To and from the Air Show (September 18, 2010)

As I noted in my previous post, visited Naval Air Station Oceana to see the 2010 Air Show held there (and can see some photos in my previous post). I enjoyed a most remarkable time at the event. This was my first visit to the area, and I liked it a great deal. It is always nice to be surrounded by heroes in the sky and on the ground of the US Navy, Marines, and the US Air Force of which I was once proud to be a member. Being by the sea, and unfortunately after getting out of the show short of daylight, I did stop off the highway and took this photo of sunset at a nearby beach near the tunnel just outside of Virginia Beach.
Photo at left is of two Navy aircraft carriers, and really put the "snap" in snapshot...took it real quick with my camera as I drove by what I believe was the Norfolk Navy base. I have been on that base (also on Oceana) "some years ago", and Norfolk Naval Station is still (I am pretty sure) the largest Navy base in the world. Navy pilots land multi-million dollar high performance aircraft on the ships pitching decks manned by thousands of US sailors and Marines who spend long periods of time working long hours far from home and family. It is a tough job, but they are the best in the world in what they do. They are a remarkable group of men and women!
One more quick shot from my dirty windshield. The tunnel on the way to Virginia Beach was a remarkable thing. For one thing, it was very long, and for under it went under the water. I was told to go early before the traffic got bad as it could back up (and as you can see, I took that advice). On the way back though, the tunnel was packed though moving heading toward Richmond. Heading back toward Virginia Beach, the tunnel traffic was at a virtual standstill for miles!!! Talk about a piece of luck, if I was heading in the other direction, I would probably not be writing this now, I would be trying to get back home to Richmond.
Certainly a very interesting area, I look forward to checking out Virginia Beach proper when I have more time in the very near future. As with the Carolina and their love of "The Beach" (usually, but not always they are talking about Myrtle Beach...though Folly Beach in Charleston, and Carolina Beach near Wilmington, NC are also visited often) Richmond likes to go to Virginia Beach. There is nothing like being near the ocean, and I enjoyed my time in the area today!