Golden Gate

(en Français)

Often, in the evenings, I go up to the Berkeley Hills just to watch the sunset. From this place you can enjoy an outstanding view on the whole San Francisco bay, and at this angle, the sun usually takes a beautiful red color when it fells into the ocean right under the Golden Gate Bridge.

I went for some flying over there this afternoon. I wasn't confident enough in my English to negotiate the clearances to enter into the SFO Bravo CTR and the Oakland Charlie area, so I planned my flight to make most of it under the controlled airspaces, into the Echo airspace.

I have taken off from Palo-Alto airport, one of the bases of the West Valley Flying Club, one of the biggest "flying clubs" in the world. Departure due West for a "Left Dumbarton Departure". Right away, the Pacific Ocean. I just have the time to wave a hi, because right there, on the other side, on the little Australian airstrip of Tooradin, it's Sunday morning, and I have some friends who have probably flown there for a coffee.

But now, time to play with the altitudes! I had been climbing until 3500 feet to remain clear of the mountains. I need now to stay above 2000 feet, because of the limitations required by the wildlife area that I'm overflying, but below the floor of the San Francisco international airport airspace, which is set here at 2100 feet.

Shortly, I'll be passing overhead the Golden Gate Bridge, cautiously at 2500 feet, when below, outside of the wildlife zone, right in front of the bridge, a Cessna 152 pilot plays around with some turns between 500 and 1000 feet.

In the event of an engine failure, there is no chance for him to reach the beach.

But, after all, in a country which doesn't allow any other chance, in which a simple mistake can ruin your life, an engine failure is probably not your major concern, so you just try to enjoy the liberties that are given to you...

But, above all, without skidding, because just behind the Golden Gate and its evocative name, the first monument that you can see, far ahead Angel and Treasure Islands, is the mythic Alcatraz jail-house. Take that as a warning or not...

A long time ago, the "Golden Gate" was designating the San Francisco's harbor entrance, across which the famous Golden Gate Bridge had been built. I still don't know if it was named like that to honor this flaming sunset, or to pay homage to the gold nuggets that the immigrants were hoping to find on the other side.

So, to your mind, poetry or capitalism? Personally, I think I prefer not to know.

This guy who, higher on the hill, is building his 20 millions dollars house must know the answer.

The one who, just down the road, starves in front of the Safeway without any medical cover must know it either.

A bientôt,

Pierrick