Standing Between the Skylights

Here's a photo from another recent caving trip. We still haven't found the mile-long, stand-up cave we're looking for but we found one cave that went back about 100 feet and saw lots of interesting lava formations.

White Christmas

Like most of the nation, north and west facing shores of the Big Island enjoyed a white Christmas yesterday- our coastline is being slammed by waves and our island is bordered by white water as far as you can see. A pretty good size swell is predicted to continue through today. Chris took this picture of me watching the splashes at NELHA Christmas morning.

Got Gas?

Apparently, Microsoft's co-founder, Paul Allen, does not have gas but he desperately wants some. Mr. Allen owns a home behind my workplace and he is having a private pipeline installed that reaches about 1/2 mile from the local propane dealer down to his property. So for two weeks we get to listen to bulldozers tearing up the street and deal with driving through an intersection full of machinery and workers.

I can't help but think it's hilarious, and it appears that Mr. Allen has put about a dozen guys to work for two weeks, which is great in this economy. But I can't help wonder why a propane line is so important to him. Besides running a BBQ and lighting tiki torches, what could he need lots of propane for? If the line is simply for aesthetics (perhaps he doesn't want an ugly tank on his land) Chris suggested that it may be cheaper for him to purchase the house next door and hide the tank there. Listings in the adjacent subdivision start at $1.2 million, which is probably cheaper than paying to tear up the road.

On the Hunt

We took a trip up Mauna Kea Saturday to do some bird hunting. I was happy to pull the 4WD "fun lever" and away we went, up the mountain to where frost remained on the ground until after dawn. The air was crisp, the breeze bone-chilling, and anticipation high. Larry was especially excited after a successful hunt a few weeks ago. He turned out to be the sharpshooter this weekend, too. He brought home a turkey, a chucker and a quail. I am not sure I react quick enough to be a bird hunter. One quail flushed from a tree right where I was standing and before I figured out that I was supposed to aim and pull the trigger the bird was already gone. It was the only decent chance I got all day and birds didn't cross Chris' path at all. Slow hunting, but the view was fabulous.


Hunting on Mauna Kea with cinder cones in the foreground, Kohala Mountains in the background, and Haleakala on Maui towering into the sky.

Could I Have Some Fish with those Bones?

Thanksgiving morning was already off to a good start. In addition to waking up next to my sweetheart (which I get to do everyday) I had a relaxing day with family to look forward to, a fresh cup of Kona Coffee, I was swimming in newspaper which showed our staff's success at warding off the recession by selling oodles of Thanksgiving Day ads, and I also had a fried flounder on my plate. The meat was tender and yummy and it tasted exactly like a freshwater fish. However, I have never seen so many bones in a fish in my entire life. Bones ran ever which way and they were long and stringy like hair. Chris gave up on his portion of the fish, but after about 45 minutes of effort I managed to lick most of the meat out of the bone pile. The spectacle reminded me of my uncle, Wayne, who I know could have done a supurb job of eating that fish.

Thanksgiving is the perfect time to remember family. It frustrates me that life gets so busy and distracts me from things most important. Spending a calm day hiking with my two favorite men (husband and dad) eating a fabulous meal prepared by mom and browsing Christmas decorations and old photos was a great time to reflect on things I highly value. The day was well spent; it felt right.

Trials Riding on Hualalai's 1801 Flow

Chris likes to ride his trials bike on the lava near the airport but only when it's cool out. This kind of riding is slow and strenuous so cooler weather is a must. Trials riding is a specialized kind of dirt biking where the object is to make it through the obstacles without touching your feet to the ground. The lava is perfect terrain with lots of "obstacles" to traverse. The photo is of Chris doing a "nose wheelie" also called a "stoppie" if performed on a street bike. You do a nose wheelie by applying lots of front brake but not too much. Once the back tire is in the air you can set it down wherever you want, which allows the rider to make a zero radius turn. A handy manuver while riding on rough lava where deep cracks leave little room for turning.

