Rent a Wreck vs the Volcano

On Wednesday we finally decided it was time to see more of the island. Remember, we are on at least the semblance of a budget. Liz found a saved note from Craig's List dated last April that pointed us to a local  "Rent a Wreck". Boy, did she find a deal. We are now the proud temporary possessors of a 1994 Ford Aspire, a vehicle seldom renowned even when new. It does have certain advantages. It cost very little to rent, less than $25 a day, no hidden charges. If it breaks, we call and eventually we'll be rescued. We will never be targeted by carjackers. We are now mistaken as locals. It gets better than 35 MPG. You're never tempted to exceed the speed limit or to challenge the many interesting sport car roads this island has. Oh, it's even reawakened my atrophied religious sense ("Thank God, we made it again."). Here's the stylish beast in all its glory.



Aaron, our rent-a-wreck's owner, perennial political candidate and farmer of 13 highly desirable acres on Hawaii. 

That day we made tentative trips to a local beach and "hot pond" just to test out the possibilities. 

These kids were going surfing. Imagine riding a wave into these rocks!

The boat ramp was the only real sane swimming.

Yes, they're surfing right at those rocks. Gotta know just what you're doing!

The hot pond, very much nicer.

Thursday, time to tempt the gods with an excursion down the Saddle Road. This roughly north-south road runs exactly between Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea and reaches about 5,000 feet in altitude. Just the ticket for a clapped-out Ford. Actually, it turns out that except for a high clutch engagement, low brake engagement, noisy accessory belt and not all that much compression (probably not even when new) the little beast is actually decently maintained with plenty of fresh oil and a really good cooling system. So what if every hill requires dropping back a gear or two. The speed limits here are ridiculously low and if the cars behind us are getting impatient, we're legal and they are the lawbreakers.  Apparently, the Michigan highway department runs the Saddle Road. Several construction delays, many rough spots waiting for their turn. Compared to most of the island roads, this is unusual. Imagine no chance of frost heaves, almost no potholes, nearly ever road paved. Of course, we had to drive out to the 1970 flow which completely severed Highway 130 for a stretch of  about 10 miles.

Back to the Saddle Road. As I said, it is actually quite remote and desolate with not so much as a gas station for 40 or so miles. On the other hand, it runs right between Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea, with both visible from opposite  sides of the car for 30 or so miles. Spectacular. Locals avoid it because it can sure get lonely up there compared to the beach roads which are full of surfers, tourists, fruit stands and the like. I completely understand.

Kona is on the edge of a for-real desert. Wind patterns give Kona about 10 inches of rain compared to 150 or more on the north side of the island.  Along the shore it's pretty lush but as little as 5 miles inland it gets really dry. In an afternoon we visited one of the many summer palaces of minor royalty that seem to pop up in every nice spot. Then a dash down the beach road back to our Bali hut. Kona is interesting enough that we'll be spending our last 4 days on the island there. No sense putting down roots in Pahao, nice as it is.

Our first day at the Kilauea Caldera was short thanks to the sulphur dioxide that day so we went back on Friday. Fortunately the winds had come up and we could take advantage of the hiking paths. We went down to Kileua Iki, another crater in the volcano complex. There are dozens of craters in the park and I freely admit to being confused about the methods of formation. Of course, they're all vents of the main volcano but then get classified into ash cones, slump features and whatnot. What's important here is  that we hiked across the crater floor of Kileau Iki. The edges were as rough a country I have ever walked, feeling like an ant crossing a box of tumbled Legos. The center was very smooth with ominous broken bubbles. Stay on the path, if you please. There are plenty of places where a thin crust covers an old bubble. A very interesting 5 mile walk, ending with a path through a lava  tube large enough to drive through about a hundred yards long.

 Then 20 miles down the park road to the petroglyphs. It seems every old civilization leaves some sort of permanent mark and the old Hawaiians did it in lava. Miles out into the lava. beds. Just to keep it a little exclusive, the state kept the road a mile or so away. If you want to see it, you gotta walk.

We actually got to both sides of the lava flow that cut highway 130. One lady we met remembered it very well and was still indignant about losing that beautiful black sand beach. There's only about a hundred yards of it left of what used to be miles. Now it's mostly black lave cliffs many hundreds of yards seaward of the  old beach. The beach is still there, under 60 or so feet of new island.

I recall promising some picures of Pahoa and the Farmer's Market.