Hawai’i Nui means Great Hawai’i. The Hawaiian Islands are a great place to visit, from the Garden Island of Kaua’i to the Big Island of Hawai’i. This is the sixth post in a series of opinion pieces on the question, “What makes Hilo worth a special trip?”

Reason #6. Experience the most scenic in Hawai’i, the journey from Hilo to Kona over the Saddle Road.

It’s so important to enjoy life’s journey. In Hawaii, we celebrate holo holo time, or journeys of exploration. Here is some inside scoop on what we consider one of the most adventurous journeys you can take.

While on the Big Island of Hawai’i, don’t miss the opportunity to take one of the most scenic drives in the world, the round trip from Kona to Hilo.

n the evening, take the mauka route, over the Saddle Road, to see the sun set.

Time was, the Saddle Road was one of the most dangerous stretches of highway in the country. It has been improved significantly over the last few years. It’s not going to shake your car to pieces, like in the old days.

That said, it’s a narrow, winding road that stretches over the world’s tallest mountain, Mauna Kea. Driving over the Saddle Road is an adventure that visitors to Hawaii should not miss. If you are visiting the Big Island and plan to drive the Saddle road, it is worthwhile to download the Heritage Sites & Points of Interest Brochure. (The link is at the top right of the page, just under the nav bar.)

Even for local residents, it’s a still a thrill. At Hawai’i Nui Brewing, we drive over the saddle road almost every time we travel between the brewery in Hilo and the Kona side of the

Big Island, where we like to swim. The mountain looks a little different every time because of the weather or the time of day. And every time I make that drive, there’s always a moment when the sheer beauty of the landscape gives me the chicken skin.

Even our President, Keith Kinsey, who makes the drive almost every day, sometimes pulls the truck over to take some photos. He saw these beautiful clouds a few days ago.

XYZ

Enjoy your visit to the Big Island of Hawai’i. We hope you will make time to visit our fair city.

We look forward to the opportunity of welcoming you at our brewery and tasting room in Hilo.

Aloha,

Nina Lytton, Ambassador of Online Aloha

Hawai’i Nui means Great Hawai’i. The Hawaiian Islands are a great place to visit, from the Garden Island of Kaua’i to the Big Island of Hawai’i. This is the third post in a series of opinion pieces on the question, “What makes Hilo worth a special trip?”

Reason #3. The ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center in Hilo is the place to understand the Hawaiian perspective on star-gazing.

There is nothing more spectacular than to lie on a remote Big Island beach at night. Get away from town, or from lights of a big resort, and you will be stunned by the beauty of the night sky. The stars, more than you’ve ever seen anywhere else, go right down to the horizon on all sides. Outside, at night, hearing the ocean whisper or roar, looking up at the distant stars, you feel very small, almost like you yourself are a piece of stardust. It is an amazing sensation.

On the Big Island of Hawai'i, you will be in awe of the night sky

Looking up at the night sky on the Big Island of Hawai’i, it’s easy to imagine how important the stars were to the Ancient Hawaiians.

Polynesian navigators discovered and settled the Hawaiian Islands after journies of exploration over thousands of miles across the Pacific Ocean, guided primarily by the stars. To get a sense of how amazing this is, I quote from the Polynesian Voyaging Society website:

“The Polynesian migration to Hawai’i was part of one of the most remarkable achievements of humanity: the discovery and settlement of the remote, widely scattered islands of the central Pacific. The migration began before the birth of Christ. While Europeans were sailing close to the coastlines of continents before developing navigational instruments that would allow them to venture onto the open ocean, voyagers from Fiji, Tonga, and Samoa began to settle islands in an ocean area of over 10 million square miles. The settlement took a thousand years to complete and involved finding and fixing in mind the position of islands, sometimes less than a mile in diameter on which the highest landmark was a coconut tree. By the time European explorers entered the Pacific Ocean in the 16th century almost all the habitable islands had been settled for hundreds of years.”

On clear nights, the navigator took his bearings from the stars. During the day and on cloudy nights, the navigator relied on dead recokoning, guesstimating from the wind direction, the nature of the seas, and any clues from birds or flotsam. It is indeed amazing that these methods were used to repeatedly travel between tiny dots of islands spread out in a sea as large as the surface of the moon.

At Hawai’i Nui Brewing, we salute and pay tribute to Hawaiian navigators through our logo, the sail of a voyaging canoe. Through this gesture, we hope to help in keeping the memories alive, and to pique visitors’ curiosity to ask:

“How was this great feat of navigation possible?”

You can find out at the ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center of Hawai’i right here in Hilo. ‘Imiloa, which means “exploring new knowledge,” reflects both the Hawaiian voyages of discovery and the explorations of astronomy.

Located on a nine-acre campus above the University of Hawaii-Hilo, with spectacular views of Hilo Bay, ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center (formerly called Maunakea Astronomy Education Center) provides a unique experience for visitors seeking to explore the connections between Hawaiian cultural traditions and the science of astronomy. Check out this video on the ‘Imiloa website for an introduction to the facility.

‘Imiloa has a state-of-the-art planetarium with 3-D viewing capabilities and a variety of fascinating programs. You can see the views from the telescopes atop Mauna Kea right at the planetarium. Between the planetarium and all the other exhibits, star-gazing fans could easily spend most of a day in Hilo at ‘Imiloa alone.

Enjoy your visit to the Big Island of Hawai’i. We hope you make time to visit our city.

We look forward to the opportunity of welcoming you at our brewery and tasting room in Hilo.

Aloha,

Nina Lytton, Ambassador of Online Aloha

From Kealoha Pisciotta, President of Mauna Kea Anaina Hou and one of KAHEA’s Board of Directors:

As a former telescope system specialist on Mauna Kea, I value both Polynesian and modern astronomy. Unfortunately, the West Hawaii Today editorial endorsing the Thirty Meter Telescope Board’s selection of Mauna Kea over Chile contained several inaccuracies—and one insult to Hawaiians.

Portraying modern astronomy as an extension of traditional Native Hawaiian star and navigational knowledge is inaccurate and obscures the fact that modern astronomy now threatens to displace traditional astronomy on Mauna Kea and the people who practice it there. Hawaiians use Mauna Kea’s high elevation landscape for ceremonies that contain star and other knowledge essential to modern Hawaiian voyaging, knowledge our ancestors used to discover thousands of tiny islands spread over ten million square miles of the vast Pacific Ocean, before the time of Christ and millennia before modern astronomy.

But the constant building of new telescopes has destroyed critical landmarks and obstructed essential view planes that reveal star paths and astronomical alignments. Too much of Mauna Kea’s landscape has already been leveled, and TMT plans to bulldoze more. Eventually, thousands of years of traditional knowledge codified in the landscape will be lost, and practitioners will no longer be able to keep the knowledge alive. With TMT may also come nighttime access restrictions to areas we now use for traditional astronomy. These are among the reasons Hawaiians urged the TMT Board to build in Chile, which their own analysis suggests will inflict less environmental and cultural damage.

Aloha! I’m Donnie MacGowan and I live on the Big Island of Hawaii. Today, I’d like to take you to the top of Mauna Kea. At 13, 796 feet above sea level, Mauna Kea’s summit is the highest point in the State of Hawaii; since its base lies at 19000 feet below sea level, its has a base-to-summit height of 33,000 feet, making it the tallest mountain on earth. It’s also one of my most favorite places on earth.

Mauna Kea began forming on the sea floor about one million years ago. Its name means “White Mountain” in the Hawaiian language and it is snowcapped much of the winter, and the summit is covered with permafrost 35 feet deep. During the ice ages, Mauna Kea’s summit was glaciated 3 times, starting about 200000 years ago and ending only 11000 years ago. One can see the U-shaped valleys and cirques, striated bedrock, glacial tills covering the summit area and remnants of ice-damned lava flows from those times. There are even the remains of extinct rock glaciers near the summit.

The Visitor’s Information Station and summit are reached via a road which turns off Saddle Road at about 6600 feet elevation near the 28 mile marker and tortuously stumbles its way up the south side of Mauna Kea to the Visitor Information Station at about 9300 feet. The road, though steep, is paved to the Visitor’s Information Station.  Above that, the road is graded dirt for about 5 miles, returning to asphalt paving for the final sprint to the rim of the summit crater. Road conditions for the summit road are available at 808.935.6263.

The Visitor Information Station is open from 9 a.m. until 10 p.m. 365 days a year. Informational multimedia presentations, souvenirs, and some food items are available here, as well as clean restrooms and drinking water. Every evening after dark the center allows visitors to stargaze through several telescopes and informational talks by visiting scientists are occasionally scheduled. Saturday and Sunday the staff lead escorted summit field trips, but visitors must provide their own vehicle. Call 808.961.2180 for information. It is suggested that summit-bound visitors stop at the Visitor’s Information Station for at least half an hour before heading to the summit so they can acclimate. The rangers there can help you decide if you and your vehicle are fit for the trip to the summit.

A wonderful, easy road trip that includes a visit to the summit of Mauna Kea can be made a memorable part of any visit to the Big Island.  Directions for a 1-day scenic drive from Kailua Kona to the top of Mauna Kea and on to Hilo (with stops along the way) can be found here.  More information on the summit drive and hike is available here; information about the Hawaiian mythology surrounding Mauna Kea can be found here.

Produced by Donnie MacGowan; original musical score written and performed by Donald B. MacGowan; videography by Donnie MacGowan and Frank Burgess.

For more information on visiting Hawaii in general, or touring the Big Island in particular, please visit www.tourguidehawaii.com and www.tourguidehawaii.blogspot.com. Information about the author can be found here.

by Donald B. MacGowan

View of Laupahoehoe Park From Above, Hamakua Coast, Hawaii: Photo by Donald B. MacGowan

There area many wondrous, enigmatic and fascinating attractions on the Big Island of Hawaii, some better known than others, many out of the way and generally off the beaten track.  Tour Guide Hawaii has produced an encyclopedic collection of the most up-to-date information, presented as short GPS-cued videos, in an app downloadable to iPhone and iPod Touch that covers the entire Big Island, highlighting the popular and the uncrowded, the famous and the secluded, the adventurous and the relaxing.

