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.