Weekend of 26 - 27 Sep

Out and About for the Weekend.

Not a lot happening.  The Army offered us a house last week and we went by Saturday to take a look.  It's located on Ft. Schafter about halfway between Pearl Harbor and Honolulu. House is fine in a Hawaii sort of way (actually designated for O-6s) and the commute is good so unless the Navy pulls a rabbit out of its hat we may be living Army style.  

On Sunday we hit up the lagoons of the Marriott resort in Ko 'Olina on the leeward side.  

Check out new video on the right hand column for a quick video of the day (With Sea Turtles!)---------->>>

The lagoons are all manmade and open to the public.  Very nice swimming.  

Hawaii is apparently vacation spot #1 for the Japanese.  This was the third JAL 747 to fly over in less than 30 minutes.

And this was the third Japanese wedding party we saw getting pictures on the beach.

Chuck getting geeky again with the tropical fish.  That's a Hawaiian White Spotted Toby which is endemic to Hawaii.

The crew.  The boys were freezing with the breeze.

After lunch we headed over to Ford Island for some bike riding.  

Hickam AFB Airshow - 19 Sep

The Thunderbirds made the trek to O'ahu for the Hickam AFB open house.  The boys went to another Thunderbirds show back in Montgomery, but they were below the age of situational awareness.

This show was good for little ones.  The Thunderbirds were the only flying demonstration so it was short and it wasn't oppressingly hot like airshows in the Southeast.

Chuck and the boys in front of the new F-22A Raptor.  Maybe one of the boys will fly this in 20 years and say, "gaaaah, this technology is so 2009!"

Chuck was trying to recreate a picture from his youth of him in front of a CH-53D like this one right after getting a ride in it.  Andy refused to cooperate.  We put Zach in front of it by himself but when he turned around and looked at it he got really scared.

For some reason the boys thought the slow pass was the neatest.

Zach begins his walkaround of the Galaxy.

Do you really need to chock a C-5?

Daddy says if you're not dirty after a preflight, you're not doing it right.

The big one next to the big one.

Zach has recently found his inner-rhythm (obviously from Kim's side) and the Thunderbirds had plenty of music in their show.

Andy's Birthday Party

Andy had a few friends over to the Tiki mini-golf "complex" at Kaneohe Marine Corps Base.

The party featured unlimited bumper boats and putt-putt.

Bumper boats have built in squirt guns.  Everyone got soaked.

Electrically powered squirt guns and nonstop collisions.  Couldn't be better.

Million dollar putts require lots of discussion.

Andy and his buddies Ethan and Julio.  Off camera is Diego.

Clifford was the theme.  Mr. Dan sets up a tradewind shield.

Presents!  There's Diego.  Thanks everyone!

Andy Turns 5!

Big Boy!  

9/11/09 Andy turns 5.

He had a special day  at school.

He got to be the broadcaster during the morning flag ceremony.  He told everyone his name was Andy, it was his birthday, he was five today and his Mom said he couldn't open his presents until 4:30. 

After library Ms. Hohnstein announced it was Andy's birthday and there was a special snack outside.

Kim made the class snacks which they ate out on the lanai.

Chuck got to visit from work.

That night we opened family presents.  Very excited.

Birthday cupcake.  His big cake is for the friends party tomorrow.

Big Island Trip - 4-7 Sep 09

Chuck had a four day weekend over Labor Day so we decided to head off to the Big Island.  You can check a lot of boxes on Hawaii - most southern point in the U.S., most active volcano, world's newest land, and world's highest mountain.  So we had to check it out.  

On Friday we took a quick 45 minute flight to Hilo where we hung around town for the day before heading up to Volcanoes National Park, a quick 30 miles and 4,000 vertical feet away.

The boys in front of King Kamehameha I in downtown Hilo.  Born on the Big Island, he united the Hawaiian Islands in the early 1800s.  Want to get anywhere in Hawaii?  You always "take the Kam."  It's the Hawaiian version of MLK Blvd.

Downtown Hilo.  I don't know what these trees are called, but they're crazy.

Just your average lava danger zone map.

The five names on the map are the five Big Island volcanoes.

Volcanoes National Park is home to the Kilauea Military Camp, a resort available to military members.  KMC consists of cottages, a store, bowling alley, couple of restraunts and offers lots of activities.  It is located on Crater Rim Road which circles the active Kilauea Cauldren.

The 4,000 ft elevation and frequent rainy weather made us feel like we were back in Whidbey.  Chuck and the boys had to buy long pants before the trip as theirs are still in storage.  

Our cottage at KMC.

The KMC grounds along Crater Rim Road.

Andy taking in the Hula dancing during dinner at KMC.

Saturday morning we head out into the park to see the volcanoes and lava fields.  From the park visitor center you head down the Chain of Craters Road to sea level.

The road traverses much of the lava from flows in the 1970s.  Great map here.

Chuck and Zach on one of the lava fields.

Playing on a field of hardened glass.  Giant booboos waiting to happen.

Andy taking in the view from the Kealakomo Overlook.  This is at about 2,000 ft.  Below is the huge coastal lava plain.

Heading down the road.  The steam in the distance is caused by lava falling into the ocean.

Some of the 280 acres of new land created by the Kilauea Volcano in the last 24 years.  Past this point the road was overrun with lava.

Boys throwing rocks next to the 60 ft tall Holei Sea Arch.

Headed back up Chain of Craters Road.  This vantage point shows where one of the lava fields came down the volcano.

Into the Thurston Laval Tube.  Created several hundred years ago by an underground river of lava.

Ok, so you have to see the lava spilling into the ocean at night like on Discovery Channel.  First, you have to hope the lava is actually flowing which luckily it was.  Then you drive an hour and a half to a parking area.  Then you walk several hundred yards over a lava field at night carrying a flashlight and a 4 year old.  Then all you get is a disinterested 4 year old and the rather not good picture you see above.  

Actually it was pretty neat.  Kind of a like a giant camp fire viewed from far away.  The state of Hawaii ran the parking and viewing areas really well.  

First stop Sunday morning is about a mile down the road to the Jagger Museum along the rim of the Kilauea Caldera.  The USGS keeps an observatory here to monitor Hawaiian volcano activity.

Family in front of the Halema'uma'u crater.  The Kileau Volcano has been erupting continuously for the last 24 years.  Dinosaur shirts are very appropriate.

Andy seems to have noticed something.

Rising terrain behind the boys is Mauna Loa, another volcano and just a tad shorter than it's neighbor Mauna Kea.  Mauna Kea is the tallest mountain in the world if taken from the bottom of the ocean.  Snow falls on both of these mountains in the winter.  Unlike other very tall mountains that require climbing gear, Sherpas, and severe injuries you can drive to the tops of these mountains.  Very Aloha.

After the cauldron we drive up the coast to take in the Wiapio Valley.

Nice view.

And then head down to Akaka Falls.

442 ft.  Darned impressive.

One last night at the KMC and next day we hop our flight back to O'ahu.

Headed home.