Follow me on my trip in a Cessna 152 across the wonders of the American West.


Better find everything OK in Santa Ynez

From Santa Catalina back to San Francisco

The following morning, I woke up in an ocean dew and washed under the rain-tank shower. I climbed back up the hill to the airport on foot and took off. A cloud layer covered the ocean, so only the hilltops emerged. It was a very beautiful sight. I used a special procedure for VFR aircraft to transit through the Los Angeles area, first heading toward the coast with the VOR, then turning left and descending, to pass exactly 2,000' AGL above LAX, the most crowded airport in California.

Impressive sight of the plane on top of a dense layer of cloud covering the sea between Santa Catalina and LA.
Back to LA on top

I made a fuel stop at Santa Ynez, the first conveniently-located airport on my way. I later learned that this was where Michael Jackson has his famous ranch. With full tanks I was able to make the 3-hour flight all the way to San Francisco with no further stops.

Incredible picture which gives a clear perspective of strangely patterned fields. One of my favorite pictures.
The fields between LA and San Francisco sometimes have strange colors...

A clear perspective of these wonderful fields, something you really can't see every day, even if you're flying commercially above this region, because you have to fly low to see these effects.
I liked the perspective, do you?

Typical landscape of the region.

Go to the clickable map to see the other legs and pictures of the trip, or go back to Santa Catalina Island.

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