Visit My new site Tacowaco.org for a more on traveling to Maui, Hawaii, Art, Designs, TShirts, Ebooks and screenprinting. 

Big and Little Beach

We've been to the Little Beach party on Sunday a couple of times now. Each time the terrain connecting Big and Little Beach changes. This Sunday the shore broke hard and the path to the entrance was covered by the crashing waves every couple of minutes. From there it was a volcanic rock balance beam until the upward trail to the entrance.

As usual sunset and hours of drumming brought whales, this week there were so many the crowd eventually got bored and stopped cheering as they went back to their drumming and musing about. But not before a whale flapped its tail 8 times turning over and blowing water between each drive; the grand finally perhaps. The human attention returned to the the party which is now filled with flaming torches and propane explosions.

Maui Tropical Plantation

Visiting the Plantation was sort of an accident. 

We thought we'd be attending the Morey Slip N Slide event, but after realizing a Slip N Slide is not a water slide but infact just a lot of blue tarps duct taped together culminating in a pile of queen mattresses still incased in the factory plastic.

After a quick walk through to survey the bouncy castles and ginger lemon aid stands we wonder off and decided to keep our 80 dollars.

The Maui Plantation was pretty awesome. A very well cared for garden of sorts with industrial artwork intertwined with architecture. They used large pieces of rusty farming equipment to build unlikely arbors, entry ways, fire pits and event gathering spaces. The birds mingled at the water pools. Out in the fields further there's a Zipline course and a dozen or so other pricey locally produced wears and goods.

Which made me want to get ol'Tacowaco going again with some island inspired new screen printed tanks.

Haleakala

At the highest level tourist are allowed to travel Haleakala's signs read 10,000 feet. 

We drove up for sunset as did dozens of other people. Its a forever long drive because the roads weave up the mountain side with turns slowing down to less than 20 miles per hour. We yet again failed to get the windshield clean and the sun was positioned for blinding. 

The elevation change was noticeable. As was the lack of oxygen. Teams of crazy man bikers trailed up the road. They got a group shot under the elevation sign. I lost my breath just getting up the stairs to the elevation sign. And while I do enjoy biking there is nothing you could do to get me on that mountain on a bike. 

Institute for Astronomy Observatories

Their location here makes a lot of sense because basically you're above the cloud line. After about 9000 feet there's nothing but volcanic rock. Piles and piles of rock. They landscaped the look out point with succulents and other plants that only need air to grow.  The observatories are selfishly positioned so that as the sun sets, its blocked by the row of white buildings. I realize this might change as the earth and sun revolve. I imagine the view from one of this towers is spectacular. And the the sun rise is probably even better, since the real view in my opinion was the opposite direction. Danny was particularly struck by the mountains' enormous shadow cast on the clouds. 

The Road to Kihei

Kihei contains many of the "better" public beaches, a few dive bars, and tons of tourist shopping. If you're looking for a coconut handbag or shell encrusted hangy chimmy thingy, this is the place. But most of all its close to ma'dudes work. So we can get to the beach or whatever that much quicker. Time sensitive sun setting and the like. Yesterday I ventured the distance on my bike. It was only ten miles and its not like I had to ride back. But its a start and damn it if that wasn't a great time. The bugs in my teeth remind me of the shit eating grin that must have been plastered on my face. Mountains all around, no stops for 6 miles. Flat paved bike road. Wind might have been an issue but this ride it was on my side.

Settling in

Today marks our third week on the island. It took us a couple of weeks to construct this room in the backyard of our guest house. We used left over pieces mostly from on site, in the garage or piled over yonder. Some pieces came from a dismantled deck on the other side of the yard. Other stuff was left over from the construction job. 

The only thing needed at Home Depot was tracks for the sliding doors. Dan completed in the installation fairly quickly then spent a few more hours standing in front of the doors sliding each panel back and forth in different combinations. 

"This is fun!" he says out loud slightly casting me some attention. It doesn't last long and again he's fixated on the doors. 

They do work fantastically. All the holes and gaps and such are screened in and the rooms serving well as dwelling. Considering the weather raises and peaks at 66 and 88 there's no complaints about being outside more or less 100 % of the time. Eventually a shelve or two, some hooks and a bed frame will outfit the inside, but for now our suite cases, a lot of pillows and foam mattress complete the interior. 

I bought a tiny stool. Its my desk today as I sit on the foam on the floor attempting to design a Missouri pride logo for a Tshirt campaign. The clouds are beginning to break over the mountains but the rain is still continuing to ripple like someone a just walked through hundreds of beaded curtains. 

Arriving on Maui

We arrive on Maui after seven full hours in the air. The plane was packed and miniature. Each roll was three across. When we board, Dan was to have the aisle seat, I the window. But some gentle man was planted in the aisle so he "Could touch his wife." we were informed. 

"But what if I want to touch my wife?" I say, and glance back at Dan who's just arrived. Then I stand there dumbly and sort of just stare at everyone. Specifically the quiet single girl who is in the window seat. I use this technique quite often on planes and it's always effective. 

"I can move." she volunteers. 

With that situation settled we cram into our seats. The old man falls asleep almost instantly, never once touches his wife and sighs heavily every time we need to exit the row. They play a movie. I disclose some information to Dan, that prompts a 2 hour freeze out, he even put down the arm rest. I continued to read my book, which was getting good.

2500 miles of ocean latter we finally see land.