West Seattle, Washington
24 Tuesday
I have already warned you that I am a bigtime Blue Angels fan. On the offhand chance you are too, let me be among the first to tell you that the first jet has arrived at the Museum of Flight — the West Seattle Blogger Posse (minus me) happened to be there late this morning, quite coincidentally, when it happened. They learned that the other six are coming in tomorrow. If you missed my earlier post, I’ll mention my two favorite “Blue Angels/Seafair semi-secrets” once again — (a) the Friday show over Lake Washington is considered a practice run (even though it’s the full official show), so you don’t have to pay a cent to go sit along the shore down near Genesee Park and watch the Angels (along with hydro practice runs); (b) also free, the Angels’ takeoffs and landings (and flybys) at the Museum of Flight and its end of Boeing Field. (Within the half-hour before the takeoff, it’s also cool to watch the synchronized ground maneuvers of the maintenance crew and the Angel pilots’ “walkdown.”
Last but not least … if the only thing Seafair weekend and the Blue Angels mean to you is “damn, the I-90 bridge is going to be shut down a few times for all that noise,” here’s the info link with days and times.
Pending our nightly cruise-for-news around WS, we have to get in this pitch, since Seafair comes but once a year.
If you have never watched the Blue Angels take off from and return to the Museum of Flight (which is just over the ridge from the east side of WS), it’s a must-see. More like must-feel, since the takeoff thunder gets right down into your bones, if you’re anywhere near the MOF runway.
We are MOF members almost solely for the purpose of having in-and-out Museum privileges during that joyful four-day weekend every summer. Aside from Seafair “Free” Friday (when you can go sit on the Lake Washington shore and watch the airshow and hydro practice for free), our vantage point for the rest of the Angels’ three runs (for rehearsal & for real) is at the MOF, along the fences. From the walkdown to the start-up to the takeoff, it’s tons of fun — and you do get to see a few fly-bys, plus several cool maneuvers when the sky is clear enough for the “high show.”
Just a week from tomorrow, it all begins!!!!
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