John & Anne Wiley

2012/07/12

Tar Babies

Filed under: Flying,Happiness,Has Photos,Nature,People,Random,SB Region — John @ 07:55

California is a car kingdom. Without a car in many parts of this state, mobility can be a major hassle. Of course, the “free” ways are often at a standstill too so in some ways mobility can be a major hassle even with a car. Here in SB it’s not a big deal for most people, but those who commute to and from here can face an unpredictable drive. Many locals don’t know how much our car culture literally arose from the ground around here. Here’s a remnant by way of example.

0935 Petro Past

0935 Petro Past

Black gold used to literally bubble out of the ground in many places. This tar seep from the sandstone bluffs near More Mesa used to be joined by many more before most of the petroleum was drained by countless wells. Walking the beaches still often ends up with your feet dotted with tar babies. I recently started enjoying the shapes and textures of these big tar blobs, so you’ll probably see more like this here in the future.

0936 Beach Blob

0936 Beach Blob

If you look closely on the beach to the right of the blue towel, you might make out some people to show the scale of these blobs. They look like sleeping giants that could rise up and swallow those beach goers, and maybe ooze up the hill to go rampaging through town gobbling up SUVs. Thankfully, they seem content to slumber.

2012/07/09

Cub Scouting

Filed under: Aviation,Flying,Happiness,Has Photos,Inner World,People,Random,Relationships,SB Region — John @ 04:03

We saw in Edhat that there was a gathering of Piper Cub pilots and fans at Lompoc airport this weekend, so we used it as an excuse to fly over for a look. As we taxied in from landing I saw several vintage planes parked outside or in hangars with the doors uncharacteristically left open. Since we seldom see open hangars or more than a couple of planes parked outside, I’m guessing the owners wanted to show off their spiffy planes. I hadn’t realized how popular vintage planes are at Lompoc. The large above-ground aircraft fuel tank even has a Cub logo on it.

1220 Cartoon Cub

1220 Cartoon Cub

But we had missed all the flying and other activities of the three day event. By the time we got there, only these two Cubs were still parked near the main hangar with no people in sight.

1195 Cub Companions

1195 Cub Companions

It’s fun to watch these little planes landing, because they fly so slowly compared with Tripp. That means they don’t need much runway to stop. I knew a guy with one on floats that he claimed could land on a damp sponge. But behind that one in front was a pleasant surprise for me.

1201 '46 Luscombe 8A Silvaire

1201 ’46 Luscombe 8A Silvaire

This is probably very similar or identical to the plane my Dad took his solo flight in when I was a toddler. That one didn’t have the yellow paint, but instead sported a flashy polished aluminum look. I don’t remember much from that age, but seeing him climb into that big silver bird and fly away is a vivid image. I was awestruck, and wanted to fly from that moment on. I sure wish Dad had lived to share the joy of flight with me, and am glad to have done so with Anne’s Dad. Anne walked over to look inside, and her expression says to me she’s happy for the luxurious extra space inside Tripp. 🙂

1203 Coach Seating

1203 Coach Seating

We’ve seen skydiving on several flights to Lompoc, but never from the ground. So when we noticed a bunch of them landing next to the airport I snapped this.

1213 Shorter Flight

1213 Shorter Flight

Taking off just before another group was getting ready to jump, Anne asked if I’m interested in doing it. I used to think about it sometimes, but since starting flying everything has changed. I’m not the least bit scared to do it, and in fact the thrill would be the main attraction now. It’s just the thought of trading several hours of flying together in Tripp, for the solo rush of a couple of minutes hanging in front of someone I don’t know. As with so many choices now my answer is, “I’d rather be flying.” Maybe someday in a Cub or Luscombe though. 🙂

2012/07/08

Pools

Filed under: Flying,Happiness,Has Photos,Inner World,People,Random,SB Region — John @ 05:31

When I was little we lived on the edge of the desert where it was 120F for at least a week every summer. I remember quite clearly when my Dad started his own contracting business and lifted us into the upper middle class, because we got a swimming pool. Much more than anyone else in the family, I was in it! Maybe that’s why one of the things I enjoy about flying around SB is all the pools.

0884 Pool Promise

0884 Pool Promise

I don’t know if this one’s new or just being spiffed up with deck improvements, but I wonder whether they swim in it with all that silt on the bottom. It promises to be a great pool soon, and I like the angled out shape at the deep end. Probably the best “pool” in the area is this one on a private ranch.

0887 Monster Pool

0887 Monster Pool

That house on the hill has spectacular views of the mountains, this pond, the oceans, and the Channel Islands. The creek that feeds it flows to the ocean much of the year, so unlike other pools the eldest male child never has to sweep and vacuum it. 🙂

0889 Friendly Shape

0889 Friendly Shape

I love the friendly curved shape of this last one, plus the fact it’s sheltered by all that greenery. Sweet place to relax for a read and then a cool splash to refresh.

2012/07/07

Impression

Filed under: Flying,Has Photos,Inner World,People,Random,Relationships,SB Region — John @ 03:44

He asked, “What remains when you leave a room?” Pausing a moment to reflect, she replied quietly, “An impression of me.”

I recalled this exchange looking at an abandoned home in the area past Goleta that was once called Naples. Imagining a growing family, adding on rooms. The father building a picket fence to form a permeable boundary for children, a dog, and perhaps some chickens. Now it stands alone and forgotten. Those close bonds of kinship stretched by miles and time, some or all perhaps severed by fate. Only this impression of them remains.

0881 Impression of Home

0881 Impression of Home

2012/07/06

Boundaries

Filed under: Flying,Happiness,Has Photos,Inner World,Nature,People,Random,Relationships,SB Region — John @ 09:03

I like how boundaries are affected by air. From above, many impassable boundaries like borders and fences are irrelevant. Other boundaries appear where none show on maps. Some are sharply drawn.

0852 One & Many

0852 One & Many

Seldom do you see straight lines like these, except by the hand of humans. Boundaries can enhance the beauty by pointing out differences in number, kind, color and other variables.

0854 Liquid & Solid

0854 Liquid & Solid

Right in Lompoc it seems salt water is pumped from the ocean several miles away and turned into rock salt by the sun. The boundaries between four ponds produce different colors and textures as each dries in turn. Even boundaries in time are visible.

0856 Then & Now

0856 Then & Now

Millions of years ago when this was sea floor, tiny diatoms died and their porous shells piled up. The diatomaceous earth their shells formed was mined here in the 1960s to improve the efficiency of swimming pool filters. Now a quiet pond nurtures trees and attracts many other forms of life that tread on that ancient seabed. Nearby are boundaries between oak forest and hay field.

0858 Field & Forest

0858 Field & Forest

All around are many similar boundaries, and larger boundaries between river banks. Boundaries between flat and undulating earth.

0855 Valley & Hill

0855 Valley & Hill

Flight expands the horizons, so that aviators more than most are aware of how we live in boundaries between earth and atmosphere.

0860 Land & Air

0860 Land & Air

People create and defend boundaries between themselves in relationships, groups and nations. If everyone occasionally spent some time contemplatively flying low in small planes, might it help to make the space between us more flexible, permeable and peaceful?

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