It wouldn't be a complete LA experience without at least some of the touristy highlights. To start things off, our Motel supplied us with a continental breakfast with sugary cereals in styrofoam. My favorite. From there we walked the Hollywood Stars and snapped the obligatory pictures. Then Rodeo Drive: check. Then the Farmer's Market: check. Melrose: check. And Griffith Observatory: check.

The observatory really does provide quite a great view of the city . Yeah LA is a sprawling mass, but somehow it didn't come across as daunting as I'd anticipated. Plus, the pics of the Hollywood sign just have to be snapped. fter that a burrito: check. And Mulholland Drive: check. I must say I was pretty happy with our abbreviated whirlwind tour.

To top off the ridiculous customer service, Jeff, the GM of the FBO, took us on a personalized tour of the Van Nuys airport. We jumped in his car for a 39 minute ride along some old warbirds, past Tom Cruise's hangar (he has a couple P-51s apparently, who knew?), and along some grounded old Boeings that serve as sets for some movies. It was such heartfelt good service and refreshing to see folks just genuinely enthused about our endeavor.

The coastal flight up to the Bay Area was just as pretty this time as last. California really is a beautiful state. Flying VFR in sunny conditions for a change we were also more free to do what we wanted . I figured Palo Alto airport would be the most convenient for Caroline since her work is about 10 minutes away. Palo Alto does though only have a 2400' runway, so by far the shortest at which I'd ever put Maggie down. Seeing as I had a couple of forgettable landings recently I was keen to put Maggie down gently. And that she did. We even had room to spare. Palo Alto airport makes a surprisingly rundown impression. You'd think with all the VC money nearby and the folks from Sandhill Road having their toys parked here that the surfaces would be better, but everything seemed bumpy. We're ultra-paranoid about another taxi prop strike on Maggie so take it extra cautious.

Caroline picks me up and that's quite a sight. 2,5 months not seeing her. We smile. After getting settled in, the three of us grab dinner and then drinks at, of all places, a Bavarian pub with a bar tender from Regensburg, not 20 minutes from the airport where we originally departed. Again, small world.