STAR (Star Touring and Riding) Chapter 230 monthly ride takes us to San Diego and a tour of the USS Midway Aircraft Carrier. I wind up in Group 2 with Dan leading. Dan is an excellent leader but I may try another ride captain next time. Our ride down the 5 Freeway becomes a bit of an adventure for John R. and his recent purchase of a chopper style motorcycle. First, he has to pull over on the freeway and we find out a spark plug wire came loose, when he catches up at the rest stop.
At the rest stop with a total of about 50 miles, it is apparent the back tire is rubbing on something as the tire center stripe is hot and all scuffed up. When he tried to restart it, all we hear is a grinding noise and he is stuck there until his brother comes with a truck.
We also get a visit by Gregg who had dropped out for a while but is now ready to get riding again.
We all arrive and park. Cost for parking is like $5 an hour but we pay just $5 for the visit.
USS MIDWAY-This is a big ship, no doubt about it. The tour is self guided and they give you a head set and A small gadget like a tape player. You punch in codes marked at various exhibits and stops and it plays a voice recording about that location. Very well done. Cost is around $18 per person but we get a reduced group rate. I took a few pictures below decks but lighting is not great, some some of the pictures are less than ideal. I did not go to the top flight deck for some reason, maybe because I was on my own and get lost quickly.
Here are a few shots on the hanger deck and also a few in the compartments below.
Not a great picture, but these are berths for enlisted, been there done that.
Subcontractor on these water tight doors was the Titanic Water-Tight Door Company.
The Saturday shipboard ride crew... Great group of friends. Not pictured, Johney and Stan who had been on the ship before, and John, left back at the rest stop but picked up a couple hours later.
A lot more photos, some from 230 rides website.
We had to get back and ready to ride at 1:30 PM, so after lunch on board and a quick trip to the crew mess deck, we get ready for our return ride. Total trip about 200 miles and it puts me over 9,200 miles on the 09 Road Star.
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