Across The Universe: October 2013

How about a nice walk in the woods on a sunny day? Here's your place. Nerstrand State Park is an island of hardwood forest just outside the Twin Cities. Some gentle hills, a waterfall, and 8 miles of trails that meander through the trees are a perfect way to get away and be in nature. Cyndi and I try to go there every year. We like the fall, when the leaves are turning and give the air a golden glow. We drove to Nerstrand State Park last weekend for another hike, and were not disappointed. The dogs are eager to come along, Zoey and Monte love the woods even if they must stay on leash.

The waterfalls is about a 1/2 mile hike, downhill and along the creek. Nerstrand is one of the few remaining areas where the Dwarf Trout Lily grows, and its habitat is protected. They come up in the spring, and are a favorite here in season. Most of the people who arrive here go to the falls, and not much further. Take one of the several loops that leave from the falls area, and you will be quite alone with only the occasional fellow hiker to share the peaceful woods. There are also trails in the southern half, so you can walk all you want and never have to re-trace your steps.

The State Park came about because the early settlers were smart. Each area farmstead had a small woodlot in these woods, so they had a direct interest in maintaining a stable forest that would keep on producing. That preserved the forest. When modern conveniences meant that wood wasn't needed, the forest kept growing. The multiple ownership patchwork kept a developer from buying the land until the State was able to assemble the park. So now it is ours to enjoy!

Words can't describe the park too well, you have to experience it. Here are a couple photos, just to provide atmosphere:

That's a mushroom.

After our walk we stopped in nearby Northfield for a lunch by the river. Northfield is a small college town, only about 10 miles or so from the Park. It boasts, in addition to St. Olaf and Carlton Colleges, the big Malt O' Meal plant (yes, my favorite breakfast hot cereal). Northfield was also the site of the last bank robbery of the Jesse James gang. The residents shot them out of town, chased them down, and only Jesse escaped. The Younger brothers, gang members, did time up in Stillwater State Prison and one of them actually started the prison newspaper there! Every year a re-enactment of the robbery is staged in town; people flock into see it. The bank building, complete with bullet holes from the shootout, still stands. Here are a couple photos of present-day Northfield:

River walk along the Cannon River

Main Street

Historical Society in old bank building

And, last but not least, Fireside Apple orchard is on the way home, so a couple bags of apples can be picked for enjoyment then and later. All in all, a really nice way to spend a day! Nerstrand State Park is one of the little-known gems of the Minnesota State Park system.

     Vacations come all too far between. Cyndi and Rick went on a much-needed trip to Hawaii in April, 2013. Altogether we spent 2 weeks on Hawaii - the Big Island - and discovered a paradise that still exists. Our itinerary was 10 days in the Kona area, then three up by the Volcano National Park, then a day in a fancy resort up in Kohala before heading back home.

     Kona is on the west side, and is very dry. The big volcanos, Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa, stop the trade winds, so little rain gets through. Down by the sea it is hot and dry. Up a couple thousand feet above the sea level it is cooler and somewhat wetter. Whereas by the coast only palm and drought-loving plants survive, up the mountain there is a wide variety of plant life. This includes, of course, the world famous Kona coffee. Coffee plantations abound. Many are open for a tour and some sampling. Kona also has the big airport on the island (and its only Costco store).

     The coastline is volcanic rock, and reefs. The waves pound. But beaches are there, often small but with amazing snorkeling. Tropical fish are right off shore - also sea turtles and dolphin. While the beaches are few and far between, they certainly are worth seeking out. We saw fish we had seen only in aquariums, also swam with turtles and dolphins.

    We stayed in a condo just out of Kona, right on the shore. The photo above was just offshore from it. Surfers rode the waves. Here are photos of the area:

View from our condo

Cruise ship offshore

Kona main drag - tourist part!

OK, there are golf courses too. I got a par this hole!

Trail along the shore

Our favorite beach

Stayed there for the high tide too

Beach down to the south of Kona

White sand, sapphire water . . .

Up above Kona at a coffee plantation

Sea turtle resting on the sand

Sea turtle resting on a rock.

Totems, watching . . .

We went up for a day past Waimea in the north of the island to see the Waipio Valley. You cannot drive down there, only special 4 wheel drive vehicles can make the twisty rutted road. In ancient times several thousand people lived here, including the kings. Those cliffs that hem it in are well over 1,000 feet tall. People can walk down. That's OK, but remember you must later walk back up. The black sand beach seems worth it. There are Hawaiians still living down there. We took a horseback ride through the valley. Our guide grew up here. There's something always so serene when you are on a horse!

View from the top of Waipio Valley

Hawaiian greeting!

We had to wade across this often.

Akaka Falls. nearby

Small cove on east (rainy side) shoreline

Then later we went over to the east side where Volcano National Park was established. It is near the little town of Volcano, where we got the Tree House B & B for 3 nights. Whereas Kona gets maybe a couple inches of rain each year, Volcano gets 200 inches. It's truly a rain forest. Here's the view from our room up in the trees:

Walkway

View from our third-story window

Volcano Park has Kilauea, the active volcano on the lower slope of Mauna Loa. You cannot get too close to the caldera due to poisonous gasses. But there is an older caldera, actually the hardened top of several hundred feet of lava that has now cooled. We walked across that, in fact we hiked all around the park through rain forest, lava flows, and lava tubes. Those are the hollowed-out remnants of a lava flow, now empty, which look exactly like a subway tunnel. Photos tell the story:

Kilauea crater, home of Pele

Ash hill from 1994 eruption

Caldera - see trail across it

Hardened lava "bubbles" along that trail

Even on lava, flowers grow

Lava flow down to the sea. It still flows near here.

Lava field

Lava flowed across this road, can't stop it!

Collapsed lava tube

Hardened swirls in lava

Mauna Loa - biggest mountain in the world, from sea bottom to top. Rarely is it visible like this.

Dormant lava vent

Lava surrounded tree trunk, hardened, tree burned - hole in the rock!

Lava flow, about 15 - 20 feet high

Lava flow over the road!

Monster shape in lava - Kilroy?

Another weird lava formation - dog? snake?

Another road lost to volcano eruption

A final trip around past Hilo, a macadamia nut grove and packing plant tour, led us to a resort on Hapuna Beach. The hotel was top scale, and Hapuna Beach is always rated within the top ten beaches in the world. Here's a picture:

Then our rental car reverted to being a pumpkin, so we had to go home. We will be back! A full day in an airplane each way is a worthwhile investment.

Here a a few odd & unusual sightings along the way: