Last weekend, I was moving some things around in my closet and found this business card on the floor tucked behind some storage bins. Somehow it survived a move, several closet reorganizations and the actual camera, which was the reason I had it in the first place. This card takes me back to a time known as P.D. (Pre-Digital). During P.D., when things broke we took them to be repaired instead of just replacing them. It was a very dark time. Luckily Paul Brink was able to fix my broken camera, but it was the final revenge from Goddess Pele.
Before we get to that, we have to start here, at the beginning of our trip to Hawai’i. After the nine-hour flight, we landed in the cloak of darkness, got our rental car and hurried to the little place we’d booked in a town called Lahaina on the northwest coast of Maui. We had to be up by three a.m. for our first adventure: a visit to the top of Haleakalā, Maui’s impressive (and the world’s largest) dormant volcano. We would be driven to the summit to watch the sun rise.
Sleepy and jet-lagged, our guides handed out astronaut-sized gloves and parkas, two things we definitely did not think to pack for a trip to Hawai’i. It was still dark as we made our way to the edge of the crater at 10,000 feet (3,050 m) along the narrow and steep switchbacks (33 to be exact). I barely registered this in the moment but it would become central to my wellbeing in a few hours. We all stepped out of the van onto the overlook and stood there for a while on the tippy-top of a volcano with nothing to buffet us from the whipping winds and temperatures below freezing.
As we waited, our guide told us about the native flora and fauna around Haleakalā and Pele, the most powerful goddess of the islands. Pele makes her home on Kilauea on the Big Island, but she and one of her siblings did battle in the crater of Haleakalā. “If you want to have an enjoyable visit, you need to be in good with Pele,” he said. “She is not to be messed with.” Pele is in charge of everything on all the volcanoes of Hawai’i, he told us. And when we leave the only thing we should take with us were our memories and the only sign that we were here should be our footprints.
Pele: the goddess of fire and volcanoes, among other things. Image via Wikipedia
Then, at the horizon, was a slash of light. Moment by moment it spread higher as the sliver between the earth and sky changed from inky black to navy blue to light blue to pale yellow to orange to fiery red. It was easy to forget about the cold. It all changed so quickly. The sky went from night to day within fifteen minutes. It all just seemed miraculous. Mark Twain called watching the sunrise from above the clouds at the top of Haleakalā “the sublimest spectacle” of his life. That, it was. As we returned to the van, I picked up a smooth egg-shaped stone and put it in my pocket.
Please excuse the grainy photo. This was taken P.D. with a thing called film.
I really wish these photos were better. The view was breathtaking.
Those are clouds just below the sun in the center of the photo.
And then it was time for the “active” portion of our adventure. We exchanged our parkas and gloves for helmets. Because we weren’t going to ride to the bottom in the climate controlled comfort of the van. That’s for sissies! We were going to get on bicycles and ride careen down the side of Haleakalā, sharing the winding, two-lane road with cars. The switchbacks were so narrow they looked like this: WWWWWWW. Despite not having ridden a bike in at least a decade, for some reason, I thought this sounded like fun. And it was fun, in much the same way a root canal is fun. I would learn later that the grade (pitch) of the volcano is 8-10% with some areas as much as 12%. That may not seem steep, but I didn’t have to pedal once. Instead, I squealed the brakes the entire way down to keep from tumbling over the measly guardrail and flying off the side of the volcano. Then, I braked too hard in the damp corner of one switchback and the wheels slid out from under me, across the road and dangerously close to the guardrail, tearing my pants and digging one of the pedals into my skin. I had not yet made the connection between the little rock in my pocket and Goddess Pele.
Me with my new friend, before Pele got to me. That helmet the guide made me wear was so heavy I felt like a Weeble.
Part one was longer than I anticipated so stay tuned for part two to find out what Pele still had in store for us!
Have you ever gone to the summit of a volcano or mountain? Tell us about it in the comments.
Have a great weekend, everyone!
More accidents! Girl, you should NOT leave the house. 😉
Right!? I’m a walking accident looking for a place to happen. 🙂
I’m the same… except, I avoid any kinds of activities that could be dangerous. I’m OK with walking, but barely. Clumsiness is me!
I would have been in that van!
You are much smarter than I am. 🙂
At least we know you’re still alive anyway. A reassuring spoiler 😉
Unless the Goddess Pele has taken over my WP account. Whoooo 🙂
Now you’re freaking me out… 😉
Wow, what a story! I would never in a million years have ridden a bike down the volcano — I’m way impressed with your bravery! I’ve never been to a volcano (would love to!) but I’ve been to summits of mountains in the Alps, Sierra Nevadas, Rockies, and Green Mountains (not nearly as dramatic)…love them!
This was my first time above 10,000 feet, and I could really feel it. Did you have any difficulties with the altitude?
You took a volcano rock…? Haven’t you ever seen the episode where The Brady Bunch’s goes to Hawaii 🙂
So many good life lessons to be learned from The Brady Bunch. Marsha, Marsha, Marsha!
I’ve heard about the bike ride down. Sounds fun and terrifying. And you make that helmet work for you!
Why thanks, Oma. The helmet was part of my Evel Kenievel phase.
Oh, you are brave indeed, Jackie. That bike ride sounds awful. I couldn’t talk my friends into doing the volcano, but now I have photos to look at!
I really had no idea what I was getting myself into!
I’ve heard that the bike rides are now prohibited along the volcano. Do you know if that’s true?
No, but I can believe it!
I’m such an extreme city slicker I would have insisted on being air lifted up as well as down. But, back in the day with some friends I did climb some path up some famous steep mountain in Yosemite. I apologize for not researching exactly where I was; I’m writing this comment on my phone since I’m on vacation in the Bay Area. Somehow I have this uncharacteristic fit of athleticism and I reach the top first. I pump my arms in victory and then Aunt Flo arrived.
Always thwarted by Aunt Flo!
Have a great trip and holiday. Hope you’re enjoying some good weather.
Yikes, I had a bad feeling when you picked up that rock! Looking forward (but with trepidation) to part two.
Have a lovely Christmas, Jackie!
It’s a nail biter. 🙂 (I would be a terrible mystery writer! 🙂 )
Wishing you a happy Christmas as well.
This post is making me want to break out my Boys for Pele CD.
The pictures are beautiful. Haven’t made it to Hawaii yet but El-D and I did Poas volcano in Costa Rica. It was stinky.
The photos definitely don’t compare with the real deal. I hope you get to go someday.
Ha! A distinct rotten egg smell, right?
Yep rotten eggs.
Lahaina–I’ve been there! I didn’t climb this volcano though. However, I have a vague recollection of playing Frisbee golf around there–now that’s an odd memory since that isn’t my usual sport. Can’t wait for part two!
I didn’t know that you’d been to Haleakala on Maui! Too bad you didn’t get to climb it though. Would have been good experience for your big hike last year! 🙂