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Snow in Hawaii

3/27/2017

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We are finally back on the blog after four long months! Ellison and I are both excited to be posting again after our little hiatus and think that our Spring Break vacation is the perfect way to get back into it. So, we were lucky enough to join Trevor on a research trip to Hawaii's Big Island last week. Ellison and I hadn't been in almost two years and neither of us had ever been in the spring. We had a list of things we wanted to do and number one was going to Mauna Kea. When you think of Spring Break in Hawaii you probably don't think of cold weather, but in March snow still blankets the summit. Ellison and I were determined to go to the top - not only because the view is amazing, but also because it just seemed so cool to be able to play in the snow in the morning and then relax at a warm beach in the afternoon.
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Go At 13,802 feet, the dormant volcano  of Mauna Kea is the tallest point in the state - and if measured from it's base below sea level it would be the tallest mountain in the world, surpassing Mount Everest by almost 4,000 feet. Located in the northeastern part of the island, it's about an hour and a half hour from Kona to the west and a little less from Hilo in the east. Mauna Kea is a sacred site to native Hawaiians and is considered to be the home of Poli'ahu, a snow goddess. We had attempted this visit a few years before, but the roads were too foggy and it was just too dangerous to drive to the top. Since then the road (Saddle Rd.) has been improved and it is a much easier drive. Lucky for us, this time the sky were clear and visibility was fantastic.

​​If you plan to visit the summit, there are a couple of options - driving to the top yourself, driving to the visitor center and then hiking to the top or taking a guided tour from either Kona or Hilo. We chose to drive ourselves (this definitely requires 4-wheel drive - heed the advice!), which requires a stop at the visitor center (preceded by a stop at the Haleakala National Park playground) to acclimatize for at least half and hour before continuing to 13,800. Being from Florida where anything above sea level seems like a mountain, Ellison and I both definitely noticed the difference in altitude. It was recommended that only children older than 16 progress past the visitor center due to increased chances of altitude sickness, but we decided to risk it since we knew we weren't staying more than an hour (there is 40% less oxygen than at sea level at this high of an elevation).
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We got there early in the morning and the visitor center was closed on our way up, but since there was at least a half hour to kill while acclimatizing we hiked a bit through the mountain scrub. There is a trail that leaves from the picnic area from which you can walk through the silversword garden (silversword plants  are endemic to Hawaii, found only at high elevations and can live up to 90 years. That's right, 90 years.) and make an offering to family, the earth and various Hawaiian gods and goddesses at the ahulele (altar) as seen in the picture below. There are three different ahuleles at various spots on the way up and many people stop at each one in order to feel protected during their time on the mountain. You can also walk about 30 minutes to Lake Waiau, which is the highest lake in Hawaii and a very sacred site in Hawaiian culture. We wanted to check it out, but we were so excited to get to the summit that we decided to skip it. Ellison and I both wish we hadn't. Maybe next time.

The remainder of the drive up from the visitor center consists of a winding, mostly rocky road. Since we caught were here on a particularly clear day, the views extended all the way down to the vast expanse of Pacific Ocean - it was incredible.
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There are a number of telescopes and observatories (representing 12 different countries) at the summit since Mauna Kea is known for having some of the world's best stargazing conditions. The telescopes are so much larger in person and Ellison and I felt dwarfed by their size. I didn't realize there were so many and they set a futuristic scene against the moonlike landscape of the mountain. Honestly, it was just way cooler than I had anticipated, but that seems to be the way it goes for me. Keeping my expectations in check. If you want more of these telescopes, you can check out a great online tour of the Mauna Kea observatories here. Ellison and I checked out each one online during our drive back to Kona.

Ellison and I really wanted to go on a stargazing tour, but younger children aren't allowed because of the previously mentioned altitude issue. Too bad. It is definitely something we put on the list for future visits, though.  I guess way in the future since you have to be at least 16.
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The hike out to the summit point from the roadside parking isn't very long at all (maybe a 1/4 mile at most), but it offers some amazing views and a chance to experience the starkness of the volcanic landscape. Since it was late in the season, the snow was starting to melt and there were only patches left at the very top. Midwinter snow can blanket the entire mountain, leaving enough for both downhill and cross-country skiing. There are no ski lifts or anything like that, but the signs at the visitor center seemed to indicate that it happened on a fairly regular basis when there was enough snowfall.