The phenomenal power of the ocean at Laupahoehoe Park, Hamakua Coast, Hawaii: Photo by Donnie MacGowan

Laupahoehoe Park

Laupahoehoe, meaning “leaf of lava” is a place of great beauty, of awesome displays of oceanic power and of tragic memories. Laupahoehoe Park stands where 23 children and 4 teachers at the Laupahoehoe School, and an unknown number of residents of the town, were killed in the tsunami of 1 April 1946.

The Monument to the Tsunami Victims at Laupahoehoe Park, Hamakua Coast, Hawaii: Photo by Donald B. MacGowan

The children had been sent out by the teachers to gather fish stranded on the beach by the first two giant waves. No one realized the import of the giant waves and the receding ocean until the final, giant wave washed over the peninsula. Only two students and one teacher survived—treading water for 10 hours until an undamaged boat could be found and rescue effected.

Laupahoehoe Tsunami Victim's Graves, Laupahoehoe Park, Hamakua Coast, Hawaii: Photo by Donald B. MacGowan

A graveyard for the tsunami victims and the remnants of the old sugar plantation lie just outside the park; inside the park on a small hill overlooking the jetty is a memorial stone inscribed with the names of those who died in the tsunami and the remnant foundation of the school.

Looking south along the Hamakua Coast from Laupahoehoe Point, Hamakua Coast: Photo by Donald MacGowan

The pounding of the raw ocean on the jetty reminds one that not every beach in Hawaii is made for swimming. The wildness of the ocean at Laupahoehoe was demonstrated graphically and tragically again in 1985. A barge-load of Toyota automobiles broke free of its tow line and wrecked on the reef at Laupahoehoe. Either not understanding the power of the ocean, or not respecting it, the insurance adjuster demanded to be landed on the wrecked barge deck as he was investigating. When a wave toppled his helicopter, he was drowned.

Laupahoehoe Stream at Laupahoehoe Park, Hamakua Coast Hawaii: Photo by Donald B. MacGowan

Park facillities include restrooms, campgrounds, picnic facilities with pit barbecues and ball fields.  Laupahoehoe is a fascinating place to spend time, although the pall of tragedy that hangs over Laupahoehoe Gulch; the fishing, however, is fabulous.

A modern art offering at Laupahoehoe Beach, Laupahoehoe Park, Hamakua Coast, Hawaii: Photo by Donald B. MacGowan

To see the new iPhone/iPod Touch App, please visit http://www.tourguidehawaii.com/iphone.html. The best of Tour Guide Hawaii’s free content about traveling to, and exploring, the Big island, can be found here. For more information on traveling to Hawaii in general and on touring the Big Island in particular, please also visit www.tourguidehawaii.com and www.tourguidehawaii.blogspot.com.

The snowy summit of Mauna Kea as seen fom Laupahoehoe Park, Hamakua Coast, Hawaii: Photo by Donald B. MacGowan

At Tour Guide our goal is to insure you have the most fun, most interesting and enjoyable vacation here in Hawaii–that you are provided with all the information you need to decide where to go and what to see, and that you are not burdened with out-dated or incorrect information.

For independent reviews of our product, written by some of our legions of satisfied customers, please check this out.

Modern Pohaku Iki at Laupahoehoe Park, Hamakua Coast, Hawaii: Photo by Donald B. MacGowan

All media copyright 2009 by Donald B. MacGowan. All rights reserved.

Looking North from Laupahoehoe Park, Hamakua Coast Hawaii: Photo by Donald B. MacGowan

From Marti:

News coverage of the court hearing on the University’s plans for Mauna Kea characterized our opposition to the plan as anti-development.  It said:

“(opponents) want to block new development on the mountain by stopping approval of the management plan.”

As one of our kupuna pointed out, actually the motivation is all the University’s part.  She said

“advocates for more telescopes on the summit want the UH CMP rushed to completion in order to move forward with several new development plans.”

While it is true that as long as there is no plan there is no TMT, that is not the desired outcome for the plan.  We’re not trying to block the plan to stop TMT.

What we do want is the opportunity to have a real plan–one that arises out of a transparent process and allows communities to articulate a public vision for the future of these extremely important public trust lands. That is what a public planning process is supposed to do. The point is that we have been denied the kind of critical, public and open discussion that would lead to such a plan. In its place, we are being told to shut up and accept a plan that was written by the university and driven by its interest in telescope development and telescope dollars.

We have long said that we want a fair opportunity to talk through and determine together how astronomy and cultural practice and natural conservation coexist–in what form, by what rules, and with what limits–on the summit. This is not an unreasonable ask. The University is wasting precious public education dollars on motion after motion in this case, because they are unwilling to compromise in any way on their development plans. For the University, this case is all about TMT. For advocates of the mountain, this case is not about TMT at all. It is about our standing, and the right of the people of Hawai’i to determine the future of a unique, irreplaceable summit that is part of Hawai’i’s public trust.

Click here to read the article from the Hawaii Tribune Herald.

From Marti:

Yesterday morning, the Third Circuit Court heard oral arguments on the University of Hawaii’s motion to dismiss our appeal for a contested case hearing on the University’s new management plan for Mauna Kea.

Though we are still waiting for the judge’s ruling, the hearing made one thing clear: supporters of this “CMP” also support more telescopes (and more desecration and destruction) on the sacred summit.  Less than a dozen people sign-waved outside the Hilo courthouse during the hearing with pre-printed signs that said “Mauna Kea TMT Yes!”  If you ever doubted the connection between more telescopes and the University’s CMP, then yesterday’s demonstration of support for the “Thirty Meter Telescope” at a hearing on the CMP should make it clear that the University wrote this CMP to facilitate telescope construction on Mauna Kea.  Indeed, the CMP does not speak to any limitations on telescopes or a carrying capacity for the summit.

…unless, of course, if by “TMT” they meant “Too Many Telescopes.”

And, Mahalo Nunui!! This is just a little shout out to all of those who took time out of their workday to sit in solidarity with us before the judge.  Mahalo for your unwavering support.

Want to help? Click here to sign up for action alerts and receive regular court updates. And click over here to donate directly to the Mauna Kea Legal Defense Fund.

The dome of the WM Keck Observatory, located atop Mauna Kea on Hawaii’s Big Island, opened just past sunset yesterday for a night of routine observing. Part of the nightly routine for some Keck astronomers is aiming and shooting a laser beam into night sky.

The laser shoots high into earth’s upper atmosphere, creating an artificial star used to help astronomers focus the telescope on regions of the sky where there are few or no bright stars, according to Keck’s website. The laser helps scientists study darker areas of the cosmos.

But what impact does the laser have on astronmers observing with different nearby telescopes? Little, according to Adam Burgasser, assistant professor of physics at UCSD (and full disclosure, my partner, over who’s shoulder I peeked while he was observing last night with the UH 2.2-meter telescope).

Burgasser could see the Keck laser in his field of view and paid attention to its location using a software program. But most of the celestial objects he planned to observe were located no where near the laser beam, and the laser had no real impact on his work.

Still, there is a possible conflict for astronomers wanting to observe an object located in the laser’s path. Those scienists might have to wait until the laser moves before focusing on that part of the sky.

(Below) This image of Keck’s laser beam was taken by A Burgasser, who was observing from the neighboring UH 2.2-meter telescope using the all-sky camera at 7:42pm HST in a good clear sky (0″5 seeing).

Tour Guide Hawaii is excited and proud to announce the launch of their incredible, affordable, fabulous new Hawaii Travel iPhone/iPod Touch App

Navigate to all the most popular visitor destinations, the most interesting attractions, the most romantic and secluded beaches; effortlessly find hikes, snorkel spots, historical and cultural landmarks, shopping and dining.  And of course, our new App includes directions to, and rating of, all the public restrooms! Learn all about it, here. In addition to real GPS navigation, this app also allows you to navigate using Google Maps or, if no internet or phone service available, with on-board maps and driving directions! Our App is crammed full of entertaining and informative video presentations about how and where to snorkel, the best trails and beaches, what to pack to bring to Hawaii, cultural orientation and language tips!

Using the Tour Guide Hawaii iPhone/iPod Touch App will save you time, save you money and allow you to see and do more with your Hawaii vacation; this quick video tells you how.

Interested in seeing what kind of information our App contains?  In celebration of the release of our new App, we proudly present this list of blogs and web articles on Hawaii Travel, with URLs, of the unique and comprehensive Tour Guide Hawaii content.  Enjoy this free information at your leisure, and order your App from iTunes, today!

Tour Guide Hawaii proudly presents the best, the most interesting, the most comprehensive material on Hawaii travel ever gathered in one place!

