Monday, February 11, 2008

Felt like I was sittin' on top of the world

I wait all year for a day like Sunday. A storm has been dumping snow on the mountain all week, and Sunday morning the summit road was open. The air is pretty thin at 13,796 feet, so my stragegy is to exert myself as little as possible, and get as many runs in as I can before I am lightheaded and dizzy. My dad was the perfect ski lift, he'd drop me off at the top of my run and pick me up at the bottom. I got a record 10 runs in! Two from the UH telescope and eight from the Keck, where the snow was less icy.

Besides the thrill of boarding, it's just amazing being up there. It's pretty fun to get in the car in the tropics, drive a bit, and step out into a pile of snow. The stark contrast of the deep blue sky, blinding white snow and black volcanic cinder cones is breath taking. I may have skipped church to go snowboarding, but I truly felt like I was communing with God on that mountain. Our God never ceases to amaze me!

A view of snow covered Mauna Loa from the Mauna Kea summit:



The best looking ski lift I have evern seen, my dad!


A Hui Hou, here I go!

Hard to believe this is Hawaii:

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

That last photo is incredible! Why is it that the snow there looks so beautiful while here it is so horribly ugly....might be because it's been so COLD!
Loved those shots, wish I could have been there!
Coll

Anonymous said...

I wish I had taken that last picture! WOW! That's so cool! I always knew YOU were cool, but you *do* cool things, too! And Amen on being with God up there and all around this magical place...~Melinda