Los Angles sits on the edge of the ocean and is surrounded by fairly tall mountains (there are three mountain peaks in southern California that are over 10,000 ft).  These mountains separate Los Angeles from the high desert and the San Joaquin Valley a huge valley that stretches nearly 500 miles up the center of California and is bounded by the Sierras on the east and the coastal mountains on the West.  Something like 40% of the nations produce comes out of this valley.   It is a spectacular view from the air.

Here are some pictures.  Not great as it was a bit hazy all day.  See       "June 26" in the pilot's log.

It was a fairly hazy day in Los Angles on Thursday.  Downtown Los Angeles is in the distance.  Pasadena is at the bottom of the picture.  Not much of a shot, but...

The Pasadena Rose Bowl in the lower center.  David, Debbie and Noam live on the hill behind the Rose Bowl toward's the left side of this picture.  "Our house is right about there..."

Not much of a picture of the high desert north of Los Angeles.  The only significance is that Edwards Air Force Base is located on the dry lake bed on the horizon (about 40 miles away).  Edwards is one of the alternative landing locations for the space shuttle.  This view is fairly close to the view the pilots of the shuttle would have on their final approach into Edwards.

The mountains just stop and the San Joaquin Valley begins.  Irrigation brings the valley to life.