Lava... we did it.

WE FINALLY HIKED TO THE LAVA!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

2 years in Hawaii and we finally did it. My best friends Samantha and David came to visit me this past week and around midnight on a Friday, we decided it was now or never.

We have SO many pictures... but most of them didn't turn out very well. It was a long hike, we got back around 4am, so tired, so sticky, and with melted tennis shoes. It was so worth it.

Didja?

Didja know that this is happening?? Like right now??

Thanks to Hawaiian Lava Daily, I can get human updates all the time. Right now is a very exciting time to be on this island, and I'm really hoping that after finals next week Tim and I can do a night hike to go see if for ourselves. Not like when we tried before.

And didja know I had to create not one but two celeb look a likes yesterday for my last day in make-up? Phew... one male and one female that I could (possibly) resemble.. 

I chose Nicole Kidman:

And Kurt Cobain:

Whatchya think?

Edmonson sisters Part 2

We all spent a whole day at the Volcano Park exploring the lava tubes and trails

Dumb lava.

Tried FINALLY to hike out to the lava and it was all flowing through the tubes. All we saw was glow. But alas, we will try again soon...

Kalapana

Tim and I had ONE day off this past week and we spent the first half in Kalapana. This website has a lot of great information about the flow in the late 80's and early 90's that took over Kalapana. If you have time, I really recommend google imaging 'Kalapana', there are some serious nutty photos of the destruction. Kalapana is super East Big Island, this is where 'virgin air' is known to be, air that has traveled for so long that it is 'new' and the cleanest in the world.

On our way to Kalapana we stopped at the painted church which was pulled from its foundation in the 90's when it was in the path of the lava flow. The church sat on the side of a road for years and then it found its new home basically in the middle of no where.

Outside of this church are some seriously aggressive wasps... I almost died... fo realz.

 Pretending to listen to a sermon...

The second half of the day was spent watching UH's performance of Hairspray! It was great, I LOVE that Tim will willingly and happily see theatre with me... and he loves it. We're a match made in heaven!

Downside to Paradise

For the past week, the Vog on the island has been almost unbearable. For most people, it just makes their throats scratchy. For me, I have full on flu-like symptoms. I feel like I'm a little kid again with asthma. I'm taking prescription strength eye drops because I feel like I need to tear them out of their sockets.

I'm glad Hawaii waited six months to show me it's bad side. I could not live here if the Vog was this bad every day.

This is a great photo that shows the difference a day and some wind can make. Unfortunately, it's not windy here often and the Vog just sits.

Saddle Road

I love working at Daniel Theibaut in Waimea, but the drive is what some people would call CRAZY. It takes about an hour and a half to get there and there are 2 options: Highway 19 which goes along the coast North-West, or Saddle Road.

Saddle Road was built in 1942 by the Army to get from one side of the island to the other, and it's the only road that goes in between the 2 major volcanoes of the island: Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa. They needed the road asap and built it FAST, leaving it for many decades a complete nightmare where only 4WD could get by. Over the last few years, a lot of work has been done and I have come to appreciate it for it's speed and California Highway feel. 

It is one of the prettiest drives ever. At one point during the drive, you can see Mauna Kea to your right, the MASSIVE Mauna Loa to you left, Kohala straight ahead, and Hualalai off to the distance in the West.

My camera can in no way do this road justice, but... I tried.

This is the beginning of the drive as I'm leaving Hilo, this is to show how in just a few short miles while ascending to nearly 14,000 feet the temperature dramatically drops and I usually have to turn on the heat.

Saddle Road quickly leaves blue skies behind...

and becomes covered in grey, fog, vog, and rain.

 This picture is obviously bad, but I think it shows it's at 64' F.

Lush greenery turns to old lava flows and harsher grey skies.

Just past Mauna Kea you begin to spot blue skies again.

As the mist clears, Mauna Loa, known as the Long Mountain, shows itself.

Mauna Kea to the right being left behind.

Just past these mountains is where Kohala, the extinct volcano, born 500,000 years ago lives. 

If you look closely you can see the edge of the island.

Saddle Road is notorious for Wild Turkeys, pheasants,  Ne Ne's, and Sheep. I ALWAYS see plenty of the turkey and pheasants, unfortunately Ne Ne are endangered and I have only seen a handful since I've been here.

Once you make it to the beautiful town of Waimea, the sky is clear enough to see the massive telescopes on top of Mauna Kea and maybe even snow. 

And then this is just for our enjoyment: