One Hot Learning Experience

Yesterday's hike was a Meetup group hike through Las Trampas Regional Wilderness. Here's the description of the hike, with more photos and comments: http://www.meetup.com/Gay-and-Lesbian-and-gay-friendly-Hikers/events/59346082/

Photo by Marianne - I'm not sure if I'm in there.

It featured gorgeous scenery, beautiful views, and was hot! It was 94 degrees in San Ramon yesterday, and we were hiking up steep trails in the full sun during the hottest part of the day. Please forgive the lack of photographs - I was too busy surviving! However, this hike did teach me a number of things, both about hiking, and about myself.

1. Having great hiking companions makes all the difference. Gabe and Laura were great to hike with - we stayed together, encouraged each other, were sympathetic to each other's concerns, and  kept us going with a positive attitude. You know your hiking companions are awesome when they're willing to sing songs to you just to distract you from how your body is aching and keep you moving.
2. Even when faced with difficulty, the most important thing is to maintain a positive attitude. In the past I've fallen into negative feedback loops, mostly due to defeatist self-talk. Avoiding that, makes the hike (and life) so much better!
3. Take inspiration from wherever you find it. As usual, I tried to concentrate on the pretty flowers around me and finding new wildflowers to admire, rather than the steepness of the trail, the length of the journey, or all of those other scary things. Oh, look, it is pretty.
4. The brain is an amazing thing. In the midst of the physical distress, I was able to distract myself with a lot of happy thoughts. Perhaps that's why I was able to maintain a positive attitude. :-)
5. I'm in better shape than I give myself credit for. While I was certainly breathing hard and had my share of difficulties, I never felt like it was completely out of my league. I guess those mid-week hikes in Redwood Park have been helping and I need to keep them up. They certainly can't hurt!
6. Bring more cold beverages than you think you need. Fill up your water bladder, and then bring more. Add another water bottle just in case. Preferably filled with ice. Running out of water when it is 94 and you're in the sun is not a good idea. Fortunately, I didn't run into any difficulties as a result, but it was a scary thought. 
7. In related news, frozen gatorade is a hiker's best friend on a hot day. It keeps the other things in your pack cold, gives you a refreshing beverage, and stays cold longer. Never having had a need to replace my electrolytes before (sweating profusely? me? this time I did!), the whole gatorade thing is a new experience.
8. Read the map, or at least trust your hiking companions to do so. Gabe and Laura read the map, didn't believe our trail leader's assurances that it was an easy hike. They knew what we were in for, and were concerned from the beginning. Listening to their concerns would have been a good idea, but we mostly stayed with the group.
9. Also related, just because you're at the highest elevation point, doesn't mean that you're done climbing. After we'd climbed to the top, the path we took went down deep into a canyon, and then we had to climb back up and out over the ridge.  We didn't hit that highest point again, but we certainly did another climb!
10. Reapply the sunscreen. Even though my legs were covered in mud (of questionable origin, given the number of cows around), I still needed to reapply sunscreen. I'm happy to say I'm not sunburnt as a result of this hike, and this shade of beige is just fine with me.
11. Evaporative cooling is an amazing thing. While I wasn't so appreciative of it while hiking in the cool rain in Hawaii, it was quite amazing during this hike. I was actually cool from the breeze at one point. I think I have to upgrade my sports bra, however.
12. Having the right food is important. Apparently the hiker's lunch consists of a bagel and cream cheese for carbs, a yogurt for protein, and fruit. Having an orange for a late afternoon snack is also important - liquid and sugar in a self-contained package! What's more critical is making sure you eat the lunch you brought so you have enough calories in you to continue up the hill. Fortunately, I'm pretty good at having snacks as well.
13. Hard candies are good to have. We didn't have them this time, and I'm going to be sure to put them in the backpack for future trips. They keep you're mouth moist as you're hiking along. For me, they might be another happy distraction. Chocolate that doesn't melt also works for me.
14. Going backwards downhill really helps my knee. My knee only hurts during the second half of a given hike, and only during downhill. Its along the outside part of the knee, connecting to the calf. Faced with a long, steep downhill, fortunately along a service road, Laura suggested I walk backwards. It worked! I felt ridiculous and laughed at myself along the way, but it relieved the pain and allowed me to get down the hill intact. I don't think that will work on any other terrain, however. 



