Attention passengers, this is the captain speaking: the smoke you smell is not from our plane
The most amazing thing (and the most horrific) I have ever saw from an airplane window was the view of the Los Angles fires from about 12,000' on the descent into LAX. I have never seen anything like it. I have flown over very large forest fires (which are more black in color) in the past and was not prepared for what I saw today flying into LA. When descending into LAX you get a good view of the San Bernardino Valley. You usually see nice homes and cars and such. Today not so much. Nothing but fire and white smoke. You could SMELL the smoke from the plane. That is a first for me. It looks like a nuclear bomb hit LA. Maybe I was getting a little emotional from the white cloud of smoke over the world trade center after 9/11, but that is what it looked like.
Well, although late, the PDC is now underway. Tomorrow I plan on taking in some WinFS and Yukon DTS sessions. It took me about 14 hours, but I got here in time for a dinner with RDs from around the world.