John & Anne Wiley

2013/04/23

East & Beyond

Filed under: Aviation,Flying,Happiness,Has Photos,Inner World,Islander Adventure,Nature,People,Random — John @ 04:44

It Has Happened. After several failed attempts, I have flown the NYC East River route. Well, not failed flights. These prior attempts didn’t happen because of FAA restrictions for VIPs or ballgames at Yankee Stadium, and due to bad weather. But today the weather was ok (not good), and the FAA smiled on me Big Time. So after again flying the wonderful Hudson River route to Governors Island off the southern tip of Manhattan, I heard the magic words to go “Proceed direct to the East River.” 😀

3186 Magic Turn

3186 Magic Turn

As you can see, it was more hazy than yesterday and the clouds made the photos slightly less amazing for everyone but me. I was happier than a bee in a pollen pasture. I’d been telling myself, “Oh, the East River is just another angle on Manhattan. No worries if it doesn’t happen. (I was lying to myself, as you’re well aware)

3198 Looking Back

3198 Looking Back

Looking back at the Brooklyn Bridge and Wall Street area I was sort of in disbelief. Living a dream I’ve imagined many times, and even “flown” in Google Earth a time or two. Then my first time seeing the U.N. building from the air, along with the closest view ever of two of my fav scraper “friends”: Empire State & Chrysler.

3215 U.N. & Friends

3215 U.N. & Friends

But things got a little crazy in the Good Fortune department when the controller said in code, “You’re doing well, permission granted to live the impossible dream.” Now on prior flights in this region I’ve heard other pilots routinely enjoy the treat I was about to experience. But the controllers probably know those pilots, and the pilots clearly know how to express their desire in a way that conveys their comfort with the complex airspace. So it was muy cool when the controller said Tripp was “Cleared to cross the park.” Meaning of course, Central Park!

3238 Central Park Crossing

3238 Central Park Crossing

OK, now maybe this hazy snap is ho hum for you (if not, click it to see the larger version), but for me it’s like a snapshot of nirvana. I Was Here! 😀

Maybe just as powerful is the unspoken certainty that I’ll Be Back. 😉

Best of all, I got to share this moment with Amazing Anne and our dear Bob & Enid. Plenty more pix of course, but these are my favs so far. After flying back up the Hudson out of the special route we took a detour to see their sweet Home at the base of a cliff in Nyack.

3333 Nyack Nest

3333 Nyack Nest

Just as every Hudson flight has loomed large in my dreams and memories, today’s flight up the East River and Beyond with four fav people will brighten the rest of my days.

2013/04/22

Some Days

Filed under: Flying,Happiness,Has Photos,Inner World,Islander Adventure,Nature,People,Random,Relationships — John @ 04:20

Some days are just more special than others. Sure, every day is a miracle for those who can notice. But for us today was just overwhelming.

2949 Tripp's Manhattan

2949 Tripp’s Manhattan

Any day Tripp transforms with a jaunt along the Hudson River past Manhattan is a special day for us. But even better was starting the day in New Haven with Molly and Dustin, including this wander in the wonderland of trees in bloom.

0595 Life Moments

0595 Life Moments

Deep and transformative conversation, beauty, and play in perfect balance. Then flying the clear air to White Plains where Bob and Enid joined us for the breathtaking NYC flight past Central Park…

3035 Central Park

3035 Central Park

Lady Liberty closed for renovation…

2951 Lady & Shadow

2951 Lady & Shadow

And a close view of the new WTC getting its final floors.

2973 Top Floors

2973 Top Floors

Today was the stuff of dreams with four of our favorite people, and now we cozy in for a sound sleep to fly further…

2013/04/21

2 Day

Filed under: Flying,Happiness,Has Photos,Inner World,Islander Adventure,Nature,People,Random,Relationships — John @ 04:42

So today is a two day update. Yesterday we got a nice quick train ride from Linden to Penn Station NY and were soon enjoying this quintessential springtime NYC view.

2790 Archetypal View

2790 Archetypal View

We went to the Manhattan office of this businessman who we are deeply fortunate to call friend.

2792 Beautiful Bob

2792 Beautiful Bob

Bob finished up a few things and then took us on another tour of delights around his City. He is one of the most beautiful men you could ever meet. He loves the outdoors and all, he is an exceptional executive of course, but most importantly for us he is a man of impeccable conscience in every aspect of life. As you might expect, his wife Enid is the female equivalent of an ideal friend so we enjoy each and both of them immensely.

2797 Garden Blooms

2797 Garden Blooms

We strolled an enchanted Nyak waterfront path near their modest home, savoring each serene step.

2806 Magnolia Magnificent

2806 Magnolia Magnificent

To save time, Bob then drove us back to Tripp so we could fly up for a quick visit with dear Molly & Dustin. Without doubt the route to take was up the Hudson!

 

2828 Lady Left

2828 Lady Left

Out my window, Lady Liberty apparently closed for maintenance. Anne got some shots of the city, including this view of the new WTC about to finish getting its face on.

6691 WTC Rising

6691 WTC Rising

Before long we landed in New Haven and our dear ones came to meet us at the hotel. Before long they were taking us to a few favorite spots for food, fun and fellowship.

17-19-23_885 Closeness Renewed

17-19-23_885 Closeness Renewed

Afterward we all came back to our hotel room for wine and deep conversation on wide-ranging topics. Tomorrow’s plan is coffee and then we fly back to NYC. Hopefully capping more New Haven fun with another flight along the Hudson (and maybe finally East River) with Bob & Enid.

Each day on this Islander Adventure has been so abundant with delights, in such a vast range of ways. It’s all far too much for us to absorb, and we often feel as if the wonders of Life itself are flowing through our open fingers and endlessly overflowing our ever expanding hearts and minds. We are changed by the people and places we have touched. Each moment a blessing that we can only thankfully enjoy and hope to somehow pass along.