Best About Planning Your Hawaii Trip

What To Pack And Take To Hawaii: What You Need, What You Want, What You Can Leave Out Of Your Luggage: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/07/13/what-to-pack-and-take-to-hawaii-what-you-need-what-you-want-what-you-can-leave-out-of-your-luggage/

Getting To Hawaii, Getting Around Hawaii, Getting the Most From Hawaii: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/06/04/getting-to-and-getting-around-the-big-island-of-hawaii/

Frank’s Guide to Pronouncing Hawaiian Words: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/07/01/franks-guide-to-pronouncing-the-hawaiian-langauge/

Best Beaches on Hawaii

A Quick Guide to The Best Beaches of Hawaii Island: Sun, Surf, Solitude: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/06/25/the-top-beaches-of-hawaii-island/

The Best Beaches in Hawaii: Part 1, The Main Kohala Coast: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/08/03/the-best-beaches-in-hawaii-part-1-the-main-kohala-coast/

The Best Beaches in Hawaii: Part 2, The Kona and South Kohala Coasts: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/08/05/the-best-beaches-in-hawaii-part-2-the-kona-and-south-kohala-coasts/

Best Beaches in Hawaii: Part 3, Unusual, Uncrowded and Untamed Beaches of South Hawaii: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/08/07/best-beaches-in-hawaii-part-3-unusual-uncrowded-and-untamed-beaches-of-south-hawaii/

Best Beaches in Hawaii: Part 4, Wilderness Beaches of the Big Island: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/08/09/best-beaches-in-hawaii-part-4-wilderness-beaches-of-the-big-island/

Best Beaches in Hawaii Part 5–Best Beaches for Snorkeling: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/08/11/best-beaches-in-hawaii-part-5-best-beaches-for-snorkeling/

Best Scenic Drives on Hawaii

My Favorite Scenic Drive: Hawaii’s Wild and Scenic Saddle Road!: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/09/02/my-favorite-scenic-drive-hawaiis-wild-and-scenic-saddle-road/

Big Island Whirlwind Road Trip: I have to see the whole Big Island all in one day!http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/09/15/big-island-whirlwind-road-trip-i-have-to-see-the-whole-big-island-all-in-one-day/

Kona Heritage Corridor Scenic Drive: An Exceptional Day Trip Exploration of Historical, Lovely, Up-Country Kona!:http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/06/14/kona-heritage-corridor-scenic-drive-an-exceptional-day-trip-exploration-of-historical-lovely-up-country-kona/

Best Scenic Drives on Hawaii #1: The Saddle Road…Kona to the Summit of Mauna Kea, Kaumana Cave and Hilo:http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/08/17/best-scenic-drives-on-hawaii-1-the-saddle-road-kona-to-the-summit-of-mauna-kea-kaumana-cave-and-hilo/

Best Scenic Drives on Hawaii #2: North Kona and Kohala, Ancient History, Sumptuous Beaches: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/08/21/best-scenic-drives-on-hawaii-2-north-kona-and-kohala-ancient-history-sumptuous-beaches/

Best Scenic Drives on Hawaii #3: Kona to Hamakua and Hilo: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/08/23/best-scenic-drives-on-hawaii-3-kona-to-hamakua-and-hilo/

Best Scenic Drives in Hawaii #4: Kona Coast to South Point and Ka’u http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/08/26/best-scenic-drives-in-hawaii-4-kona-coast-to-south-point-and-kau/

Best Scenic Drives in Hawaii #5: Kailua Kona to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Puna and Lava Viewing: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/08/30/best-scenic-drives-in-hawaii-5-kailua-kona-to-hawaii-volcanoes-national-park-puna-and-lava-viewing/

New iPhone/iPod Touch App Helps you Explore Hawaii’s Hidden, Romantic and Mysterious Places: The South Coast of Hawaii: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/09/18/new-iphoneipod-touch-app-helps-you-explore-hawaiis-hidden-romantic-and-mysterious-places-the-south-coast-of-hawaii/

Road Trip Through Keauhou Historic District, Big Island, Hawaii: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2008/07/10/wwwtourguidehawaicom-presents-a-road-trip-through-keauhou-historic-district-big-island-hawaii/

Best About Hiking:

The Best Short Hikes on Hawaii Island: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/06/29/the-best-short-hikes-on-hawaii-island/

The Adventure and Romance of Hiking To Kilauea Volcano’s Active Lava Flows: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2008/07/20/tour-guide-hawaii-presents-the-adventure-and-romance-of-hiking-to-kilauea-volcanos-active-lava-flows/

Exploring the Summit Hikes of Mauna Kea: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/10/23/exploring-the-summit-hikes-of-mauna-kea-hawaii/

South Point’s Justly Famous Green Sand Beach Hike, Hawaii: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/10/29/south-points-justly-famous-green-sand-beach-hike-papakolea-bay-and-mahana-beach-hawaii/

Hiking to Captain Cook Monument on the Big Island of Hawaii: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/10/16/hiking-to-captain-cook-monument-on-the-kona-coast-of-hawaii/

Hiking Hawaii’s Magnificent Waipi’o Valley: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/10/18/hiking-hawaiis-magnificent-waipio-valley/

Hiking Down Into Pololu Valley, Big Island of Hawaii: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/10/20/hiking-down-into-pololu-valley-big-island-of-hawaii/

Kiholo Bay Beach Hike: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/10/21/kiholo-bay-beach-hike/

Hiking to Honomalino Bay, Big Island, Hawaii: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/10/19/hiking-to-honomalino-bay-big-island-hawaii/

Historic Kailua Kona Town on the Big Island of Hawaii: A Walking Tour: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/05/03/historic-kailua-kona-town-on-the-big-island-of-hawaii-a-walking-tour/

Hiking and Camping at Hawaii’s Last Wilderness Beach: La’amaomao the Wind God and Makalawena Beach: Advice: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/02/21/hiking-and-camping-at-hawaiis-last-wilderness-beach-laamaomao-the-wind-god-and-makalawena-beach/

Driving and Hiking to the Summit of Mauna Kea, Big Island of Hawaii: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/07/26/advice-driving-and-hiking-to-the-summit-of-mauna-kea-big-island-of-hawaii/

Hidden Secrets of Hawaii: The Golden Ponds of Ke-awa-iki: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/04/21/hidden-secrets-of-hawaii-the-golden-ponds-of-ke-awa-iki/

Hiking at Kilauea Volcano on the Big Island of Hawaii: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/01/07/hiking-at-kilauea-volcano-on-the-big-island-of-hawaii/

Hiking the Kilauea Iki Trail: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/09/24/hiking-the-kilauea-iki-trail-new-iphoneipod-touch-app-helps-you-find-all-the-unique-secluded-unusual-destinations-on-hawaii/

Best About Snorkeling

The Best Snorkeling Spots on Hawaii Island: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/06/27/the-best-snorkeling-spots-on-hawaii-island/

Hawaii Island Snorkeling Tips, Part I: Gear: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/05/16/hawaii-island-snorkeling-tips-part-i-gear-2/

Hawaii Island Snorkeling Tips, Part II: Technique : http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/05/18/hawaii-island-snorkeling-tips-part-ii-technique-2/

Hawaii Island Snorkeling Tips, Part III: Protecting the Reef and Reef Animals: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/05/20/hawaii-island-snorkeling-tips-part-iii-reef-etiquette-2/

Hawaii Island Snorkeling Tips, Part IV: Snorkeling Safety: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/05/26/hawaii-island-snorkeling-tips-part-iv-snorkeling-safety-2/

Hawaii Island Snorkeling Tips, Part V: Best Snorkeling Beaches of the Big Island: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/05/28/hawaii-island-snorkeling-tips-part-v-best-snorkeling-beaches-of-the-big-island-2/

Hawaii Island Snorkeling Tips Part VI: Wilderness Beaches of the Big Island!: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/05/30/hawaii-island-snorkeling-tips-part-vi-wilderness-beaches-of-the-big-islanda/

Frank’s Big Island Travel Hints

Frank’s Big Island Travel Hints #1: Introduction: Kona Coast: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/09/26/franks-big-island-travel-hints-1-north-kona-and-kohala-ancient-history-sumptuous-beaches/

Frank’s Big Island Travel Hints #2: Kona South to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park Hilo:http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/09/27/franks-big-island-travel-hints-2-kona-coast-south-of-honaunau-to-kau/

Frank’s Big Island Travel Hints # 3: Kona North to Waikoloa and the Kohala Coast: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/09/29/1794/

Frank’s Big Island Travel Hints #4: Waikoloa to Pololu Valley; http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/10/01/franks-big-island-travel-hints-4-waikoloa-to-pololu-valley-4/

Frank’s Big Island Travel Hints #5: Hawi to Kona via the Kohala Mountain road, Waimea and Waikoloa: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/10/03/franks-big-island-travel-hints-5-hawi-to-kona-via-kohala-mountain-road-waimea-and-waikoloa-4/

Frank’s Big Island Travel Hints #6: Waimea and the Hamakua Coast: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/10/04/franks-big-island-travel-hints-6-waimea-and-the-hamakua-coast-4/

Frank’s Big Island Travel Hints # 7: Around Hilo: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/10/06/franks-big-island-travel-hints-7-hilo-side-akaka-falls-to-panaewa-rainforest-zoo/

Frank’s Big Island Travel Hints #8: Mysterious Puna!: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/10/08/franks-big-island-travel-hints-8-mysterious-puna/

Frank’s Big Island Travel Hints #9: Made for Adventure: The Jungles, Volcanoes, Hot Springs and Tidepools of Puna!: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/10/09/franks-hawaii-travel-hints-9-made-for-adventure-the-jungles-volcanoes-hot-springs-and-tidepools-of-puna/

Frank’s Big Island Travel Hints #10: Hawaii Volcanoes National Park: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/10/11/franks-big-island-travel-hints-10-hawaii-volcanoes-national-park/

Frank’s Travel Hints # 11: Exploring Deeper Into Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Big Island, Hawaii: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/10/13/franks-big-island-travel-hints-11-exploring-deeper-into-hawaii-volcanoes-national-park-big-island-hawaii/

Frank’s Big Island Travel Hints #12: More fun in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Big Island, Hawaii: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/10/15/franks-big-island-travel-hints-12-more-fun-in-hawaii-volcanoes-national-park-big-island-hawaii-4/

Frank’s Big Island Travel Hints #13: Hawaii Volcanoes National Park: Chain of Craters Road: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/10/17/franks-big-island-travel-hints-13-hawaii-volcanoes-national-park-chain-of-craters-road/

Best Interesting Stories and General Reading about Hawaii

The Beautiful, Enigmatic and Cryptic Petroglyphs of Hawaii Island: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/04/23/the-beautiful-enigmatic-and-cryptic-petroglyphs-of-hawaii-island/

Hawaii’s Amazing Lava Fossils: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/08/24/hawaiis-amazing-lava-fossils/

The Sugar Industry in Hawaii: Kona Sugar Company and West Hawai’i Railway Company: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/04/25/the-sugar-industry-in-hawaii-kona-sugar-company-and-west-hawai%E2%80%99i-railway-company/

