Surfs Up, Dude...

Well... I have been talking big for a while now, so I finally did it, I bought a surfboard.

Ash. and I had been looking for surfboards for couple of weeks, and this one kinda dropped into my lap. We had been looking all day in various shops getting a little discouraged with the prices and lack of *good* used equipment. On the way home, we were passing one of the stores that had been closed earlier that day; low-and-behold the owner was there. After a brief chat he said that he had a used board in good shape that he needed to get rid of (money is tight in Hilo, I might have paid for his week's groceries). I took his number, chilled for a week, and bought the board this weekend.

I basically know nothing about surfboard, but this is what I bought:

It is a short-long board, 8'2" long x 22" x 3.5", 2 + 1 fin.
The board is used, but looks to be well cared for; there are a few dings that look to have been well repaired.

I guess I have to quit talking and start riding eh?

The $10 notebook...

Just as I started at work they had a "yard-sale" blowing out all the old computer sh*t in the office (some real historical stuff, Sun Spark1's and stuff like that!). I was lucky enough to pick up a Dell 17" CRT, and an IBM notebook computer for $10 each!

I finally got an OS on the notebook, not easy without a CD-Rom drive! The IT guy at work was nice enough to lend me his parallel CD-Rom drive (slowest thing on the planet, but very nice all the same!)

For those that care the notebook is and IBM ThinkPad 570e, 12gb Hdd, 384Mb Ram, with 14" display. It's not without problems or I'm sure they wouldn't have thrown it away. It has is a dark spot in the upper right hand side of the screen; If anybody knows how to fix it, lemme know!

Life @ 14000', part II...

I returned to the peak of Mauna Kea last week, had to take some measurements for one of the instruments. (a testament to good drawing management, they have drawings for it, but nobody is sure if they are accurate!?!)

This week I find my self in the UKIRT inferred telescope, with two projects...

The lifting mechanism for the CGS4 (red crate) needs to be modified so it may be serviced using a different work stand.

My other project is also for the UKIRT telescope is a "rain hat" for the WF-Cam (black torpedo). Apparently the dome leaks and water has been pooling against the "field lens", I'm told this is bad.

Both of these projects are pretty straight forward, although I am not really getting the level of mentor-ship I would like with respect to the stress analysis for the modifications for the CGS4. Its a big, expensive, one-of-a-kind device and I don't wanna break it! My direct superior is leaving for holidays at the end of the month, so perhaps I will have better luck with the senior engineer; he is a very personable guy.

Inside the UKIRT...



Another fancy panoramic from the UKIRT parking lot, the highest point on Mauna Kea...



Apparently the astronomers and I share the same level of humor...

Memorial Day weekend...

Well this has apparently been the most anticipated post yet (YAY form me).
There has been a bit of a delay in getting this post up, photos are much easier to take then they are to upload and clean up! I have also been a little busy, after all social duties call.

In a attempt to not waste a perfectly good long weekend, Ashley and myself rented a car and headed Kona side; just to see what else is out there. Were we disappointed? Hell no! Kona is a little more touristy, a little less rural and a lot of fun. The water is so unbelievably clear and soooo warm. I have taken showers that have been less warm than that water, even at night! After having a nice supper and some clubbing we pressed forward and headed to Volcano National Park to see us some volcanos.

Volcano Park is about a 2 hour drive from Kona though some really fun, really twisty road. The drive was very scenic and very pretty. Along that drive there is a beach called South Point. Appropriately named, South point is southern most point of the United States, and has some amazing jumping cliffs. No, I didn't that time, but I will next time. We also made a brief stop at Black Sand Beach, also appropriately named. The sand is very black and comes in the form of pulverized lava rock, which gives it an odd texture. Much more crystalline than traditional silica beach sand.

We finished our drive and arrived at the park, paid our fee and headed over the day center. When we arrived we were devastated, the winds were not favorable for viewing the lava flows at that time. The heat is not the entire reason that one is to keep back from the lava flows (but they are hot, even from several hundred feet) the venting lava apparently emits a cocktail of silica vapor, sulfuric acid and some other bad things. If we had left for the viewing site immediately the winds would have been blowing these emissions back into our faces, Nasty. Thankfully they winds did turn around, blowing the gases out toward the ocean and were able to continue our trip.

After grabbing a quick supper we drove though the park parked and began our walk out onto flows. The current lava flow (apparently they are changing all the time) was a 3 mile walk over some of the ugliest terrain I have seen in quite awhile. The rock deposits are very sharp and abrasive, a more rugged pair of shoes would have been a good idea. We did our walk at night, night-time is the best time to watch the lava flows as you can see more without getting all that close, although we did get pretty close. On our return walk we found a Florida couple that's flashlight bulb had failed. To help them out we walked back to the vehicles with them; after all, it's all about the Aloha spirit. After the 5 hour round trip, tired and sweaty, we drove to a camp ground and set up for the night.

We had previously discussed seeing more of Volcano Park but both of us has seen quite enough lava rock and decided to head back to the palms the following morning. Trip gave us a taste of what the big island had to offer and really just gave us an idea of what we have to go back and do more thoroughly...

Starting the trip, counter-clockwise around the island...


































































Kona @ night...




Kona, view from hotel room...



Kona, along the strip Ali'i Drive...






More driving, on the way to Volcano Park...







South Point...















On to Volcano Park...









"Liquid hot magma"...













Hot, sweaty and tired; Good weekend...








Rental Car Review (for those that care)...
Make/Model: Nissan / Ultima 2005
Engine: 2.5l(s), I4
Transmission: 3sp electronic auto.

Good:
Gobs of power for a 4cyc!
Good fit and finish.
Lots and Lots of room.
Comfy supportive Seats.

Bad:
Over-drive needed badly!
Excessive body-roll.
Very Poor OE tires (likely large contribution to body roll).
Non-intuitive dash controls.