Date:    Friday, January 3, 2003, 11:41:29 PM
Subject: Nice flight today and one tomorrow!

Howdy all,

It was a beautiful day for flying, so I took the boys and off we went!
Sunny, 72 degrees F, scattered clouds at 20K ft., wind 300 @ 3, alt. 30.13.

I had some business to conduct in Oxnard, so we flew VFR along the coast.

In addition to trying to spot dolphins or whales in the ocean, my boys and I
played the "Find the Plane!" game, where we each try to spot a plane, and
correctly guess its type. My youngest son, aged 4.5 years, is really good at
it -- I think his eyesight is better than anyone else's in our family. He
can usually spot a plane when it's no larger than a spec of dust in the
window. Though both boys correctly separate Cessnas and Pipers, they're
still working on figuring out the other types -- as am I!

After the relatively short flight (~18 mins), we're cleared for the
right-base landing on to rwy 25, OXR.  We taxi down to the Oxnard Aircraft
and Jet Center.  The folks there are really nice.  We borrowed the courtesy
car, take the short trip to do our business, catch a quick bite, and then
it's back to the airport.

The flight back is even a little more rewarding because we fly VFR at 2500,
and so, being a little closer to the oil rigs, shoreline, and occasional
boat, we have closer viewing.

One of the nice things about approaching SBA from the east is that the
approach to landing instructions usually consist of "follow the freeway and
make left-base for 15L; report 2 miles from the airport."  Since the freeway
goes right through Santa Barbara, the approach to landing is a good chance
to sight-see our fine town.

So, when we get close to our home base, I throttle down to 19", pull 10
degrees of flaps, and "slow fly" over the harbor and city, giving the boys
and myself plenty of time to act like tourists, admiring the birds-eye vista
of beautiful Santa Barbara.

Two great little flights on a beautiful day.

Tomorrow, I'm flying our whole family to Legoland, down in Carlsbad. Our
boys are Lego-lunatics, and we've been told that it's a fun amusement park
for kids.

The weather forecast for tomorrow looks like another sunny day in Paradise,
so we'll be flying down there, and landing at CRQ (McClellan-Palomar)
approximately around 10am, and then taking a brief taxi trip to Legoland.

My condolences to those of you still suffering inclement weather.  Maybe you
should come for a visit in Southern California?