I spend the afternoon exploring San Bernardino, stopping at the Original McDonald's Museum, San Manuel Stadium, and the San Bernardino History and Railroad Museum. The wind picks up a bit when I head back to the airport. A quick check of the forecast shows that it's sunny with light winds and no gusts.  I can handle seven-knot winds. I'm back in the air heading west, sandy landscape stretching behind me.

The standard navigation takes me directly over mountains. I'm flying at nine-thousand feet and will have to climb well over ten thousand to clear them.

Looking over to my left, the mountains drop quickly. I adjust my course and traverse the lower portion, dropping to get beneath some of the patchy clouds.

On the other side of the mountain the weather changes. Fog and mist roll in, and the wind becomes gusty.

Visibility is ten miles but decreasing, and the gusts are swaying me like I'm on a boat. I check the ATIS/ASOS channels at nearby airports and everywhere has similar conditions. I'm a bit nervous about the amount of concentration I'll need in the heavy traffic of the Los Angeles airspace, and I decide it's best to set down until the conditions improve. KPOC Brackett Field is close, and I descend. It takes me two passes at the airport, but I land without issue. I end up staying the night.

The next morning it's clear with calmer winds. I'm back in the air.

It's a short hop - only twenty minutes - and Los Angeles International is in sight. There's a steady line of jet traffic arriving and departing.

I set down on 24L and taxi to the general aviation parking area, stopping for a moment just to watch the grandeur of KLAX.

It's my first time in LA and I've scheduled a three day stop here. What will I do? Where to start? I'm excited as I park, shutdown, and step onto the wing.