Oh! We have slipped the surly bonds of Earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings …
We cruised among ribbons of rain,
Tingling ‘twixt dusty earth and pure high sky.
We marveled at silent sculpted fantasies of form.
We moved among proud families of stone.
We slipped past forgotten corners where ancient feet tread.
We joined eagles over vast colored canyons where timeless rivers meet.
These and countless more miracles we witnessed in wonder,
on our Islander Adventure.
We were here, with love all around.
3431 Top ‘O World
On top of One World Trade Center, looking down and back at the footprint pool and out to the Brooklyn Bridge where we once rode friends’ bikes. Again reviewing pix from our Islander Adventure seemingly now from a different enchanted life, memories are refreshed of that April 24th flight of this year.
3447 Old Tops
The older tops of the world (Chrysler at the left, and of course Empire State) stand frozen in time as other towers grow up around and beyond them. Far down in this forest a few old churches, once on top, now grasp for air and light. Just above the new top, we quietly surveyed this magnificent memory in the making. We were here.
3620 Montreal
A few days later we took in Mount Royal beside Montreal, where we once hiked up for a lower angle on the city we’d also explored on foot and bike.
3950 Quebec City
Soon after, we similarly wandered Quebec City. One of our favorite activities there was roaming the old town on the river, especially the part to the left of the funicular at the bottom-right of the pic.
I sighed deeply just now, remembering these and so many other wonderful times we’ve shared. Not just on this adventure, but on so many others.
I’m still pondering what it is about flying Manhattan and Monument Valley that makes those two places such precious memories among all the joys of our flying adventures. Another notion has to do with the delight of a child hugging the leg of an adult. I’m wondering if there are primal associations from childhood that resonate with our enjoyment of flying among skyscrapers and desert spires. Whatever the sources may be, I was ecstatic at the chance to finally fly around the tip of the city and up the East River.
3193 Looking Back
After flying down the Hudson yet again, ATC cleared me to fly around the bend past Battery Park. In a couple of minutes we were looking back at the now familiar Hudson across “our” increasingly familiar city. There was the Brooklyn Bridge we’d ridden bikes out onto, some tall ships at the left evoking the early days here, and so many new places we now want to visit. Ahead we could see the Empire State and her children gathering to welcome us to this new perspective.
3197 Stately Gathering
The always beckoning Park with the GW in the distance beyond seemed to reassure us that this new route would someday become another familiar path for our aerial visits.
3217 Approaching Return
I’d already been advised that we could soon turn to cross the Park and rejoin the Hudson for our return to White Plains, so I was both a little nervous at this First and very excited to see the Park so close.
3239 Park Bliss
Central Park has always been a particularly magical place for both of us, and has stood out among the sights on our aerial tours. So I was literally breathless at this new view. We even hoped to fly this route again some day, and it turns out we soon did!
As I was looking through pix from our Islander Adventure to continue this review, I wondered why two quite different places are so powerfully magical to fly. Taking off from New Haven our hearts were filled with joy from our time with Molly & Dustin. Maybe that made the lighthouse more scenic.
2878 Haven Light
A similarly scenic hour later we’d made a brief stop in White Plains and were passing this familiar bridge locals seem to call just “The GW.”
2899 George Washington Bridge
For us it marks one end of what is clearly one of our two most magical places to fly in North America. Of all the countless magnificent vistas our flying brings, Manhattan just stands out. Because we’ve explored Central Park several times, the joy of seeing this “heart” of NYC from the air is surely enhanced.
2910 Central Park
On every flight here there are fascinating things to notice, like the Space Shuttle joining the Concorde at the Intrepid Museum.
2919 Shuttle & Concorde
Another scene that evokes the “heart” of NYC is the area around the Empire State Building, Madison Square Garden, and of course Times Square.
2930 Empire State Setting
In the past decade and some, the area around this new tower also expresses the “heart” of NYC.
2942 Sparkling Heart
For us the Heart of NYC is also found in the warm smiles of our precious friends Bob & Enid, whom we’d picked up in White Plains.
3111 Shared Joy
All these delights contrast with the austere magnificence of Monument Valley where we’ve never visited on the ground and don’t yet have friends. So why are these two places so powerfully magical to fly that they stand out from all our other memories? Could it be that when we wander among tall buildings or towering spires, we are a newborn passed between friendly giants? Flying low enough to experience the planet in three dimensions is to feel yourself intimate with the earth, but not bound by it. Freedom in relationship.
The day after our first dose of Manhattan, Bob kindly drove us back to Linden so we could fly up to see our precious Molly & Dustin. Looking across NJ to the distant Big Apple we’d enjoyed a small taste of yesterday was thrilling. 🙂
2818 NJ to NYC
Compared with the low clouds that blocked our way from Annapolis past the Verrazano to White Plains the day before, crossing the Verrazano this day was a breeze.
2819 Verrazano to NYC
On a past visit we’d finally taken a ride on the Staten Island Ferry, though it turned out to be quite a disappointment after having flown the Hudson. Still, it was interesting to see it from the air in context.
2822 Staten Isl. Ferry
In the earlier post from this day I shared one of the pix from our aerial float past Lady Liberty, but here’s another view of the ageless beauty.
2826 Stalwart Statue
Also a good view of Ellis Island, where many who first saw the statue faced the probably scary yet welcome first steps of a life in America.
2832 Ellis Island
I’ve wondered what this next interesting building was, so I looked it up to discover it’s the Central Railroad of New Jersey Terminal. Looks like it could use a bit of work.
2833 Central RR of NJ
Next what looks like an ordinary pic of some skyscrapers on the Jersey side. But if you look more closely in the middle, you’ll see what motivated me to snap this.
2842 Safe Passage
We’re not just safely on the other side of the river, but much higher. This and the skilled assistance of ATC is what keeps the Hudson safe for flying tours. Now here’s a view we don’t often get of the White Plains airport, because we’d typically have just taken off or be about to land.
2852 Airport to Nyack
In the far distance past the lake and across the Hudson you can see the cliffs of Nyack. Last today is our last aerial pic of that day, as we passed New Haven headed for the airport and another wonderful time with Molly & Dustin.
2863 New Haven
John & Anne Wiley 
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