We awoke somewhat early, but slept in just a little bit longer so that we could enjoy our last day to sleep in. The menu was honey buns and OJ. Previously we had gotten a gallon of OJ at Target. I wasn’t sure if we’d be able to drink it all, but sure enough as a write this, we have half a gallon left for tomorrow’s breakfast.

We headed out to Haleakala, a dormant volcano. Going up the mountain you could really see the change in vegetation as we drove up the switchbacks to the National Park. Cattle roamed free close to the road without a fence.

There’s a National Park visitor’s center at the top offering great views when the clouds cleared. The temps were cool and the wind made it seem even colder. The visitor’s center offered a brief relief to the cold.

We drove down the mountain through a very thick layer of fog which was difficult to maneuver through, but we made it though ok.

Then it was back to the hotel for homemade cold cut sandwiches and a nap. I really enjoyed the nap, although I never did make it completely asleep.

We then decided to explore west Maui. Initially I wanted to visit the northwest counter clockwise from Kahulu on the north side, but our guide app suggested going on the south end. Sharon agreed as she was under the impression that the route I intended to take was curvy and one lane at times.

We made it though Lahaina on front street, a major pedestrian walkway with virutually no parking spaces. Next we drove up through some resort towns and then to D.T. Flemming beach.

I really wish we could have spent time swimming at D.T. Flemming beach. It looked like a nice clean park. Plenty of a mature surfers were in the water. One in particular seemed really good and was able to maintain his balance on the shallow end.

Next was on to the Blow Horn, a geological formation of rock where waves cause a geyser like effect periodically. It was great fun to watch it from afar.

We drove back to our hotel stopping to take photos at pulloffs along the way. We ate at Charlie’s Restaurant and Saloon. Sharon had a chicken burger while I had a sausage pizza – it said it was a personal pizza, but it might have well been a medium. Sharon and I could have split it and been satisfied. Now after having ate all of it, my tummy is very full.

Tomorrow is our road to Hana, which is sure to be an adventure.

I woke up early this morning. We had to catch a 9:17AM fight to Maui and we were an hour away from the airport. I was too tired to pack the night before. Our freshly washed clothes lay in the sofa unfolded. I showered and then ate the donut holes and fruit juice I got the evening before.

As I packed my clothes and souvenirs I began to wonder if all of it would fit, but sure enough it did all fit, but I made a mental note: no more souvenirs…or at least no more big souvenirs.

We began our journey at around 6AM. I turned in my key to the resort staff (24 hour front desk). We crossed into the suburbs of Princeville with well manicured grass done by lawn care specialists who couldn’t afford to live there. I stopped to take a photo of the $150 fine to anyone parking on the street. It might have been targeted to those beachgoers who need a place to park, or maybe it’s some rule rich hoity toity people used to separate themselves from the lower classes.

Driving in the dark before sunrise in an unfamiliar place is both unnerving and adventurerous. I got both of these feelings in the spectrum, but my fears are always calmed by my ever present wife and navigator. We stopped to get a few sunrise photos on the nearest beach. Spectacular comes to mind.

We pulled into the airport too soon, with not enough time to get gas. So I may end of updating for. 4th of a tank of gas. The only hang up with TSA is we couldln’t bring our suntan lotion with us. We could have checked it, but really who checks a bottle of suntan lotion? Or even checks your carry on just because you have a full bottle of suntan lotion.

We found our gate and waited on our flight. Hawaiian Airlines must have a near monopoly on intraisland flights. Their rates are good, so no one is complaining yet. Southwest recently got into the intraisland flight which hopefully will start a pricing war if it hasn’t already.

From the plane we saw Oahu, Molokai, and Maui. Molokai continues to be an undeveloped area compared to the other islands as seen from the air.

We caught some kind of light rail train to the rental car station. This is new compared to my last trip in 2008. It might be because the airport has limited parking spaces (as discussed later on in this entry). We chose a Nissan Altima as our rental vehicle. I had hoped for a VW Jetta as advertised but got the fine print “or other equivalent.”

We set off for the “free parking lot” near the Maui Ocean Center. The only problem was that there weren’t any spaces available. We chose instead to park in an overflow to which may or may not have been within regulations. (We later found out from the server at the General Store that we would not get towed).

