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Mervin J LeBlanc
Senior Member
Username: Merv
Post Number: 484
Registered: 01-2005
Posted From: 184.46.67.9
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 08, 2010 - 10:22 pm: | |
Neal - Camp Dawson is listed in "Military Living's Temporary Military Lodging Around the World", and that is the reason I do not have included on my National Guard Training Sites that offer Space-A Lodging. As a matter of fact, there are a lot of other installations in that publication that you do not have on your site. Do you have a copy of Military Living's publication? If not, get yourself a copy to update your list of installations. By the way, you have done a great job of this, I like the format and ease of looking up information. If you want to add some more NG Sites from my list, send me an email and I will send you a copy, or you can get one from John Ds Space-a pages site above. |
neal floyd
Advanced Member
Username: Nfloyd
Post Number: 248
Registered: 09-2007
Posted From: 67.233.174.14
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 08, 2010 - 09:05 pm: | |
Great report, Thanks. I was not aware of Camp Dawson, I have added it to my Space A lodging map.
http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&oe=UTF8&num=200&start=200&msa=0&msi d=101618117231769545794.00048188e3c1307cb1c62&t=h&z=2 |
Mervin J LeBlanc
Senior Member
Username: Merv
Post Number: 483
Registered: 01-2005
Posted From: 184.46.67.9
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 08, 2010 - 06:06 pm: | |
A couple of weeks ago, I made a trip from New Orleans, LA to Providence, RI. Left NO around 11:00 AM, arrived Columbus AFB at 4:00 PM. I had never stayed there before, and found it to bea nice, peaceful and out-of-the way Military Facility. It is not a large base, drove around all of it in about 30 minutes. I was given a two room suite on the first floor for $39.00. The Bowling Alley had a decent menu, and I would rate it a good place to spend the night.
The next day, I drove north thru the middle of MS thru TN to Ft Knox, KY (this is where I took my Basic Training in Feb-Mar 1960). I stayed at the Newgarden Inn, was given a suite on the third floor at a cost of $50.00 which for an Army facility I would usually say is high, but this was well worth the cost (elevators next to the check in desk). I would call this 5 story Inn a "5 Star Inn" compared to civilian hotels. There is another facility called the Wickman Inn which is a little older, but I understand also very nice. The next morning I had a full contenental breakfast which was very good. There is ample parking for the amount of rooms the building has. I had the location of where my old basic training unit was located in 1960, but was told the buildings were torn down around two years ago, and a very nice soccer field and soft ball field occupy that area now. I did find a field house that used to be a service club we frequented, and one block of our old WWII buildings that are now used for MOUNT Training. I did not realize Ft Know was as big a base that it is. The last Armor Annual meeting was taking place at the Leaders Club so I didn't hang around there. This will all be moved to Ft Benning, GA next year. I did find an enlisted club just off of Brave Rifles Ave that had a decent menu, so I ate dinner there.
The next night, I stayed at one of my favorite National Guard Bases, Camp Dawson in the mountains of West Virginia (southeast of Morgantown, and accross the Cheate River from Kingwood, WV). This is one of the most beautiful areas during any season, and I have been there in all of them. There is a lot of construction going on, they are adding 400 rooms to the main facility. The room cost $29.00, was very comfortable, elevators available, and almost everything is located in one building, ie. lodging, dining facility, gym/workout room, olympic indoor swimming pool and six person hot tub, small PX, snack bar, Gourmet Coffee Shop, ATM in lobby, wireless internet connection is available in the main lobbies. There are other types of lodging available at different cost. There is also the Liberty Lodge located in a separate building (will be moved when construction is completed to another location) which serves alcholic beverages and sandwiches. the dining facility is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner (I paid $6.50 for dinner and $4.00 for breakfast). The small base is located right on the banks of the Cheat River with the Preston Country Club next door (military and non military rates available). Free movies on the big screen are shown at 7:00 & 10:00 PM with complimentary popcorn available. There is also a little lake on the base that seems to be stocked with fish, along with a picnic pavillion next to it. Also available for rent are: Mens & Ladies Golf Clubs; Footballs, Basketballs; Volley Balls; Soft Ball equipment; Horsehoes; Soccer Equipment; Paddle Boats and canoes and fishing gear (to be used on the little lake); Bicycles and DVD Movies. So much for a small place, but for me, the pleasure is driving to and from the base in the beautiful WV mountains.
The next night, I stayed at the Newport, RI Naval Base. I had been there before, but now I wish I would have stayed at either Camp Rell or the Coast Guard Academy. The rooms (which are old and not very nice) cost $56.00, but if you are traveling from and to I-95 to the base, add $8.00 for crossing the Claiborne Bell Bridge. The cost used to be $2.00 each way, but they doubled the cost, put a $4.00 sign over the $2.00 sign (which you can still see). One good thing, they are building a new bridge that crosses the water way and ends up right in front of the lodging check in building. I went to the Officers Club for dinner, but as the last time I was there, the building was closed, so had to eat on the dock, and the weather was not nice. Ate breakfast at a diner right next to the RR Tracks on the main road leading to the base. Don't think I will be visiting this facility again.
Next morning I drove to the TF Green Warwick airport to catch my flight back to New Orleans. My last day of travel was on a Friday, and I usually cross the Tappan Zee Bridge accross the Hudson River, then take the Merritt Parkway until Milford, CT, then take I-95 north to my destination. I really misjudged the Friday afternoon traffic and construction on both the Merritt Pky as well as I-95 near West and East Haven, CT. Lost a couple of hours there. |
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