Josh and Rachel Take a Trip

We’d passed a recommended restaurant on the way to Kona, so we backtracked down Rte 11 and had a yummy breakfast at the Coffee Shack. Cute geckos roamed the outdoor patio – or “lanai” – and one of the gentlemen at the counter tried guessing where we were from. Seattle was the first guess based on Alethea and Josh’s knitting projects; Pittsburgh was an exciting answer since the guy grew up on the Mexican War streets on the North side! He even said “yinz!”

Alethea greets a local during breakfast.

We wanted to see the Northern part of the island, so we wound our way up the island’s oldest (dead) volcano, Kohala, before turning toward the coast. I love me some geology, and got mocked as I ooh’ed and aw’ed over the two impressive cloud-shrouded mountains towering above us.  I guess it was time to shut up about the mountains – even though we were enjoying the paradise product of these massive volcanoes erupting in the middle of a freakin’ ocean, which I think is pretty dang impressive.

Moving on, we visited an important heiau called “Pu’ukohola”. The construction of this heiau (sacred structure) was the third in a line of prophecies that secured King Kamehameha’s role in uniting the Islands, which was kind of a big deal.

Spencer Park Beach. That sound you hear is me still kicking myself for not having my suit with me.

We were tired of driving at this point, and found refuge in the form of the most perfect beach ever – yes, all the beaches in Hawaii are quite perfect, but this one was the perfect air and water temperature with the softest current and the cutest families… and we found it at the most wonderful part of a long lonely drive North. We regretted not having our suits with us, and I know each one of us seriously considered sitting in the surf fully clothed. Common sense won out – by mere centimeters, I tell you – and we regrettably got back in the car.

Oh hey, ANOTHER HAWAII ISLAND.

Maui accompanied us North.  Only 30 miles of ocean lay between Hawaii and its smaller (older) brother. Between the hazy day making the island appear ghostly and the clouds around its base making it float over the water, the island was an ethereal site to behold as we continued up the coast.

Hawi, at Hawaii’s Northern tip was our ultimate destination, and totally worth it. Ice cream from Tropical Dreams came very highly recommended by our book (and our yurt owners), so we were obliged to try it. We pre-gamed the scoops with The Best Hot Dogs Ever, and the coffee and vanilla and mango ice creams did not disappoint.

Our next destination was another heiau, this one used for countless human sacrifices and described as “the loneliest place on the island” and “having no soul”. Yeeg. We chickened out when we saw the road that led to it– Alethea’s little Ford Focus was not built for that kind of terrain. We aborted that mission, but saw an impressive wind farm instead.

You know where we should put a Wind Farm? Right beside the airport.

Our final stop before going back to the hotel was a field of Hawaiian petroglyphs. Exhausted tourists were we, and the hike to get to them was challenging; when the sign says “Wear appropriate shoes” you should listen.

Lord of the Rings things going on right here. I got bit by a Wraith, swears.

The painful hike through lava rock and Thorns of Doom gave way to a lava field full of petroglyphs. Their origin, age and meaning are lost to time, and when you factor in that their creators made the same walk we just did barefoot: dang.

A field of hundreds of petroglyphs.

Many of the carvings are figures, and most orient toward the mountain. Mysterious and exciting.

Humans, sea turtles and aliens, oh my.

Then we took a well-earned dip in the pool, Josh and I watched the sun set over the Pacific, and we had a final toast to Hawaii and our trip.

Sunset over the Pacific, Kona, HI.

We will not miss the roosters. You could set a clock to cockadoodledoos starting at 4:30 in the morning… We got showered and cleaned up our little home – dishes, trash, and packed up our belongings. There is a bookshelf where people leave their finished books; someone else can enjoy them now. We bid adieu to Gail and Greg and leisurely breakfasted at our favorite little Desert Rose – both Alethea and Josh are knitting scarves – and then headed North toward our hotel.

I can get behind monster pottery with boobies, ha!