Captain Cook’s Legacy: Exploring the History and Waters of Kealakekua Bay: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/04/07/949/

Kilauea’s Eruption Just Keeps Getting More Fantastic!: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2008/07/31/wwwtourguidehawaiicom-presents-new-video-of-kilauea-volcano-erupting/

Kalapana, Hawaii: From the Fires of Hades to the Eden of Rebirth: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/01/17/kalapana-hawaii-from-the-fires-of-hades-to-the-eden-of-rebirth/

Pu’u Loa Petroglyph Field, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/03/17/823/

Hawaiian Green Sea Turtles: Honu of the Big Island: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/09/19/hawaiis-magnificent-honu-the-endangered-hawaiian-green-sea-turtle/

Heartbreak of the Gods: Kuamo’o Battle Field and Lekeleke Graveyard: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/04/29/heartbreak-of-the-gods-kuamoo-batlle-field-and-lekeleke-graveyard-big-island-of-hawaii/

A Brief History of Ranching in Hawaii: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/05/24/rodeo-to-rock-and-roll-a-brief-history-of-ranching-in-hawaii/

Kona’s Fascinating History: Ahu’ena Heiau at Kamakahonu Beach: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/11/04/konas-fascinating-history-ahuena-heiau-at-kamakahonu-beach/

Kona’s Fascinating History: Moku’aikaua Church–the First Christian Church in Hawaii: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/11/02/konas-fscinating-history-mokuaikawa-the-first-christian-church-in-hawaii/

Kona’s Fascinating History: Hulihe’e Palace: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/11/01/konas-fscinating-history-hulihee-palace/

Kona’s Fascinating History: Kamakahonu Rock, the Kailua Pier and Seawall: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/10/30/konas-fascinating-history-kamakahonu-rock-the-kailua-pier-and-seawall/

Rising From The Past: The Rebirth of Hapaiali’i Heiau, a Hawaiian Temple for Honoring Royalty: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/05/01/1118/

The Hawaiian Snow Goddess Poliahu and the Summit of Mauna Kea…: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/02/05/the-hawaiian-snow-goddess-poliahu-and-the-summit-of-mauna-kea/

Mo’okini Heiau: Warrior Kings and Human Sacrifice on Hawai’i: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/01/03/mookini-heiau-warrior-kings-and-human-sacrifice-on-hawaii-2/

The Call of Aloha…:http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/08/13/the-call-of-aloha/

Why I love Hawaii…: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/01/13/why-i-love-hawaii/

Hilo Askance: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/10/10/hilo-askance/

Conjuring Visions of Paradise: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/02/19/conjuring-visions-of-paradise/

Volcano Art Center—A Kipuka of Creativity on the Rim of Madam Pele’s Home: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/06/01/volcano-art-center-hawaii-volcanoes-national-park/

Jagger Museum, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/04/01/jagger-museum-hawaii-volcanoes-national-rark/

]]> http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/10/23/exploring-the-summit-hikes-of-mauna-kea-hawaii/ Sat, 24 Oct 2009 01:07:03 +0000 lovingthebigisland http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/10/23/exploring-the-summit-hikes-of-mauna-kea-hawaii/

by Donald B. MacGowan

Astronomical Observatories on the Summit of Mauna Kea from Pu'u Koholo: Photo by Donnie MacGowan

Whether you visit the Big Island for a few days, a couple weeks or a few months, you want to make the most of your time in Paradise. With such a wide variety of natural and commercial attractions, it is natural for the visitor to get a little overwhelmed in the “Option Overload” and not be able to make a balanced and informed decision on what they want to do and how best to spend their time.

Even choosing which beach you want to spend time on, or where you want to hike can be an exercise in confusion and conflicting advice.  Clearly, visitors to Hawaii could use help making quality decisions about how best to spend their time.

Huddle of Telescopes on Mauna Kea: Photo by Donnie MacGowan

From Mauna Kea Summit to Mauna Loa: Photo by Donnie MacGowan

Tour Guide Hawaii is excited and proud to announce the release of their new GPS/WiFi enabled App for iPhone and iPod that helps you navigate your trip to Hawaii with hours of informative, location-aware video and information. Although our video guide will lead you to dozens of unusual, untamed and unspoiled spots, let’s look at couple hikes you might otherwise miss if you did not have Tour Guide Hawaii’s new App.

Donnie’s Mauna Kea

Mauna Kea Summit Hikers: Photo by Donnie MacGowan

Today, I’d like to take you to the top of Mauna Kea. At 13, 796 feet above sea level, Mauna Kea’s summit is the highest point in the State of Hawaii; since its base lies at 19000 feet below sea level, its has a base-to-summit height of 33,000 feet, making it the tallest mountain on earth. It’s also one of my most favorite places on earth.

Mauna Kea Icy Summit Warning: Photo by Donald B. MacGowan

Mauna Kea began forming on the sea floor about one million years ago. Its name means “White Mountain” in the Hawaiian language and it is snowcapped much of the winter, and the summit is covered with permafrost 35 feet deep. During the ice ages, Mauna Kea’s summit was glaciated 3 times, starting about 200000 years ago and ending only 11000 years ago. One can see the U-shaped valleys and cirques, striated bedrock, glacial tills covering the summit area and remnants of ice-damned lava flows from those times. There are even the remains of extinct rock glaciers near the summit.

Eric Carr, Master Cameraman, Filming on Mauna Kea: Photo by Donnie MacGowan

The Visitor’s Center and summit are reached via a road which turns off Saddle Road at about 6600 feet elevation near the 28 mile marker and tortuously stumbles its way up the south side of Mauna Kea to the Visitor Information Station at about 9300 feet. The road, though steep, is paved to the Visitor’s Center. Above that, the road is graded dirt for about 5 miles, returning to asphalt paving for the final sprint to the rim of the summit crater. Road conditions for the summit road are available at 808.935.6263.

Mauna Kea Moon From the Visitor's Information Station: Photo by Donald MacGowan

The visitor’s center is open from 9 a.m. until 10 p.m. 365 days a year. Informational multimedia presentations, souvenirs, and some food items are available here, as well as clean restrooms and drinking water. Every evening after dark the center allows visitors to stargaze through several telescopes and informational talks by visiting scientists are occasionally scheduled. Saturday and Sunday Center staff lead escorted summit field trips, but visitors must provide their own vehicle. Call 808.961.2180 for information. It is suggested that summit-bound visitors stop at the Visitor’s Center for at least half an hour before heading to the summit so they can acclimate.

Above the Visitor Information Station there are no public accommodations, no water or food and no gasoline service; the observatory buildings are closed to the public and usually locked. There are neither public telephones nor restrooms, only port-a-potties. An emergency phone is located in the entrance to the U of H 2.2 meter Telescope building.

Mauna Kea Summit Road: Photo by Donnie MacGowan

Driving the summit road to the very top of Mauna Kea is neither as dangerous as the car rental companies want you to believe, nor as casual as many Big Island residents will tell you. True, the summit road is unpaved most of the way, it is steep and winding with limited view planes; the road is extremely hazardous when wet or icy, which is often, and it’s subject to frequent dense clouds, snow, rain and fog obscuring all vision. Also, balmy summer conditions may turn into lethal winter rages in minutes with little or no warning.

Cinder Cones and a Radio Telescope on Mauna Kea: Photo by Donald B. MacGowan

However, the road is generously wide, routinely graded and poses no real threat to the cautious driver. The safe driver can expect to reach the summit in about ½ an hour after leaving the Visitor Information Station. Remember, it’s not the roughness of the road that will impede your car; it’s the elevation that will starve it for oxygen. To be safe, take as much time winding your way back down the mountain as you took coming up, using the lowest gear to save wear on brakes. Check your car rental agreement–many forbid you to drive this road. If you go anyway, your insurance is void, and you do so at considerable financial risk. Remember, people DO crater their cars on occasion.

The Weather Can Change in an Instant on Mauna Kea: Photo by Donnie MacGowan

If the weather turns frightful, simply head down immediately. Relax, be calm and drive carefully; you can be confident that, even if you have to slow to 10 miles per hour in places, you’ll be down to the safety of the Visitor’s Center in a mere 40 minutes or so.

Superstition to Science; An Ancient Hawaiian Temple Shares The Summit With The Most Modern Astronomical Obsdervatories on Pu'u Weiku Summit, Mauna Kea Photo by Donald B MacGowan

The summit of Mauna Kea, hosting the largest assemblage of astronomical instruments and telescopes in the world, is truly an amazing place; a seductive juxtaposition of icy heights raised up from steaming tropical jungle; the age-old altars of sacred Hawai’ian gods alongside edifices of the most modern of sciences; of frigid landscapes carved during ancient ice-ages alongside fiery volcanic landforms; all wrapped around a fabulous trip with a wee rumor of danger, just for spice! Beautiful, awe-inspiring, 360 degree views of the entire Big Island also include the islands of Maui, Kaho’olawe and Lana’i on clear days. The glow from Kilauea Volcano can be seen on clear nights. Although daytime temperatures during the summer can peak in the 60s, it is generally cold-to-frigid, frequently wet and very windy on the summit. Plan and dress accordingly.

View from Mauna Kea Summit to Mauna Loa: Photo by Donnie MacGowan

The summit area is also culturally and religiously important to the native Hawai’ians, hosting many religious Heiau, an obsidian adze quarry and numerous other archaeological sites. Remember this landscape, and the archeological sites upon them, are sacred; take nothing but photographs, don’t even leave footprints.

Mauna Kea Summit Trail: Photo by Donald MacGowan

Parking is limited, but the hike from the top of the road to the actual summit is a must for any who have ventured this far and are in good shape. A stone altar and a USGS survey point mark the actual summit of the mountain, about a 15 minute walk up a cinder trail from the top of the road. A trail leading around the summit crater takes about 30 minutes to trek and traverses some very wild country with amazing views. Be sure to bring plenty of drinking water and hydrate frequently to help stave off altitude sickness. Do not leave the safety of the parking lot if you are feeling ill or the weather is at all chancy—in fact, in deteriorating or poor weather, or at the onset of queasiness, one should leave the summit immediately and descend.