​We intended to hike around a little more than we actually did, but it was very windy and cold. Add to that Ellison's altitude headache (which I think was more likely due to the cold wind, but whatever, it was still killing her and she wanted back to the car asap) and our time on the mountain was cut short. But still long enough to take at least one family selfie to document our time at the top of Hawaii.
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We have traveled to the Big Island numerous times over the past five years, but never during the spring. While temperatures don't fluctuate much throughout the year, things like snow on Mauna Kea, humpback whale watching and a visit to a coffee plantation while the trees are in bloom simply aren't possibilities in the summer. These all helped make this one of our best visits yet and allowed us to experience the island in an entirely new way. Stay tuned for a post on whales and coffee...
​See you back here soon!
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Girls in the Park Turned One!

8/13/2016

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Happy Birthday to us! We've officially been around for an entire year.
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​* Photo courtesy of Popsugar.com
Ellison and I decided we needed a cake to celebrate our blog-birthday. Not a real one, of course,  because that would only add to the chaos otherwise known as the first week of school. But a beautiful fantasy online one that looks like it just magically appeared in the woods. Of course. So after we found the perfect layered woodland wonder (which was, for real, almost as fun as getting an actual cake), we went back through old posts, reliving memories we've made since last August 20, and put together a little numerical highlight reel. While we get out and hike more often than we blog about, this count only includes things we have posted on Girls in the Park. Enjoy it with a piece of pretend cake. ​

States: 5

  • ​Arizona
  • Florida
  • Hawaii
  • North Carolina
  • Tennessee

national parks: 3

  • Volcanoes National Park
  • Grand Canyon National Park
  • Smoky Mountain National Park

State parks: 15

  • Anastasia State Park
  • Big Talbot Island State Park
  • Devil's Millhopper Geological State Park
  • Gold Head Branch State Park
  • Hapuna Beach State Park
  • Kealakekua Bay Historical State Park
  • Lovers Key State Park
  • ​Manatee Springs State Park
  •  O'Leno State Park
  • Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park
  • Rainbow River State Park
  • Red Rock State Park
  • River Rise Preserve State Park
  • San Felasco Hammock Preserve State Park
  • Washington Oaks Gardens State Park

national/state historical sites: 5

  •  ​Pu'uhonua a Honaunau Historical Park
  • Captain Cook National Monument
  • Montezuma Castle National Monument
  • Fort Matanzas National Monument
  • Castillo de San Marcos

botanical gardens: 4

  • ​Bok Tower        
  • Washington Oaks                     
  • Kanapaha
  • Edison and Ford

rivers canoed: 2

  • Rainbow River
  • Matanzas River

oceans visited: 2

  • Atlantic
  • ​Pacific

trips to zoos/theme parks: 2

  • Sea World
  • Central Florida Zoological Park

Most popular post:

  • ​Summer in Sedona: Red Rock Hiking

Least Popular post:

  •  April Birthdays

My Favorite Post:

  • Bok Tower Gardens

Ellison's favorite post:

  • Girls on the Run 5K

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Such positive things have come from doing this blog and I can only say that we hope it's around to celebrate many more birthdays. ​There has been so much support and encouragement from so many people, both those we know in real life and online readers. While I don't want to formally commit by putting our travel plans out there, we do have some really cool trips in the works (state, national and international) for this year and I can only say that when we go, you can be sure we'll be posting about our outdoor adventures when we return. Thank you for continuing to read 'Girls in the Park'!
See you back here soon!
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It's National Park Week!

4/16/2016

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So, National Park Week starts today and in celebration the National Park Service is offering free admission to any of our country's 58 amazing national parks throughout the week. Since Ellison and I have some wonderful memories of times spent exploring these places, we thought we'd share some of our favorite national park memories.

First, we took a tally of how many national parks we had been to in our home state. There are 3 parks in Florida and we haven't been any! None. Trevor and I have been to 2, but it has been years so I'm not counting it unless Ellison and I have been there together. So, we really need a trip to South Florida to check out Key Biscayne, Everglades and Dry Tortugas. 


Next, we counted how many we have been to nationwide. There are 58 overall and together we have only been to 3. That's it. Only 3 of the 58 incredible and iconic natural areas. But, those 3 are unforgettable. So diverse and unique, but so representative of our country as a whole. I have written previously about our trips to each of these three here on 'Girls in the Park' - Great Smoky Mountains, Hawaii Volcanoes and Grand Canyon. 

Then we tried to decide what our favorite memory was from each of the parks, and from there we tried to decide which of the three parks was our favorite. We laughed while reliving some of the hikes we took and the misadventures involving bad weather and poor navigational skills, and it was fun to look through the pictures from these trips and try to remember the day when they were taken. It seems like it was just yesterday that we were driving through Hawaii and Arizona and making plans for our annual trip to Tennessee. I guess Gretchen Rubin was right when she said "the days are long, but the years are short."

