Wanna see lava? GO AWAY!

After failing to make it all the way to the flow the other night (just short of it, no flashlights, remember?) we went back with our one flashlight and bought another at Wal*Mart.  Taking a different route this time, we drove out to the where the official road got lava’d away years ago.   We were told where to park by a “security guy” and then went out with the backpack of cameras.  We noticed people kinda smirking at us on their way back.  You could see the steam rising from the ocean, just out of view…

About 1/4 mile in, we found two scientist-type young punks sitting behind a few plastic barricades.  They paid us no attention until I finally interrupted them and ask what the deal was. 

“The deal”, said Aussie-Hippy, “is that the lava is about 4 weeks old on your left, toward the ocean, and there are still hot spots where you can fall through the crust.  No one is getting past me.  The only way you’ll see lava is to take a helo-flight over it, or take your chances with one of the $35 hikes to the beach.”

First of all, it’s been raining like mad and I’ve been killing time watching The Sopranos on my eeePC.  No one is getting past this young, arrogant, dread-locked hippie?  Sheesh.  I shoulda done a “Paulie Walnuts” on his head.  Where’s my shovel?  <grin>

NOW I understand the people shouting at us the other night in the dark, something along the lines of, “You’re not allowed here!”  But according to the folks living here, NO beach is private or forbidden.  And they can’t stop you from going out there.  I guess it’s all about the blessed revenue!  See it yourself by taking a hike, and, well, they lose money.  Our last rental owner told us to just go out anyway.  Screw ‘em.

I may just give her a try tomorrow night, our last night here.  It’s the last thing I want to see on Big Island so why not?  What’s the worst that can happen? I could die?  Might it be the last thing I’ll ever see, on the Big Island or the Big Planet?  More people die in swimming pools than in lava.  (I understand the statistics.  If it works for the gun-grabbers, it can work for me too.)

We met a German guy out at the barricade.  He was pretty disappointed with getting shut down too, so I gave him our trip report from the previous night, hiking “almost there” from Kahena Beach.  (nude, by the waybut we never peeked over the bank.)  He said he’d try it and I gave him my business card and asked him to email me if he made it.  We’ll see!  Let’s just hope that if he burns up, my business card does too!  (Wait, too much Sopranos again.)

Picture time, eh?  I forgot these from the other day, out at Laupahoehoe Point…

The sun’s actually out again today!  It’s gorgeous.  And our buddy the heron is back, right on schedule…

I love those dreadlocks.  They look good on him (or her) - MUCH better than they do on Aussie-Hippy Lava Police Dude.  Here’s the Black Crowned Night Heron in as best resolution as I can get with the Nikon, at about 40 yards away.  (click to enlarge, of course)…

Shopping in Hilo today, just to walk around.  We *should* go to the hot springs, but they’re crowded, and we’re from Wyoming.  Anna said she’d watch me go in, but that’s no fun.

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