View from our balcony at Mariott (Lahaina, HI)

Out of dedication to our large and growing fan base (mostly our parents and a few neighbors), we sucked it up and decided to spend a few nights at a resort. Clean sheets, AC, nice swimming pools and, so far, no roosters. That last point is a big one with most of my questions at check in rooster oriented (so, what do I do of I see a rooster?).

View from our digs at Camp Olawalu (Lahaina, HI)

One oddity of the resort experience is the sudden uptick in people speaking the traditional Hawaiian language. Aloha. Mahalo. And that’s pretty much it. Times we heard those phrases spoken in first two weeks on Maui? Zero. Times we have heard those two phrases in past 24 hours? 4,587 (rough estimate). And it does not seem to matter at all where the Mariott worker is from. They all just seemed to pick up the lingo. So aloha! And mahalo too.

View from Camp Olowalu (Maui, Hawaii)

For the last couple of nights we have been camping just outside of Lahaina at Camp Olowalu. It’s a nice place but the roosters suck. They go off an hour or so before sunrise. One of them hangs out at the campsite next door. Our neighbor (the human one) thinks it’s cute. Maybe she likes pretending to be some sort of destitute farmer who lost everything and now has to sleep in a tent next to her rooster. The campground actually seems divided with some people (including Henna and Corey) able to sleep through the hour or two of cock a doodle doing. Others, like me, are wondering how roosters might fare in a stew.

A crazier sight would be the cow standing on the bird!

Making up for the roosters is the easy beach access and private outdoor showers. Shino and his family (who we camped with a week ago at Wai’anapanapa State Park) are here too. They however are in the upscale Tentalows which include Adirondack chairs, cots, and a permanent canvas/screened tent. They also get a better breeze despite actually being further from the beach. Shino’s gone Hollywood.

Henna at the beach reading

Hiking at Waihee Ridge – a little over 2, mostly uphill miles, with impressive views of rainforest and beach

One of the more impressive places we have been was the Maui Ocean Center captures sea life, such as tiger sharks, via hook and line. The animals are then housed for a few months before being returned to the ocean a little bit fatter but probably better rested.

Maui Ocean Center

The center also takes in and filters sea water which is used for the exhibits before being returned a heck of a lot cleaner to the ocean.

Sea turtles basking at Honolua Bay (Maui, Hawaii)

Looking into the crater at Haleakala National Park

Up up up, like Jack climbing his beanstalk, you travel the park road to the summit of Haleakala. Then you peer down into the massive volcanic crater and marvel at the Martian like scenery.

Sunset from the crater – unlike sunrise the sunset is a very mellow affair

No one was allowed into the crater on our first day in the park. Details are vague, but a woman was attacked and there was a manhunt underway. Mid evening on our second night camping at Hosmer Grove we had a helicopter repeatedly sweeping low over the campground. And then that night while Henna slept and Corey and I sipped whiskey there was a rustling in the woods. Peering into the dark I saw a flashlight. It saw me and the light went dark (or so it seemed). A few minutes of quiet and then the phantom light returned to the tent next to mine. Let out a sigh of relief and thought at least there are no bears on the island.

Despite the potential attacker we loved the cool nights at Hosmer Grove (mid to low 50s and free too). At 7000 feet you sleep just a little above the clouds which also made for little rain and bright stars. On our last day at the park the trails opened and we quickly descended well into the canyon before crawling out exhausted and thirsty. A good time was had by all.

Another gourmet dinner by Henna and Noel

After three low key days in Wailuku (a quirky but decidedly suburban feeling place with roosters) we headed toward Hana. The highway to Hana is mostly sharp blind turns punctuated by one lane bridges so narrow that branches will almost definitely scratch up the rental. The endpoint though is even wilder than the drive. Things to see once you get there include black sand beaches, bamboo forests, giant waterfalls, cliff side hikes and faded religious shrines. And by camping at Wai’anapanapa State Park for three nights we pretty much had it all to ourselves (or at least between the hours of 6 PM and 11 AM). For the second time this trip we also made friends while camping. This time it was a cool family from Toronto.‬ Together we pooled our resources to cook veggie and not-so veggie hotdogs over the fire (our coals their dogs) and sipped estate grown coffee in the morning (their coffee our stove). It was like a low key commune. We also met a few locals including a long since married couple who met while hiking at Wai’anapanapa in the early 80s. Besides giving great advice (my favorite involved cows in the pasture) they also gave us fresh guava. Not sure which was more valuable (definitely the sweet sticky fruit).

The black sand beach at Wai’anapanapa State Park

Makahiku Falls (Haleakala National Park)

A section of the bamboo forest at Haleakala National Park

Glen’s Coconut Ice Cream- sold both on the highway and also in Hana. Delicious!

Hello there~

Day 3 on the island and we finally feel normal. We are never really “normal” but we feel better adjusted to the time difference. We will be leaving our air BnB tomorrow (or today if your reading this 7. 13) and heading to the Hana Highway to camp. The locals are all talking about the rain that is coming, remnants of a far off ocean hurricane that will be hitting exactly as we are camping. Ah such is life and travel. We are ready for whatever comes our way, or at least we will have a good story to tell.

