Fredericksburg, TX (overnight stay)

[DeltaRomeo]

3/15/06

It's Spring Break week and the wife had planned on taking the kids down to Waco (2.5 hr drive south) to spend some time with the Grandmothers. I thought, since this could be considered 'guilt free' time with the extra babysitters and all, that I'd burn a couple of vacation days, look to see where the weather was good, and put the RV in long distance travel mode. I was leaning to Pensacola, FL or Taos, NM.

Susie threw a welcome wrench in the plans when she said, "Why can't we both go somewhere in the plane?" Time to change plans and instantly form my plans around her, since she doesn't really like to fly and is especially nervous with both of us in the same plane (remember the kids?). Any opportunity that presents itself is given the attention it deserves. I suggested Fredericksburg, TX for some shopping (which she would like). Short and sweet - very close to home with a weather outlook that looked pretty good. So, Monday morning bright and early Susie and the kids set out for Waco in the car. I slept in...because I have a plane. I gave her a little while to get on her way, casually ate breakfast, surfed the web a little, packed, then headed out to the airport. No rush. I beat them by 20 minutes.
​

They swung by the airport and we headed over to Luby's for lunch with her Mom and to drop the kids off with her. A short time later we launched for Fredericksburg (T82) with winds about 15kts on the tail at 6,500'. We took the southerly route around the Ft. Hood airspace and got to T82 in a little under an hour. Checked into the Hanger Hotel there at the airport ($119/night) and picked up our rental car ($39) for the 5min drive into town.
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rest of article (with pics) at:
http://www.vansairforce.net/TheTagAlongTourist/Fredericksburg/index.htm

 

[N395V]

I'll be headed to T82 Wednesday in formation with an RV 8. Thank God I have only one baggage compartment to limit the wife's shopping.

We plan on sipping bourbon on the balcony while the women cruise the shops.

Dinner at the Cotton Gin Wed and the Santa Fe Grill Thurs then up to IXD on Friday.

Can't wait one more nite of call and one day of work then liftoff. That is if the friggin weather cooperates.

Anybody shows up in an RV or Rocket at T82 Wed or Thurs drinks are on me.

 

[Bob Axsom]

Memories ...

Ft. Hood & Fredericksburg, h-m-m-m-m. The most demanding, push you to the limits of human endurance job I ever had (no contest) was software delivery manager of a system requiring DIA accreditation at Ft. Hood. After returning home from one stint, my wife had to help me to the car. Me and my team were authorized to work seven days a week 24 hours a day under the most desperate circumstances imaginable - God I loved it. No overtime pay for me and the people back at the Lab wanting me roasted at the stake for unorthodox development and control procedures but we prevailed. I never hear "Fort Hood" or "Killeen" that I don't pause and reflect. The mention of Fredericksburg, Texas is another place that causes a mental exclamation point in my brain - not because of anything I did but what I read about a man from there, Chester W. Nimitz. I bought the book in 1977 and the title is simply "Nimitz". 616 pages of the best reading I have done. (Potter, E. B. Nimitz. Anapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press, 1976) I visited Fredericksburg for no other reason than that is where Admiral Nimitz was born and to visit the Museum. Thanks for the memories.

Bob Axsom

 

[lsu-rv]

Fredericksburg ideas

Milt,
We lived in FBG for 2 years and just moved back to ausitn. Not old enougth or rich enough to live there yet. When there, make sure you tour the Nimitz musuem and if you have time, the Pacific WWII musuem. (the latter takes longer if that stuff interest you.) I took 1.5 hrs in Nimitz and and needed 3+ in Pacific which i did not finish.
You can fly out and check out Enchanted Rock, but i think that looks much much better from the ground. If you want to fly to lunch, go to llano, borrow courtesy car from Larry and go eat at Coopers BBQ.

My wife and i never ate at Cotton Gin, but our favorite rest. there was "The Nest" (expensive but so is Cotton Gin), and "Pasta Bella" (not expensive but best food in FBG if you like Italian. We are goning to fly back to T82 just to eat there one nite soon.)

what do you do at ft hood that you are on call. When we left FBG, my wife worked at the Hospital at Ft. Hood and had many call shifts.

Have fun, and hope the above info is helpful. You may already know the area.

OH yea, don't wait too late to eat. things close down there earlier than the big cities.

Jeff H.
40xs
rv6a

 

[N395V]

Jeff,

Have spent many hrs on several days at the Nimitz museum. Have been going to F'burg yearly for the Cessna Pilot's assoc. Have continued to go with an RV8r and a Pitts owner. Really enjoy my stays there.

Need to expand my experiences though and will try the eateries you suggested.

Ft Hood was Bob not me.

I'm a Cardiologist on call at a local hospital here at home.

 

[the_other_dougreeves]

Great report and photos

Doug -

Thanks for the report. I've had several friends tell me I needed to visit Fredrickbsurg; nice to know about the hotel. Will have to go soon, but without the wife (or bring LOTS of baggage - "Sorry hon, the W&B won't allow us to take anything back. Honest!")

And you are a braver man than I to overfly P-49, even with clearance. Not sure I'd trust that the message got passed from ATC to NORAD/Secret Service/etc.

- Evil Twin

 

[Tom Gresham]

We were at the Hangar Hotel a few weeks ago, shooting HD video for television. The piece will run sometime between July and September (third quarter). It's a neat place, and we were able to get some really good footage.