Photo by Marianne - Gorgeous scenery! Pretty flower!

15. Have a cooler in the car for after the hike. While I've learned to have another pair of shoes in the car, because the relief from peeling off the hiking boots is similar to taking off ski boots, having cold beverages as a reward is also important. I had an extra water bottle in the car, but it was hot when I got there - not the same.

For all of that, I'm glad I went on this hike. I hope Gabe and Laura will join me on another and that they weren't scared off by the craziness of this one!

Hiking After the Rain

Saturday, April 14th

When you're hiking in the rain, mud and water on the trail are only to be expected. Hiking after a couple of heavy downpours also brings the expected mud. However, it is a special challenge when the streams decide to use your path as their waterway. It's times like these that I'm especially grateful to have my hiking poles - they really help with the slippery footing!

Golden Spike trail, Redwood Park

I'm sometimes tempted to do a little water engineering at times like this. However, I try to follow the edict of "do no harm", and I'm not sure which is better - erosion of the entire trail via the waterway? Or erosion of the bank where the water runs off? I'm sure someone better trained in trail management, and that would be just about anyone, would know better, which is why I try to avoid the temptation to divert the waterways. It does remind me, however, of the hours of happy times spent as a child re-engineering the little stream that ran into the back yard.

All the rain does bring some gorgeous sights along the way, including tiny waterfalls, that won't last a week.

Toyon Trail, Redwood Park

I also saw another favorite plant that I want to bring home and put in my front yard. I have similar ones, I think, but these are so pretty! I need to bring this picture to Annie's Annuals and ask them.

Monteiro Trail

I also found another wildflower that I'm fond of, but also don't know the name. Instead of a large cluster, though, these are tiny and singular. The conflict between having enough time to garden, as well as enough time for hiking adventures has already begun.


My hike this time took me up the Monteiro Trail to the West Ridge. I then went into Roberts Park to use the restroom. While I have lost most inhibitions about peeing in the woods while alone, that solitude is not guaranteed on a beautiful Saturday in Redwood Park. So having a bathroom (with flush toilets) at the top of the trail is a wonderful thing. I then continued on to the Chabot Observatory. While I was there, I decided to turn back and add more length via the return trip instead.

The appropriately named Fern Trail.

So I took the Fern Trail to French Trail, went back up to the West Ridge, and then down one of my favorites, the Toyon Trail. I'll have to study the map to get the mileage. I'm still looking for an app that will add up the little trail numbers for me. Any suggestions?

Hiking in the Rain

When the inspiration to hike strikes me, I tend to go with it. Raining? No problem. This hobby is too new to question the sanity of the situation, so I generally dress appropriately for the weather, pick a good trail, and off I go.

Today was no different. It wasn't actually pouring, so off I went to Redwood Park in Oakland.

I'm back to fog on the redwoods instead of volcano smoke on the mountain, and I'm okay with that.

My nod to sensibility was to pick the West Ridge Trail. Usually I go out the Golden Spike and up the Monteiro trail, then across and down the Toyon trail. (For the map enthusiasts: http://www.ebparks.org/files/parks/redwood/redwood_2250w_32c.gif) But those are tiny trails, unlike West Ridge. I figured since mountain bikes are allowed on it, a little more erosion from a lone hiker in the rain wouldn't hurt too much. For all of that, it is a beautiful trail. 

However, it is a bit steep. It gains 600' of elevation in less than a mile, which to me feels straight up. I tried to take a picture of the steepness, but I learned that's hard to do.

Along the way, I saw one of my favorite flowers in bloom right now. They're tiny and blue. Every time I see them, I wonder what they're called, and how I can convince them to grow in my back yard. Then I forget again while gardening until I'm back in the woods. They're probably a variety of Forget-me-Nots, which would be sort of ironic, now wouldn't it?

I enjoyed my hike. I'm back to hiking in the redwoods, and that feels good, even after the exotic locations I was at last week. My boots are now covered with California mud, instead.