Today we ventured out, stopping in the town of Haiku (which inspired this haiku):

Town Haiku saw us

A hammock we did acquire

With Kumbucha sweet

Says it all. Bought a hammock and drank some sweet Kumbucha on tap. Awesome hippie/artist town that sees few tourists. We were mistaken for townies, which always makes us feel cool. Next we headed down the road to join the real tourists along Twin Falls Hike, which follows upward along a rushing creek, past warning signs of flash floods and high water levels, through a gate that says-not to enter, forging a rushing creek to a waterfall replete with swimming hole….oh and about a dozen or more people. Oh the people. But what nice people. As we crossed the creek, the water was running so fast that it seemed to want to push us over the falls. I was leading our little army across and could here Henna saying, “I’m getting dizzy” because the water was rushing past so fast that it messes with your eyes. I knew I had to get her across and quick, but each step was met with uneven rocks and nudging from the water. We made it across only to see Noel planted in the creek with his shoe flowing with the creek over the fall and on toward the ocean. Noel was fine, aside from a bruised ego and some expletives he shouted. But now he had no shoes to wear along this rocky path. People were so kind, and as Noel plugged upward wincing in anguish they all empathically shared his pain. We made it to the waterfall and Noel enjoyed a swim. The hike took a bit more time then it should have, but it ended well; with some shaved ice while watching surfers brave the waves. Although my pictures always show smiling faces, there are countless stories to tell of ups and downs along this journey. Each day has something of a high and a low. Such is life.

Corey

Henna testing out the Hammock

oh the people

Noel tempting fate before he lost his shoe

The gate everyone passed through in spite of the warning

rushing creek

the payoff

shaved ice payoff

surfers below

my thirsty boots

cows!

his feet were SO sore.

All trip we’ve been haunted by the number 41. Our campsite in the Tetons? 41. The day after was room 214 which I know is not technically a 41 but, wait for it, the following night we lodged in room 241. But the biggest sign we live under a specific odd number cloud came today when flight 41 ferried us from San Francisco to Maui. Crazy.

Other patterns this summer have involved cats. Cats tucked in Baby Bjorns being lugged up mountains. A cat used as a service pet by a nervous worker in the Tetons. And a whole mess of cats in a parked car next to us at a gas station in Nebraska. Then today on our first night in Maui we fight jet lag to see a beach and run into people volunteering their time and money to feed the 40+ feral cats hanging out at a harbor near Wailuku. They come nightly to pet, feed, and listen to the cats (whose plaintive meows clearly speak of their anxiety).

Another surprise in Maui are the roosters. They not only crow outside our modest Airbnb rental but they also crowd the unlikeliest places like the Safeway parking lot. Cats, roosters and the number 41. Rock and roll.

So it’s a little after nine and we are chilling at a Comfort Inn off Route 1 in Half Moon Bay, CA. So far today we have checked out a few cool art galleries, wandered around San Francisco, walked a section of the Golden Gate Bridge and packed for our flight tomorrow to Maui. We should be exhausted. In fact we are exhausted. But also excited. And ready to be somewhere new, to hike on trails unknown. If we could drive to Hawaii we would. But instead we will tackle long term parking, airport shuttles, and rental cars. Yuck. Will let you know how it goes.

Not so easy packing up the camping gear.

Along the Truckee River in Reno

At the Holiday Inn in Reno. It’s morning and I just stepped into an elevator. Woman inside asked if she was on the 15th floor. I told her there are only nine floors. “That’s OK, I always leave a big tip.” Hmmm. She said something about being in the field too long. Then as she walked into the lobby she muttered “just want to take a shower.” We’ve all been there.

The sprawling desert along Route 93 from Twin Falls, Idaho to Wells, Nevada

The falls at Idaho Falls

To paraphrase “Alice Isn’t Dead” (a super cool podcast that Henna has hooked us on), we are a nation influenced as much by distance as we are culture. You feel it when you drive from Chicago to Valentine, NE to Dubois, WY down through Pocatello ID and then to the truly lovely town of Twin Falls where we watched three young men base jump off a bridge into a crazy deep canyon. And we haven’t even driven the road to Hana yet. Anyways here are a few photos from the last few days. You can watch the base jumpers on Corey’s Instagram feed (thirstyboots2).

Entrance to ranch near Victor, ID.

At this canyon in Twin Falls, ID is one of the few places you can legally base jump

Got a little too close to these moose in Cascade Canyon (Grand Teton National Park)

Cascade Canyon. Actually prettier in person than in this picture

Every year we are away for this celebratory day. Often we are in Canada, and peace and quiet reign supreme. This year, we are staying in the quiet of Teton National Park choosing to avoid the busy town of Jackson. We woke late, feasted on books, hash brown and eggs then had some adventures; kayaking and exploring. We enjoy the more subdue kind of day in which we stay clear of crowds, drunks and loud noise. Tonight we hope to enjoy the sunset from our back porch and sit by the fire (it’s cold at night). Tomorrow is our last day here in the park and we have a big hike planned to keep us busy all day long. This place is very special to us, and each time we come we find a new spot we have overlooked. I hope you all have such a spot, and if your not there tonight hope you are very soon.

Corey