Category Archives: Hawaii

Hawaii, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Troy's Blog

Returning to Kilauea

March 19, 2022 Troy

While celebrating the New Year on the Big Island, one of the few things on our wish list was go back to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. On our last visit to this amazing park, it was just hours before a portion of the volcano wall collapsed causing a plume of smoke and ash to billow into the air. After that it began erupting in other places causing lots of destruction in its path and changing the volcano and island. This would be an amazing opportunity to see how much the volcano had changed during that time. During our first few nights on the island, the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park website warned that the eruption had paused. Since this was one of our intended things to do while here, we were disappointed and wondering if we would be able to see lava actively flowing. Our schedule remained flexible so we could adjust things around in the event lave began to flow once more. Just before going to bed halfway through our trip I checked the website. Lava had begun flowing once again earlier that day. Tomorrow we’ll drive across the island and explore an active volcano.

About mid morning we climbed into our vehicle for the almost 2 hour drive from Kona to the National Park. Our goal was to be there at sunset to see the orange glow from lava filling into caldera so we started a little later in the morning. Once at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park we stopped at the visitors center, then drove to the overlook of the volcano. It was amazing to see how much larger the caldera had become since visiting 4 years earlier. Smoke was rising up this area but we couldn’t see any lava. It was a little disappointing to not be able to see any orange liquid oozing out from below the rock but it’s still an impressive view. I noticed what appeared to be people across the caldera walking to a different viewing area. Expecting it to be a relatively long hike and some people in our group being unable to walk that distance, I dismissed the thought of finding where the trailhead was for that. After examining the new caldera and signs showing the differences since this last eruption, we returned to the visitor’s center. I listened in to a Ranger talk about where to see the lava and what it takes to do so. He recommended returning very early in the morning when there are very few people at this viewing area they opened just weeks before. That wasn’t really an option for us since it’s such a long distance to drive so on to the next best option – joining hundreds of other people to witness sunset at the newly created viewing area.

A portion of our group opted for hiking the few miles to this overlook where you could actually see lava spewing from below the surface. In order to get a parking spot, we were advised to arrive in the area a couple of hours ahead of sunset. Once parked we spent a little time getting ready and those of us going to the viewing area began our hike. As it turned out, the hike was pretty easy as it was mostly using a paved road no longer in service. A short time later we were at the over look with daylight still presiding over the volcano and there it was. The orange glow of lava erupting. It was a surreal experience for me – very humbling to see with my own eyes. There were hundreds of other people also there so park rangers were trying to keep people rotating to the front for everyone to get a chance to see this natural wonder and it’s power to create the land we walk on. I spent some time photographing this awesome natural power, now understanding more why some many people are drawn to it. Respect is required of such a powerful force and has been shown through the centuries as so many have seen its destructive abilities allowing new life to emerge for many 100’s of years after. Eventually darkness fell over the volcano and the familiar orange glow was a vibrant, sole light source of the volcano. Watching the lava ebb and flow was so mesmerizing. Something I will remember for a very long time. With people waiting back at our vehicle, and a 2 hour drive ahead of us, it was time to depart this viewing area with memories and photographs. It was an incredible experience!

Hawaii, Lake Superior, Troy's Blog

Surfing–Hawaii or Minnesota

February 26, 2022 Troy

On a recent trip to Duluth, Minnesota, the wind could really be felt pushing against the car and I began to wonder what the waves on Lake Superior were like. They’ve been know to get quite large and treacherous at times. Large enough to sink large ships – AKA the Edmond Fitzgerald. I’ve read about people out surfing these types of waves and I was curious to see if the conditions were right. On the north side of Duluth there’s an area to pull off the road and view this grandest of lakes so I headed there. Entering one of the snow covered parking spots I could see large waves crashing against the rocky shore and looking over to my right, there they were. A group of surfers! My wife and youngest daughter was with me and we sat there just watching these surfers as they would grab a wave and then paddle back into the zone.