Lunch was at the general store. We both got cheeseburgers. It’s more of restaurant than a general store. Patrons have the choice of playing board games like Scattigories and Connect Four.

Next was the Maui Ocean Center. It’s basically an aquarium with a little more on the history of Kaho’olawe as a bombing range and cleanup efforts. We saw sharks, turtles, seahorses and our favorites – jellyfish. Sharon and I just like to sit and watch the jellyfish all day in their darkened fluorescent lighted tank.

We decided to go on to Lahaina Printsellers, a favorite stop of mine. I was here in 2008 and got a print of Hawaii and Chine. Now I wanted a print of some special place Sharon and I had been to. Honestly I could have bought much more, because I love maps so much, but I simply do not have room for them on my walls. But I did manage to get a couple of prints – Tennessee and Kauai, both special to myself and Sharon.

This area of Maui had terrible parking. We drove for a few blocks before finding a spot. Sharon stayed behind while I walked to Lahaina Printsellers.

We got caught up in Maui rush hour to check in at our hotel – the Nalu Kia Lodge. We ended up seeing a sobriety test adminsters by Maui’s finest to an obviously drunk driver.

Nalu Kia Lodge is located in the alleyway of Paia on the north shore of Maui. Sharon picked it because it was near our road to Maui and other attactions in the rea. There is no front desk clerk. Instead our names were written on a board with our room assignment and key in our room. Like Corey and Darlene’s Airbnb condo in Kauai I wasn’t sure if we’d even meet the owners or staff. We retreated to our room for a short rest time before going to Zippy’s – a Hawaiian equivalent of Denny’s, but with a lot more Asian food and more locals. I think we were the only tourists there.

We stopped at Target on the way back to our hotel to buy essentials for meals.

Parking is a problem with Malu Kia Lodge. They have more rooms than parking spaces. And each space is awkwardly positioned. We parked on the street (I rarely parallel park and this parking exercise showed me what I’m made up. We carried our bagless groceries like the Clampetts back to our room.

Tomorrow we’ll visit the dormant volcano and maybe have some beach time. Goodnight all.

After a nice stay at Kauai Palms Hotel it was time for us to check out and travel to the north part of the island to Kauai. We had a nice breakfast of bacon, eggs, and leftover pineapple. We packed up, turned in our key and headed to the Red Hibiscus, souvenir store in Lihue.

While Sharon sat in the parking lot in our rented Jeep, I walked up into town to take photos. The old Lihue movie theater had been turned into a senior living facility, but they had left the neon marque with “Live Aloha” written on it. Posters from movies like “The Terminator,” “Vertigo,” and “Titanic” were prominately displayed in the “Now Showing” section of the theater lineup.

Outside of the movie theatre there was a homeless person temporarily residing nearby. Homeless in Hawaii had become a common theme throughout our stay. Housing seems to have become unaffordable for the poor and many have resorted to living on the beach.

I managed to snag a photo of a rooster in front of the McDonald’s. Now if I could only snag a photo of one in front of the KFC.

At around 9:20AM the sales lady arrived to unlock the doors to let us inside of the Red Hibiscus. Sharon bought some clothing for her niece and nephews and a couple of dresses for herself. Afterwards we stopped by Hilo Hattie’s again to get a vintage Hawaiian sign, picture frame and Ukelale.

Next was on to see the waterfalls. About 4 years ago I tried to see Wailua Falls on a day trip. But it felt like I was driving off into nowhere and turned around before I got to the waterfalls. This time with the help of my wife and Google Maps, we successfully found it. Parking was at a premium with a ballet of cars driving in and out of parking spaces on a dead end street.

The falls were gorgeous. The crowd thinned out enough for Sharon to get some good photos of the falls without hindrance. Next was onto Opaeka’a Falls. This one I had been to before. It was difficult to miss as it had a very large parking lot and was on the side of a busy street. We took several photos and crossed the street to watch people canoeing the river.

We headed north and drove though commercial area with dense parking. It seemed touristy in a subtle sort of way. We stopped by some scenic lookouts to get some good photos of the ever blue ocean with picturesque skies.

We did stop by a beach where were were sure homeless people lived at. There was a primitive hut and car seat with cooking utensils nearby. I began to wonder how and why people go homeless in Hawaii and how one surivives. Weather is not necesssarily and issue. Rather it almost propagates the problem.