We needed to find a post office, and we couldn’t check in until 3 pm. Our plan for travel was loose, keeping our eyes out for something interesting along the way. We found a pottery studio and shop tucked away off the main road. We got some lychees at a roadside fruit stand (although we were on the hunt for white pineapple).

A totem pole at the Kona Coffee museum.

We toured the museum/shop at the Kona Coffee Brewing Co. , and walked through a another lava tube.

Further down the road was the Painted Church – a wooden structure originally constructed close to the coast and then moved via donkey further up the mountain.

Captain Cooke's Painted Church

The cemetery at the Painted Church

The graves near the church were terraced in lava rock, and I have to say it was one of the most beautiful graveyards I’ve ever seen. Flowers, both wild and cultivated, crowded the gravestones, and the vibrant plants gave life to a place I’m accustomed to seeing sparse and manicured.

The Painted Church ceiling

The interior of the church was furnished simply, with elaborate murals on the walls, pillars and ceiling. A short hike beyond the church revealed a replica of La Pieta, which happens to be one of my favorite sculptures in the world.

Mmmm... delicious life blood of the islands.

We checked into our hotel and took a walk to the Kona Brewing Company, where we enjoyed good beer, free wifi, and Alethea spilled water all over herself. Don’t worry, it was worth it – a stranger wearing a twirling beanie gave her a keychain.

We piddled around our newly discovered breakfast bakery while hunting for a place to rest our heads on our last two nights. We scored a place on Alii Drive, so we’d be in the midst of Kona activity.

Today was about finding LAVA! LAVA! LAVA! We grabbed some sandwiches for a later picnic lunch, and wound our way toward Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. The weather didn’t look promising, but we pressed on (and pressed our luck).

Halfway up the world's largest volcano. Bladow.

We detoured off of the main road to climb half-way up Mauna Loa. 13.5 miles of twisting winding road that peaks at over 6,000 feet of elevation led us up into the clouds. The weather cleared long enough for a sunny climb, a nice view and a pleasant dismount. Our picnic lunch was a welcome rest, since our stomachs were turning from the intense, curvy drive (and possibly some elevation sickness).

A pretty rad view. The summit was obscured by clouds the entire time we were on the Big Island.

"What is that? What's happening?" "We are being run into by a cloud." "NO WAY!"

One of the guides at the Visitor’s Center advised us of a lava flow on the move, so we mentally marked that before walking Thurston’s Lava Tube. The Lava Tube is a ½ mile shaft that once kept a constant flow of lava running through it.

Who wants to go in the dark spooky hole first?

From there we headed East, turning South just before getting back to Hilo. We followed this highway all the way to the end of the road, parking the car right before a place in the road OBSTRUCTED BY LAVA.

Road to NOWHERE.

Years ago, a lava flow covered the road – aaaaand a subdivision. Homes still stand amongst the cooled flows; I imagine many of their neighbors’ homes probably burned to the ground. The molten lava could return next week or next year – they never know.

Some questionable real estate.

The people that live here are isolated, but not enough so they can’t get some ribs for that BBQ… we saw several people out on the deck grilling, drinking and entertaining themselves by watching:

TREES BURSTING INTO FLAMES FROM A LIVE LAVA FLOW.

The live flow we saw was not far off. Most of the evidence of the lava came in the form of smoke puffs and burning plants, and the park guys kept us corralled at a distance of maybe ½ mile. Still, we were able to see a few spots that glowed the tell-tale lava orange-red, and that was very cool.

I’ll admit I was a little disappointed that we couldn’t get closer, but one consideration gave me a great deal of satisfaction: the state has built a road to where we were standing to provide a good vantage point for lava watching, and that road is always being rebuilt and the line for viewing moved around. The very same road on which we stood had been blocked as a giant flow covered it days before, and that hunk of “cooled” lava was hot enough where it had sloughed over the road that the air above it vibrated wildly with the heat.
It’s not poking it with a stick (which is still on my bucket list), but that’s pretty darn cool. I’ll take it.

LAVA LAVA LAVA

The sun was setting and as we got back onto Hawaii’s Rte 11, we swung by the Kalunea again to see the caldera – this time at night. Wowie. During the day the hole spews a giant column of smoke and nasty gases.

