Monday
Painted some of the 2 x 6 decking boards for the Ahi gazebo in my “workshop” at Holowai.
Took a shower at a little after 11 AM using the water from my solar water heater.
It was quite warm. There was no breeze to make me cold while I showered!
Drove to Hilo to pick up the generator I had ordered. Stopped in at the gas station in Na’alehu and filled up with gasoline at $4.99 per gallon. When I got to Hilo, I found I could have bought gas for $4.69 per gallon! DANG!
I picked up my generator along with four more “t” straps for the gazebo, two more bags of cement, and a threaded rod to use as an axle for the two tires I had brought from Arizona.
I bought a papaya and some lettuce at the farmer’s market, then bought milk, paint brushes, juice and ice at the big box store.
Stopped in at the back of the auto parts store and picked up 5 more pallets – 3 on top of the car and two inside. It started to rain.
I drove back to Na’alehu. As I drove up the hill to Volcano from Hilo, the rain and fog got very thick and heavy. At one point, I could not see more than 50 yards in front of me. I followed the tail lights of the car in front.
At Volcano, the fog got really close so that visibility was cut to about 30 yards as I passed the sign to the entrance to Volcanoes National Park.
This low visibility continued all the way down the mountain until I passed the other park entrance sign at the other side of the park. Here, the fog lifted, but the rain continued.
As I passed the turn off for Punaluu Black Sand Beach and Sea Mountain Condominiums, it was like someone had shut off the valve. The road was wet, but no rain! As I looked to my right towards Mauna Loa, the fog and low clouds completely obscured the mountain. It looked like it was raining about 200 feet from the highway.
When I passed the turn off for Honu’apo and Whittington Beach Park, someone turned on the valve and it started to rain as I drove up the hill into Na’alehu. The rain continued as I turned on to Kama’oa Road, and had stopped by the time I turned onto Wakea and started down the hill. When I turned off Wakea onto the dirt/gravel/rocky road of MakaniAkua, the road was bone dry all the way to the property on Holowai. Fifteen minutes later, it started to lightly sprinkle and continued throughout the night.
TTFN
TropicalCastaway 