Max and I picked up my dad in Concord and flew over the Golden Gate and down to Half Moon Bay. We circled the surfers at Mavericks for a while (Mavericks was huge this weekend), then landed for lunch. We went back to CCR via a Bay Tour over the Golden Gate as well, dropped off my dad, and then came back home.
Rob Curle flew Ryan Belcher and Julie Tremelling in a C182. I flew Doug and Nancy Alsop. We checked out Pine Mountain Lake and then took off to the east and headed to Yosemite to overfly the valley. After circling Half Dome we turned back to Palo Alto.
David Z and I flew out to see Ryan Brown's homebuilt airplane project. IFR in IMC both ways. The ILS at MOD was in VMC. The GPS 31 back into PAO was in IMC.
Took the family up to Shelter Cove for the first time. It was Luke's first flight. Perfect day, beautiful weather, beautiful flight. We had fish and chips at the deli and played in the tide pools.
Planned on stopping in Florence, OR on our way to Bellingham, WA, but Max's bladder had other ideas. Potty stop at McClellan and another in Medford. Rented a car and drove to Vancouver. Max and Luke don't have passports yet, so we couldn't fly across the border.
IFR in IMC the entire flight. Heavy precip, but smooth air. Trace ice at 9k', so we changed to 7k'. ILS 17 at CVO. Airport dudes took the crew car 10 seconds before we asked for it, thwarting our plans to meet Emma for lunch.
In IMC most of the flight. More precip. Took the coastal route to stay lower mad out of the ice. Pretty bumpy and Sophia got a little nauseous. Had to fly the visual approach to 13 due to a POTUS TFR just south of PAO.
Max and I flew to Dunsmuir to meet Ian Crawford and friends for some camping. Turns out they're camping *next* weekend! So, we flew home. We had a fun time together anyway.
Flying Samaritans trip to San Quintin. Charlie Arita, a dentist, and I picked up Justin Sherril in Santa Monica. Todd Makiyama met us there for breakfast. Cleared customs in TJ and continued on to Rancho Magaña, which is north of San Quintin. The strip at Los Pinos is closed because the owners bought a new King Air so they are paving the strip.
Family vacation in Florence for the week. My parents and my sister's family drove up. We had to go IFR about halfway to Florence due to no visibility flying in forest fire smoke! We also barely snuck in to 6S2 under a low fog layer over the coast.
Took 4WR to Bob Burnett at Mach 5 Aviation for annual. My Russian friends, Grisha and Irinia Malygin, were in town and accompanied me. We did a Bay Tour before heading to Auburn.
Met my parents at EDU on their way to the Railroad Museum in Sacrament and gave them Max. They're going to watch him until we go up there for Thanksgiving in 2 days.
Solo flight just for fun because I haven't been flying nearly enough lately! Landed at both HAF and E16 before returning to PAO. Tons of other traffic on this beautiful Saturday.
Dad and I went out to visit Ryan Brown at his parents' house and help him with his RV build for a couple hours before heading back to attend the Foster Farms Bowl (Stanford vs. Maryland).
