Some of my favorite pictures

Disclaimer: I wish this was a display of my own photography skills - I shamelessly take my brother's pictures as my own.   But these are beautiful, aren't they?  So why don't you come visit to see it all in person?

Iao Valley looking out to Kahului.  This was the sight of one of the great battles against Kamehameha the Great and the people of Maui.

USS Arizona at the Pearl Harbor Monument.

La'ie temple at night.  Unfortunately it's closed for renovation right now, but we were able to visit right before the renovations began.  Fortunately we have the temple in Kona, so we aren't without a temple!

Sunset from Kula, about 10 miles from my place.

Maui isn't all beaches and tropics - this is at the top of Haleakala, our dormant volcano.  The terrain makes you feel like your on the moon.

Another of my favorite shots from the top of Haleakala.

Kelli Jo visits paradise

Kelli Jo's adventures in Maui 2009 - don't you want to come visit also?

Black Sand Beach, Waianapanapa State Park 

Kelli, Heather, and Doug island hopping to Moloka'i to hike down into Kalaupapa, the old leper isolation settlement.

Doug and Heather from the top of the pali, with Kalaupapa in the background.

Hiking down was a little harder on the knees than we expected, but it was soo worth the effort.  I felt bad for the people who took mules down because they couldn't stop at their leisure to enjoy the beauty and take pictures.

Another shot of Kalaupapa from the top of the pali.

Our stylish tour bus through Kalaupapa and Kalawao.

Then onto Oahu to visit the Polynesian Cultural Center.

Road to Hana - in the rainbow eucalyptus grove/forest.

Close up of a rainbow eucalyptus

Kelli Jo and me on the back side of Haleakala.

 

Oheo Gulch.  Unfortunately it was closed for swimming due to heavy rains, but it was definitely beautiful even without taking a dip.

Not so funny

Well, it would have been funny watching us try to scare the darn thing out of the car.  By the ordeal's end, all the contents of the car were strewn about the driveway and we had one dead cane spider.  You'd never have believed it was harmless by watching us chase him around.

And a close up of the darn bugger.

Things that make me laugh

How many of us do you see?  Make sure you count the ones on the mountain behind the temple!

My favorite bathroom stall sign (the bottom one of course).

Jacked up cars always make me chuckle, so I get lot of chuckles here.  But this was a full out laugh.  We waited until they got out of the store to watch them get back up there.  And the lady parked next to us waited also.  I could have walked under the darn thing without even ducking.  Now I recognize that isn't saying much, but even little people shouldn't have full clearance under a car.  The wait was worth it - they had to hoist themselves up.  One of the good things about driving this kind of vehicle is that you'd have awfully strong arms from all those pull ups into the car/suv/whatever you want to call it.

And here's from the other angle; note the woman in the background.

Some of my favorite past times

Soaking up the sun - Heather style

Spotting Honu

Haleakala summit.

Island hopping - Sunset in Volcanoes National Park

Hana Roadtrips - this is the eucalyptus grove with Doug & Kelli.

Snorkeling!

Snow on the top of Mauna Kea. Next winter I'll have to try the snowboarding up there.

Valentines Day Tradition

Doug, Kelli, and I were heading to Hana on February 14th when I realized that last Valentines Day I had also been on the road to Hana. I had come to Maui (and Oahu) for my job interviews and decided to stay a few extra days to check out the area so that if I was, by some stroke of magic, offered the position I would know for sure whether or not I wanted to take the job (kind of a no brainer if you ask most people). Anyway, I made it to Hana on February 14, 2008. When I found myself on the road again a year later, I decided to make it an annual tradition. 2008 pic is on the left and 2009 on the right. Can't wait for next year - it lands on a Sunday so I'll be visiting the Hana Branch that day!!!

Better late than never

I've resisted a blog because they seem like great places to show off cute kids, but pretty self serving for single people.  But since I do live on beautiful Maui, I've decided to let everyone else enjoy the scenes around me.  Maybe if I put up enough pictures, y'all will come visit!