It was interesting to see and compare as the week before we were in Hawaii watching surfers there. How was it different in these two bodies of water? Certainly water temperature was a main challenge and those people on Lake Superior had on wet suits to keep in any warmth in these frigid waters. The water temperature could not be that much above freezing as splashes from the waves were freezing on shore. Another very noticeable difference was the wave size. Many of the waves in Hawaii were as tall, if not taller than the people out surfing them while on Lake Superior they were only about 2/3rds the height of surfers. From a few discussions with the surfers in Hawaii I learned about using different boards for different wave types. I’m guessing the surfers in Minnesota were on different boards than those in Hawaii were using.

Watching these people out on the water with their boards in the middle of winter was a nice treat and reminder of warmer places from a few weeks before. ‘Stay Warm!’ I thought as we pulled back on the road towards home.

Hawaii, New Experiences, Troy's Blog

Celebrating New Years Day

February 6, 2022 Troy

During the night I would wake to waves crashing on the shoreline and couldn’t wait for daylight to show the view. We arrived at our house during the dark and were unable to see much of the landscape on New Year’s Eve. The fireworks had settled down allowing a few hours of nice sleep. Opening my eyes once again, I looked towards the patio door and finally light was beginning to show through the door. I got up, as quietly as I could so others could continue to sleep, and went out on the patio to see waves rolling over the turquoise water. Soon I was joined by my cousin who was with us for this adventure. A few moments later my wife appeared. Happy New Year! we all agreed. It seemed to take a lot of work and effort to get here, but here was the reward.

Within a few minutes I spotted surfers paddling out to these nice waves for their morning ride. We watched as they waited out in the water for a good wave to roll in that they could catch eventually deciding on one they liked. They began to paddle quickly and soon were up on their board surfing the wave into shore and then doing it all over again.

The ocean had called long enough. A few minutes later it was out to the shore taking in the warm morning sun as it continued to rise over the island. I removed my shoes upon reaching the beach and began to feel this tropical place all around me. Bare feet in the sand below and waves continuing to crash on the shore. Are we still asleep and dreaming?

I had hoped to get in the water the night before without success. It was time now to get that first feel of the ocean. Heading towards the shoreline, saltwater eventually surround my feet. Expecting to wince a little at this first cool wave hitting my toes, I was surprised how warm the water felt. There was no shock or getting use to the temperature. I continued to wade in but only a short ways. My stomach was reminding me it was time to eat and I didn’t want to be wet while eating it.

After a few minutes of walking in the water my cousin and I began exploring the shoreline. Much of the shoreline here is volcanic rock with only a few pockets of sand here and there. Looking in each groove and through the tide pools there were many critters moving about. Crabs would quickly seek shelter from our view but occasionally one would pose for a few moments for us to watch. Fish of different sizes and colors were swimming in the tide pools created by this rocky shoreline with the occasional red or black urchin attached to rocks for them to swim around. As we continued to explore, a Sea Turtle surprised me. A trip to Hawaii just would not seem complete with seeing one of these. This beautiful creature of the sea’s came over to wish us a Happy New Year before continuing on in its search for food. We returned the greeting and continued being mesmerized as waves rolled into the shoreline.

Having gotten a taste of this beautiful place, it was time to return to the house for a quick shower and off to find breakfast. I was so grateful to be able to spend this New Year’s Day with my two daughters, wife, and other family members in these incredible surroundings. One last feel of the sand beneath my feet and it was back inside…at least for the moment.

Hawaii, New Experiences, Troy's Blog

A New Year Begins

January 8, 2022 Troy

The last year has brought a lot of changes with one of those being able to celebrate the arrival of 2022 from Hawaii with family. For the first time in several decades my family had the opportunity to travel over the holidays and decided to take advantage of such a situation. The question was where? Hawaii was presented and accommodations were available but COVID could really be an issue as Hawaii had been pretty strict with people entering. As fall got under way we decided to begin booking a week in this paradise as the pandemic restrictions seemed to be staying the same, allowing us to spend a week vacationing without the need to quarantine first.

Christmas arrived which we were able to celebrate with family, unlike the year prior. As soon as our family gatherings were over, it was time to pack. Fortunately we had been doing some of this beforehand knowing there would only be a few days between Christmas and our trip. There was much to be done during the week both at work and home but New Year’s Eve day was upon us before we were ready. The next day would be a full day of flying. If everything went according to plan, we would be in the ocean before sunset for the last day of 2021.

It was 4am and the alarm began blaring, however we were already awake and beginning to get ready for our day. A short time later we were in the car on our way to the airport. It was an early flight out of Minneapolis with a stop in Los Angeles before continuing on to Hawaii. Moving through security without any issues we walked to our gate with just a short time before boarding the airplane would begin. Time kept ticking by but our flight did not board. Earlier in the week airlines had experienced a lot of cancelations due to COVID and technical problems. We kept wondering if they were effecting our flight on this morning. Now it was just a few minutes before we were supposed to leave and the announcement finally came that boarding would begin. Once we were seated, an alert came across the phone that our flight was delayed 45 minutes. By the time we were in the air it was more than that. Fortunately our connecting flight in LA had sent an alert that it was delayed a couple of hours so we shouldn’t miss it. Unfortunately my plan of being in the ocean before sunset was not likely to happen now. Oh well, if that’s the worst that happens it’s still a good day of travel.

As daylight began to fill the sky, the clouds became visible from our runway. Soon after we were flying through them watching snowflakes sweep by our windows as we continued higher. Eventually we made our way above them. The white, fluffy cotton like now floated below us appearing as a harmless blanket. Within a short time the rays of the rising sun made their way into the windows of the airplane and filling the sky with beautiful morning light. What a sight from this viewpoint. As we made our way across the country, clouds covered much of the ground below, but at one point mountain tops rose above them. It created a beautiful and scenic view from our tiny windows as we fly by admiring the snow covered rock sculptures.

Moving further west we finally broke out of the clouds allowing the landscape below to appear. We were almost to LAX at this point and could see this sprawling city coming into view. Continuing to descend towards our runway, SoFi Stadium appeared just outside our window – the home of Superbowl 56 which my wife and I will be a part of in the next month. It was nice to get a view of where we’ll be working for a few weeks. Minutes later we were on the ground and heading towards our next flight. With the that flight delayed we took some time to meet up with our final family member heading to Hawaii for New Years. Soon after meeting up, a portion of our group went on to meet some longtime friends on their way to the airport for a flight to Minneapolis. We only had a few moments together to swap hugs before each continuing on their journey. Amazing how things work out sometimes. Had our connecting flight not been delayed we would not have had the opportunity to meet up.

The day continued to pass by, however at a slower pace than normal since we continued to move west and time changes kept the clock moving at a slower rate. Once again in the air, the largest of cities began to shrink below with nothing but ocean ahead for several hours. Sitting back and trying to relax as the waves rolled below while this plane flew west, there was much anticipation of a tropical paradise. Finally we began to lower in the sky and see land once again. Moments later we landed for the last time and retrieved our luggage as the sun lowered to the horizon. With color filling the evening sky, we loaded everything into our car for the week and headed towards our place of residence. Along the way fireworks began exploded across the hillside in celebration of the end of 2021 turning to a New Year. Throughout the night these fireworks continued raining down eventually lulling us to sleep after a very long day of travel. We awoke to explosions going off all over Kona, Hawaii signaling the arrival of 2022. With a brief smile I passed out once again anxious to awaken to daylight and ocean waves to start a New Year in a way I’ve never experienced before. Will this set a new tone for the up coming year? It certainly can’t hurt, right?

Hawaii, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Troy's Blog

Abstract Pieces of a Lava Flow

July 29, 2018 Troy

While exploring Volcanoes National Park in Hawaii we noticed many interesting shapes and forms of lava from previous flows. As we looked even closer at them the colors in some of these flows caught our attention causing us to wonder how those were created. Without seeing an actual eruption it was up to our imaginations as to the creation of these different forms and colors. The photo above shows what appears to be a little lava rock which, landed in this spot or was carried to this place by flowing lava, and remained hot for longer than the lava it landed on causing these red, orange, and yellow colorations seen in the photo. They probably were exposed as this lava rock cooled and began to split apart causing a piece to roll down the flow further.

These same reds, oranges, and yellows can be seen in other portions of this same lava flow bringing an added element to these interesting textures. Did this portion of lava also cool at different rates causing these colors to emerge in only certain areas? What would cause one area to cool faster than another? I’m certain some people understand what happened at one time to make these interesting patterns and colors especially now as they can study the new eruptions and flows currently creating new patterns, colors, and shapes.

