Have fun. TC

 

[bssthound]

AA717driver reports:

Poolside pop machines that dispense beer. When the bar closes, they just walk away with the cash drawer. Honor system prevails...

It's ugly--I've rarely gotten to bed before 0400. Several hoppin' bars nearby.

As the world changes for the worse the places that take you back through a time warp are so much more precious. Back when I was a Lt . . . . .

 

[AirBadger]

So you guys get to fly fighter jets around the country and drink beer?

 

[SIG600]

So you guys get to fly fighter jets around the country and drink beer?

On occasion.

 

[jstars135]

Its been a while, but Patrick AFB and Cocoa Beach, FL was a great destination. Cant remember a lot of details, but I know it was an excellent adventure. Second choice would be parking the jet at Navy Andrews and heading into DC.

 

[guppygoshawk]

So you guys get to fly fighter jets around the country and drink beer?

Rarely simultaneously.

 

[Future SNA]

Fort Worth Alliance, buy gas and get a rental car for free, drive 15 minutes to stay downtown at the Worthington which has a military rate of like $95 when the room could easily go for over $200. Walking distance to all of DFW's bars.

 

[Buckeye]

You might try KFFO Wright-Patterson AFB they have the Air Force Museum. And in Donwtown Dayton you have the good ole' Oregon Disctrict ...many..many College girls...women looking for a meaningful one night relationship and the infamous Dublin Pub.

 

[bearcat]

^Yeah, NAS North Island was a lot of fun.

In the Gas Lamp district, I like the Yardhouse. Biggest bar I've ever seen...all stocked with beer taps. Order a "yard" and they'll bring you a 3 foot tall glass of beer filled with the brew of your choice. I played "stump the bartender" and he had all the beers I could think of. It was a great way to start the night.

Haha..they don't have Victorias Bitter....aka VB mate

 

[Huggyu2]

You might try KFFO Wright-Patterson AFB they have the Air Force Museum. And in Donwtown Dayton you have the good ole' Oregon Disctrict ...many..many College girls...women looking for a meaningful one night relationship and the infamous Dublin Pub.

I was down there Dec '05 for a Sat night: not real impressed. Sure, the Pub had good beer and decent fare, but overall, the area had a run down feel to it.

 

[Huggyu2]

On second thought, we might have drifted the wrong way after we left the pub. We did find some good live music in a hole-in-the-wall.

 

[OrionFE]

Whidbey Island

Did a XCountry to Whidbey years ago and then drove up to Whistler and Re-uped on top of the mountain. Great time! Awesome village with some cool bars and "snow bunnies".