Roi Roundup

The Hilo dive club put on a spearfishing tournament Saturday morning in Kawaihae. Chris and I camped with the group Friday night, then dove the tournament. The goal was to hunt as many Roi as possible because they are an invasive species. The University of Hawaii was supposed to keep our fish to study what they eat, but they didn't show up to to pick up the fish. Because Roi have high levels of cigeterra they are dangerous to eat, so the fish went to waste, but it's probably beneficial for the reef to get rid of them anyway. Chris shot seven and I shot four (the winner shot 11) We also saw manta rays, a huge eel, conch shells and a shark. It's always fun getting in the water and we met lots of divers from Hilo side. Time well spent!

Pizza, Anyone?

Another Ironman has come and gone. Each year, about 1,800 athletes along with their families and fans converge on our town, wear their Speedos on our streets, and sweat all over our grocery carts. Actually, I really like Ironman because it brings excitement and money to Kona each October. I always look forward to the event. And every year I am amazed again that anyone can swim 2.4 miles in open ocean, bike 112 miles in high winds and ridiculous heat, then run a marathon. As my mom likes to say, "I can't even drive that far!"

The more I see of the race the less inspired I am, however. Two seconds after the thrill of crossing the finish line, many runners can be found puking, falling down, shivering, etc. Why do they do it? The race creates an entire city of need in a 17-hour period. Huge circus tents become make shift hospitals with rows of IV's tapped into dehydrated athletes. Mobs of massage therapists, physical therapists, nurses and doctors scurry around like busy ants. It is in this light that I present a photo from this year's Ironman. Not the classic shot of a champion clad in a flag and orchid lei, but one of the empty pizza boxes piling up on the other side of the finish line, consumed by hungry athletes who just burned up an entire month's calories in eight hours.

Coasting

Joe told Chris about a fun bike ride he and a friend did, and it's been on our to-do list ever since. We finally borrowed my dad's bike and went for it. We coasted several miles down an abandoned road to a second car we had parked at the bottom so we wouldn't have to ride up hill. The only work was lifting the bikes over a couple of cattle gates. We had a nice view of the coastline, some cinder cones, and we saw some bizarre lava formations near the source of Hualalai's famous 1801 lava flow, shown in the background of this picture.

Mountain Ride

Chris and I planned to dirt bike Mana Road, but by the time we arrived, clouds had socked in a good part of the mountain. So we choose to ride the hunting road instead. The first 20 miles were cold and wet but we finally got above the clouds. We were forced to take a nap in the warm cinders above 11,000 foot elevation where the sun was shining. We had great views and fun the rest of the day, and before we headed down the mountain the clouds had cleared.

We stopped to check out some beautiful siverswords. These rare plants are considered threatened and they are endemic to Hawaii. They only grow in very specific mountain areas on the Big Island and on Maui.

A Little Mountain Exploration

It's still hot down here so Chris and I headed up Mauna Kea for a Labor Day hike. We were met by clear skies, cool mountian air and unbelievable views. We stumbled around at 12,000 feet for a while looking for an ancient adze quarry. Hawaiians discovered this patch of lava that had no bubbles in it, which made it the best substance they had for constructing tools. However, we did not find it before lunch time, so we retreated to 9,000 feet so we could catch our breath and eat under a shade tree.

The next hike was a favorite of mine- to a red rock canyon Chris found during his days as a soil scientist. We did this hike when we first started dating and it has always been a memorable one for me.

Chris and I pose with the Red Rock Canyon behind us.

Checking out an incredible view of Mauna Loa.

Hiking above the clouds at 12,000 feet. Note the volcanic cinder cone in the background.

Hitched

Ron and Jen's wedding was a joyous occasion. I have been friends with Ron for the past nine years, and I've always enjoyed his humor and friendliness. We've had many nights of drinking with the old gang at Durty Jakes and hanging at his house has become my Superbowl tradition. Several years later, Jennifer started working at West Hawaii Today and her 'can do' attitude and positive approach to life really impressed me. It was pretty fun befriending each individually, then watching them grow together and decide to marry. They're a great fit, the wedding was beautiful and I am so happy for both of them.