It amazing how different amounts of lava and lava temperatures combined with the terrain it’s going over can create so many unique types and shapes of rock. Some lava is smooth which is called pahoehoe which is the type shown in the photo above. Below shows another form of lava called a’a. This type looks like a bunch of smaller rocks. As you look closer there are multiple colors all mixed together which combine to look like a dark grey field from a distance. Our time was short to continue looking for more interesting pieces and forms created from an old lava flow but it was fun to have at least a little time to examine lava rock and find the different shapes and colors. Sometimes we forget to take time to really see what makes up a landscape especially if you just get use to viewing it everywhere around you.

Adventures, Hawaii, Troy's Blog

The Green Sand Beach – Hawaii

July 7, 2018 Troy

While spending some time on the Big Island of Hawaii there are numerous things to see and do and one of those items is to walk on the green sand beach. This is becoming more and more popular for a number of reasons. One of those is that this is one of only four green sand beaches in the world making it very unique. Another is getting there has become easier due to transportation availability. You can choose to pay for a ride unless you have a 4 wheel drive vehicle, which is definitely required, or you can hike the 3 miles one way to get there.

Our group decided to take both options. Some payed for a taxi ride both ways, some used a taxi for one direction, and others hiked both directions. These “taxi’s”, which are 4 x 4 vehicles, cost us $15 per person round trip or $10 per person one way. They save a lot of time and make this beach more accessible which is both a good and bad thing in my opinion. I chose to hike both directions because the scenery is incredibly beautiful and I’m able to physically handle this hike. Just remember to bring plenty of water to drink and sunscreen or this can turn into a miserable experience. In the photo above you can see the views while walking next to the ocean. On the right side of the photo is the trail leading from the boat landing, where this journey begins, with a few people walking over the ridge. Unfortunately they are pretty hard to see due to the size of the photo. In the very top picture you can see the beginning of the trail with a boat landing in the little bay. Again the boat landing is difficult to make out in this photo but you can see buoys in the water directing boats into the landing.

After walking over some fairly rough terrain for over an hour due to many distracting views along the way we came upon this beautiful sight of the green sand beach. Once these amazing views were taken in I was surprised at how small this beach actually is and how steep the climb is down to the beach itself. I was quite warm by this point and ready to get into the water so we quickly made our way over to the trail down to the beach and went plowing into the ocean waves. The sand is very soft and felt nice on bare feet while working towards the salty water.

There was only a little over an hour to enjoy this incredible Hawaiian beach so not much time to really explore the area around it. Once I had cooled off in the ocean there were some pictures I wanted to take while here so I dried off and grabbed the camera to remember how beautiful it is from a distance and up close. The water is such a beautiful turquoise blue, the rocks are interestingly carved by the ocean waves, and the sand is an amazing blend of green, white, and black grains which you can see in the image below. These green particles apparently are from lava mixing with certain minerals as it flows from the earth and deposited in this remote location. There’s a better explanation of this on this USGS page. I could have spent a lot more time taking in this beach but there were other sights to continue on to so it was time to return to our car and head to the black sand beach.

Hawaii, Troy's Blog, Waterfalls

Waterfalls in Hawaii

June 9, 2018 Troy

When thinking of Hawaii one of the first things many people envision is of a waterfall in a tropical paradise. Well there are several on the Big Island of Hawaii to meet this expectation. Our first day on the island brought a conversation with a local orchid grower near Hilo regarding sights to see with waterfalls being high on our list. His response was a laugh followed by an explanation that there are numerous waterfalls with fast flowing water as it had been raining almost every day since the 1st of the year.

Our first stop was at Rainbow Falls near Hilo providing a beautiful waterfall flowing over the edge of a volcanic cliff crashing into the channel below. We were told that during the right time of day the sunlight casts a rainbow in the mist below giving this falls its name. It’s definitely a beautiful sight attracting many people to the area to explore this great water feature of Hawaii.

After taking some time to enjoy this area and listen to the water as it falls over the cliff and into the river bed below and use the available restrooms, it was off to see another of Hawaii’s popular waterfalls. After a short drive we arrived at the spectacular Akaka Falls State Park. Here there is a nice paved path winding through the jungle bringing you to an almost unimaginable waterfall. This is a waterfall with a 400 foot drop! I never imagined being able to get this close to such a place being able to witness this plunging river from a paved platform across the gorge. It is so tall and you’re close enough that it’s almost like you’re in a dream.