We attempted to stop at a pizza place but couldn’t find an area to park at. So we skipped it and drove to the general store in Princeville. It was part of a touristy complex with stores with huge markup on things that I would never buy. It took 20 minutes to cook the pizza, so we browsed these shops waiting on the pizza.

We took the pizza to a local beach to eat under a pavilion. We shared the pavilion with what Sharon described as homeless people judging by their conversations. The man played classic rock on his portable stereo (maybe a iPod?), while a middle aged woman (maybe a new acquaintance) asked him questions. Sharon had a good view of them, while I could only hear parts of their conversation.

We finished up our pizza and headed toward the Kilauea Lighthouse. It was a wildlife refuge with a half a dozen bird species flying around and roosting in the forested mountain cliffs near the ocean. We managed to see a Hawaiian goose – a Ne Ne which road signs warn drivers to be on the lookout for. Sharon was fascinated with the whales. Ever so often they would emerge out of the ocean doing what seemed to be tricks or somersaults while a human audience watched from the shore. Sharon couldn’t get enough of the whales. It was great to see it from ashore rather than from an expensive tour on a boat.

We tried going to Queen’s bath, but it was bordered by a residential area and we weren’t about to hike down to the beach crossing through private yards.

Meanwhile we headed to Hanalei Bay Resort which must be some type of condo / timeshare residence. We signed up for someone’s condo on AirBnb. It’s al very complicated. All I do know is it is very nice area, and way out of our income level. This is a ritzy place. Folks are either very rich or very in debt.

Our condo has a very beautiful view. Sharon pointed out a waterfall from our patio. She stayed and took photos of the sunset waning on the horizon, while I went to Foodland to get supper.

Supper was chicken fingers and cheese tots. I also got some some cinnamon rolls for Sharon and donut holes for myself. Fruit punch was on tap for tonight and tomorrow morning for breakfast with a half gallon of juice I got.

After supper I managed to find my way down to the beach – another picturesque scene.

We used this time to do our laundry and pack for our flight to Maui departing at 9AM tomorrow. I’ll be a short night.

After a hearty breakfast of eggs and bacon, we went to the Kauai museum today. It is near the county municipal buildings. Outside was the usual flock of chickens.

Inside we learned how Kauai was the last island conquered by King Kamehameha. Eventually the King of Kauai was forced to pay tribute to Kamehameha to remain as a figurehead king on the Island.

We also learned how brothers and sister intermarried to increase “Mana” which could be seen as power or karma or a little of both. Children of this incestuous relationship were considered Godlike and whatever object their shadow was cast on was destroyed.

There were also special sections for surfers and World War II. World War II did mention the Japanese internment camp during the war and how martial law was declared in Kauai. In short travel was restricted and newspapers were censored. Also some folks with foreign nationalities were restricted changing of jobs without the approval of the government.

Next we stopped by Hilo Hattie’s. It has some great (but expensive) clothing of Hawaiian material. Sharon found a dress she liked, but figured she wouldn’t wear it enough to justify the price, so she passed. Meanwhile I did find a vintage travel poster printed on wood, which I might go back to get it.

It was getting to be about 11AM so we figured we needed to start traveling to the canyon. We had planned on stopping to get a picnic lunch from Subway and eat at the canyon. However after an hour of traveling we decided to get Subway and eat at a park. Sharon found a nice beachside park, where we could sit and relax.

Sharon pointed out that the people at the park were all white, while the natives were obviously not there. I figured they were at work, but maybe it shows the descrepancy of the class system in Hawaii. Native Hawaiians are poor while rich white vacationers spend the money visiting attractions that only natives could dream of visiting. Of course this beach park was free, so it kinda discredits my theory.

Next was on to the canyon. As we drove up it started misting rain. I had seen clouds at the top of the mountains and this should have been a sign of things to come. Sure enough when we got to the most spectacular lookout, it was covered in clouds. I was disappointed, but I had seen the canyon before on a previous trip. Sharon on the other hand had not seen the canyon. I felt bad for her, having come all this way to be disappointed by a cloud.

We continued driving to other lookouts. We were able to see a waterfall ever so slightly obscured in the fog. At the last lookout the fog finally cleared showing us the Pacific Ocean and, as a bonus, a rainbow. My mom having described Hawaii before said rainbows were all over the place, almost in an annoyed manner. I figured Sharon was just getting a glimpse of how beautiful Hawaii must be.