You are standing on a magma chamber. Put that in your pipe and smoke it.

At night, you can see the magma sloshing a few hundred meters below the hole bathes the smoke in bright orange light. It really drives home what you’re standing on – A FREAKIN’ VOLCANO.

We wrapped up our last night in the yurt with an Eat the Rest of Your Food Party. The menu was a salad, Hamburger Helper and a couple of deliciously crisp beers. We will miss the yurt, for sure.

Inspired by a flyer in our Biscuits-and-Gravy Bakery, we checked out a pancake breakfast at Ocean View’s Community Center. Our original plan had been to volunteer, but since we’d slept in (all the way to 6 a.m! Roosters be damned!) we had to settle for simply partaking in the food. We were taken on a tour of the community center, and both Josh and Alethea are now proud members – we were encouraged to visit often.

Seriously some of the best pancakes I've ever had. Alethea seems to like them too.

This day was about low stress and relaxation. We decided we felt like a swim, and opted for Punaluu Beach – we’d heard a lot about it, and a rumor of consistent sea turtle sightings sealed the deal. On our way, we finally stopped at Ai Lani for the “Coffee and Macadamia Nut Tasting” we’d been eyeing every time we drove by.

They had another sign that read: "We reserve the right to kick your okole out". Okole = Butt.

We bought coffee, fruit and some nuts.  We also finally went by Punalu’u Bake Shop while it was open and stocked up on malasadas, some fruit pudding cake and one delicious bizmark (chocolate covered donut)… I think my travel mates got something, too.

Mango malasada, yum.

Punaluu Beach was everything we wanted it to be. It turned out a little chilly to swim, but was the perfect environment for sitting on a beach mat and filling out postcards and reading.

Punaluu Beach

The lagoon behind the beach.

There were indeed sea turtles – one solidly on-shore, at least four more stuck in amongst the rocks since low tide, and more out in the open water.

Here, turtle, turtle, turtle.

The sea (and rocks and temperature) intimidated me out of snorkeling, but my goodness it would have been amazing to see the creatures out in the water. I spent a good hour standing and watching one. It is easy to see why they inspire people all over the world – they are fascinating creatures.

"The little plants I'm eating down here sure are delicious. Grade A cuisine. I will bring my mom here for her birthday, probably."

Federal law prohibited me snuggling him, of course.

We also made our own sea turtle.

RIP, Todd the Turtle. You fought the tide valiantly.

Rumbling bellies led us to Hana Hou in Naalehu. I finally got some fish – local “ono” – and had a Hawaiian oreo that was as big as your head.

We are trying to name all 50 states. Please pay close attention to the "map" that Josh has drawn as a visual aid. He assured us the coastline is accurate, but I am no so sure.

The day wrapped up with an Apricot beer and maps of lava (lava!) flows – it was a very good day.

Breakfast this morning was biscuits and sausage gravy. The hole-in-the-wall bakery was spotted on a random outing, and was totally worth the spot. The advertised  “blueberry pie: $1” had nothing to do with my attraction to the place… (just kidding! of course it did).

Organic Basil, nom nom nom.

Outside of renting yurts, Greg also runs a lettuce farm, and they had a delivery that day in Hilo, on the East side of the island. Since we were headed there for the day anyway, we opted to transport it to the city for him. This gave us the chance to check out his lettuce farm – one acre of flourishing lettuce, basil and other yummy plants that grow out of impossibly uninviting lava rock.

Salad greens, anyone? I didn't stick my face in it. You're welcome.

Drive and delivery accomplished, we checked out a farmer’s market, and cooled down with some tasty shaved ice. We three ladies went to Two Ladies Kitchen for some highly recommended mochi and did some window shopping, and we met up with Josh at the teeny-tiny Hilo Mac store.

Our hunt for lunch was in jeopardy when we went into the Mehena Brewery Co. and found they only had a tiny tasting room… they didn’t serve food.

