Dayton, Ohio
0600 hrs
Day two dawned foggy and wet. This was disappointing to Bri, Jye, Bob, and Rob, since it meant that a lot of the flying probably wouldn’t be taking place today. After hitting the nearby McDonalds for breakfast, we made a fun-looking convoy of three bikes, (Jye’s Aprilla Futura, Adam’s Honda Nighthawk 550 and Rob’s Kawasaki) and a Mustang and beelined it for the NMUSAF.
I pulled into the main lot ad the boys hit the motorcycle parking. The first open spot I found to park was right next to a 2010 Chevrolet Camaro RS. So I backed the ‘Stang in beside it and people showed up from around the lot to start taking pictures of the two modern muscle cars sitting side by side.
The boys met up with me and we locked the helmets and bags into the Mustang before heading into the museum.
Since I had been there the day before, I was elected the unofficial tour guide.
Walking in to the Early Years gallery, I was walking backwards like I had told them I was going to to see their impressions. None of the three had been here before, and they all came to a halt as one, nearly openmouthed.
It’s that kind of place, it just stops you in your tracks.
Once we had started into the Early Years Gallery, I told them I’d meet them in about an hour or so, then hustled my booty over to the Modern Flight Gallery to finish off the aircraft I hadn’t shot on Friday. Once done there I hit the Cold War Gallery and the Missile Gallery, before wandering outside to shoot the Air Park aircraft.
From there, the Boys and I jumped on the shuttle bus and headed down to the Dawn Patrol Rendezvous air show, which all four of us completely enjoyed….it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity to see these World War I ‘birds in their element. The sun decided it was finally time to come out during the airshow.
After the airshow, the boys and I parted, they heading over to Cincinnati for the night and me heading off to see Perry in Columbus, after stopping off at the Huffman Prairie airfield. Huffman Prairie, although technically a part of the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, is so remote that there were actually deer wandering across the access road. Didn't hit any, thankfully.
Now, one thing you might not know if the first airfields were not straight, but circular. It was amazing and historic, and a real sense of awe hung over the site.
Since the sun was out, I dropped the ‘Stang’s top (Christine, take notes ;) ) and hit I-70 over to Columbus. Luckily, THIS rental had cruise control, unlike the PT Cruiser from the San Antonio trip earlier in the year, so no speeding issues.
Arrived in Columbus safe and sound and reunited with Perry for drinks, steak, and movies.
And for the record, Day Two totaled 1183 photos, upping my 1-day record from Friday.
Thus endeth day 2.
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