2013/04/19

Almost

Filed under: Flying,Happiness,Has Photos,Islander Adventure,Nature,People,Random — John @ 03:34

We enjoyed more time with lovely Linda over lunch, strolled Annapolis a little, then explored the Naval Academy. Anne was excited to finally visit it, since we’ve talked about it for several years.

2687 At Last

2687 At Last

Walking past some officer houses we wondered which places Cam had been to back in the early 1920s when he was here. The chapel building is beautiful, especially with the surrounding trees donning their Spring colors.

2690 Chapel

2690 Chapel

Inside we were impressed by this window depicting the remarkable and decisive Battle of Mobile Bay on August 5, 1864.

2701 Stained Glass

2701 Stained Glass

Dahlgren Hall has some interesting exhibits, including this early Wright Flyer the brothers built for the Navy.

2695 Wright Flyer

2695 Wright Flyer

The massive Bancroft Hall dormitory houses all four thousand-some students, so surely Cam was often in this large central room for events.

2730 Bancroft Hall

2730 Bancroft Hall

Then a cab out to the airport and up on our way toward White Plains, NY. I’d been watching the weather, and aside from some low clouds around Philadelphia the forecasts and reports looked good. So I wasn’t troubled by this line of a few clouds ahead in an otherwise clear sky.

2743 Clear Skies - Almost

2743 Clear Skies – Almost

We enjoyed more river and bay scenes with pleasing mixtures of colors, shapes and textures like this.

2746 Land/Water Dance

2746 Land/Water Dance

Then over mostly farmland, with an endless variety of crops and buildings to entertain us (even though I was noticing more clouds ahead).

2756 Color Farm

2756 Color Farm

After trying several different altitudes in collaboration with several very helpful people at ATC, I gave up on the predicted easy path and headed out to the coast based on some better reports there I was picking up on the radio. To my surprise we happened to reach clear air very near this coaster pier made famous by Hurricane Sandy.

2764 Water Ride

2764 Water Ride

We saw plenty of construction along this shore, but sadly also much demolition and many empty lots that clearly had buildings before the storm. Even this house that had apparently been relocated from the shore into the bay behind the barrier island.

2777 Bay View Home

2777 Bay View Home

But as you’ve guessed we had our own storm to deal with, and as we approached the city I decided to give up on White Plains and land instead at Linden, NJ. It’s an airport that had been recommended to me years ago before our first Big Adventure, so I’m glad to have finally visited. Tomorrow we might get lucky and make the quick hop to White Plains, but more likely Tripp will be living here while we take trains for a few days waiting out storms.

2013/04/18

On The Fly

Filed under: Aviation,Flying,Happiness,Has Photos,Islander Adventure,Nature,People,Random — John @ 03:24

Sometimes we go, other times we wait, and occasionally we change plans enroute. Today we decided to take advantage of Joe’s generous offer to drive us out to an early haunt of Anne’s family.

2617 Genetic Posture

2617 Genetic Posture

I noticed that they both struck what may be a family posture while surveying the town that in places looks much as it did over half a century ago. We wondered about the story behind this cool building in particular.

2630 Stonework

2630 Stonework

Soon he’d dropped us back at Tripp and we were flying over the same place, enjoying the row of trees in bloom by the church whose bells we’d recently been serenaded by.

2648 Town Square

2648 Town Square

Before departing the area we also flew over a nearby point where a young mother felt very isolated, years before this had become a prime and more populous place to live.

2664 Once Lonely

2664 Once Lonely

We got a much better view of the Chesapeake than on our last flight over this area. For a while.

2670 Chesapeake Shore

2670 Chesapeake Shore

But when I climbed for the crossing, we entered the same thick haze layer we’d been in last time and it all went sort of dim below. I’ve compensated some in this one so you can see what appears to be an ostentatious estate with not just manicured gardens, detached guest house and tennis court, but a one hole golf course.

2677 Living Large?

2677 Living Large?

All this was on our way East to the coast for our flight along the shore past NYC to White Plains. ATC in this area is a bit tense since 9/11, with controllers watching everyone for unusual behavior. When we began talking about a change of plan, I slowed way down. Then we decided to go instead to Annapolis so I turned slightly in that direction while consulting charts. When I realized that airport is in the “We Will Shoot You” zone that extends in a giant ring around D.C., I turned back part way back toward the coast. We talked more and decided to carry on to White Plains so I turned all the way toward our original course. As you’ve guessed by now, we talked even more and I turned slightly toward Annapolis again. By now we were near a decision point in terms of restricted airspace so I did a wide circle. At last after more chart checking, we chose Bay Bridge, MD as a destination and I told ATC. After a long silence she cleared me on course and politely asked, “Would you like vectors to that destination?” 😀

6628 Bay Bridge(s)

6628 Bay Bridge(s)

I laughingly thanked her and apologized for our indecision but I’m sure she watched our track long after Tripp was faithfully taking us to W29. Before long Anne snapped this view toward Annapolis as we descended through the haze on “downwind” for landing. She shot this through the windshield and propeller after our descending turn through base to final approach.

6632 Bay Bridge W29

6632 Bay Bridge W29

I love this airport! It’s one of the friendliest we’ve encountered in our wanderings across the entire continent. Great prices, and perhaps best of all only an hour transit ride from D.C. We’ll definitely be back here next time we want to visit the Capital, because it’s outside that Danger Zone mentioned above. The incredibly professional and helpful Kyle at Trident even drove us across that bridge into Annapolis to a cozy and affordable hotel, so tomorrow we’ll explore more Cam country before we head for White Plains ahead of an oncoming storm.

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