John & Anne Wiley

2015/07/10

Morro to Piedras Blancas

Filed under: Coasting Adventure,Flying,Happiness,Has Photos,Inner World,Nature,People,Random — John @ 06:21

In another way our Coasting trips often begin here at Morro Bay, because we don’t seem to fly beyond there unless going at least to Monterey.

6024 Good Morro

6024 Good Morro

There’s usually a softness about this place, often with the halo of cloud over the rock and the row of her Sisters lined up from blue bay into the gentle distance. Cutting across inland a little toward the hills above San Simeon we see smaller siblings like this standing silent among the trees where few will see more than a glance from afar.

6002 Sibling Rock

6002 Sibling Rock

Then our trusty Tripp dutifully lofts us up for a glance at Hearst Castle. Renovations and drought have converged to drain the iconic aquamarine pool where William’s parties once blared into the night.

5999 Hearst Castle

5999 Hearst Castle

We glide quietly past and back down to the beach where motorists pause to stroll between two parking lots and gaze at the Piedras Blancas Elephant Seal Rookery.

5965 Piedras Blancas Seals

5965 Piedras Blancas Seals

Then we look off past Point Piedras Blancas to what is for us properly the start of Big Sur, into the distance where flat meets mountains and brown yields to green.

5971 Past Pt. Piedras Blancas

5971 Past Pt. Piedras Blancas

2015/07/09

Coasting

Filed under: Coasting Adventure,Flying,Happiness,Has Photos,Inner World,Nature,People,Random,SB Region — John @ 20:37

Now that the fire and oil crises have passed, my thoughts turn again to our glorious flight along the CA coast between Oceano and Pescadero. Would you like to fly along? Next to Oceano Airport we saw two worlds not far apart.

6132 Wheels

6132 Wheels

This first world is all about wheels and speed, but at the other end of the runway it’s all about hooves and slower times from a century ago.

6130 Hooves

6130 Hooves

Coasting to the North often starts with Pismo Beach with mountains and coast beckoning from beyond.

6125 Pismo Marker

6125 Pismo Marker

The beautiful Chapman Estate at the edge of town is now scene of local events, like the SLO Opera’s gathering that will contrast with this quiet moment.

6095 Chapman Estate

6095 Chapman Estate

Things open up more beyond Avila, with Morro Bay and over the Los Osos mudflats where we’ll soon get the first good look at the Big Sur coast.

6039 Los Osos Mud Fan

6039 Los Osos Mud Fan

2015/05/04

18 Minute Tour

Filed under: Flying,Happiness,Has Photos,Inner World,Nature,People,Random,SB Region — John @ 09:48

Here’s a tiny sample of what we see within 18 minutes of takeoff from SBA, flying at a leisurely pace. Of course as we lift off the UCSB campus greets us first.

0041 Start Here

0041 Start Here

This alone makes every flight worthwhile. But of course, there’s much more beauty in every direction. This time we’ll fly East along the beach a little.

0065 Hope Lake

0065 Hope Lake

I’ve already left out some beautiful and interesting scenes, but this place I call Hope Lake holds a particular fascination for me. The mansions are magnificent, anchored by this small lake that’s probably worth the cost of Tripp for just a few square feet of this prime Hope Ranch waterfront land. There’s also the funicular with beach house at the bottom, baseball diamond, and of course one of the best island views in town. After a mile of intriguing estates we see the Wishbone bell tower monument marking the spot where European explorers first set foot here.

0094 Wishbone

0094 Wishbone

All along the coast of course we’re also seeing boats like this Condor Express whale migration tour boat zooming past Hendry’s (aka Arroyo Burro) beach.

0130 Condor

0130 Condor

At the mouth of the harbor we see this gull, pelican, paddleboard, sailboat and another tour boat.

0177 Water Wanderers

0177 Water Wanderers

After many more beautiful scenes and several wide turns to take it all in we pass this modest home built above Butterfly Beach a few years ago where several mansions once stood.

0195 Butterfly Beach

0195 Butterfly Beach

Eighteen minutes after takeoff our hearts, minds, and eyes have long ago been overwhelmed. Our mood has been transformed as we look back toward downtown and the airport huddled behind the hilltop where that Wishbone stands.

0227 Montecito

0227 Montecito

Montecito’s blossoming collection of grand estates and enormous mansions joins Hope Ranch in bracketing relatively modest Santa Barbara. The mountains and islands bracket it all, and our meandering vantage point spreads this intricate and breathtaking tapestry beneath our wings. An enlarged perspective invites expanding the limits of consciousness.

2015/05/01

Up & Down

Filed under: Flying,Happiness,Has Photos,Inner World,Nature,People,Random,SB Region — John @ 02:49

Today we took a quick flight with our new buddy Lucas, just up the mountain and back down. Looking up as we climbed, I liked these rock formations where seasonal creeks cut rock ridges.

0335 Up A Creek

0335 Up A Creek

Looking back down, where another dry creek crosses sandstone rocks there were dry pools and other shapes carved into the stone.

0341 Worn Down

0341 Worn Down

Wind and water shapes our planet just as fate and choices shape our lives. Seeing these marks on our mountain moves me to look inward.

2015/04/13

Mountains & Memories

Filed under: Aviation,Flying,Happiness,Has Photos,Inner World,Nature,People,Random,SB Region — John @ 07:50

Flying home from Phoenix our hearts were overflowing with memories of good times with great people gathered for the wedding. Taking off from Deer Valley (KDVT) we detoured a few miles out for a turn past downtown and a look at this cool red rock formation we admired from KPHX while waiting for an airliner there years ago.

4212 Big Butte

4212 Big Butte

It’s a pretty cool feature in the city, with trails and an open air amphitheater. On our long flight across the desert we were startled to see traces of snow atop San Jacinto Peak above KPSP (Palm Springs).

4375 San Jacinto Snow

4375 San Jacinto Snow

Soon another flood of memories. This time of an event that seems to loom large in my love of flying. A memory from infancy of watching in awe as my Dad took his first solo flight from Flabob Airport (KRIR).

4448 Flabob Tower

4448 Flabob Tower

Looking out across the compass star and runway toward Mt. Rubidoux distant memories of the region flooded back.

4450 Mt. Rubidoux

4450 Mt. Rubidoux

Before long Tripp had transported us home to the moist blue and green roots of our Santa Barbara memories.

4485 Ellings Park

4485 Ellings Park

Maybe a big gift of the many adventurous miles Tripp has taken us, is the ever deeper appreciation we have of our adopted Home.

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