Piper Archer N2112K

Our ride for the morning! Based out of the Palo Alto airport (belongs to the Dream of Flight Co)

Piper Archer N2112K - view from the cockpit!

A quick look back as we take off shows the receding Ravenswood Open Space Preserve through the the rear side windows of the Piper Archer

Landscrapes

Naturally formed landscrapes abreast of the Ravenswood Slough and behind the Bedwell Bayfront park as we continue ascending towards 101 and the rest of the Bay Area

Landscrapes

Naturally formed landscrapes abreast of the Ravenswood Slough and behind the Bedwell Bayfront park as we continue ascending towards 101 and the rest of the Bay Area

Sun rises over the bay!

We leave the Dumbarton bridge behind...

Belmont - suburban bliss

There is almost no activity on the roads as a leafy neighborhood in Belmont struggles to wake up on a lazy Sunday morning

Hillsdale High School - San Mateo

A heartening sight - to see the number of solar panels on the rooftop of a public school- later I researched and found out that this school is part of a Solar our Schools (SOS) program. The next generation is going renewable!

101 & 92 Interchange

Almost non-existent traffic on a Sunday morning along the 101 & 92 Interchange.

San Bruno by the Bay

The town of San Bruno sprawls ahead of us and brings in to harmonious balance the coming together of the Sweeney Ridge from the south and the pacific ocean in the north.

South San Francisco

San Andreas Lake

This water body is a beautiful picnic spot on the way to Halfmoon Bay. When driving, the place looks completely cut off from the rest of the urban populace of the bay area. However, when one sees it from the air, its quite surprising how much civilization is around this place!

First View of Downtown San Francisco

As we bank to the left to cross over San Francisco, some of the famous landmarks in the town greet us

The other bridge

The longer Bay Bridge rarely gets a mention in the list of must-see places in San Francisco while it serves as a more important lifeline for commuter traffic in San Francisco

Roof Garden @ California Academy of Sciences

One of the other most popular landmarks in the city, the California Academy of Sciences is one of those must-visit places for young & old alike. The roof garden (called the Living Roof) has weather stations on that monitor wind, rain, and changes in temperature to help inform the building's automated systems and skylights. It is apparently built with solar panels and the roof's seven hills are lined with 50,000 porous, biodegradable vegetation trays made from tree sap and coconut husks. An estimated 1.7 million plants fill the trays, their roots interlocking to create an extraordinary oasis for birds, insects, people, and other creatures (source: CAS website)

Downtown San Francisco

Downtown San Francisco

Downtown San Francisco

Coit Tower

A popular memorial icon that stands tall and continues to hold its own against the modern giants in the San Francisco Skyline

Golden Gate Bridge

Read at your own leisure, there is so much to it! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Gate_Bridge

Golden Gate Bridge

Golden Gate Bridge

Golden Gate Bridge

Alcatraz Island

Again, plenty to read :) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcatraz_Island

Palace of Fine Arts Theater