So as far as favorites go Ellison said hers was Great Smoky Mountains because "it's her favorite place in the entire world. You know that." and I said mine was Hawaii Volcanoes because it has a little bit of everything - mountains, deserts, tropical rain forest. But, there are 55 parks left to visit so who knows. What I do know is that it is important to do all we can to preserve these areas and protect them for future generations. Our history is deeply connected to the physical landscape of our nation and our future is dependent on its preservation!

​Hawaii Volcanoes (June 2015)
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Grand Canyon (August 2015) * We don't really have any decent pictures of the two of us actually at the Grand Canyon. It was kind of a crazy trip. So you'll just have to imagine we're in the picture:) It went from super sunny amazing weather (see the first picture) to what you see below in like 20 minutes. 
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Great Smoky Mountains (November 2015)
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Here are some more links if you want some more details on National Park Week - head over to the National Park Foundation's website or go to the National Park Service site to find a park near you. It is also the 100 anniversary of the national park service so there are all sorts of cool things coming up to help celebrate the centennial. And remember, all week you get in free! 

Oh, and here is an organized checklist of the 58 national parks that is kind of cool to use if you're a list maker like me:)
​See you back here soon!
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Aloha Summer!: Hiking on Hawaii's Big Island

8/20/2015

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The summer of 2015 rocked! It was awesome. Amazing. I don't want it to end.  Ever.

But as school starts again and we get back into the school/work routine, the inevitable longing for summer begins in earnest - and this time it's hitting us pretty hard.

We visited Hawaii's Big Island in June and needless to say, the island isn't short on natural wonders. There are ton of hikes ranging from full-on 14,000 foot mountain climbs (Mauna Kea) to half-mile leisurely nature strolls. Regardless of what you choose, Hawaii doesn't disappoint.

You can read about some of the top recommended hikes here. And here. Below are some of the hiking highlights from our trip. 

captain cook monument

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There are two ways to get to this spot - one is to go on a chartered snorkeling tour and the other is to hike on foot from the road down to the monument. We chose to hike and while it was pretty rough on the way back up (y'all, its tough. Or at least it was for me), the views are totally worth it. The snorkeling is some of the best in Hawaii and if you're lucky a pod of spinner dolphins will join you. We were lucky. It was life-changing.

volcanoes national park

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Volcanoes National Park is amazing because of, well, volcanoes. You can see them (from the overlook at the park museum), smell them (from the hike along the sulfur banks) and touch them (the whole island is made from lava, after all). Ellison and I have taken a variety of hikes in this park and our favorites are those located along the 11-mile Crater Rim trail and at the end of Chain of Craters Road. Along the Crater Rim trail you can walk through rain forests, across a volcanic crater and through sulfur steam vents. The hikes vary from 1.5 miles to over 10 miles, and from easy to more strenuous accordingly. At the end of Chain of Craters Road you can hike along a road covered in lava from a 1969 eruption. It used to have the signs still sticking out of the lava, but apparently the park system thought that was just too crazy, so they took them down. Too bad because it was really cool.

city of refuge (pu'uhonua o Honaunau National historical park)

The City of Refuge has a lot to offer - Hawaiian history, sea turtles, a great beach and some of the best sunsets on the island. The hikes aren't long, and our favorite one is about 3/4 mile up a clearly marked trail to a bench overlooking the park. You can continue on from here, but we usually just hang out for a bit and then go back down to the picnic area. There are tables and grills, but with the trees and configuration of coastline it still feels relatively private. 

south point

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Ellison and I are in agreement that South Point is the most beautiful place on the Big Island. It might even objectively be one of the most beautiful places in the world. It is windy (you pass giant windmills on the way down to the point), the waves break big and the landscape is stark. Its rarely crowded and it can feel like you are quite possibly all alone on the island. You can hike from here to the famous Green Sand beach or Kaalualu Bay, but we prefer to just go along the coast. If you're into cliff jumping (which Ellison and I are decidedly not), you can, when the weather is good, dive into the water right at the South Point (there are ladders to get back up). We've seen tons of people, including small children, do it and have a blast. It makes me nervous every single time. 
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    Welcome! 

    My family and I love to get outside and explore every chance we get. My daughter and I started this blog as a way to chronicle not only the places we have visited, but also as a way to preserve our time together. We hope you enjoy it and will make a little time for a hike with friends! 
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