Justly Famous Videographer Frank Burgess at Mauna Kea Summit: Photo by Donnie MacGowan

Alternately, for those in excellent physical condition, one can hike to the summit from the Visitor’s center. Featuring unparalleled views, wild landscapes, archeological sites and more, the hike is about 6 miles in length, gains about 4500 feet in elevation and takes 6 to 10 hours to get up, depending on the hiker. There is no water available anywhere above the Visitor’s Center, so take enough to get up, and back down. Frankly, many people opt to hitch-hike down the mountain after hiking up. In fact, for folks short on time, or for whom scenery and not summit-conquering are the main goals, catching a ride to the summit and hiking down is a great alternative, and takes only about 3 1/2 hours.

Gary Burton and His Ddaughter Nearing Mauna Kea Summit: Photo by Donald B. MacGowan

Another absolutely stunning hike in the summit area, one that is accessible to nearly anybody in reasonable condition, is to Lake Wai’au. Park at either the lot at about 12000 feet, near the 5 mile marker, or the lot at about 13000 feet, near the 7 mile marker. Needless to say, one hike is uphill in and the other is uphill out; but both are less than a mile long and have similar elevation changes. I prefer the upper trail because the view of the summit astronomical complex on the hike out is phenomenal. An absolute jewel of an alpine tarn in its own right, at 13,020 feet Lake Wai’au is one of the highest permanent lakes in the world…permafrost seals the lake bed in the loose tephra and glacial drift on which it sits. It’s about 300′ by 150′ by 8 feet deep and, yes, I personally can vouch for its having been snorkeled. Not much to see in there, though.

Lake Wai'au on Mauna Kea: Photo by Donnie MacGowan

There are a few health concerns about visiting the summit of Mauna Kea as well. In brief: children under 16, pregnant women, and people with respiratory, heart, or severe overweight conditions are advised not to go higher than the Visitors Information Station. Scuba divers must wait at least 24 hours after their last dive before traveling to the summit.

Mauna Kea's Snowy Summit: Photo by Donnie MacGowan

Acute mountain sickness, resulting from exposure to high altitude, includes nausea, headache, drowsiness, shortness of breath, and poor judgment.  Aspirin and lots of water are palliatives for altitude sickness, but the cure is immediate and rapid descent. Sufferers will notice almost complete cessation of symptoms upon regaining The Saddle. Altitude sickness can be dangerous, even life threatening, and rapid onset of comatose condition, or even death, may be unexpectedly swift.

On the Way Up on Mauna Kea: Photo by Donnie MacGowan

Finally, there is severe risk of serious sunburn and eye damage, particularly when there is snow on the ground. Be sure to wear sunglasses rated to at least 90% IR and 100% UV (both UVA and UVB); wear sunscreen rated to at least SPF 30. Long sleeves and pants help reduce the susceptibility to sunburn.

Mauna Kea's Vanishingly Rare Silver Sword Plants: Photo by Donald B. MacGowan

Most visits to Mauna Kea’s summit are extremely pleasant experiences, encompassing easy adventures which may feature mild altitude euphoria, fabulous views and a great sense of relief at reaching the paved road and public restrooms at the Visitor’s Information Station after leaving the summit.

Mauna Kea Science Huddle: Photo by Donnie MacGowan

To see the new iPhone/iPod Touch App, please visit http://www.tourguidehawaii.com/iphone.html. The best of Tour Guide Hawaii’s free content about traveling to, and exploring, the Big island, can be found here. For more information on traveling to Hawaii in general and on touring the Big Island in particular, please also visit www.tourguidehawaii.com and www.tourguidehawaii.blogspot.com.

Mauna Loa Summit from Mauna Kea Summit: Photo by Donnie MacGowan

Copyright 2009 by Donald B. MacGowan. All rights reserved.

From Mauna Kea's Summit Trail to Mauna Loa: Photo by Donnie MacGowan

I’ve since moved out of this house…its hard to get a good night’s sleep when a tractor beam is shining through your window at night. With all of the observatories here in Hawaii, I’m amazed nobody can back up a legitimate UFO sighting. What, you guys didn’t spot them from the Mauna Kea Observatories? What do you mean you think I “edited” the photograph?

Actually, the UFOs came to this island in part to search for intelligent life, but mostly to get caught up on their knowledge of exotic foods. They were also able to restock on spam and rice enough to feed their entire planet.

Anyway, if you are unable to make legitimate UFO sightings, you can always generate a pretty good one in Blender 3d, and use Gimp to impose it into your photograph, as I have on occassion.

NASA: Os Impactos LCROSS na Lua em Outubro de 2009

Artigo nº 242  [ Cobertura das Missões da NASA ] # Whataversity Brasil
Publicado – Sexta-feira, 9 de outubro de 2009.

A Whataversity está criando a partir desta sexta-feira (9 de outubro), uma página dedicada a monitorar
a Agência responsável por revolucionar a história da humanidade. Não poderia ser diferente, se não
houvesse segundas intenções por trás de suas missões, intenções financiadas pelas monstruosas
corporações.

No momento não há ligação e nem provas e/ou evidências, mas a página é justamente
para rastrear possíveis ligações com a Nova Ordem Mundial.

O nosso site acompanhou o evento com horas de antecedência e está elaborando uma detalhada
ficha técnica sobre o impacto da LCROSS na Lua.

Acesse o fórum de discussões do maior movimento na internet contra a Nova Ordem Mundial,
para mais informações:

• http://www.antinovaordemmundial.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=91

Os Preparativos

A transmissão

Blog A Nova Ordem Mundial
A NASA irá transmitir o impacto da LCROSS na Lua no dia 9 por volta 10:15 da manha.
O LCROSS é uma nave espacial robotizada que foi lançada no dia 18 de Junho de 2009, junto com o Orbitador de Reconhecimento Lunar. A LCROSS tem um peso total de 2.3 toneladas e irá se chocar com a lua na cratera Cabeus, e o objetivo (oficial) é tentar detectar agua que possa ser levantada durante o choque.

Onde assistir: NASATV
A transmissão de uma hora e meia está planejada para iniciar as 10:15 e inclui:

- Imagens ao vivo da camera da espaçonave
- Animação em tempo real baseada na telemetria da espaconave
- Imagens do Centro de Operações da Missão LCROSS

Whataversity TV

Animação do percurso de impacto da LCROSS

Siga-nos no Twitter:

Cadastre-se no Fórum:

“Uh, seriously?” –is probably the best way to describe our response to the BLNR’s recent decision that Native Hawaiian cultural practitioners and conservationists (like Sierra Club members) have no standing to speak for the fate of public trust lands like Mauna Kea. And so, as people generally do when faced with crappy* administrative decision-making, we appealed today in court.

Read full article in the Hawaii Independent:

The State’s Board of Land and Natural Resources (BLNR) and the University of Hawaii are being challenged in court by Native Hawaiian practitioners, conservationists, and activists for rushing through a process that would pave the way for the building of the massive new Thirty Meter Telescope atop Mauna Kea despite public opposition.

Conservationists say that the BLNR’s decision to approve the CMP before ruling on the petition for a contested case hearing is an affront to meaningful citizen participation in agency decisions and neglects citizens’ substantial rights.

“Citizen participation in agency decisions is an essential part of our democratic tradition,” said Nelson Ho of the Sierra Club. “The concept of meaningful public participation ensures decision-makers will have adequate information and minimizes the possibility of public corruption and back-room dealing.”

*We use the word “crappy” here, in the most respectful and “aloha-ful” way humanly possible, but we have to call it like it is, yo.

Mauna Kea Beach Hotel Is Located In Kamuela, Hawaii.

Mauna Kea Beach Hotel offers the perfect location on the sunny Kohala Coast of the Big Island of Hawaii. Situated on a beautiful crescent beach, the luxury resort offers guests the ideal setting for a relaxing getaway in paradise.

Take a look at the “new” Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, a luxury Hawaiian resort in a class by itself. You’ll marvel at the way John Hara Associates Inc. of Honolulu artfully melded three guestrooms into two in the main building, and created spacious new floorplans with vast, glamorous baths-where you can soak up the sunny ocean view or golf vista, right from the tub! All of our luxury hotel rooms have beautiful new interiors by Barry Design Associates Inc. of Los Angeles with large flat screen TVs, media hubs, bedside iPod dock with clock radios, updated bedding, luxury L’Occitane amenities, elegant furnishings, solid doors and a few surprising touches you will love.

• 258 luxury guestrooms and suites, some enhanced with serene golf or ocean-view baths
• Natural white sand Kauna‘oa Beach, one of Hawaii’s best ranked beaches by top travel authorities
• Enhanced beach and pool services, new padded chaise lounges, beach umbrellas, cabanas, thick orange beach towels, new beach activities and equipment
• Newly renovated 18-hole championship Mauna Kea Golf Course
• New golf clubhouse and restaurant “Number 3″ created by John Hara Associates and Pro Shop by Procraft Heritage Creations
• Manta & Pavilion Wine Bar, with dramatic exhibition kitchen and extensive wine program, including the innovative Enomatic wine experience
• Weekly Luau, traditional Sunday Brunch and Clambake on the beach
• Hau Tree~Beachside at Kauna‘oa for casual lunch, snacks, sweets and cocktails
• The Copper Terrace for sunset ceremony, music and cozy firepits for conversation, cocktails and pupus
• 11-court Seaside Tennis Club
• New 2,500 square-foot fitness center with 43 Life Fitness exercise machines
• The Mauna Kea Salon for beautiful hair and nails
• New boutique shopping enclave along the meandering koi ponds
• Hawaiian culture shared through lei-making, hula, crafting classes, music, luau and more
• Indoor and outdoor group function spaces and meeting rooms, as well as picture-perfect wedding sites for a Big Island wedding
• Museum-quality Pacific and Asian art collection, over 1,600 pieces gathered by Mr. Rockefeller and Davis Allen for The Mauna Kea in 1965
• Complimentary inter-resort shuttle service to Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel
• Soul-soothing therapies and beatific body treatments at the transcendent new Mauna Kea Spa by Mandara

Recreational facilities;

Tennis

Along the stunning ocean coastline north of Kauna‘oa is the 11-court Seaside Tennis Club, one of the largest and most sought-after tennis experiences in Hawaii.

