So what did you see today...

From the seat of a red Honda Shadow, I saw almost everything on Hawai'i, the Big Island. I found coffee plants growing for the Kona Coffee beans, I found old and newer lava beds, beautiful tropical gardens, really nice twisty roads to wind down and up, I visited the National Volcano Park, the Art Museum there (the glass and ceramic volcano art was great). I was protected from breathing the Sulfur Fumes by the Park Service - they don't know I once visited Pittsburgh when it always smelled like eggs... but they cleaned it up. Anyway, I did enjoy the view of steam vents, venting Sulfur Dioxide and miles of old cold lava - didn't see any hot rocks, sigh.
But on with the ride, find Hilo, and the jungle side of the island - really lush, with deep gullies, curved bridges and downs and ups. I had hot Sun and bright blue sky, threatening storm clouds, fog, rain and so much fun in the Rifleman t-shirt. Only two hundred and forty-one miles, and three fuel stops because I never knew where the next gas station would be nor how many miles this bike burned on a tank. Very nice ride, met the wife of the man that rented me the bike in the morning as I turned it in. Nice little business, hope they continue to do well. My wife was a bit nervous, tried calling me on the cell phone, but we met for dinner anyway, did I ever mention I only have the cell phone to call out with, not to answer.

Well, I am back, we leave tomorrow -- this vacation is over and it has been great, really. I wonder how many years are supposed to go by before one figures out vacations are for resting up? I finally saw the show, Top Shot, I think it was called. Interesting, but the stuff I wanted to know they don't cover, and the camera doesn't reveal it all because the director isn't a shooter, the director is a reality television specialist... it is okay, Obama isn't watching and it doesn't really matter, does it?