As we drove back the clouds cleared. We did stop at the waterfall we had viewed before, but this time with a much clearer view.

We were driving away from the park and the clouds cleared even more. We thought that there might be a chance that the main lookout might have cleared too. So we drove the 15 minutes back only to find it still obscured by clouds.

We drove down the mountain and it was getting to be near sunset time. Sharon found a beach with a pier that we stayed out until sunset. Seeing the sun go down at Oceanside is spectacular. Hopefully we can do it every night.

On the way back we stopped by Walmart hoping for a deli, but found none. So we got chicken from KFC (Sharon had been craving chicken all day from seeing those chickens).

Tomorrow we head to an Airbnb in Princeville. I’ve never stayed at an AirBnb before and I’m not sure of the protocol so I guess I’ll find out tomorrow.

Well we are in Seattle. We got up at 4AM to catch a ride from my Dad to the Nashville airport. Our flight was with Alaska Air at 7AM. Seattle is Alaska Air’s main hub and the direct flight from Nashville opens up a whole new list of destinations that Sharon and myself will need to try.

We saw some folks from our church at the airport. They were headed to El Salvador for the yearly mission trip during Wilson County school’s spring break.

Our flight was uneventful. We experienced some turbulence. We left a little late because of de-icing of the wings and got in a bit early to Seattle. I saw some people with face masks due to the corona virus outbreak.  Washington State has had quite a bit of infections lately.  But I think it is overhyped. We’ve got a 4 hour layover. We ate at Qdoba which has much bigger burritos compared to Moe’s. Now we have 3 hours before we board our flight to Honolulu. We’ll use this time to recharge our phones and other devices and write this blog post.

We slept in a little today, but it didn’t feel like it. Checkout was at 11AM and we were sure we would be out by then. We loaded up our car and headed out to McDonald’s for our $13 meal for both of us. I guess things are expensive in Moab. For the same 2 meals of Sausage Egg & Biscuit, hash brown and drink would have been around $7 at home.

After getting gas and orange Fanta we stopped by a local rock shop in Moab. Sharon saw a lot of rocks, none of which she felt like getting. I think people get caught up in souvenir buying and don’t realize that what they’re buying will just sit and collect dust once they get home. So it was $1 for an ordinary rock with increasing prices as the rocks became prettier or more interesting. They did sell fossils of fish imprinted in rock, which I did think about getting, but I wasn’t sure where I would put it, plus I wasn’t sure if it was authentic. Part of me repeats that Indiana Jones quote “It belongs in a museum!” Who am I to have a fossil in my own home for no paleontologist to study? It would probably at best end up being sold at an estate sale when I leave this earth. At worst it would be thrown into a landfill.

There were quite a few rocks outside in the front area away from any cashier. At night there was a deposit box for people to pay on the honor system should they see a rock they like. The more expensive ones were inside. I’m certain theft could be a problem since they couldn’t watch everyone all the time. Thieves could easily stuff some rocks in their pocket and no one would say a word about it.

Afterwards we took State Road 128 on the border of Arches National Park. This road followed the Colorado River along some beautiful landscape outside of the National Park. Along the way we saw painters with canvases painting the canyons and river around them. It was pleasant to see that there are still some people in the world who take time out to relax from the hustle and bustle to look and feel the environment around them. Sharon took several photos while I wound my way around the turns.

Eventually we got to the ghost town of Cisco. Ghost town is a misnomer. There are still people who live there. There is a general store that touts ice cream for weary travelers along the way. I just drove around taking photos of the buildings which were spray painted and falling apart. After circling the town twice I figured we might draw attention to the locals, so I headed on my way.

We got on the I-70 thinking there would be a gas station on the next exit. A sign prominently displayed “NO SERVICES” on the exit sign. And it was like this for the next 4 interstate exits. I wondered if someone were to build a combination gas station and restaurant at one of these exits, would it make money. Plus I can’t even think of how it must be in blizzard season without having any type of gas station with bare necessities during such harsh winters. Utahans must be a hardy bunch, or else better prepared than travelers from the mid south.

We stopped at a McDonald’s in Fruita to relieve ourselves. I always feel funny stopping at a fast food place to use their bathroom, then awkwardly wait for the rest of my party while the cashier looks at me anticipating to take my nonexistent order.

