I Miss the Air Shows from El Toro.
My wife grew up in El Toro, (now Lake Forest), and when I was down at Pendleton, I used to love parking on the nearby roads in Irvine, before all the buildings went up, and watching the jets take off. (80's)
When the Air Shows were in town, the Blue's would fly right over her house more than a few times.
Now I take my kids to Miramar for the same fix.
They should have closed John Wayne, built up El Toro for more capacity, and all would have been good. But Property values in that area of Orange County seem to take precedence for the developers and the eco-nuts.
Oh YES!! I used to work in a building right along the runway of El Toro. When the Blue Angels came to town we got a free show for two days while they practiced.
That was so amazing, what a show. No work got done during those times of course. lol
Miramar will be next...they barely made this last cut!
Your mention of El Toro and Lake Forest reminds me of the area years ago. There was an intersection called ?'s Corner and then a county road that went through orange groves to Trabuco Canyon. Now, the orange groves are gone, there's a freeway, lots of houses, and (I think) a State Park.
Me too. I miss BOTH bases.