Our Trip to San Diego

We had a very nice trip to San Diego for the Service Specialist Association (SSA). Jerry has belonged to this group for many years and was even the President in 2000. This group was formed originally around Spring Shop owners. Now there are spring shops, suspension shops and brake shops.

Jerry SSA 2008

They meet annually around the United States and this year the event was at the Loew Coronado Bay Resort in San Diego, California. There was much to learn from different classes offered and a time to renew acquaintances.

Coronado Bridge

A nice part of our trip was seeing our grandchildren who live north of LA in Agora Hills

Drew and Paige Lutzke

Drew with one of their four dogs

Paige at the piano for a recital

Paige wearing her Halloween costume

Suzie and David

Of course it was so good to see Jerry's daughter and her husband. What a busy and active life they live.
SSA meetings were arranged so that we had some time to do a little site seeing. First we visited Sea World. It has been a few years since we have been there. It was quite hot in San Diego but on this day it cooled down in the afternoon. But even so I had a few problems. I went off my thyroid medicine in preparation for the iodine radiation test I'll have next week. With the walking up the inclines to the stadium where some of the shows were given, my heart beat so fast I felt sick. From then on we took it pretty slow walking around. Here is one show we saw with the seals and otters.

A group of us went to see the USS Midway which was dock in San Diego. It was built around 1944-45 and decommissioned 1992. It was quite interesting seeing where all those sailors called "home" while at sea. We saw the large anchor coils, their cramped bunks, the boiler room, the Brig and flight deck. What an experience I had while at the brig. It was so warm down there and I had to climb some steep steps and while doing so I got faint and my eyesight was getting dim. I almost passed out. Jerry got me to a cooler area and someone gave me a bottle of water. Luckily we were close to the end and only had to walk up a few steps to get to the middle deck where there was some air. After resting awhile we went to the top flight deck. Here we saw many different kinds of airplanes that have played a big part of many of the wars. I didn't make the climb to the look out area. There is so much that has to be done to get a plane to take off-a lot of coordination between everyone on the flight deck.

Janice & Jerry at the USS Midway Museum

USS Midway

Anchor Cable

bunks

Brig

Hornet used in the Viet Nam War

Flight deck is 2 football fields long

I just had to show this picture of the San Diego Temple we saw off the freeway coming into San Diego. I always get a good feeling when I see a temple. The picture is not the best because it was taken inside the car. I remember the first time I took a picture of the temple from off the freeway. It was magnificent, so white and beautiful. Now the auto and polution flumes have changed the color to a dingy white but it is still magnificent.

San Diego Temple