We decided on Qdoba in Grand Junction, just 6 miles down the road for lunch. I appreciate Sharon bearing with me with my sub sandwiches and pizza habits, I know that she does have cravings for other things which her more developed palette needs. I got a good steak burrito, while Sharon got a chicken burrito. While rating I typed in “Attractions Near Me” in Google. Colorado National Monument popped up, and it was only 30 minutes from us. I suggested this to Sharon and she was game for visiting it.

Colorado National Monument is a National Park with two entrances and it runs almost parallel to I-70, so there’d be very little backtracking once we got into the park. We did have to backtrack to get to the west entrance, but it was only 30 minutes out of our way.

At the pay station at the entrance the park ranger said we might see a Big Horn Sheep on our drive. Sure enough after a few switchbacks we saw 3. We stopped to get several photos of it, as did a bicyclist who happened to be nearby.

We made it to the visitor’s center. At the entrance we saw some Jehovah Witnesses setup with their stand ready to win new converts. I see these stands near many major tourist attractions in Europe. This was the first time I had seen some in a National Park. I wasn’t sure if the National Park rangers knew about it or if they even cared. We awkwardly passed by them, but chose a different way out.

Sharon looked around the park museum and I bought a Christmas ornament with a Big Horn Sheep on it.

And then we were off to do our automobile tour of the canyon, stopping off at most of the pull offs to take photos. It was breathtaking. I really wanted to make the Monument rock to go viral. That is use social media to make this lesser known National Park and monument as famous as Arches National Park.

Sharon would get nervous when I would get near the edge, but I was plenty far away that I would not have been in any danger.

After a while it was time to go home so we finished up our drive with some hairpin turns down the canyon.

Our hotel was at Glenwood Springs, about 90 minutes away. We passed through grassland bookended with foreboding mountains. Sharon took some picture on the way.

Our hotel, Hanging Lake Inn is just off the interstate. In fact we’d probably hear the interstate when we lay down at night. It’s a spacious room with a fridge and microwave. The pipes around the sink are insulated and there is an option for a heat lamp in the bathroom, a sign of the cold winter yet to come.

We decided on Rocky Mountain Pizza farther into town for supper. It was a bit difficult finding a parking spot, but we did find one a block away.

Rocky Mountain Pizza is somewhat of a hippie joint, staffed by twentysomethings which might not have gone to the Chick-Fil-A school of customer service. The staff wasn’t necessarily overjoyed to have us, but felt obligated to get us a table.

Somewhere in between table service and fast food service is what we got. Meaning the fountain drink machine was nearby for customers to refill their drinks, although the server did give us glasses of water upon seating us. I got the feeling it was our job to refill our drinks.

The pizza was good. The menu implied they made their own sauce. It was slightly sweet but not as sweet as Gatti’s pizza back home. We left full. We tried stopping by a souvenir shop, but they were closed.

Now we are back in our cozy room trying to get some sleep before we drive to Denver tomorrow to fly out at 9:12PM. Our vacation will soon be over. I am glad to have spent it with my always supportive wife. I am so blessed to have her as my best friend and travel partner. We hope this is the first of many more domestic trips out west and beyond.

We got up at around 7:45AM to start our day. Our hotel didn’t serve breakfast, so we decided on Moab Diner primarily because it is cheaper than most all other restaurants. It was busy when we got there but even busier when we left. I got an omelette and Sharon got pancakes and bacon and eggs. Since Sharon was sure she couldn’t finish her pancakes, she gave one to me and I gave her my hash brown that came with my omelette.

Table service is a bit lacking. Last night was difficulty getting the check so we could leave. Today was getting a refill on getting water. But they were really busy so I’ll give them a pass.

Then it was off to Arches. There was a line getting in. After about 10 minutes of waiting we got in. We visited the gift shop at the entrance at the bottom of the hill before heading on up to view the rocks.

We stopped and took photos of the Gossips (three rocks resembling figures coupled together) and the organ (large foreboding rock). We then went to the iconic balance rock, which looks like a nuclear mushroom cloud or Toad from Mario Brothers, depending on your perspective.

We drove into the Garden of Eden which is a rock garden of sorts. We found some rock climbers out. I’m not sure what the park considers appropriate when allowing rock climbers on some rocks, but not the others. I guess there is a rule on rock climbing somewhere but I’m not privy to that information.