Yes, I've become someone whose hiking boots and poles live in the back of my car. Who would have imagined?

Hawaii, Apr. 8th - My Last Day in Hawaii

My first order of business was to see when I needed to leave Hawaii, so I could be sure to be packed and ready. Then the logistics of getting to Hilo for a 6:24 am flight, while needing to return a rental car and staying about 2.5 hours away occurred to me. So I decided to see if I could change my flight. I'd tried before I left, but it was very expensive to do so. But trying again wouldn't hurt. I figured if I could leave at 3 pm instead of 3 am, but get home about 12 hours earlier also, it would make more sense. The original reason for picking 6 am flight was Graham's objection to both flying on his birthday and taking the overnight flight. I didn't have any such objections, so I changed the flight and only had to pay the change fee.

This meant I was leaving Sunday afternoon, and there were still a few things I wanted to do before I left. The first thing was to snorkel at "Two Step" where I'd visited the previous afternoon. This time it was low tide, there were a bunch of people around and in the water, and it was great. Not as many fish as the other beach, but it was good to challenge myself at a deeper spot.

The view across Keoneele Cove. Much better with some sun!

It's called Two Step because it is literally two steps down, and you're into somewhat deep surf, right over a coral reef. You can see the fish immediately, and swim all around the cove. There were even some scuba divers there. I didn't see any dolphins, though.

Another view of  Pu'uhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park, from Two-Step

Then it was back to the rental to pack, before loading up the car and taking off. I had to return the snorkeling equipment, and drop off the 2nd necklace at the jewelry store. While I forgot to take a picture of the 2nd, black and white necklace, I did take a picture of the green one.

Green necklace, ready for a buyer

 I took a wrong turn on my way to the saddle road, but it worked out okay. I'm not sure why people make such a big fuss over that road - it wasn't that much of a challenge to drive. I think the belt road around the island, especially the curvy sections by Captain Cook, are much worse. But it was fun to drive between the volcanoes. I don't have any pictures, because stopping the car at the active military installation is discouraged.

After I arrived in Hilo, I still had a couple of hours to spare. So first I stopped at a cave. It was actually a lava tube. Very different than Thurston! This one barely had a path into the opening - it did not have lights at all. Not wanting to get lost in a mile-long lava tube, I didn't venture far. But it was neat to see a more natural lava tube than the highly sanitized one at the park.

The view down into the lava tube.

Next I found a waterfall! Rainbow falls, to be precise. That was also pretty - even on a rainy afternoon. You get to see the rainbows in the morning, while the sun is behind you, so no rainbows today.

Rainbow Falls, without a rainbow

I did hike around a bit, and got a little muddy. 

It was a wonderful trip, but I think I'm ready to head home. I miss stuff at home, and am ready to talk to friends. But I'd love to go back to the Big Island. There's so much more to see and do, including whole sections of the island to explore. I'd also like to re-visit some of my favorite places.

I'm also glad to know that traveling alone, while it has its ups and downs, can be an enjoyable experience. It was a lonely, depressing experience the last time I did it, but that was northern Scotland. It's hard to say whether it was the location, the time in my life, my attitude, or any combination of other factors, but this time felt completely different. It was also nice to challenge myself to have new adventures.

I'm also getting better at self-portraits!

Hawaii April 7th - A Quiet Day

During this entire vacation I've slept really well, up until last night. That late-afternoon cup of Kona coffee, which tasted so wonderful at the time, probably had a lot to do with that. I had a hard time falling asleep, had weird dreams, and then woke up late. Well, one night out of the whole vacation to not sleep well isn't too bad, all things considered.

So that means that today I didn't want to go on any big adventures.  I'd thought about driving to the north end of the island, but the thought of more long hours in the car didn't appeal. Instead, I went back to the quilt store to hang out with the knitters. They had an open-knit group, and crafty people are generally friendly. Their turnout was small, probably due to Easter, but the people were very nice. It was good to sit and chat with people, after spending so much time by myself. I'm pretty good with my own company, but eventually I do need to socialize!