Run from Summer

We were tired of being hot so we rounded up some friends and retreated to the 10,000 foot level of Mauna Loa to look for lava tubes. The air was misty and the 65 degree temperature was ideal for hiking. With the help of his GPS unit, Chris lead us right to some pretty sweet caves. The first skylight we found had a good 30-foot drop to get down into, and the tube looked HUGE. Ben didn't give up easily and he found another way into cave, where we took entertaining photos in the sun's rays beaming through the first skylight we had found.

We discovered a few other tubes, also, and we saw amazingly bizarre lava formations. The lava surrounding one skylight was smooth enough to ride a skateboard on. We think it could have formed when the lava tube got clogged up and super hot, runny lava was forced out that skylight onto the surface. Another hole revealed a drop of at least 30 feet to the floor of a cave, and the ceiling was less than a foot thick. No wonder bulldozers sometimes fall through during excavation. The ground isn't alway as solid as it appears.


Chris and Sam check out a hole in the ground that is a skylight to a large lava tube below.

Chris "Hangs 10" on the lip of what used to be a pool of lava.

Ben has seen the light.

Church Hike

Somehow, Chris and I have become known as hikers among our church family, so we occasionally plan church hikes to be sure everyone is included on the fun. Many people do not realize Puu Waa Waa is open to the public for hiking, and the view from the top is phenomenal. We could see Hualalai, Mauna Loa, Mauna Kea, Haleakala on Maui, and an amazing coastline view. The three-mile hike gains about, 1,800 feet in elevation, and in the summer sun it was a bit warmer than I would like. But a good time was had by all and we are already getting requests to plan another hike.

The Jaspers

I never really finished posting about the family trip to Minnesota, so I'll just complete the story with a family photo.

Minnesota Aloha

Chris and I returned last week from a trip to Minnesota to visit with his (our) family. When I married Chris I knew I was really getting something good, but I didn't appreciate how big of a blessing my new family would also be. Chris' parents rented a cabin on a lake where I had a whole week to get to know the clan better. I couldn't have felt more welcomed and it's obvious Hawaii isn't the only place that knows about aloha.

In addition to spending time with my new ohana, I was given a true Minnesota experience: fishing, lakes, loons, hail, bait shops, northern accents, wild rice, wild raspberries, mosquitoes and more.

With the help of Captain Dan, I caught this 17" walleye. Chris measured it with a homemade tape measure to be sure it wasn't too big to keep. (18" and larger go back in the lake)

Peaceful setting:

When Reed's sporting goods stocks jigs they don't kid around.

Catch More Fish

This turkey was reluctantly adopted into the Jasper clan, and it seems to be a fairly unwanted member of the family. It is entirely too obnoxious and it invokes a strong negative emotion. After that emotion follows silence as you ponder your options for politely getting rid of the offending object.

Mom and dad first tried to leave it in Hawaii with Chris several years, but he "graciously" declined their gift. After having been passed from house to house in Minnesota amongst Chris' family, my brand-new relatives displayed their generosity and sense of humor by giving us the turkey as a wedding gift. Chris was quick to pawn the turkey off on my parents, inducting them in the Jasper shenanigans. They got right into the spirit and searched for an opportunity to foist it onto the next unlucky recepient. It was mailed to Chris' brother, Dan, in Minnesota, but not before Chris tampered with the bird. The bib used to read, "Eat more chicken," but in honor of Dan's new fishing business, the bib has been changed to read, "Catch more fish."

Pretty

I realize there are too many ugly pictures on this blog lately, so here is a nice picture. I was mesmerized by the flowers growing in Larry's pond.

Nice Nenue

I got this nice nenue, which is a fish we like to eat because it's not a cig candidate. Ciguatera is a nasty diesease that attacks the nervous system and it is contracted by eating reef fish. As a precaution, we try to only eat "cig" fish once a week and we fillet them to avoid eating parts of the fish that may have higher concentrations of the chemical.

