Big Wave Day in La Jolla

Couple weeks ago SoCal had all these big storms. Big storms resulted in big waves, so I tagged along on a trip out to the beach to look at the big waves. Unfortunately didn’t bring my real camera, so all I had was the cell phone, but it was kind of cool out there, especially with the big waves, birds, and out-hanging seals.

Maui: Welcome to Compromise Island

I suppose the headline is unfair-ish. Just that: (a) if you want adventure, Kauai is way better; (b) if you want shopping and restaurants in a tropical setting, Waikiki/O’ahu is way better; and (c) if you want volcanoes, the Big Island is better (I’m assuming).

The Two Photos I Took While I Was in Oklahoma

I took them with my cell phone because that was what I had with me.

Where I’ve Woken Up the Last Eight Mornings

Just because this is a pretty good spread of places over a short amount of time (for me). It’s something like 9,000 miles or so traveled over that time via plane and automobile.;

Haleakala: Sunrise, Summit, and Sliding Sands

Haleakala National Park, Hawaii » I figured no one had ever been to see the sunrise at Haleakala before, so I better do it and take photos. Certainly no one has ever taken photos of it before. Woke up: 3 AM. Left Kahana: 3:10 AM. Arrived at summit: 4:55 AM. Realized I should’ve slept another hour: 4:55 AM also. Nah, earlier. Probably more like 3:45 AM is when I realized it.

Waihe’e Ridge Hike

About five miles IIRC, 1,500 feet in elevation, out-and-back, all-up then all-down. It’s about as typical a Hawaii hike as there is, where “typical” means “average”. Some nice views, distant waterfalls, a lot of green stuff, but nothing that makes you gouge your eyes out when you get to the bottom in order to ensure that no future images will crowd out the unremitting wonder of the sights you just beheld.

A Big Day at the Naval Undersea Museum

Keyport, Wash. » Probably *every* day is a big day there though. The Naval Undersea Museum is a museum located in Keyport, Wash., which is pretty close to the big ol’ Navy base in Bremerton as well as the unknown-sized Navy submarine base in Bangor.

Elwha Valley, Humes Ranch Loop, and Goblins Gate (A Six-Mile Hike)

It may have been less than six miles. Part of the route was washed out. I think. It was hard to tell. There were signs, there were counter-signs. Anything was possible and therefore nothing mattered. It’s inside Olympic National Park, in the Elwha Valley area-thing. Here’s the picture that I’ve decided I want to have

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Itinerary for Maui (Which Is Where I Am)

Coming to you from the cheapest hotel on all of Maui — good-sized room, kind of dark everywhere, and it smells like Herb the barber (he cut my hair when I was a kid). I’m guessing this didn’t used to be a non-smoking room. And given that I’m on Maui, I’m forced to wonder whether

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The Evergreen Air and Space Museum

The Evergreen Air and Space Museum is “actually” two museums, meaning that it’s housed in two buildings (three if you count the IMAX theater) and they charge admission separately unless you buy admission for both together. Pretty museum, solid collection of stuff, and they have the Spruce Goose.