Everyone was fascinated with my Kumihimo. Ironically enough, though, there was a Kumi class at the bead shop right next door at the same time! They were doing the typical beaded bracelet project - a classic beginner. More than one person left that class, came next door to shop at the quilt store, and then stopped to talk to me when they saw what I was doing. Crafting as a spectator sport at its finest!  Then I went to shop at the bead store - Da Bead Shop. It's a tiny store, but did have many beautiful items. Not much room to sit and bead other than the busy classroom, so I'm glad I took the time at the quilt shop instead. Good conversation, though.

On the way back from Kailua I stopped at Kealakekua Bay Park. This the bay across from the Captain Cook monument (that small white thing in the middle of the picture, just above the waterline). Apparently, a pod of spinner dolphins lives in this bay, and there's excellent snorkeling right near the monument. But a paddle across the bay didn't appeal.

Then I went a little further down the road to see if I could snorkel at Two-Step. This is right near
Pu'uhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park, which I had visited on April 4th. I thought about snorkeling, but it was high tide. This was another time where I was attempting to find that sweet spot between challenging myself, pushing my boundaries, and doing what's sensible. When I realized that there were absolutely no others in the water, and I'd be swimming alone, common sense prevailed. There's more days to the vacation, and I could come back in the morning.

Hawaii Apr. 6th - Hot Spring Quest

My plan for today was to soak in a lava heated hot spring, see beautiful ocean scenery, and possibly more lava. What I didn't plan on was being rained upon three times!

I decided to visit the Puna area, in the southeast. According to my guide-book, this is one of the least-visited and most scenic parts of the Big Island. It also wins in the most-recently-destroyed-by-lava category. Of course, as is typical of me, while I'd read my guidebook a couple of times, I forgot it at home. So I was going on vague memories of directions on how to find out-of-the-way places. Surprisingly, I found most of the good spots.


My first stop was Champagne Pool. This was reached down a dirt road, and then a 4WD-only road which I hiked down. Others drove it, even in their 2WD rental, but I preferred hiking to getting stuck in a rental. I did find out that while the hike wasn't bad, hiking when you mean to, with poles and hiking boots, is much more fun that walking down a road with a bunch of stuff.


The pool itself was nice and warm. There were a bunch of fish to see, and I'm getting better at snorkeling. If I'd bought an underwater camera, you'd see a few pictures of fish darting away. As it is, here's the scene from above.

Beautiful, but you'll note the advancing storm clouds. So, after lunch I decided to pack up and move on before getting rained upon. Ha! On the hike back, two different people did offer me a ride, but I decided to walk. I'm not sure why, but I did get soaked. It's a warm rain, not so bad.


Then I was off to another volcano-heated pool. This one was much more like a public swimming pool in shape, and contained many many more people. As I was wandering around, contemplating whether to swim, take a cold shower, and then attempt to get dry again, it started to rain. That and the crowd led me to take off to find another spot.


The next stop on my unguided tour was a public beach. While I thought the beaches wouldn't be too crowded since it wasn't the weekend, I hadn't counted on the Good Friday holiday. Oops. The guidebook had said to leave it to the locals on the weekend, since there aren't many beaches in this part of the island for families to gather at. Okay, one quick shot of the scenery, and then moving on. Can you sense a theme?

Further along the road I found another recreation area. Less crowded, but also less scenic. It featured pine trees (??) and the worst bathrooms I've experienced on the island (ick!) Going in the woods would have been a much better idea. It also featured pouring rain, so no pictures.


After another break to read my book, I ventured off again. This time, I spotted a sign that said "Snacks". Given that I hadn't seen a hint of commerce in many many miles, I decided to stop, and I was glad I did. I ended up at the welcome center of a yoga retreat. Ah, very relaxing! I had lunch, hot coffee, and the chance to sit in a comfy chair for a while and soak up the oh-so-mellow atmosphere. Very reminiscent of Women's Camp, although yoga-focused. I can now see why people go on these sort of retreats. Maybe I'll take up yoga! The coffee was delicious as well. I only wish I'd had dry clothes, since mine were still damp.


After a while, I was back in the car, driving down the road. I drove past more beautiful scenery (even in the rain) before heading for the volcano. This was the lava field that's caused so much recent destruction, and is down near the coast, outside of the national park. The county maintains a parking lot and a small viewing platform atop the lava which crossed the road. They also employ a couple of talkative people to inform the tourists. You can go view it up close via private hikes, but I chose not to do so.

