As many of you probably already know, President Obama visited Bristol, Virginia, today. He landed at Tricities Regional Airport at 3:35 and from there traveled via motorcade to Kroger for a "town hall" meeting. Needless to say, when you have a situation involving the appearance of Air Force One at your local airport, you know that one Tony King (accompanied by his loyal sidekick) will load up the camera equipment and head down there in search of a great photo op or two.

We arrived at the airport around 3:00 and stood around, those whoppers of lenses in hand (Yep, Tony let me hold his lens!). There were police officers in key areas, SUVs on the runways, and helicopters scoping out the air space. And then for the first time in my life, I got a good look at Air Force One (Note: Tony saw AF1 for the fifth time: once when Carter came to the area, once when the senior Bush was here, on the two times Clinton visited, and of course today). AF1 is one amazing plane, let me tell you! I think that what amazed me even more is what it takes to move the President when he is on the ground. Here is a rough list of what generally made up the motorcade:

2 Presidential limos
5 state police motorcycles
5 or 6 state police SUVs
a SWAT team equipment truck
SUVs carrying the SWAT team members
SUVs carrying Secret Service people
an ambulance
a few sedans, one or two with guys yielding high-powered rifles
and then about six Econolines, a few carrying members of the press
(approximately 25-30 vehicles all together)

We were also there waiting when Obama returned to fly back to Washington. More motorcade, more Air Force One, and then . . . we were still hanging around when the C-17 used to transport the limos and other vehicles back to Andrews Air Force Base took off. To Tony King of Photos that in itself was a treat, but I wish you all could have seen him brighten up like the sun we didn't see much of today when he found out that the C-17 was going to take off on Runway 5 instead of Runway 23. I wasn't quite sure what that meant (and am still not sure), but I think it was a photography bonus.

It was a good day. It was exciting to see such a thing. Tony's sister and her family came to the airport, so it was a special treat to see his little nephews (one is five and the other one is eight) so amazed by the aircraft they saw. There were a lot more clouds and rain than sun today, but it was worth braving the weather to see history in the making (cliche but appropriate).

Susan

P.S. for Frank: And we shared this experience with little Chris--always a bonus for anyone involved.

Hey Susan-thanks for the report, that sounds like a fun day.

I think Tony should be mighty grateful that you are willing to, as you say, hold his lens!

Did you guys get the set list?

Nope, sorry, I didn't get a set list. Couldn't get past the snipers!
Susan

How I spent my summer vacation....
First day - I woke up then I went downtown to look for a job - then I hung out in front of the drugstore.
2nd day - I woke up then I went downtown to look for a job - then I hung out in front of the drugstore.
3rd day - I woke up then I went downtown to look for a job - then I found a job - keeping people from hanging out in front of the drugstore... (from some Cheech & Chong skit)

I know that wasn't really the subject here - but was the first thing that came to mind when I read the subject of the thread.

Sounds like you guys had a cool day .. and a wet one cuz it rained a bunch around here.... my kids kept looking up after 6:00 or so == thinking they could see AF1 take off... You usually see all the big planes pass overhead here in Piney Flats ... I'll bet if the Yardmaster was home - he could see it land and take off.... (he lives near the airport for those that didn't already figure that one out)....

E

On 9/11, I saw AF1 pass over my little Illinois town, and accompanied by military jets. By the time I saw them, they were the only planes in the air that day. Unforgettable.

Sounds like an incredible waste of tax-payers money!

I made a trek to the big city of McClure, Va for a few days with "Mom and Dad" and missed the big event. I did get to see af1 when Clinton came a few years back. I keep an eye to the sky as I want to be sure all are flying and not landing short of the runway......

Don't worry Nese, I cover all "useless uses of Air Force One" with the taxes I pay every year. I can think of a lot bigger wastes of tax payer money than what we saw yesterday.

>Sounds like an incredible waste of tax-payers money!

Amen

>Don't worry Nese, I cover all "useless uses of Air Force One" with the taxes I pay every year. I can think of a lot bigger wastes of tax payer money than what we saw yesterday.

Sure, but it is still wasted tax $. OK I'll shut up and get back to music subjects again.

I am just glad they wasted it in my neck of the woods. I love seeing Air Force One and all the extras involved.

My ONLY regret is that President Obama showed up this week. Had he been scheduled to arrive in Bristol a little over two weeks from now, Tony and I could have taken him to see Webb!
Susan

Thanks for sharing, Susan.
Sounds like an awesome day. Anytime, we can experience that kind of event, whether a waste of taxpayer money or not (I think Obama is still on the campaign trail and could cut back a bit.) I was lucky enough to see Former President Harry S. Truman twice as a little girl here in Independence and will never forget it. Not to mention everytime I see the Stealth in flight. OOOOOh!

We went to see the Space Shuttle when it was being piggy-backed to Florida when the girls were little at a pit stop at KCI. It was fantastic! Having grown up watching the US Space program from its infancy, I was in heaven. (Yeah. I didn't post on that thread but all four of us little Elliott kids were up late and then went outside to look at the moon. We had maps of the moon in our bedrooms and knew exactly where The Sea of Tranquility was and we had a telescope but not so good as to see The Eagle.) Space....The Final Frontier....These are the voyages of the..OOPs! I'm going off on a tangent.

I'm with Tony on the wasting of money in his neighborhood. If its a waste let's spread it around instead of giving it to Detroit or Wall Street.

OK MotherBear, I am envious of you because you have seen the SCA/Shuttle stack. That is a rare occurrence, and if they have good weather at KSC for the remaining landings, we will never have the opportunity to see it again because next year may be the end of the shuttle program. Congrats!

Somewhere back in the late 90s, we had a night off before a show in Orlando. I told the boys that I sure didn't intend to miss what would very likely be our only chance to ever see a shuttle launch, let alone a rare night-time one, and that we ought to take a band field trip. We drove the Econoline over and watched 'em light that thing up- what a sight, and what a sound! Truly unforgettable!

OK, now I am envious of Tom Comet too! I have seen two shuttle launches but never a night launch.

Oh what will they think when they learn how close I am to Ellington AFB and JSC! I watched the shuttle cross over my backyard a few months ago also. When I used to live downtown I saw it pb from Cali to EAFB a few times. That sucker was loud because EAFB isnt' that far away and gear was down. Enough, Tony has suffered already.

That is awesome Nese!! JSC is a place I want to visit. I have been to Kennedy Space Center and Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, so JSC is next on the list.

In 2003, I believe it was, my wife and I were at Disney World when there was a nighttime shuttle launch. Even from that far away, it was an amazing sight!

Hunter

Tony, I went to Johnson Space Center with my Dad in ... 2001 I think it must have been. My favorite thing there was the SR-71 parked out front. That thing was decades ahead of its time. Makes you wonder what they have now that hasn't been announced yet.

They also had a Saturn-V mockup (lying down) out back, a shuttle mock-up in a very unnatural pose outside, and a lunar module in the museum.

Woops, that's not Johnson Space Center... it's the US Space and Rocket Center. Early senility setting in?

Looks like they did some remodeling since I was there. The upright Saturn-V is a mockup... the one that was lying out back (decaying! ugh.) is in now fully restored, and inside the new Davidson center.
http://www.spacecamp.com/museum/

According to Wikipedia, the "SR-71" I saw was actually the A-12 variant. I'm just full of mistakes today.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Space_&_Rocket_Center