Noooooo, we need beeeeeeeeer.

Beer girl to the rescue – she recommended Hilo Burger Joint, which also happened to serve their pale ale on tap. My Hawaiian-raised beef Bleu cheese burger was all sorts of amazing, and the beer was indeed fabulous.

Next up was Coconut Island, an absolutely picture-perfect Hawaiian outing. The footbridge connecting it to the big island is a hundred feet long, and set low enough that kids climb the railing and leap into the water. The island’s island boasts countless palm trees (“Beware of falling fronds and coconuts”) and lots of families were settled around the park for a relaxing lounge or swim. A group of guys played football in the center field, and I could see Josh’s brain churning to figure out a way to get in there and join them.

Josh cheesing in front of Coconut Island.

Paradise, indeed!

Gorgeous, gorgeous. I could not have dreamed up a more beautiful place.

Geronimo!

Hilo was beautiful, and I’m sure we could have stayed longer – but it had been an early day, and we headed home. Along the way, we stopped by the Kilauea Caldera in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Kilauea is the most active volcano on the planet. It wasn’t spewing anything but steam and poisonous sulfur dioxide when we stopped by, but it is still pretty damn impressive.  Their visitor center was diverse and very informative, and I felt like a kid in a candy store.

I was the happiest human on the planet at that moment (even with the sun right in my eyes)!

Exhaustion and climate (it was freezing!) eventually won out, and we left before dark. Driving in the dark is nice when you realize you don’t have to watch out for deer – until you remember you have to watch for pigs and wild donkeys. Eyes on the road, Sager.

I am going to be totally honest: I did not take this picture.

Yurt-flapping wind and roosters got us up around 4:30 am, and we were lucky enough to spy some stars. We decided on the fly that we’d like to see the sun rise over the Pacific (only possibly from Hawaii if you want to do so from the US) and jumped in the car until we found something close to due East without a land mass in the way. Yowza, absolutely stunning.

Sunrise over the Pacific.

Alethea tried to convince the people at the Punalu’u to sell her some bread directly from the kitchen since we were about 2 ½ hours before the retail shop opened. No luck – they told us to come back later, but were very friendly about it.

We went back to The Desert Rose for breakfast, and I got the Loco Moco: two fried eggs over roast pork over rice and smothered with mushroom gravy. Behold:

The pork Loco Moco: heaven over rice.

We got to tour Greg’s pottery studio and did a booty-shaking dance on their DANCE FLOOR (the property used to be a hula studio). Then we were off for a morning of snorkeling on a remote beach.

The eight of us (plus two bounding dogs) headed out to Honomolino Beach – a long, vertical wind of a drive that ends with a 2/3 mile hike to a wonderfully secluded black sand beach. Weather and water were calm and clear, and the sun was warm and bright.

The hike begins with forest, then goes through what looks to be the surface of Mars...

...and then ends up in, oh, PARADISE.

I snorkeled for the first time, and I have to say it was way better than I anticipated. I thought it wouldn’t be that big of a deal, seeing fish and coral and stuff – I mean, I know it’s down there… no big mystery there; but the reality is that my brain popped when I saw a Dory and LOTS of awesome coral ten feet below where I was swimming.

Swimming vest, holla!

Not one for snorkeling or swimming, Alethea was nonetheless invincible in her “swimming vest” — even if we were forbidden from discussing the aquatic life frolicking around her feet while we were in the water.

Where do coconuts come from? It is a mystery.

After deciding on plans for the next day, we ended the day the way we started it – looking at the sky. Being in the middle of a big ole ocean eliminates all the light pollution you don’t realize is there until it’s gone. Hawaii’s night sky is the blackest emptiness you’ve ever seen, punctuated by three times the number of twinkling stars we usually see from the mainland. Among all those stars there’s a soft cloudiness that stretches from one side of the horizon to the other – that band of mistiness is our galaxy, the Milky Way, and seeing it in person is enough to blow your freakin’ mind.  …and Ursa Major just looks bigger from the equator, maaan.

The Milky Way, blowing our minds.