Golf

Guests of the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel can take advantage of the golf course’s superior amenities including world-class practice facilities that feature a driving range, and putting green. Brush up on your technique with a private lesson or group clinic at the golf resort, and elevate your game while enjoying epic views of the Kohala Coast’s rolling waves.

Water Sports
History says the mesmerizing natural crescent beach of Kauna‘oa, with its soft white sand and easy access to the ocean, was an ideal spot for ali’i “vacationers” to store canoes, relax and play in the surf. Today, as in centuries past, Kauna‘oa embraces sun-worshippers and swimmers, sandcastle-builders, surfers, sailors, and those who prefer their strolling hand-in-hand under moonlight. Coupled with Hāpuna Beach to the south, these picture-perfect Hawaii beaches are often rated among the best in the country by The Travel Channel, “Dr. Beach,” Condé Nast Traveler and many others.

Whether you want to wiggle your toes in the sand or make a big splash, there’s a world of water activities waiting for you during your Hawaii family vacation:

• Swimming
• Snorkeling
• Scuba diving
• Sailing
• Boogie boarding
• Kayaking
• Deep-sea fishing
• Seasonal whale-watch
• Canoe rides
• Stand-up paddle boards

The Mauna Kea Spa by Mandara

Transcend. Transform. Trust the Moment.

The Mauna Kea Spa by Mandara offers a combination of Balinese and Hawaiian-inspired therapies. Choose from a variety of massage, body treatments, aromatherapy and skincare services featuring our signature Elemis product line. Our full service facility offers five luxurious treatment rooms including a couples suite with balneotherapy.

Awards:

• Worlds Top 10 Spas, Mauna Kea Spa by Mandara - Shape Magazine, August 2009

The Mauna Kea resort can be booked directly at our website.

THE must have iPhone / iPod Touch app for all residents and visitors to the Big Island of Hawaii.  Get the Tour Guide iPhone and iPod App here today!

For more information on Tour Guide Hawaii’s fabulous new iPhone and iPod App, please go here, here and here.

For more information on traveling to Hawaii in general, or details on how to buy the iPhone/iPod App, please go to www.tourguidehawaii.com.

This bird, known as a Palila, is found only on the Big Island of Hawaii on the upper slopes of Mauna Kea in the dry forest areas above 6000 feet elevation.  Palila habitat has been reduced significantly over the years, in part due to the a grazing habits of the non-native Mouflon Sheep that roam the Mauna Kea slopes.  The image quality isn’t too great, but I was very happy to at least see a few Palila on my recent trip in August.  Living at the 200 foot elevation in northwest Louisiana and then going hiking up and down rather steep terrain over 6000 feet in Hawaii was challenging, but worth the effort.  Now I need to figure out how to get back to get some better quality images. 

I’ve always had an interest in astronomy since I was a kid and had a cheap department store telescope.  It’s been in my mind this week, as I’ve seen several astronomy-related stories come up (I’ll put up some links in a followup post).  As I was browsing the offerings from Canon Creative Park, this neat papercraft of the Subaru Telescope, with scope and dome, caught my eye.  According to the site:

Located on the summit of Mauna Kea in Hawaii, the National Astronomical Observatory in Japan began astronomical observations in 1999.  At an altitude of 4,200 m (13,779 ft), a dry atmosphere and low atmospheric pressure make the summit of Mauna Kea one of the world’s best places for astronomical observations.

Based on the results of water flow tests, the Subaru Telescope was designed to allow efficient discharge of internal heat without taking in the outside air.  It features a dome with a distinctive cylindrical shape.

You can download the model for A4 paper and for US letter.  The instructions are also available on A4 paper and US letter.  More information and photographs are available on the Canon Creative Park website (if you can put up with all the Flash).

On 29 August 2009 (a Saturday), four other volunteers from different projects and I rented a car and drove around the northern part of the Big Island.  Our itinerary: Waipi`o Valley –> Akaka Falls –> Kaumana Cave –> Mauna Kea for the sunset.

Stop #1: Waipi`o Valley

Goal: the beach.

Waipi`o Valley, from almost the valley floor. View to the southwest.

Waipi`o is on the Hamakua coast of Hawai`i, the first, largest, and most eastern of seven deep valleys on Kohala Volcano’s northern coast.  It’s about one hour west of Hilo by car.  The valley itself is about one mile wide at the coast and six miles deep, with 2000-foot-high cliffs on both sides displaying numerous cascading waterfalls.  The tallest waterfall on the Big Island is found int he valley – called Hi`ilawe.  Waipi`o has much cultural importance – nicknamed the ‘Valley of the Kings’ – because many rulers used to live there.  In addition to Hawaiian rulers, Waipi`o was also home to many people, being one of the most fertile valleys, and many heiau, or temples.  Much of its community has been destroyed due to tsunamis and floods over the past half century or so.

View looking southwest-ish across the valley and down the road we had to climb down and up.

Nowadays, only a few people actually live in the valley and they are generally taro farmers or fishermen.  To get down into the valley you need a four-wheel drive car, or strong legs, because it’s a 25% grade slope.  It was hard going down and even harder going up, though for different reasons.  This road is not for the weak of knee.  However, they do have shuttles that go up and down every so often and there is a company that does horseback riding into and around the valley.

These were our horse friends. The one in the back kept trying to bite and there he's hitting something against a rock. This one was a bit shier than the other, and wouldn't let me touch her head.

Speaking of horses, while walking along the valley floor towards the beach, we came upon two horses who followed us to the beach and hung around until we left.  It was fun to lounge on the beach and play in the water, though it was pretty rough.  There were a bunch of surfers there too, so we got to watch them.  But then we huffed and puffed back up the road and journeyed on to other things.

Stop #2: Akaka Falls

Akaka Falls, northern Big Island. View to -no idea-.

We then went to Akaka Falls, a place I have been before.  A nice, easy, cement pathway will lead you to these falls, along with a smaller one somewhere nearby.  They are nice to look at, but you need not spend too much time here.  So we didn’t.

Stop #3: Kaumana Caves

I have no picture for you because it was dark.  These caves are probably some lava tube or tube system, but they are not as well-known as Thurston Lava Tube inside the Park. It was cool to explore them without the company of thousands of tourists.  We did encounter two fellows from England, but they were pretty cool.  In my excitement to see real lava once again, I was constantly looking down and so hit my head not once, but twice, on some nice, hard lava.  Note to self and other people: glance up every so often while exploring lava tubes.

Stop #4: Mauna Kea

Goal: watch the sunset.

The best view we got of the summit of Mauna Kea. View to north-ish.

Akaka Falls and Kaumana Caves were both on our way to Mauna Kea…Akaka Falls is off Hwy 19 which runs along the northern coast and Kaumana Caves is off of Saddle Road, or Hwy 200, which runs between Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea.

WARNING!

From Saddle Road, we drove up the Mauna Kea Access Road to the Visitors Center – you need a four-wheel drive vehicle to get up to the summit.  From there, we watched a bit of a movie detailing the cultural importance of the mountain and then walked up one of the nearby cones for a better view.  We didn’t actually get to watch the sun go down due to the could cover, but we got a couple of nice views of neighboring mountains, the moon, and some pretty colors.  Here are some pictures:

Mauna Loa is just peeking up over the clouds. View to S.

Hualalai, Hawai`i's third volcano, is also just above the clouds in this view to the WSW.

This picture looks SE over a couple Mauna Kea cones, some clouds, and at the moon.

These pictures that follow are a time sequence of the sunset (and the clouds) looking WSW.

I hope you enjoyed this tour of my day and of parts of Hawai`i.  Check back again soon for more exciting posts.  And happy Labor Day!

From Melissa-

Tomorrow, we along with others will plead our case at the Board of Land and Natural Resource meeting for a contested case hearing on the Mauna Kea Comprehensive Management Plan.

Mauna Kea Anaina Hou, The Sierra Club-Hawaii, The Royal Order of Kamehameha I, KAHEA: The Hawaiian Environmental Alliance, Dwight J. Vincente and Clarence Kukauakahi Ching have submitted a request for a contested case hearing on the plan.

Robert Harris, executive director of the Sierra Club, said that after the plan was approved in April Mauna Kea was chosen for a $1.2 billion Thirty Meter Telescope project.

“Our position is we’re not sure you should be approving new telescopes until this comprehensive management plan is finalized,” Harris said. “If you are going to call this a comprehensive management plan, I think you’re going to have to take into account future development and this plan specifically doesn’t address any development whatsoever.”

Department of Land and Natural Resources staff are recommending against a contested case hearing, saying there are no laws or rules requiring one because of the board’s approval of the plan and that the petitioners have no property interest in the project.

“The (comprehensive management plan) does not permit or authorize any new land use of development on Mauna Kea, including telescope projects,” the recommendation said.

Marti Townsend, program director for KAHEA, said there is a public interest in the protection of public trust resources. More time is needed to develop the plan and get public input, she said.

The DLNR says the acceptance of the plan doesn’t facilitate new construction but Townsend said she thinks it does, especially in light of the recent announcement of the Thirty Meter Telescope project.

“That was our concern all along — that we’re rushing through the management plan process in order to accommodate the TMT and so it’s really a development plan,” Townsend said.

To read full article click here.

The meeting will be held tomorrow (August 28, 2009) at 9:30 in the DLNR Board Room 132 on the first floor of the Kalanimoku Building at 1151 Punchbowl St. The Board Room is located on the makai (ocean) side of the building.

