And now, we return to the long-neglected telling of our trip to Hawaii more than a year ago…
The fair and industrious Trudy began studying the guide before we stepped onto the pahoehoe.
We weren’t sure how far we wanted to go, since there was so much to do that day, but we ran into Russel and Mary Grace who were friends of Ira’s and said they hiked often there. They gave us some suggestions and said we would regret it. So Napau Trail it was.
The lava field extended to the horizon with Mauna Ulu and Pu‘u Huluhulu (shaggy hill) rising up in the distance out of the cinder, spatter and ash. There were wisps of steam rising from the ground.
We walked thru this wasteland over rolling billows and beside jagged towers.
We hiked amid the desolation and were amazed at the pioneers putting down roots.
Coming up between the cracks,
in colors more radiant because of the bleakness,
the pioneers were all around us.