The lava with plants is about 20 years old, from the original flow which destroyed a town and a couple of subdivisions. The lava without plants is 1 - 2 years old, from subsequent flows. The lava keeps forcing the county to re-route the road and move back the viewing area.

This person's house isn't remaining from the original lava flow. No, it was REBUILT on top of the lava. Apparently, since there are still original residents in un-destroyed homes, others wanted to move to the area as well. And since you can buy land for really cheap, people do so. They live off the grid via solar panels, collect rainwater and haul other water in, and have wireless internet service.


After having a look around, I decided to go back to the car, only to be rained upon again during the walk back. Fortunately, after a bit of a drive, I did manage to find some good Pho. It's always comforting to have hot soup during a rainy day. The owner was very nice - she was both the cook and the waitress! Then it was a long (100+ miles) drive back to the rental. The coffee, however, kept me awake far into the night.

Hawaii Apr 5th Snorkeling, Take 2

My goal for today was to improve my snorkeling skills, go to the beach without getting burnt, and to connect with some crafty people.

While I thought of going to another beach, I decided that the Kahalu'u Beach where I snorkeled before was really my best option. I had the most fish, lifeguards, and was accessible without a hike. That sounded like a good idea to me.

I enjoyed snorkeling much more this time. The float belt reminds me of the one Aunt Eileen wore when teaching me to water ski as a child, but it does work for keeping me on the surface. I was trying this time for the zen of enjoying the fish without the worries of water in the snorkel or mask. I mostly succeeded. I do need an underwater camera, though. You'll have to settle for a picture of the surface.

That was a rare moment when there was no one directly in front of me. That beach is crowded! I also managed not to aggravate my sunburn further by wearing one of my workout shirts that also offers sun protection. Not as fancy as a rash guard shirt, but it did work.

After snorkeling for a little while, I decided to head back to town to hang out with beaders and stitchers. When I was in the bead store previously, I noticed a small group of women sitting and beading, so I was hoping there would be another group there today. There wasn't a group, it was just me and the owner. She was fascinated by my kumihimo, however. So fascinated that she offered to buy the green necklace that I'd just completed, plus the black one I'd just started. Wow! Cool! More money for me to spend on beads!

Fortunately, since Linda bought my first necklace I'd had to decide on a price for them. My S&B group were very encouraging of the prices I'd set, and the owner didn't bat an eyelash! She also marked it for $120 in the store, and put it on display immediately!  I need to go back and give her the black one once it is done as well.

Afterwards I went and found another bead shop, but they were closed. Then I found a quilting/ knitting/ needlepoint store. They were super nice, and had open knitting on Saturday. Maybe I'll join them! Crafters are generally always welcoming, even of temporary members, and we can always talk about our crafts.

Hawaii, April 4th Rest and Relaxation

Usually, the major activity I accomplish on vacation is reading many books. This time, I've been too busy going on adventures to do so. However, today I decided to stay near the rental and relax. The combo of the tweaked knee and sunburn wasn't conducive to either hiking or snorkeling, so relaxing was a smart idea as well.

Part of the amenities of the rental include fresh macadamia nuts, Kona coffee grown right here, and fresh tropical fruit. I've already taken great advantage of the macadamia nuts - they go great in my trail mix.

Mac nut cracker. Not quite as cute as the one in the ballet. I wonder if these are typical?

The Kona coffee is also lovely. I must confess that I don't have a very educated palate - I can't really tell the difference between Kona coffee and any other. I'm sure someone will tell me. But with enough milk and sugar, all coffee is good to me. Sacrilege, I know!

The coffee that I'm drinking grows right here.

Typically, both coffee and tropical fruit trigger my acid reflux. However, since I  haven't been having many difficulties with it since the diet and weight loss, I decided to try a papaya. I thought I was slicing into a mango until the knife went right through - no pit! The papaya was delicious. I put it into my lunchtime shake for a wonderful treat.


Even with all of this rest and relaxation, I did, manage to visit a park: Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park http://www.nps.gov/puho/index.htm It's a pretty cool place - a place of refuge. Ancient Hawaiians who broke laws faced certain death unless they were able to flee to a place of refuge. Then all indiscretions were forgiven - no matter what they were.

Hawaii, April 3rd - Volcano

Today's adventure was the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. The park itself is 60 miles away, so I spent a bit more time with the most-random radio, before getting to the park at 10 am. After a quick trip to the visitor's center (nice, but crowded, ugh!) I was off to the Kilauea Iki hike.

The little gray line is the path across the crater floor.

This hike takes you down into the Kilauea Iki crater, across the crater floor, and back up again. Amazing!

That little path is the start across the crater floor.

Rift zones and spooky territory.

It felt like the moon, if it is possible to feel like such a thing. A very alien landscape, to be sure.

The sheer walls of the crater. 

That's steam from the crater coming up behind me. Yes, it was raining. And cold and windy. But I had fun!

Then I went through the Thurston Lava Tube. That was actually my least favorite part of the day. I got there right as two tour buses were unloading, so it felt more like a trip through a Disneyland ride (complete with long line, yelling children, etc.) than an actual lava experience. Apparently there's a less-visited lava tube that's only available on guided hikes that's much better.

After that I was so "get me out of here" that I took a wrong turn. Instead of taking the short 1/2 mile hike back to my car, I went the long way around. Yup, 4 1/2 miles instead! I think it was among the most amazing parts of that day. Total hike: 8 1/2 miles.

The start of the extra hike, through the fern forest.

They're hard to see, but it's actually a funny purple fiddlehead fern.

A self-portrait, attempting to capture the glee I was feeling being right there at that moment.

A friendly chicken. Apparently, feral chickens are a big problem in Hawaii. And everyone comes home with a picture of one!

Pu‘u Pua‘i, a cinder cone. After the lush vegetation of the forest, hiking across this territory was a bit of a shock. And hot.

The smoke from the Kilauea Caldera.

I'm very glad, however, that I'd brought extra water and food with me and have completely shucked all inhibitions about peeing in the woods. 

After I finished hiking, I went to another wild and beautiful spot - the Hilini Pali Overlook. It's where many of the backpacking trips begin, but by then I was too tired to even think about hiking around.

After relaxing for a while there, I drove down to the end of Chain of Craters road to see the lava glow in the distance, since it had gotten so late. I went to the end of the road and thought about hiking over the lava to see it better, but with no flashlight and a slightly tweaked knee, common sense prevailed. You'll have to imagine the tiny glow of lava in the far distance.

The end of the road.

 So instead, I went back up to the Jaggar museum overlook and saw the glow from the caldera. That was pretty cool as well.

More smoke from Kilauea, but the glow from the lava below is visible at night.

There's more to see at the park - maybe I'll go back while I'm here.

Hawaii - Apr. 2 Snorkeling!

Today's big adventure involved snorkeling!  Previous to this, I had not swam in years? Decades? I can't really remember the last time I swam. I know that I didn't during my last trip to Hawaii, so the last time I swam in the ocean may have been during college. You get the idea - it has been awhile.

So first I went off to Miller's Surf Shop: http://www.yelp.com/biz/millers-snorkel-and-surf-holualoa Just like the reviews say - nice people who set me up right. The only thing the reviews don't tell you is that it's a tiny shop in the ground floor of a nondescript condo complex. So getting there was an adventure, but then I was set.

I went off to Kahalu'u Beach Park (http://www.yelp.com/biz/kahaluu-beach-park-kailua-kona-2) - apparently one of the best places to snorkel on the Big Island, or practically anywhere for that matter! Swimming wasn't actually necessary - you could stand around, look down, and see fish! But I did swim and snorkel.

The fish were amazing. It really was like being in a tropical aquarium. The bay is shallow, the fish are pretty tame, and the coral formations are beautiful. There were tons of fish, and I saw a turtle as I was getting out of the water - I had to wait for him to go by! I've decided that I like snorkeling!

I learned that I am not as buoyant as I used to be, so that whole floating thing was tough. I didn't have trouble with the breathing through the mouth thing, nor the claustrophobia that can affect some people. However, I did get a bit of seawater in my mouth and up my nose. And in my ears, of course. I did get some drops to prevent swimmer's ear.