Next was the Windows Arches. Parking was at a premium. I saw lots of cars but I’m not sure where all the people were. I guess it might be trailhead somewhere. I walked up to the most prominent arch and took some photos of it. I remember visiting this arch with Mark and Megan in 2011. I did my best to recreate some of the photos.

Sharon and I decided to have lunch. We found a place at the Panorama Point. This place is used to star gazing, and has limited picnic tables. We had lunch in the car. Moab Diner sells a boxed lunch which consists of ham and cheese sandwich, bag of plains Lays chips, an apple, bottled water, and a Snickers bar. We paid $8.99 for it which I think was a bargain considering all the food entrees.

Next we decided to go to Delicate Arch. I had missed seeing Delicate Arch in 2011 with Mark and Megan and I was determined to see it this go around. It was a 3.2 mile hike mostly up hill. I passed by a historic cabin and some petroglyphs. The petroglyphs were surrounded by what appeared to be school children on a field trip. I decided to see the petroglyphs on the way back.

A unique feature of the hike to the Delicate Arch is that the trail leads up the side of a very smooth rock uphill for part of the time. Also it leads on the side of a cliff. I imagined all these photographers who take photos of the Delicate Arch at sunset. Eventually they have to walk down these ledges and smooth rocks in the dark. It was no easy feet.

Finally after climbing past the trail on the cliffs I reached the Delicate Arch. The position of the arch is awkward. It’s on the side of a bathtub shaped canyon. Most people sat on the rim. Then came the Instagram shots. People would wait to get their photo – or photos for some people, underneath the arch. The only thing is that it disrupted my shots. I like for no people to be in photos, as if I just stumbled upon this arch in the vastness of Souther Utah where absolutely no people are around. This is of course a fantasy world….somewhat like the fantasy world that some aspiring models are living in when the pose at Delicate Arch. It was just strange to see people, who had it been 30 years before, might not have posed so goofy. But with he advent of social media, specifically Instagram, people can’t just go up to an arch to admire it. Instead they must pose beside it and then post it to social media proving to people that they were there. All the while it disrupts my photo taking. I did get some good deserted photos of the rock, but it took a while.

After hiking back I made a detour to see the petroglyphs…of Native Americans on horseback. Since historians are pretty sure when horses were introduced to North America, they can pinpoint when the petroglyphs were painted.

Next was the cabin. Sharon had read about the cabin in the pamphlet. Apparently it was abandoned, but the cabin was built sturdy enough to remain standing after it’s owner had long abandoned it.

Sharon and I had decided to view more arches. We went to Sand Dunes Arch which was inside a group of tall rock, almost like a fortress. It was tight squeeze but I made it in. Inside sand is everywhere.

Sharon and I then decided to walk to Broken Arch. The trail to it is deceiving. It looks closer than what it actually is. Plus the trail takes the long way around. When we got there a nice man offered to take our photo. We were burning daylight and walked back without stopping.

I really wanted to see Landscape Arch, so I walked the mile to see it, while Sharon stayed in the car. On the way I fell skinning my knee and tearing my jeans at the knees. I was alright, but briefly thought about turning around since it seemed like my ankles were weak. But I did continue on and made it to Landscape arch. It was in the shadows as the sun was setting. I took a few photos before heading back.

Sharon and I decided to get a Pizza Hut pizza (with a 50% off coupon) making our large meat lovers stuffed crust around $10, a bargain for Moab’s restaurant prices. I briefly chatted with the Pizza Hut employee who suggested we visit Oregon’s coast on a future trip.

We had supper in our hotel room before going out again to Arches National Park for some night shots. Sharon had wanted to see the stars, specifically the Milky Way, but the 93% waxing moon prevented this, but instead it gave us the option of shooting photos using a night shot with our phone cameras. We shot several park landmarks with this shooting mode. I tried shooting this with my Nikon camera, but I couldn’t get it to work :(. This figures. I buy a moderate end DSLR camera which I don’t know how to use, and therefore it is useless for night shots. Meanwhile any novice with a night vision cell phone camera can take good shots of night scenes.

We decided to sleep in tomorrow as it is a 2 hour drive to our next destination and we don’t have anything planned for the day.