Flying across America today we saw a lot of airports, planes and people. I didn't take any photos of those civilization-gone-wild scenes but I did snap a few natural world shots along the way that kind of tell the story of a long day traveling south to north across the United States.
Above: Midtown Manhattan is to the left of the image. The blacked-out oval covering most of the left side of the image is the jet's engine. The long dark rectangle across Manhattan is Central Park. To the right (north) of the image is the Bronx. Yankee Stadium looks like a supernova from 36,000 feet. It is the brightest spot in a wildly bright skyline, where the home team was playing the Orioles as we flew over.
The day started in Orlando. Above: The Orlando International Airport from about 5,000 feet. It was about 90° F (32° C) when we departed.
This image was shot near home. I posted this image for several people who have a connection to this area. This is Lake Mary Boulevard at I-4. Once a sleepy little retirement and farm community Lake Mary is now home to an estimated 20,000+ people. This shot is looking to the north toward the I-4 interchange at Heathrow. Out the other side of the aircraft was my home (that I couldn't see or photograph). I thought about climbing over someone to get a shot but we were still ascending so it was probably ill-advised.
Above: The massively crowded Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson Airport. If ever there were a virus to emerge like is fictionally portrayed in AMC's THE WALKING DEAD, this is the place it would need to spread out to all ends of the earth. This airport is the busiest in world, carrying over 90,000,000 passengers a year. Changing planes here we had to walk a couple of miles and ride a train to get from one terminal to another. We moved through throngs of the 250,000+ people a day that pass through the airport. As we were making the transit I kept thinking about what viruses might be lurking within some of those nameless, faceless people surging like tides at the beach. I was very conscious of what I was touching, and when our gate was finally located I immediately went to a bathroom and vigorously washed my hands.
The temperature in Atlanta was a balmy 80° F (27° C).
Above: In the background, the skyline of Atlanta about 7 miles north of the airport.
Over the Appalachian Mountains there were cloudy conditions and a setting sun. It was striking.
As we approached the Mid-Atlantic it was twilight.
Below: A sea of clouds lulled me into a semi-conscious state, half awake and aware of all the jet noises and half asleep, at home in my comfortable bed.
Below: Another shot of the Bronx and Yankee Stadium. The stadium is the bright white 'star' at the center left of the image near the plane's engine. The bridge across the Hudson is I-95 (The George Washington Bridge). The Bronx is the 3rd most populous county in the United States and it shows at night. Its like looking at an illuminated road map from 6 miles in the sky.
It was a cool 45° (7° C) in New York City.
Another hour and we were to the end of the line, landing at Portland, Maine before midnight. The temperature, a chilly 38° F. (3° C).
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