While the tall Akaka Falls is certainly the highlight of this state park, it is not the only waterfalls visible here. Another one can be seen through trees and shrubs and one more is quite a bit shorter but still beautiful to see. We were nearing the end of our day with the parking lot gate soon to close so it was time to leave but still difficult to tear away from a waterfall that seems like you only would see it in a movie or on tv. There are several other waterfalls but these seem to be the two most popular and worth seeing.

Hawaii, Troy's Blog

Snorkeling in Hawaii

May 12, 2018 Troy

One of my favorite things to do on a tropical island is go snorkeling to see all of the amazing corals and colorful fish. So when we began planning a trip to the Big Island of Hawaii I knew we had to set some time aside underwater adventures. Anytime there were a couple of hours free we headed to a beach to see what was swimming below and was never disappointed. Our very first morning in Kona we walked to a nearby beach and saw yellow tangs swimming everywhere. Within a few minutes I had to go back to the hotel and get snorkeling gear to get a better view of these fish.

A short time later we were in the water swimming among these beautiful fish watching as they dart back and forth finding food and swimming with the motion of the waves as they came barreling towards shore. It becomes so easy to lose track of time when you enter this amazing underwater world. So much of the land world slips away down here. Well, until you find something from land that has made its way into the ocean such as a tire or plastic bottle. Some of it from careless people while other pieces make their way here by accident from either the wind or a larger wave. I ended up losing a key card at one point adding to this foreign debris. Fortunately it was found again and I was able to keep this little piece of trash out of the ocean.

During a few of our last snorkeling adventures we were fortunate enough to come across sea turtles swimming along the reef. One of them kept swimming closer and closer to a point I needed to swim away trying to keep a safe distance from it for its protection. It was so much fun to see these large turtles up close as they scour rocks and swim around the sea. They move in such a lazy fashion like they really have no worries at all and just go with the tide. Even though I was able to get in the water on four different occasion for a couple of hours each, I could have spent so much more time in the water exploring the different beaches and bays around Kona. It was a great time that I hope to be able to repeat sometime in the future.

Hawaii, Troy's Blog

Planning for Hawaii–The Beginning and the End

March 3, 2018 Troy

In a few short weeks we’ll be making our last trip on our National Parks Monoply board to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. It feels like an amazing accomplishment to visit 27 different National Parks all across the United States. These include parks in Alaska, an Island in Lake Superior, and now Hawaii which makes completing this goal we set 9 years ago even more humbling as I plan for and reflect on this last journey for our family in this Monopoly game.

My wife and I have been to Maui and Oahu almost 15 years ago which is when this whole concept of going to each park on the board began. This is actually becoming a little difficult to write as I reflect back on our last visit to Hawaii and thinking about what we wanted for our children. The terrorist attacks on the United States were still fresh in our minds and the uncertainty to what type of future was in store for the kids. Still we were determined to share as many experiences for Kristy and Lysa as we could to show them this great country and the history which helped shape our nation.

It was on Oahu that our future adventures were conceived while visiting Pearl Harbor. The first stop upon entering the National Monument was a gift store as we planned our time here to see the exhibits. While walking up and down the isles of this store we came across a National Parks Monopoly Board. I picked it up and looked at all of the parks portraying each property and saw many that I had heard about and wanted to visit along with many I’ve never heard about. Looking over at my wife I said how much fun it would be to visit each park on this board with our children. She agreed it would be a lot of fun. The board was returned to its shelf with both of us believing we would never be able to actually go through with this idea and we moved on to learn about the horrific events of Pearl Harbor

With the terrorist attacks fresh on our minds we looked at the events of December 7th, 1941 with sorrow and detest. For the first time these events came alive in my mind and more than just a date I read about in history class. After a few hours exploring Pearl Harbor we continued on to see the Dole Pineapple Plantation and more of Hawaii’s beautiful landscape. In a few weeks, after watching molten lava flowing from the ground at Hawaii Volcanoes we’ll take our children to Pearl Harbor to learn what transpired there and stop once again in the gift shop completing what was once thought of as an impossible idea.

Gaining Life Experience