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The Great American Coast to Coast, Via Historic Route 66, Road Trip of 2013 starts today when I pick up my traveling companion, Vance Hogen at the Norfolk International Airport. Mile 0 starts right there.
We will then drive over to the Virginia Beach Oceanfront, touch the Atlantic Ocean so our trip is truly coast to coast, then proceed to have a great lunch at Rockafeller's Restaurant. They serve a great she-crab soup as well as many other fine seafood dishes.
This evening we plan on having a nice dinner as it is my wife's birthday today, sip some quality red wine, then mentally prepare ourselves for a 0530 departure tomorrow morning.
A little about Vance and me. Vance Hogen is a lifelong friend. We have been friends, along with Frank Sherwood and Jeff Ostheimer. for as long as any of us has memories. Unfortunately, Frank and Jeff could not travel with us. With the two of them, the trip would be even better. Back to Vance. Vance is a retired premier Delta Airlines Pilot, a high-energy individual who loves travel and adventure. I don't think there is anything Vance would dive into head on! He lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan with his lovely bride, Paulette, and their two cats, Dewey and Truman (can't forget the cats!). Growing up, all Vance ever wanted to do was fly. He started out taking lessons in college, joined the United States Navy and flew P-3s. Thank you for your service to our country, Vance. He stayed in the Reserves after his active duty commitment ended and retired Honorably. After that active duty commitment expired, he became a commercial pilot and the rest is history. He is a distinguished individual, to say the least.
I spent my adult life, accidentally, in law enforcement. After graduating from college, I met a couple of police officers in Portsmouth, Virginia, who talked me into going on a ride-a-long. I absolutely and very unexpectedly fell in love with law enforcement. My life took a right turn. I joined the PPD as a raw recruit only knowing 2 streets in the city. Over time, I progressed up through the ranks at the Portsmouth Police Department and was appointed chief of police in 1994. In 1997, I retired to take the position of chief of police at the Newport News, Virginia, Police Department. After 7 years in that position (I had set my goal for 10 years as a chief of police; I'm very goal oriented), I retired and was asked to come aboard the United States Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) by then Director, David Brant. I worked for NCIS for just over 5 years. NCIS is one of the finest organizations of which I have had the privilege to be associated. The individuals in NCIS are second to none in their patriotism, dedication, ability and commitment. After leaving NCIS, I started my own consulting firm for public safety consulting as well as professional photography services. Now retired from law enforcement and the public safety professions, I spend my time with my family and pursuing my lifelong passion of photography, creating stock and fine art photography. Then there is the travel and exploration. Like Vance, I can't seem to get enough travel and exploration.
To be continued later today... Enjoy!
Kathy and I met Vance at the Norfolk International Airport at 12:04 p.m., which is the official start of TGART. We drove to Virginia Beach, had a wonderful lunch at Rockafeller's Restaurant, then went over to the ocean front where Vance and I touched the Atlantic Ocean. We will do the same at the Pacific.
We now have returned home and are enjoying a relaxing evening together. Plans are for us to leave tomorrow morning at 0530 hours.
So far, so good!
Thanks for looking.
Dennis Mook
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