I was proud of my shot because this fish was hiding under a rock 35 feet below the surface. I dove down and when he came out of his hole I got him.

Riding

We met some guys at church who wanted to go riding so we went down to South Point last weekend to play in the red dirt. I forgot the ocean gets that blue, it was so sunny and beautiful down there in the southernmost corner of the United States. We went several miles past the Green Sand Beach when I got a flat tire, so the ride back wasn't as exciting for me because I had to go slower. But it was still a blast! I am glad I married someone with such good hobbies, and he's willing to share the fun.

Chris enjoys the company of our new pals, Ben and Sam, during a dirt bike adventure at South Point.

I Love the Smell of Gun Powder

Chris, Larry and I went down to Manuka recently to shoot guns. We met a couple of gun fanatics who are fixtures at Manuka and they love sharing their passion for the sport. And there is practically no gun culture in Hawaii, so I bet a lot of people don't appreciate their enthusiasm.

They let us try several of their weapons and let us use their targets. Among the guns we used was a .44 magnum pistol that had some kick, and a super expensive high-power rifle with fancy scopes and things. (sorry, my gun lingo is limited) We also shot clay pigeons, which is always a good time.

Proud of My Palani

Chris and I went spearfishing right after work Friday and I shot this really nice Palani. I pulled in the line and grabbed my spear shaft and as I slid my hand up the spear to pin the fish against the flapper I realized the fish was bigger than I expected. I know it's not a crazy hugh fish, but it's the biggest one I have gotten yet so I am excited. We got some pretty good sized fillets from this one.

Sorry for my lack of posts, I haven't been spending much time on the computer lately. And our camera was broken for a while because I dropped it in the sand. But Chris fixed the camera so we're back in business.

Two Pictures are Worth Two Thousand Words

This sign by Kealakekua Bay just screams Hawaii:

A recent photo taken from the space shuttle shows the source of our island's vog. Emissions from both Halemaumau and the lava's ocean entry can be seen in the bottom center portion of the Big Island. Notice how hazy the air is over the Kona area compared to how clear Maui appears. Breathing all that sulphur dioxide is reminiscent of driving through Gary in my home state of Indiana. We're getting tired of the vog but we have found one benefit. With so much pollution the sun's intense summer rays don't feel quite so hot.

Time to pay your taxes, Larry

Chris, Larry and I packed about 50 lbs. each of underwater gear into a pristine fishing spot down south. It's crazy how much gear is required for spearfishing: weight belt, wet suit, gloves, gun, dive knife, booties, fins, mask, snorkel, defog solution. But after having spent 2.5 hours in the water and hiking uphill on the way back in the Noon time sun I was still overjoyed that my pack weighed more on the way out. There were fishies in there!

I shot a kala, umamalea, and a really good sized palani, and Chris shot three uhu, a big nenue and several other fish. Larry also got fish but he, "paid the tax collector." (I learned that expression today) When he climbed out of the water, he discovered the steel cable connecting his kui (stringer) to his float had been severed. He recalled having felt a tug on his line on his way to shore. He assumed the float had caught up on a rock, but in actuality, a shark had stolen his fish and kui in one chomp.

It was a gorgeous day. Clear water, no wind. One highlight for me was watching a free swimming octupus who immediatly turned to perfect camo when he detected me. Chris' best moment was when he took a perfect shot at a 50 lb. fish. The shot was perfect, right into the head, but the shaft didn't go all the way through the thick fish and with a few spinning turns it broke lose. Ohhh! That must have been dissapointing, but we have plenty of fish in the freezer now. When we eat that up we can go back for more.

Toys, toys, toys

Bikes seem to be multiplying right under our roof. Chris has been spending some time in the garage repairing and rebuilding scooters and motorcycles. You should see this guy work, it's amazing! He turned what looked like a box of junk to me into a fully operational scooter that carried both of us up the hill after a swim yesterday. It goes 40 mph! (by the way, it's for sale) He has actually fixed up three scooters and the bike shown in the foreground. A fourth scooter is coming soon.

Diving After Dark

Lorelei, John and I decided not to wait for the three-day weekend to start having our fun. So I drove down to Jack's Diving Locker Thursday night to rent some scuba gear and we did a sunset dive off Old Airport and a night dive behind the King Kam Hotel Thursday night. We slipped into the calm water of Kamakahonu Bay while stars shone over Ahu`ena Heiau, tiki torch from Island Breeze's luau danced across the water and the familiar voice of Pastor Kealoha entertained the luau guests with a rendition of the Hawaiian Wedding Song. We knew it was going to be an incredible evening!

The reef is transformed after dark. Myriads of shrimp eyes illuminated by our lights appeared like city lights throughout the reef. Uhu encase themselves in slime and tuck into hiding alongside other daytime fish. We saw crabs, a slipper lobster, crazy big and weird puffer fish and even a couple creatures we could not identify. It was awesome! Just when I thought I felt familiar with the reef I discovered night time.

More Vacation Photos

I got behind and never finished telling our vacation stories. It wouldn't be right if I didn't mention the retired stunt woman we met who has played in scores of famous western movies. She proudly boasted to us that she is fourth generation Kanab resident and a steak and potato kinda gal. Then there was the trip across 30 miles of washboard road in our compact rental car in quest of the Grand Canyon. The paved road was still closed for the winter. The trek was worth it- we drove right up to the rim and there not one human voice could be heard for miles. The trip was truly fantastic, but it's always good to be home and back to our tropical playground.

Hittin' the Slots

Hawaii residents have a fascination with Las Vegas, so much so that Vegas is often referred to as the "Ninth Island" because so many Hawaii natives vacation there.

Chris and I flew to Vegas recently, and boy did we hit it big! We didn't put one coin into a slot machine, but we spent plenty of time in the slots. The main goal of our trip was to hike slot canyons, and we found a few doozies. Our favorite was Round Valley, which we came across by accident in a remote area of the Grand Staircase. We could often touch both sides of the canyon at once, and the rock walls towered at least 200 feet overhead. There was just enough climbing, crawling and chimneying to keep it exciting, and we had no idea what was ahead, so there was a feeling of discovery and a constant element of surprise. We also attempted Bull Gorge, but we didn't get far without repelling equipment. Willis Creek and a slot leading to Paria Canyon (near the famous Wave) also proved to be a lot of fun.

Photos above: Chris enjoys Willis Creek, Andrea stands grinning above the start of Round Valley- our favorite slot of the week, Andrea peers into Bull Valley Gorge which proved to be too challenging for us.

A National Treasure

Chris and I returned from a 9-day vacation to Southern Utah. I'll posting a few pictures from the trip over the next several days.

We camped near the coral pink sand dunes the first night, then spent the day in Zion National Park. We weren't excited about the crowds but the scenery is incredible. There are many unbelievably beautiful hikes that are well marked and accessible from the shuttle bus that carries visitors through the canyon, and there are a lot of backcountry options as well. I definitely recommend this park.

Above: Chris hugs the cliff while hiking on a ledge that leads to Hidden Canyon. Below: taking a break on a nice slab of rock.

Aloha

I've had some pictures and post ideas, just no time to write them up! This is a quick update to say we're heading on vacation tonight. We're going to Utah to do some backpacking, and we'll spend some our last night on the ninth island- Las Vegas.

We're looking forward to the break. We'll be home soon so stay tuned for trip photos.

Saturday Afternoon Ride

I am always amazed at the variety of landscapes this island offers. Saturday Chris and I took our dirt bikes to the 6,000 foot level of Mauna Kea to ride Mana Road. We zoomed down a path lined with stately Koa trees and cinder cones, and saw plenty pheasants, quail and pueo (native Hawaiian owl) Not far past Hakalau Wildlife Preserve we pulled off the road to take a hike. But the soft, tall grass beckoned us to take a nap instead. When we awoke, clouds had engulfed the mountian, so we decided to cut our trip short. Most of the way back we fought to see through the fog. Then it instantly lifted. We stood amazed at the edge of the clouds watching the wind blow and swirl them. It was as if God said, "right here and no further!"