The ocean was a bit chilly, but not freezing. I do understand better why people like to bask on the beach after swimming, though. You need something to warm you up! However, I think I basked a bit too long... yes, I got sunburnt. It wasn't the sunblock's fault - it was me not realizing that I was unable to reach most of the parts of my back revealed by my new swimsuit. I really need to get over that fear of asking strangers for help. There were perfectly nice people on the beach who would have been willing, if I had only asked. I guess that's another downside to traveling alone - no one designated to put sunscreen on my back. Fortunately, I have a shirt to cover me up the next time I go out - it provides both sun protection and is fast-drying fabric. My only doubt is whether to wear the sports bra or go without.  But that's a dilemma for another day.

After snorkeling, I wandered about Kailua-Kona for a while. I discovered two bead shops, and bought beads in both. I also discovered two dress shops that had great dresses in them. Neither of these purchases were any great surprise. I was also pleased that I was able to shower off, change clothes, stick on a dress and sandals, and then look quite presentable, even after a morning of snorkeling. My hair got incredibly curly, but since I had no hope of styling it, I think that's a good thing.

I did ask a random stranger to take a picture of me in one of my new dresses.

Then I had dinner at Quinn's Almost-by-the-Sea. A good place, but you can't throw peanut shells on the floor.

Hawaii, April 1st, Black Sand and Turtles

My goal for the next part of my day was to swim at a beach, and hopefully see a turtle. Given that I was hiking during the morning, and in Hawaii, this seemed like a logical idea. I'd been warned about swimming at the Green Sands beach, and didn't want to change out of hiking clothes.

Unfortunately, the first park I chose, while lovely, was not suitable for swimming.  I liked the crashing waves, and I can see why it's popular as a picnic spot. http://www.instanthawaii.com/cgi-bin/hawaii?Parks.whit

So, it was off to the famous black sands beach at Punalu'u. Given that there are only two green sand beaches in the world, and very few black sand beaches, this seemed like a great idea. The beach itself was gorgeous - full of black sand. (Sorry, no pictures by me, but here's a site that has some: http://www.letsgo-hawaii.com/beaches/punaluu.html)

The highlight of this beach was seeing my first turtle.

First turtle!

Afterwards, I did try to swim. Unbeknownst to me, the reason the water was so darned cold is due to the underground freshwater springs. Yes, the beach is famous for being full of the coldest water around. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Punaluu_Beach Ah, well.

Hawaii, April 1st, Green Sand & South Point

For my first adventure, I decided to hike to a green sand beach. It's located off South Point, the most southern spot in the US, and 12 miles off the highway.

On the way there, I drove through the middle of nowhere, and thought I was lost many times. It was partially a two-lane road, then a one-lane road. Typical driving adventure for me, however. I also saw my first Hawaiian rainbow. Maybe next time I'll get a better shot.

When I arrived at the parking lot (unmarked, of course), there were only fishermen around. Of course, it was 8:30 am and raining slightly, so that may have deterred the rest of the crowds. The path was through lava rocks and across fields, for about 2.5 miles. Gradual undulations, and not a hard hike. The rain was the most annoying aspect.

The view of the beach from above - check out the color of the water!

The beach itself was gorgeous. I'm sure I'll be saying that a lot about Hawaii, though. There was cinder cone, with a steep path down. Being my new, more adventurous self, I was undeterred and hiked all the way down. Thank goodness for hiking poles!

Cinder cone above the green sand beach, and the start of the path. Where?

Another view of the cinder cone

 The sand itself was olive green since there's olivine (periodot) mixed in from the cinder cone: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papakolea_Beach

The hike back to the car was warmer, and much sunnier. It was also much more crowded. Glad I went early.

Since I was already at South Point, I decided to stop at the actual southernmost point of the US. I'm not a big one for hitting geographical landmarks, but why not?  It's another desolate, windswept point, mostly full of fishermen. Apparently the fishing is great where the currents meet each other.

On the way back to the highway, there were some dramatic cliffs. I was wishing for a better zoom lens at that point!