Yesterday we drove south to Hilo from the west Kona coast and then north towards Wiamea to connect with the saddle road between Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa, the 2 big volcanoes on the island. Hank, Marla, Niah, Heather and I piled into the rented Honda 7 seater with the idea we'd stay overnight with old friends from Alaska, living on the Hilo side.
The saddle road climbs to 6600 feet passing through a military area where there is a toilet. The wind was blowing 50 mph. Note hair standing 90 degrees to H, M&N and driving away from the area, a fine dust filled the air and swirled down the highway like brown snow.
At the top it's a moonscape which, going down the other side, changes to fringes of green grass and small hardy trees; then to ferns and forest and finally to full blown jungle, elephant ear leaves clinging to vines weaving around mango trees, milo, banyan; from dust and wind to torrential rain; windshield wipers, full on.
About an hour and a half into the drive we came into downtown Hilo, a ramshackle place of corrugated roofs , peeling paint in pastel colors. Great atmosphere.
We met our friends in an extraordinary Mexican restaurant. All 8 of us ate delicious meals for less than $70.! The Hilo farmer's market was just across the street including many stalls offering artist's handwork. Heather and Marla got stuck, for about 1/2 hour, on a guy who happened to be a graphic artist and poet, selling soap. His work took a decidedly pornographic tilt. "Filthy Farmgirl" was his banner and naturally" Filthy" superseded the name of each of his many soaps. ( Bitch, Cock, Teacher, Ass etc..) He looked like Mark Twain in his straw hat and goat tee. The descriptions of each soap on the wrapper were very funny. He said, some people smelled the soap, others just bought it for the poetry (?)
It rained, heavily during the 2 hours we were in Hilo: twice while we were sheltered under tents in the market, once while in a Co-op Art Gallery, and once while in a Ukulele store. Between squalls, the sun blazed ; Hilo weather, wait a few minutes and the weather's different.
Our AK friends, Tim, Cashell and Cassin their 4 year old son, made a delicious Northern California steak dinner. Afterwards, Cashell stayed home with the kids, while the rest of us drove the 30 miles to the rim of the volcano crater to watch it glow red - pink - red, casting color onto the night clouds above. It was cold, perhaps mid 50ies in 30 mile winds which the ranger said probably gave us the best view possible because the winds cleared out the hovering smoke. Above, the milky-way blazed between passing overcast.
During the night it rained like 100 skeletons dancing on a tin roof. Nice to be cozy in a warm bed while outside was awash. Once it stopped the night chorus of tree frogs resumed, no volume control but lovely.
Today we awoke early to coffee, buck wheat waffel cakes , peanut or cashew butter and Cashell's home-made jam. Minutes after eating we headed out in 2 cars to one of the most extraordinary beaches I've visited perhaps 20 miles from their house. Down a narrow road lined with a cathedral of towering trees where we had to yield to oncoming traffic because of the narrow parts. Gnarled trees framed the ocean.
12 to 16 foot waves curled offshore and broke into foam and rushing water to the delight of surfers and boogie boarders who caught them at great speed and ditched just before they ( the waves) smashed onto volcanic rocks. The air was a fine mist and smelled of the sea, fish, seaweed, wet stones, jungle; exhilarating and archetypically Hawaiian. The ocean dragged stones back into the sea with a most satisfying rumble.
I wandered into the jungle and discovered a 20 foot diameter, hot pool with one guy, stretched out floating on his back , a Cheshire cat smile on his face. Niah put her feet in and said " OOOH , I want to go in." As you see, the pool filled quickly with family and friends.
Lunch was at a 20 acre Farmers market: Thai chicken with hot peanut sauce, Mexican tacos and burritos, French crepes, Hawaiian BBQ Huli chicken, Greek something or other and more on offer, chased with Coconut milk and exotic popsicles. Many of the same sellers from the previous day in Hilo were present but now we knew their wares; 3 more T shirts, some books, tiger eye stone. I had a great conversation with an old guy who was a certified Tahitian drum maker carving 3 foot long , 3 to 6 " diameter Milo wood. It is a warm, pinkish wood which cuts cleanly without breaking or splitting. A favorite wood of carvers in NZ as well. He was probably my age, no teeth, but happy to be making these remarkable instruments. I drummed, beat 'em up one side and down the other. Would have bought one but they weighed a ton.
We left Tim, Cashell and Cassin in the parking lot in another downpour and returned via the west coast through Wiamea stopping at Asaka Falls, a 400 foot high cascade up a twisty mountain road. Sadly... it was raining, ( surprise!), so we didn't hike the 45 minutes to the plunge pool. A brief stop at the Parker Ranch Mall for a pee and ice cream and then back over the Mamalahoe Highway in fading sunlight to Kailua-Kona where we began 36 hours ago. Trudy and Larry had prepared a supper of Alaskan boar chops, sweet potatoes and salad. Another super Hawaiian day.!