Across the Roof of Hawaii

by Donnie MacGowan

Recent improvements to the Saddle Road make it no longer the grinding, intimidating drive it once was and open hundreds of square miles of unimaginably beautiful, strange and wondrous landscape to the Hawaii Island Visitor.

Approximate minimum time start to finish (to see every site): 12 hours

From Kona take Highway 190 to Highway 200 in 45 minutes of driving. Saddle Road, which cuts between the “saddle” of Mauna Loa on the south and Mauna Kea to the north, passes through ranch lands and the Pohakuloa Military Training Facility, for another 45 minutes, to the turn for Mauna Kea Access Road (John Burns Way). Nearby, Kipuka Huluhulu, or “shaggy hill”, is a 20 minute hike to the top and back. From here it is a 30 minute drive to the Mauna Kea Visitor Information Center. The small village is home to scientists and astronomers that work in the observatories and an amazing place to learn what their research tells us about our universe. Returning to Hwy 200, drive 45 minutes to the amazing Kaumana Cave lava tube, a short hike and a wonderful exploration. A further 30 minutes down Hwy 200 brings one to downtown Hilo, where there are shops, restaurants, fine museums, gorgeous waterfront beach parks and a fabulous Farmers Market. From Hilo, it is approximately three hours to return to Kailua Kona over Hwy 200; alternately one can take the faster though less scenic Hwy 19 to Waimea and then Hwy 190 into Kailua Kona, about a 2 1/2 hour drive.

Ahu'ena Heiau, Kailua Kona Hawaii: Photo by Donnie MacGowan

Leg 1) In Kailua Kona, start at Ahu’ena Heiau; take Palani Road east to Hwy 190; take Hwy 190 to jct with Hwy 200, The Saddle Road

Ahu’ena Heiau and Kamakahonu Beach

Centuries ago the inhabitants of this region built a series of sacred temples, or heiau, which were originally used for the purpose of sacrificing human beings to their war god, Kuka’ilimoku. This particular archeological site is called Ahu’ena Heiau, which in Hawaiian means “Hill of Fire”.

Built originally in the 15th century and rededicated by Kamehameha the Great in the early 1800s as the main temple of his capital, the current structures seen at Ahu’ena Heiau were re-built in 1975 under the auspices of the Bishop Museum with financial help from the Hotel King Kamehameha and are constructed to 1/3 the original scale. There are restrooms and showers located on the pier near the beach. Adjacent Old Kailua Town is a treasure of shops, restaurants and aloha.

Hualalai Volcano from Saddle Road, Big Island Hawaii: Photo by Donnie MacGowan

Leg 2) Take Hwy 200, The Saddle Road, east to jct with John Burns Way (also called Mauna Kea Access Road).

Looking West from Highway 190 to Hualalai Volcano Halfway between Kona and Waimea, Big Island of Hawaii: Photo by Donald B. MacGowan

Saddle Road

Crossing the spectacular saddle between the towering bulk of the volcanoes Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa at about 6600 feet, The Saddle Road runs through brush, grass and forest lands, over lava fields and through some of the wildest and most breath-taking scenery on the Island. From this roadway, four of the 5 principal volcanoes that form The Big Island may be seen: Hualalai, Kohala, Mauna Loa, and Mauna Kea. Because the western half of the road is in notoriously poor condition and consists, in reality, of only one operable lane for much of its descent from the saddle to the Mamalahoa Highway.

However, this road provides the only road access to the Mauna Kea Summit Area and Visitor Information Center, Mauna Kea State Park, Pohakuloa Training Area, Mauna Kea Astronomical Observatory Complex, Waiki’i Ranch and the Kilohana Girl Scout Camp. The Saddle Road also provides the only access to thousands of acres of public forest and open grass lands. Connecting Hilo from about milepost 7.8 on the Hawai’i Belt Road to the Mamalahoa Highway approximately 6 miles south of Waimea, the Saddle Road is widely used by island residents for cross-island travel, despite its somewhat poor condition and undeserved, evil reputation.

Mauna Kea From Mauna Kea State Park; Note V-Shaped Stream Valleys and Glacial Cirques: Photo by Donald B. MacGowan

The Saddle Road frequently has perfect weather, but also fairly routine are patches of intense rain, fog and high winds. It’s takes about 2 ½ to 3 hours straight driving time, depending upon weather, to make the full traverse from Kailua Kona to Hilo; however, one should be sure to leave time in the schedule to drive up to Mauna Kea Visitor Information Station or hike the Pu’u Huluhulu nature trails.

Along its entire 53 mile length between the turn-off from the highway just 6 miles west of Waimea and where it meets Hawaii Belt Road just north of Hilo, there is no gas and there are no services available; plan accordingly. Some food, water and restrooms may be available at the Mauna Kea Visitor Information Station which is a 30 minute drive up a side road off the Saddle Road about half way.

Kipuka Huluhulu from Saddle Road: Photo by Donald MacGowan

Leg 3) Off a Spur road at the jct of John Burns Way and Hwy 200, on the south side, is Kipuka Huluhulu (“Shaggy Hill”) Nene Sanctuary.

Pu’u Huluhulu Nature Trails/Kipuka Aina Hou

Frequently described as simultaneously the most noticeable and the most overlooked landmark along the Saddle Road, Kipuka Pu’u Huluhulu rises more than 200 feet out of the surrounding lava flows. It’s name meaning “furry hill”, this forested cinder cone has multiple trails winding up through rare native koa trees to breathtaking 360° views of Hualalai, Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa at the top, where you can also wander a meadow of native Hawaiian plants recently reintroduced in this protected natural habitat. By whatever trail, the summit of Kipuka Huluhulu is only about 20 minutes walk from the car.

Owing to the encapsulated nature of the kipuka, bird watching here is particularly fabulous; the Ā’akepa, Nene and the Ā’akiapola Ā’au, as well as the Kalij pheasants, pueo, i’o and turkeys are among the rare, endangered or just plain beautiful birds you will see here. The numerous roads and trails through the hundreds of square miles of adjacent lava flows makes for interesting, if hot and dry, mountain biking and hiking.

Parking and a unisex pit toilet are the only amenities available at Kipuka Pu’u Huluhulu.

Mauna Kea From Kipuka Huluhulu Nene Sanctuary: Photo by Donald MacGowan

Looking South from Mauna Loa to Mauna Kea from Near Lake Wai'au: Photo by Donnie MacGowan

Leg 4) Go north on John Burns Way to Mauna Kea Visitor Information Station.

Mauna Kea Visitor Information Station

The Visitor Information Station is open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. During the day there are interactive computer exhibits about Mauna Kea, the observatories and astronomical research, plus there are video presentations and nature trails to hike. Many evenings after dark National Park personnel and astronomers put on public programs and discuss what the latest astronomical findings tell us about the nature of our universe. The souvenir shop has some food items, including hot chocolate, coffee and hot soup, for sale.

Hikers on Mauna Kea Summit Looking at Mauna Loa Summit: Photo by Donnie MacGowan

Leg 5) John Burns Way to Mauna Kea Summit

Mauna Kea Summit

Before you decide to go to the summit of Mauna Kea, stop, think, plan. Are you prepared for cold and high altitude? Do you understand the nature and dangers of altitude sickness and UV radiation? Are you experienced at traveling icy dirt roads? Is you car safe for the trip (many car rental agencies on the island forbid you to drive this road)? The Rangers at the Visitor’s center can brief you on altitude sickness, UV radiation preparedness, the condition of the road and all other information you need to decide whether to visit the summit (see a video here).

Lake Wai'au--the Seventh Highest Lake in the US--Whose Name Means "Swirling Water", Perches Near the Summit of Mauna Kea On The Big Island of Hawaii: Photo by Donnie MacGowan

The summit of Mauna Kea is truly an amazing place. Beautiful, awe-inspiring, 360 degree views of the entire Big Island, the summit is also culturally and religiously important to the native Hawai’ians and is home to several, world-class astronomical observatories and their support buildings. Because of the extremity of the altitude and the poor quality of the road above the Visitor’s Center, it is advised that extreme caution be exercised in deciding to visit Mauna Kea’s Summit. From the road’s end very near the summit, a short, 10 minute trail leads up Pu’u Weiku cinder cone to the actual mountain top and a Hawaiian religious shrine. Also near the summit is the 1-mile hike to Lake Waiau, the 7th highest lake in the US, as well as numerous archeological sites. Moving at altitude is strenuous, so conserve energy. Do not over-tax yourself, be sure to drink plenty of fluids and protect yourself from the sun, wind and cold. Leave the summit area and return to the paved road long before you are tired.

Kaumana Cave, Hilo Hawaii: Photo by Donnie MacGowan

Leg 6) Return John Burns Way to Hwy 200; take Hwy 200 east to Kaumana Caves

Kaumana Caves

A skylight opening to 25-mile long Kaumana Cave is located at the county park near the 4-mile marker on the Hilo side of the Saddle Road. Concrete stairs take you down through the rain forest jungle to the bottom of a collapse pit forming two entrances to the cave. Most people are drawn to the entrance on the right, a large, opening leading to cavernous rooms. In this entrance, graffiti from hundreds of years ago to the present is preserved, scratched into the rocks. The entrance on the left, however, is more interesting, leading through squeezes and low spots to numerous rooms with fascinating speleo-architecture and cave formations. Both caves go to true dark in fewer than 300 feet in either direction. There are more than 2 miles of easily accessible, wild cave to explore here, but if you intend more than just a cursory inspection near the entrances, bring a hard hat, water and at least 3 sources of light. A quick tour of the caves takes fewer than 20 minutes.

Kaumana Cave's Skylight Entrance: Photo by Donnie MacGowan

Parking for the caves is located across the highway from the park; extreme care should be taken when crossing he road. Public restrooms, water and picnic tables are available at the park. As you approach Hilo from Kaumana Caves, Hwy 200 becomes variously called Kaumana Drive, then Waianuenue Avenue.

