Catalina

I have spent the past 2 days riding around in my little plane and really don't want a long trip today. It's Sunday, day of rest so we set out for Catalina Island. They call it the airport in the sky since the island is a continuation of the mountains on the mainland. The airport is 1600 feet above sea level; for an east coast guy this is really high but I'm not too worried since I've been into Leadville! The Island really does look like a mountain top as you are approaching it. Fascinating.

We land, pay the $20 landing fee, get hiking permits and set out to see what there is to see. the place is very dry and to make matters worse they are experiencing a drought. There are a few lakes and watering holes but due to lack of rain they are mud holes. During our hike we come across some researches who are taking soil samples and they direct up to a reservoir where they saw Bison. We walked over and found the Bison. We didn't see much else. Cacti and dust... Rough place to carve out an existence. Evidently the island had a trade with the mainland a long time ago by making cooking utensils out of soapstone. This has long since ended but evidence of this still remains.

After a 2 hour hike we go back to the airport Cafe and have a bison burger: We got to see it now we got to eat it. pretty sweet.

We got back in the plane and headed back to Long Beach.

Good fun