We are staying in a perfect yurt in Ocean View, located near the southern-most portion of the island. The six-hour gap in jet lag could have been easy to overcome – our route kept us up for nearly 24 hours straight to get here, after all – but the landowners next door opt to feed a bunch of feral chickens. The damn things start crowing – very loudly – at about 4:30 am. We admitted defeat around 6 am and got out of bed.

Josh and Alethea at The Desert Rose, Ocean View, HI

Our quest for breakfast and food supplies led us to a wonderful little place called The Desert Rose down the main road – Rte 11 if you’re looking at the map, but it’s really the only road they’re talking about when they say “down the road”.

Rachel at Naalehu, the Southernmost community in the United States. Naalehu, HI.

Alethea and I hunted for a farmer’s market, and we discovered the town of Naalehu, the southern-most community in the United States. Naalehu stars the Punalu’u Bake Shop and a yummy Wednesday Farmer’s Market.

There was also a thrift shop across the street… Alethea and I are the only the people that would come to Hawaii and get excited about a thrift shop, but there you have it. I wanted to buy a dress while I was here, and I found a beautiful vintage dress made in Honolulu.

South Point, HI. The Southernmost tip of the U.S.

Alethea’s friend Heather’s parents own the yurt we’re renting. Gail and Greg are wonderful, generous people, and Greg took us on a trip South.

Getting there was half the battle, I assure you. Sorry, Alamo.

It’s a good thing I have experience driving in West Virginia hollers. There was a little (ahem) “off-roading” to get to South Point – the southern-most point in the entire United States.

We are gross sometimes. (Awwww)

The beaches were green and grey, and after harassing some crabs and a stranded sea cucumber, we left there and headed to some cliffs (and glory be, paved roads!) for some death-defying snorkeling.

We are going where? Down the cliff? Yes, that sounds like a great idea, a great idea and wildly safe. South Point, HI.

Gorgeous from the edge, downright terrifying when you almost fall in.

You know who over estimated her ability at swimming? My swimsuit has seen water maybe 5 times in 7 years – I really should have known. I stupidly ditched my ill-fitting flippers, jumped in, failed at securing my goggles, and promptly got out. I survived, and that was good enough for me.

Take that, Ocean: we swam in you.

Josh fared much better than I did, actually staying in the water and seeing fish and all. He valiantly sliced his knee getting out the water — it was tricky, since you had to dismount the ocean “LIKE A SEAL”. Alethea documented the whole thing from the top of the cliff, the brave girl.

Splash!

Afterward, we joined Greg, Gail and their family for dinner. There was a plan for pottery, but jet lag got the best of us and we turned in around 8:30.

Not gonna lie – getting to Hawaii was tough. 3 flights, 13 hours in the air, then a 2 hour drive from the airport after being awake for 20 hours. Whew!

How do you set off a beautiful wine tasting? Burger King for lunch.

St. Josef’s Winery, located in Canby, Oregon. Wine tasting time!

The woman that poured our tasting was a Russian-to-German-to-American immigrant. She didn’t talk much beyond the process of making each kind of wine. I was hoping she would tell us exactly what the heck we were tasting, but no such luck. We just used words like “fresh” and “delicious” a lot (all true!).

Dad strikes a pose, pinky artfully extended.

Giant vats full of under-done wine. We wondered if we could fill and make off with the bucket on the top of the fourth one over. Each vat was labeled, so we knew which of the ones we had just sampled were still brewing.

Dad and I stole grapes from this bin, and they were the BEST GRAPES EVER.

Two out of three of my favorite boys.

Aw.

Seth took the day off of school to hang (don’t worry it was toga day). We hung at Denny’s for a couple hours and chilled. Once home, we went to Wally’s the neighborhood instrument store.

Josh tried out some guitars.

Seth gave a few trombones a good test drive, settling on a new Jupiter. He was very excited, skipping dinner to polish and play with it.

After dinner we headed to Jimmy Max’s for some righteous jazz. I don’t always understand jazz, but I always appreciate it. It was a great night.