He is Risen Indeed

Kona's community Easter sunrise service never dissapoints. Each year Hawaiian chanting calls the crowd to worship, a band joyfully belts out peppy praise songs, a hula halau celebrates with dance and, of course, a preacher preaches. The thrill for me is seeing such a large group of believers from more than 20 area churches come together to celebrate a risen Savior. This annual event serves as a refreshing reminder that the church is alive and thriving. This diverse mix of people and cultures bringing their worship to the throne of Christ is just a glimmer of what's to come.

Sunset from our campsite Friday.

Secret Revealed

The first 15 minutes of each work week is piddled away by workers who spend the time asking each other, "What happened to the weekend?" "How do I make the weekend last longer?"

I don't have a complete solution, but we have discovered the weekend feels longer when we get a jump start on the fun. Chris picked my up from work Friday and we had a picnic dinner on the beach, then we hiked about a mile to our favorite secluded campsite. The excursion was less than 24 hours long but it feels like we've really gone somewhere and done something and now it's only Saturday.

Sunrise over Mauna Kea this morning. And there's still half a weekend left!

Bikes swayed in the wind after today's Lavaman Triathlon. It must have been a tough race!

Welcome to Waikoblowa

Chris spotted a possible Queen's Bath near A Bay on an aerial photo so we headed up there to scope it out. It was a gorgeous day but we were constantly sand blasted by wind that was out of control even for Waikoloa standards. It makes me wonder how anyone completed today's Lavaman Triathlon. Journey is slated to play the new outdoor Waikoloa Bowl tonight, I sure hope it doesn't get cancelled due to high wind like the recent Mercy Me concert.

Part of this complete breakfast: Cocoa Wheats, toast, spam and West Hawaii Today

I'm Coo-coo for Cocoa Wheats

I've eaten Cocoa Wheats since childhood. Growing up, I never knew how good I had it. As it turns out, this "creamy hot cereal with the cocoa treat," is a regional specialty. I wish I could share this remarkable meal with everybody. Since marrying me, Chris has become a fan, and I know others in the world are missing out.

Made by Little Crow Foods in Warsaw, Ind. since 1903, most people outside of the midwest have never heard of this breakfast sensation. Although, a friend of mine "hit it big in Vegas" once when he found and purchased Cocoa Wheats for me there.

This is a long story to say cousin Jeanne totally rocks because she just sent us eight boxes of Cocoa Wheats purchased at WalMart in Indiana. YES!

Two peat?

Last year I won the office bracket contest organized by our sports editor. Yep, even beat the sports editor. Naturally, I coughed up ten bucks and threw my hat in the ring again this year. The sad fact is, I really don't follow sports closely. I put about ten whole minutes into research on Yahoo.com before making this year's picks. But my performance last year is evidence that a bracket contest is really anybody's game.

The Swallow Tail

Pretty Music

It rained most of the weekend, but it let up just for Chamber Orchestra of Kona's Saturday afternoon concert. We played an assortment of pieces like an arrangement of Dvjork's New World Symphony, Hornpipe from Handel's Water Music and Copland's Fanfare for the Common Man. We're a community orcehstra that meets once a week for the love of making music, I really enjoy it!

Puu Waa Waa Hike

Chris and I hiked to the top of Puu Waa Waa cinder cone last weekend. It was a great hike- I recommend it. It's three miles each way with an elevation gain of about 1,800 feet. Not too steep, but definately a decent workout. And the view was worth the effort.

On our way down, we followed a cow with her calves for about a mile. She thought we were chasing her and she was getting pretty frustrated, but she wasn't bright enough to step off the trail. So when we got to a long road that was sloped just right Chris rolled a giant tire down and that really got those cows running.

We climbed a tree at the top of the pu`u and Chris took this picture:

Green pastures: