Four Hours and a 200 Mile Round Trip...

drive to visit the origins of my cough in Volcano National Park. I know-Stoopid! 

I had a game plan of hiking a long loop, but the recent eruptions vaporized that idea. Volcanos are so inconvenient. 

So I hiked through a crater resembling the end product of a drugged out asphalt paving crew. It's not the most scenic National Park, although the nearby rain forest is pretty neat. 

Damn those Portuguese for introducing the Faya tree so they could make wine. What's the matter? Manischewitz or Morgan David wine isn't good enough?

If a tree can grow in Brooklyn, I guess it can make a living at the bottom of a stark crater. Mother Nature hates a void.

Some visitors donned helmets because they were worried about another cataclysmic explosion. Now that's being paranoid. 

The journey there was so stoopid, I'll do it again. There's a few more craters to see. Who knows, maybe I'll be on hand to see the Goddess Pele really perform. 

Someone should tell the EPA about this park. I know all this noxious venting is in violation of the Clean Air Act of 1970. The NPS needs to be held accountable. 

Have a volcano free day,

Jeff

Sightings of the Loch Ness Monster are...

commonplace compared to seeing me geared up for playtime in the ocean.

This event is extremely rare. Haley's Comet rare. 

First off, I don't swim. I dog paddle or side stroke at best. I'm not a fan of putting my head where air can't enter my ample nose or mouth. 

Second, I'm afraid of water. People drown in it. There's living things in it who would love to make a kosher appetizer of me. You should have seen me get onshore when I spotted a moray eel today. I swam real fast!

Third, I do get seasick. No further explanation needed. I'll spare you the details. 

But today, it was fun. I saw the mentioned eel, a sea turtle, a clown fish, flocks of parrot fish, thousands of yellow tangs (very pretty) and one blow fish. 

I was hoping to whale watch but there were none around. 

I have the gear rented for a week. By that time, I'll be like Mike Nelson of "Sea Hunt" fame. You will be showing your age if you can remember Lloyd Bridges in the starring role.

Maybe I'll get serious and rent a harpoon!

PS. I didn't see Nessie either

Jeff

Why I didn't summit 13,796' Mauna Kea.

Let's see, the dog ate my  PB&J bagel and I was starting to Bonk, so I ate the hound? Nope that won't work. 

Here's the truth. It was too freaking frigid and body slamming windy for a guy who prides himself on avoiding the Season of Death at all costs. My extremities were getting numb (my nose is an extreme extremity of mine). 

There was White Death on the trail. I didn't step on it.

I missed my mark by two miles and 680.46' of the summit. Half of the distance would have been road miles. Yes, I not a total wimp, most Haoles (white folks) drive to the top. 

I did make it to Lake Waiau sitting at 13,115.54' (I love "My Altitude" app). There were no bikini clad beauties there. Maybe a few hardy Ski Bunnies if conditions were right. 

The lake is another Hawaiian sacred place. There's a gazillion of them in the Aloha State. Jerusalem might be the only area on Earth with more sacred places. When in doubt in Hawaii tread softly. 

Mauna Kea is the highest point in Hawaii and it too is a sacred place. It's so special there's a paved road to the top! 

I am still coughing from VOG. In one photo I captured the culprit spewing noxious gases. Everyone hacks here, even non-smokers like me. It was a first for me to be wheezing at altitude. Clean air is so overrated!

Sleep well Mainland and beyond.

I'm knackered!

Jeff