Astronomical Observatories on the Summit of Mauna Kea, From Downtown Hilo: Photo by Donnie MacGowan

Leg 7) Take Hwy 200 into Hilo Town.

Hilo Town

Beautiful but wet, metropolitan but decrepit, bustling but laid back, Hilo is a lovely, maddening, heartbreaking, addictive study in contrasts. In can rain all day long for 50 days in a row, yet when the sun does shine, the views of Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea from the Liliuokalani Gardens, or of Hilo Bay as you drive down from the mountains, or the rain-forest and waterfall choked gulches with lovely beaches along the highway north of town, make Hilo one of the most truly, achingly-lovely spots on earth.

Hilo's Charming Bayfront Shops: Photo by Donald MacGowan

More laid back and sleepier than bustling Kailua Kona, Hilo is the largest town on the island, and the county seat. The Imiloa Astronomy Center of Hawaii, Tsunami Museum, Lyman House Missionary Museum and the Panaewa Rainforest Zoo are all wonderful places to learn about various aspects of Hawaii. There are numerous shopping districts, two large malls and the Historic Old Hilo downtown shops to browse through, a variety of sprawling green parks, a fabulous tropical arboretum right downtown and a mile-long black-sand beach fronting the bay to explore. Hilo’s Farmer’s Market is a “must see” for any visitor who is spending time on this side of the island.

Mauna Kea's Summit from Highway 19 Near Waimea Town: Photo by Donald MacGowan

Leg Return Waianuenue Avenue to Kaumana Drive to Hwy 200; take Hwy 200 west to jct with Hwy 190; take Hwy 190 west to Kailua Kona.

Trogdor at Keauhou Bay, Kona Hawaii: Photo by Donnie MacGowan

For more information on traveling to Hawaii in general and touring the Big Island in particular, please visit www.tourguidehawaii.com and www.tourguidehawaii.blogspot.com. Information about the author is available here.

All media copyright 2009 by Donald B. MacGowan

Saya yakin kamu tahu apa itu nasi tumpeng, kecuali sejak kecil kamu tinggal di luar negeri dan baru pulang belakangan ini ke Indonesia, atau kamu aja yang kupernya keterlaluan seperti si Abe. Ketika ada upacara adat, selametan, bancakan, ulang tahun tradisional (gak pake cake tapi nasi kuning), atau tujuh belas Agustusan, kamu pasti nemuin itu makanan. Bentuknya kerucut, dibuat dari nasi kuning atau nasi uduk. Nasi tumpeng atau tumpengan biasanya dihiasi dengan beraneka bahan makanan atau sayuran seperti cabe, wortel, tomat, telur dan lain sebagainya. Kalo kamu perhatikan bentuk kerucut tumpeng mengingatkan kita pada bentuk gunung. Seperti kita ketahui, Indonesia merupakan negeri kepulauan yang memiliki banyak gunung berapi. Nenek moyang kita memandang gunung dengan pandangan hormat. Dan nasi tumpeng atau Tumpengan dimaknai orang sebagai simbol gunung Mahameru.

            “Gunung Mahameru sih apa, sebelah mana gunung Semeru?” Tanya kamu.

            Begini, gunung Mahameru adalah sebuah konsep alam semesta yang berasal dari agama Hindu dan Buddha. Konon alam semesta berbentuk pipih melingkar seperti cakram, dan lingkaran itu berpusatkan Gunung Mahameru yang tingginya katanya sekitar 1.344.000 kilometer. Puncak gunung ini dikelilingi matahari, bulan dan bintang-bintang. Konon katanya gunung ini berdiri di tengah benua yang bernama Jambhudwipa yang ditinggali manusia dan makhluk-makhluk lainnya. Benua Jambhudwipa dikelilingi tujuh rangkaian lautan dan tujuh rangkaian pegunungan. Di bagian tepi alam semesta terdapat rangkaian pegunungan yang sangat tinggi sehingga sukar didaki, yaitu Chakrawan dan Chakrawala. Di puncak Gunung Mahameru terletak kota tempat tinggal dewa-dewa. Adapun delapan arah dari Gunung Meru dijaga oleh dewa-dewa Asta-Dikpalaka sebagai pelindung alam semesta dari serangan makhluk-makhluk jahat.(Stutley 1977:190-191; Heine-Geldern 1982:4-5; Dumarcay 1986:89-91 dalam Munandar).

            Orang-orang Jawa Kuno penganut Hindu-Buddha yang memang gemar belajar dan membaca memperhatikan betul soal ini. Dari dulu sampe sekarang orang kita memang tergolong suka beradaptasi dengan budaya dari luar. Setelah masuk ke budaya kita, budaya luar pastinya mengalami lokalisasi (istilah ini kedengarannya gimana gitu) atau istilah yang lebih tepat untuk zaman sekarang dan pastinya tidak mengandung konotasi bagi pikiran kamu yang kotor, yaitu Jawanisasi atau Indonesianisasi. Orang Jawa Kuno percaya kalo Gunung Mahameru telah mengalami mutasi atau dipindahkan oleh para dewa dari Jambhudwipa ke Jawadwipa. Entah karena alasan politis atau agama, pulau Jawa kemudian dinyatakan sebagai pusat dunia. Konon oleh Bhatara Guru (atau Shiwa)  para dewa disuruh turun ke Jawa supaya mengajari para penduduk awal pulau Jawa berbagai pengetahuan dan keterampilan.

            Oleh karena itu tidak mengherankan kalo gunung-gunung memiliki nilai mistis dan religius di mata masyarakat (terutama di Jawa). Sebenarnya gak cuma di Jawa, kita sering dengar juga perkataan yang berasal dari orang yang bukan bangsa kita soal orang bijak dari puncak gunung, atau istilah petapa turun gunung. Di banyak kebudayaan gunung dianggap suci atau mistis. Orang Yunani menganggap gunung Olympus sebagai tempat bersemayamnya Zeus. Di Hawaii masyarakatnya percaya kalo gunung Mauna Kea adalah tempat tinggal Pele (bukan Pele sang legendaris sepak bola itu! Kalo dia sih tinggal di Brazil). Di pegunungan Himalaya banyak dibangun kuil-kuil. Kalo di Indonesia sendiri kita mengenal legenda nini Pelet dari puncak gunung Ciremai atau mak Lampir dari gunung Merapi (Ini sih sandiwara radio dan sinetron silat =D). Yang pasti bagi orang-orang zaman dahulu gunung adalah abstraksi dari sesuatu yang jauh lebih tinggi dan melampaui kekuasaan manusia, gunung juga dianggap lebih dekat dengan ‘langit’. Tak mengherankan kalo bentuk piramid, atau candi cenderung meniru bentuk gunung. Khusus untuk candi seperti Candi Borobudur, bentuknya memang berkaitan dengan konsep Mahameru.

            Kembali ke masalah nasi tumpeng, dari bentuknya saja sudah tampak menyerupai gunung. Nasi tumpeng atau Tumpengan hanya ada dalam perayaan-perayaan tertentu (kecuali kalo kamu iseng bikin tumpengan buat sarapan, bikin repot aja). Ini adalah warisan budaya nenek moyang. Suatu perayaan yang dianggap suci tentu memerlukan simbol-simbol suci yang dapat mewakili makna dari apa yang tengah dirayakan.

            Manusia adalah homo symbolicum. Yang membedakan manusia dengan hewan adalah kemampuannya menciptakan simbol atau lambang. Misalnya bendera merah putih merupakan lambang keberanian dan kesucian. Atau yang lebih universal, setangkai mawar dianggap simbol pernyataan cinta. Gunung Mahameru yang dianggap pusat alam semesta oleh masyarakat Jawa Kuno kemudian disimbolkan dalam bentuk-bentuk yang man-made dari yang susah dibuat seperti Candi sampai yang made in dapur seperti nasi tumpeng. Nah, sekarang kamu baru tahu kan asal-usulnya kenapa tumpeng bentuknya kerucut? Kalo pun kamu mau memaknainya secara berbeda itu sih sah-sah aja. Ini namanya proses semiosis. Kalo dulu mungkin nasi tumpeng bermakna filosofis sebagai gunung Mahameru, kini mungkin beda lagi. Mungkin bagi kamu tumpengan maknanya, makan enaaaaak! =D

Every once in a while we get a chance to bring you some truly useful information. Today is one of those days.

Tonight will offer some of the finest celestial viewing possible to the naked eye. And if you’re lucky enough to be in Hawai’i, you can experience the event seen through some of the darkest skies on the planet.

Yes, I’m talking about the Perseid Meteor shower.

Here is an excerpt from Tom’s Astronomy Blog:

The peak of the 2009 Perseid is expected to be sometime on August 12th, when Earth passes through the densest part of the debris cloud. In North America, the watch begins at nightfall August 11th. Find a flat patch of ground, away from city lights, and lie back and enjoy the show. There should be up to 60 meteors per hour at the peak of the shower. A bright gibbous moon will be right next door in the Aries constellation, an unavoidable (if beautiful) light source. Around 9pm to 11pm (your local time), both Perseus and the moon will be low in the North. This will be the best time to catch the Earthgrazers; said to be the most beautiful meteors.

I checked this out with my Personal Astronomy Consultant, Glenn, to get his tips for Hawai’i residents.

Ordinarily, the Perseids are best viewed after midnight when the rotation of the earth takes us directly into their path and maximizes visibility.

Because of the bright moon tonight, Glenn advises us to try going outside before moonrise, which occurs tonight at 11:16 pm Hawai’i time.

Of course, the clouds from Tropical Storm Felica could impede visibility.

The normally always interesting Mauna Kea webcams are not usually a good way to see meteors, according to Glenn, because they snap images at intervals of 2-1/2 minutes.  They will miss most of the action.

So step outside on the lanai around 11 tonight for some star-gazing, or whenever the sky is dark and the air is clear.

Good luck!

Nina Lytton

Look carefully, you can see the observatories atop Mauna Kea right on our label