Well, the cat’s out of the bag. So I may as well put out the initial feeler…
Yes, I have made arrangements (not hard, since I’m in charge of approving/assigning IKE ship tours) for a group of Dopers to tour the U.S. Navy’s third nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69)!
Here’s the tentative schedule:
**Fri. 25 Aug., (p.m.) – East Coast Dopers pour into the Tidewater Area check into hotels. Un-official meetings, beverages imbibed.
Sat. 26 Aug., 1030 – Dopers gather at Norfolk Naval Naval Station Pass and I.D. office. ChiefScott introduces himself. POV (personally owned vehicles) on-base passes distroed. Safety/security rules discussed. Visit list verified.
Sat. 26 Aug., 1050 – Enter base. POV transit to Pier 12 visitors’ parking lot.
Sat. 26 Aug., 1100 – Board IKE. Commence tour.
Note: Tour includes: Navigation Brige, Flight Deck Control, Flight Deck, Launch/Recovery procedures, Flight Deck Photo OP, fo’c’s’le, Hangar Bays, 5-Star Room, static aircraft display, Jet Engine Shop, Mess Decks, and Medical. Time may be alotted for additional spaces, if interested.
Off limits spaces – Reactor/Engineering Space, spaces containing classified information, magazines, CDC, CATCC and as designated by CDO.
Sat. 26 Aug., 1400 – Depart IKE. Re-load vehicles.
Sat. 26 Aug., 1415 – (If Dopers’ intersted, tour NAVBASE Norfolk, to include Jamestown Exposition Buildings (Great White Fleet World’s Fair).
Sat. 26 Aug., 1500 – Depart Base. Return passes. Gather at Pass and I.D. Final wrap-up.
Sat. 26 Aug., 1500-1930 – Free time.
Sat. 26 Aug., 1930-?? – Official Norfolk Dopefest. I’m thinking a downtown waterfront bar. Possibly at Waterside.
Sat./Sun. – Return to hotel/depart area as required.**
This is still sketchy, but you get the idea.
There will be no cost for base/ship tour. Signed affidavits that you will no longer use smilies on the board will be required. (Just joking)
Limited number of vehicles will be allowed on base. I will condence the group to the minimum number of vehicles possible.
I will post hotel reservation sites (cheap, mid, expensive) at two sites (downtown and Hampton Blvd. – just off base).
You should know that you are going to have to provide me a lot of information at least a week in advance, should you want to take the tour, like vehicle make/model, license, proof of insurance, etc.
What I need from you now:
Suggestions, recommendations, a rough idea of the number of folks I should be expecting. What should I look to change improve?
Is there anything I’m blatently overlooking?
fff folks – This board is where I’ll update Dopefest info.
What I don’t need:
e-mails!!! At least not yet. I’m serious. Anything you need to say, questions need answered, do it here. I won’t answer e-mails. I’ll let you know when and what to e-mail me.
Everyone’s invited and I don’t foresee limiting the touring group, but be forewarned, I can’t absolutely exclude that possibility yet.
Your tax dollars paid for IKE, you might as well see if you got your money’s worth!
Oops - I better go to the PO tomorrow morning sickness be damned.
