Day 2 featured a special trip.
One of Heather's old college friends is a pretty pretty smart guy, and works at the observatories up on top of Mauna Kea. "Normal" visitors can drive to the top and go inside the viewing gallery but with our special access pass (no actual pass was given) we got a mini tour. This really was right up there with the coolest things I've ever seen & done.
While packing my bag the night before we left for this mini island trip I did a little reading on where we were headed and was somewhat shocked to discover how high we were headed, around 14,000 feet!
A quick temperature check revealed it to be around 3 degrees but with a low wind, hopefully that would be the same when we got there as I had only really packed light clothing.
Indeed, Mauna Kea is technically the highest point on earth if measured from its undersea beginnings. I put it in perspective for myself by discovering the amount of ascent we covered that day would be over three times that of Ben Nevis. The fact we drove all but the last 200m doesn't make it any less cool, ha ha.
The 100 mile drive from our hotel was the opposite from the day before, both in direction and in scenery. A lot of it reminded me of Scotland, with a lot of greenery and highland-type roads.
We drove our hire car on the regular surfaced road up to the visitor centre around 9000ft where we met our "guide" Mark and spent 20 minutes there to acclimatise to the height. He then drove us up to the top in his truck. Around 50% of this part is on a very loose gravel road complete with scare stories of tourists driving over the edge when their brakes fail on the way down after they overuse them and the lack of oxygen can't cool them down enough!
And then inside on our special tour!
A lot of the technical stuff went over our heads but seeing the largest observable telescope in the world is gonna be impressive no matter what you learn or already know.
Cue jokes of that's not a camera, THIS is a camera.
We learned about the plans to build another mirrored lens three times larger than this one and why the temperature inside the telescope had to be kept at zero, so much for warming up inside!
We walked back inside and happened upon them cleaning one of the mirrors.
Threat level AMBER indicated not to go in, ha ha.
About 200m on a trail path to the side of the observatory is the actual high point so if course we couldn't go all the way up and not walk that.
In the end I felt okay at altitude (40% less oxygen apparently) not even out of breath just a little sore headedness, but this could have been hunger and before heading down we both had what at the time tasted like the best food EVER as we enjoyed a Cup Noodle at the visitor centre.
The scenery on the way down was pretty desolate, lots of volcanic rock by the roadside.
We got back to Kona late afternoon and spent a little time walking along the beachfront promenade. It's a little touristy of course, but in a really nice old-style way.
Sunset then food before collapsing back at our hotel after 10pm. Apart from borrowing a cool box, we didn't get to use any of the facilities at what looked to be a really nice resort!
One of Heather's old college friends is a pretty pretty smart guy, and works at the observatories up on top of Mauna Kea. "Normal" visitors can drive to the top and go inside the viewing gallery but with our special access pass (no actual pass was given) we got a mini tour. This really was right up there with the coolest things I've ever seen & done.
While packing my bag the night before we left for this mini island trip I did a little reading on where we were headed and was somewhat shocked to discover how high we were headed, around 14,000 feet!
A quick temperature check revealed it to be around 3 degrees but with a low wind, hopefully that would be the same when we got there as I had only really packed light clothing.
Indeed, Mauna Kea is technically the highest point on earth if measured from its undersea beginnings. I put it in perspective for myself by discovering the amount of ascent we covered that day would be over three times that of Ben Nevis. The fact we drove all but the last 200m doesn't make it any less cool, ha ha.
The 100 mile drive from our hotel was the opposite from the day before, both in direction and in scenery. A lot of it reminded me of Scotland, with a lot of greenery and highland-type roads.
We drove our hire car on the regular surfaced road up to the visitor centre around 9000ft where we met our "guide" Mark and spent 20 minutes there to acclimatise to the height. He then drove us up to the top in his truck. Around 50% of this part is on a very loose gravel road complete with scare stories of tourists driving over the edge when their brakes fail on the way down after they overuse them and the lack of oxygen can't cool them down enough!
A lot of the technical stuff went over our heads but seeing the largest observable telescope in the world is gonna be impressive no matter what you learn or already know.
Cue jokes of that's not a camera, THIS is a camera.
We learned about the plans to build another mirrored lens three times larger than this one and why the temperature inside the telescope had to be kept at zero, so much for warming up inside!
We walked back inside and happened upon them cleaning one of the mirrors.
Threat level AMBER indicated not to go in, ha ha.
About 200m on a trail path to the side of the observatory is the actual high point so if course we couldn't go all the way up and not walk that.
In the end I felt okay at altitude (40% less oxygen apparently) not even out of breath just a little sore headedness, but this could have been hunger and before heading down we both had what at the time tasted like the best food EVER as we enjoyed a Cup Noodle at the visitor centre.
The scenery on the way down was pretty desolate, lots of volcanic rock by the roadside.
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| Kapu signs signify sacred land |
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| THE Ironman |
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| Hawaii's first church |
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| Hawaii style shopping centre |
Sunset then food before collapsing back at our hotel after 10pm. Apart from borrowing a cool box, we didn't get to use any of the facilities at what looked to be a really nice resort!
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