John & Anne Wiley

2014/04/11

Hazards

Filed under: Flying,Happiness,Has Photos,Inner World,Nature,People,Random,SB Region — John @ 09:19

We flew Tripp to Santa Paula for an oil change and checkup, because we’re starting to plan yet another Big Adventure (more on that soon). Often when driving on the freeway we think about how dangerous it is. Less so than when I used to ride a motorcycle, and less even than undivided highways. We feel much safer in Tripp, but as with anything in life there are some hazards to be aware of. Today as we left, Anne worried about whether the wispy low clouds over the beach at Hope ranch might come ashore before we returned.

5431 Beautiful Hazard

5431 Beautiful Hazard

These similar wispies were near La Conchita, and to me they’re far more beautiful than hazardous because of course I fly well clear of them. Worst case if Anne’s fears had materialized, we’d have flown to Santa Ynez and hitched a ride home to wait for a clear day. We also saw evidence of another travel hazard on the beach nearby.

5439 Final Hazard?

5439 Final Hazard?

Will they be able to save it, or was this the final hazard for a dream boat? Presumably nobody was hurt, as is usually the case with all hazards. But every time we see a mishap of any sort, it’s an reminder to both take care and enjoy the moment.

2014/04/09

Mountain Memories

Filed under: Flying,Happiness,Inner World,Nature,People,Random — John @ 05:50

I’ve lived in snowy mountainous areas, and hiked into the wild areas of Yosemite. But it’s been a long time. So seeing places like this gets me wondering who’s been there lately.

5195 Glacial Ground

5195 Glacial Ground

How many people had made the arduous climb to this smooth stone between the glacier’s retreat and the time of John Muir? How many since? Any this year yet? Are there any established trails? This zoom pic from high and far away makes the haze look far worse than it did in person, but I do hope to fly there some day when the air is crystal clear.

5207 Yosemite Valley

5207 Yosemite Valley

So many of our most magnificent parks suffer from smog, yet still offer such a healing place to Be. Far outside the park are places like this frozen meadow.

5192 Frozen Meadow

5192 Frozen Meadow

When the distant musical hum of our engine had passed, what sounds wafted across this theater among the trees? Are those human footprints I see that crunched in the snow fallen only a couple of days before, so high and far from the beaten track in the healing embrace of nature?

2014/04/08

Scale

Filed under: Flying,Happiness,Has Photos,Nature,Random — John @ 08:45

Yosemite Valley was clearly carved by glaciers, and it’s easy to lose perspective on the scale of the place. While driving in and out, you get glimpses beyond the forest towering over the roads. Taking the time to stop at vista points you get a few impressions of distance, and looking up you often see the towering rock cliffs. But flying, even high overhead and at somewhat hazy zoom lens distance you can compare the size of Half Dome with the height of the “tiny” eighty foot trees surrounding it.

5224 Half Dome Scale

5224 Half Dome Scale

 

2014/04/07

First Park

Filed under: Flying,Happiness,Has Photos,Inner World,Nature,Random,SB Region — John @ 06:59

The idea of a nature park began here in California, when John Muir helped to protect the area now known as Yosemite. All these many years later, it’s still beautiful both from the ground and from the air. We drove in from Pine Mountain Lake today with my sweet aunt, and then flew over it on the way home. The noonish drive offered clearer air, and brighter light for these first two pix.

5101 Yosemite Intro

5101 Yosemite Intro

There are some great views on the drive in, but this first glimpse up close and personal that like a few other drivers I stopped and ran back to snap it. Then there was this other spectacle across the valley.

5165 Spectacle

5165 Spectacle

A few hours later we were there again as sunset approached, lighting the rocks around Bridal Veil Falls in a different hue.

5209 Lifted Veil

5209 Lifted Veil

Though the haze had increased and we were much further away to preserve quiet in the valley, seeing it all again from the air lifted the veil of isolation between points. We savored the day’s delights for the whole beautiful two hour flight home to SB. I wish we could share a pic of the whole breathtaking Yosemite aerial panorama with you!

2014/04/05

Fly Over

Filed under: Aviation,Flying,Happiness,Has Photos,Inner World,Nature,People,Random — John @ 18:48

We learned the difference between a fly-in and a fly-out: A fly-in is where people fly their assorted collection of people and airplanes to a destination. An example of a fly-out is where several airplane loads of people flew to the Sierra foothills for much merriment at Lynne and Ken’s unusual piece of paradise. Since we had Tripp parked at Oakland for our Whimsy at Mt. Tam. & SF, we flew over to join the gang. On the way I liked this scene of an open shelter in the rolling green hills. In such an overload of green hues, my eye shelters on that rusty red roof.

4798 Shelter In Green

4798 Shelter In Green

Then on to Pine Mountain Lake (E45), where people have built their dream homes with two “garages” each: one for their car(s) and one for their plane(s). Several of the roads double as taxiways residents use for driving to town or getting their airplanes to and from the runway. These are happy aviators, and we’re very happy to join them.

4823 Pine Mountain Airpark

4823 Pine Mountain Airpark

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