It's a pretty long drive from Kona to Volcano (extremely long if you've become accustomed to the longest drive you could possibly take on Oahu of about an hour). Also, we stopped for groceries at a farmer's market and natural foods store and Safeway on the way...
We eventually made it and spent a wonderful 2 nights and the better part of 2 days, hiking the craters of Volcano National Park.
Hazel, Gabbi, Stella, Talulah, and Jacqui taking a break for a snack on an early hike.
Not very often that we have other adults around to snap picture of just the 2 of us! (That's Mauna Loa in the background)
Native Uluhe fern along the trail.
The big girls with Mauna Loa in the background (when measured from the base of the mountain, it's by far the largest mountain on earth, 13,000 feet above sea level and the base of the mountain keeps going to the sea floor.)
Jacqui and Talulah entering the Thurston Lava Tube.
Looking out from the inside of the lava tube. Lava tubes are formed during a volcanic eruption, when the lava on the top of the flow cools and hardens, then the lava below flows out and leaves an empty tube. Rare plants and insect live inside the tubes.
Jacqui inside the lava tube.
We went to see the Halema'uma'u crater and eruption. For about the past year, this vent has been spewing volcanic dust, sulphur, ash, etc. that forms the basis of the vog (volcanic fog) on O'ahu when we have Kona winds (winds from the south as opposed to our normal northeast tradewinds).
Hanging loose at Halema'uma'u.
The ohia lehua blossoms are just beautiful. Along the rim of Kilauea Iki (a crater on Kilauea volcano) we saw a lot of them and a ton of native forest birds, especially, i'iwi and apapane.
Hiking along the rim of Kilauea Iki (it even gets chilly in HI in December!)
Hiking through the floor of Kilauea Iki, the volcano had lots of bits of olivine. Smaller pieces would collect in cracks and crevices. It is a beautiful greenish yellow color.
Gabbi and Danielle enjoying the warmth of the crater. Gabbi had taken a pretty nasty spill running along the floor of the crater not long before this and was still recovering. She'll tell you falling on lava...not fun!
Hiking across the floor of Kilauea Iki.After that we headed for Kalopa State Park with a stop at the farmers market in Hilo (more about our Kalopa stay in the next post). The farmer's market in Hilo is always great! The prices and variety can't be beat for the islands (it's not uncommon to find papayas at 6 for $1). We picked up some rambutans, longons, and a variety of vegetables to bring wit us for our next stay.
We caught sight of a rainbow on the way to Kalopa while we were stopped at a lookout.
