Report from South Kona

Ready to power my ass off tomorrow , in the thought of not doing anything on Saturday . Or at least not working LOL .  Standard weather has been the norm the last few days no real rain or much of anything exciting . The cooler of snow that we brought down lasted about two days before it all melted . If we didn’t end up with colds on Monday we would have had a snow ball fight , maybe even a raid on B street .

The garden has been sprouting madly , the Bok Choi will have a little ti harvest this week end , a couple of them at least . Green beans out and getting longer , not long on some of those either . This early garden has been good so far not many bugs and general sucess , the fun will start with the first stir fry of fresh pickings .  Lemon basil has sprouted from the seeds I saved , planning to make a little pesto out of it . Mix it with some shrimp ! Thats the plan . 

Kind of have a hair for another adventure this weekend , but Monday I am having some new belts and service on the truck . There is a little belt slip after the haul up the Volcano last weekend . The weekend after it , a random circle Island trip , with the over night down in the Nat. park . There is a couple of Lava tube caves we want to check out and a few spots we drive by all the time .

Thinking of You , Steve

Now after circling around the Keck about 5 minutes or so the high altitude really showed it’s stuff . Light headed and a just a bit short of breath we had to take a rest at the truck for a little . This is how it was for the rest of the time up there . Visiting most of the Domes , you can’t go in but it is neat to check them out , there was a little private tour going but we could not sneak in . lol A few snow balls were flung about and a few short slides down the snowy cinder cone . Then the Hot Chocolate was broken out and a little bit of rejuvenation . Before one or two more slides . Driving down is a bit easier then going up , with all the endless fantastic vistas , you really have to keep your eye on the road . The long steep slopes are very dangerous if you go over the side , plus your just way the hell up there .

Arriving down at the Saddle road junction , a pit stop to change out of some of the extra clothes and view this white rainbow . Yes , white with just a faint bit of color . Very surreal being still above the clouds and getting ready to drive down below them and the large white arc if the rainbow spanning the road .

Instead of returning home the way we came a last minute change and we drove down the hill to Hilo on the east side of the island . It may have been a bit longer way home but we got to stop at Kens Pancake house , the only place like it on the island and really good . ( Order a Loco Moco in there and see what happens . ) Chris went wild with pancakes , hash browns , sausage and a bowl of pickels . Kyle had a burger and fries in a basket and a order of pancakes . Now all munched out our ears slowly popping throad home went back thru the Volcano Nat. Park and back along the dark hwy . Even though it was not that late yet maybe 8pm there was very few cars on the road making it seem like the middle of the night . One of my podcasts I like has old radio shows from the 30s so we listened to Abbot and Costello all the way home . That had our minds off the dark spooky night , laughing most of the way home ,

Far and Away , Steve

Mauna Kea , Hawaii

Loaded up mid morning on Sunday , all the warm clothes we own a few other items and made a run up to the summit of Mauna Kea . Brought my one pair of long pants , the Stabos that I ordered from those guys in England that are made from recycled WWII army tents , it was fun to get to use them they are really cool . They show how long and well Hemp cloth lasts ! Made a thermos of Hot Chocolate for the top , chucked it all in the truck , a empty cooler , shovel just in case . Turned out to be a clear sunny , near windless day as we traveled up to the Saddle Road and started to gain more and more altitude . The Altimeter that I have been wanting to use on a voyage like this showed our steady acent up . First along and thru the rolling pastures of cattle ranch and on up past Cinder ones and the wide open spaces between the two massive Volcanic Peaks . First stop at Mauna Kea state park to change into warmer wear and get ready for the colder temps . Windy most of the time it was very still with the high altitude sun generally warm . Little gusts of breeze showing just how cold it can be with a wind chill . Driving just a little more the turn off to Mauna Kea came into view and off , up we went . The first stop at the Visitors center for some gum ( to help pop ears lol ) and a couple of sodas . I got a little pin to add to the ones on my Jeans Jacket that I get to wear on these and trips to the National Park . Onward and upward to the summit ! The road is paved most of the way , a good bit in the middle is still dirt and without 4 wheel drive its best to keep moving . The road then near the top becomes paved again and a little easier to travel on . Now passing 10,000 feet and getting higher the air is very thin and large areas of snow are on all the north facing slopes . Very very tripy with the large domes of the Observatories and patches of snow and very cold air . Often the wind is blowing and once your out of the car its a freezing brutal chill . For us it was a great day with little or no wind , still icy in the shadows of the big domes with a noticeable drop in temp . After walking around the giant Keck telescope , on one side the ocean of clouds to the East covering Hilo town . Looking south across to also massive Mauna Loa then around the other side and the top of Maui is visable the summit of Haleakala. ( more tomorrow )

Rolling along this Friday , Podcasts going all day , stop for a Pineapple smoothie with a shot of Wheat Grass . Mocha Frappachino in the afternoon for a Friday treat . Didn’t surf in the afternoon worked till almost sunset or the sun going down in the overcast skies .

On the way home made a stop , wiping in to the Aloha Chinese BBQ for some to go action . They had a special with one extra dinner with four . Ended up with a massive amount of boxes LOL . The run down , one Soyu Chicken that Kyle pretty much takes away and is very reluctant to share . Shrimp with mixed vegetables , Chicken with Black Bean sauce , Kung pao Chicken as the free extra and special order that Chris really likes Bok Choi and Noodles . It was a wild feast , with major amounts left over to snack on . LOL

Now since I have been on a semi wild munchie run , a pot of Hot Chocolate in the Chocolatiere mixer and server and a little of this and that . Tomorrow just one stop that just happens to be right at the surf break .

Aloha Steve