Kilauea is at it again!

 

 Photo courtesy of B. Carr USGS

 

For a superbtimelapse video from NPS, click here

 

The Halema'uma'u crater at the summit of Kilauea began spewing lava on Sept. 29 after a series of earthquakes. Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park officials expect the eruption to be contained within the park, with no danger to homes or visitors. 

Officials cautioned that high levels of volcanic gas were the primary hazard of concern, noting that vog, or “volcanic smog” had already been observed downwind of Kilauea. Fanned by southerly winds, vog typically moves across the Ka‘u District, hitting first areas in south Hawaii like Pahala, Naalehu and Ocean View, before getting caught up in sea breezes that bring it toward West Hawaii and onshore.

NPS, Courtesy of Janice Wei

 

For some outstanding shots of previous eruptions (and even more inspiring shots of beautiful Hawaii) zip over to the Takaaze Art Gallery online.

 

 Photo courtesy of B. Carr USGS

Volcanoes Beckon

 Click Here for a crunchy Video of Kilauea Crater and steam banks

I was in Volcanoes National Park many years ago, before it was fancied up as it is now. We drove down the road to the edge of the Kilauea crater, and could actually hike across it if we wanted. Extraordinary, considering Mauna Loa and Kilauea are among the most active volcanoes in the world, and Kilauea has been spewing lava – often changing the landscape - every few years. One eruption was along a rift zone called Pu’u’o’o’ on the east side of the park; it lasted from 1983 to 2018. Another, from 2008 to 2018 caused the Kilauea summit – where we would have been hiking - to collapse. The latest eruption was in 2021, though it’s quiet for now except for dozens of little earthquakes. 

 

One word to describe this park is “vast”. To the north, the summit crater of Mauna Loa is over 13,600 feet. The entrance to the park, Kilauea Visitor Center, is near the Kilauea summit crater at 4000 feet.

 

 

Marked "August 1887"

It was intermittently cloudy but warm when I started on a 1.75-mile hike recommended by a ranger, beginning at the visitor’s center along the crater rim, ending in the steam banks, crossing the road to the sulphur banks and back through a forest to the visitor’s center.

The sulphur banks

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

Since the ranger said the Thurston Lava Tube would be most crowded between 10 and 2, I opted to drive the 20-mile-long twisted Chain of Craters Road through a rain forest down to the sea. 

The forest opened up to mind-blowing vistas – what I initially took to be the bluest of sky turned out to be the sea set against miles of new land created by the eruptions. I was disappointed that the petroglyphs required a mile-plus walk in the hot sun; I had to choose between them and the Thurston Lava Tube if I was to leave before dark. I’d advise visitors to begin around 10 in the morning to see everything, not starting at noon as I did. The Chain Road takes time to drive, especially if you stop off at one of the many sites along the way.

The end of the road

I was pleased to find that, though Hawaii is the "newest" island, another one is forming out in the Pacific to the south, about 30 miles away and 300 feet below the surface of the water.

I returned to Volcano House, waited a few minutes for a table at the small restaurant, and had a decent sandwich to revive myself. Then it was back down the road to Thurston Lava Tube. It’s situated in a beautiful, dripping, screaming green rain forest, and when I was there, was nearly deserted (about 5PM). The tube itself reminded me so much of the caves of France and Spain; it was surprisingly long, cool and wide. A must-see.

I made my way out of the park, west along the Hawaii Belt Rd. (Rte.11), foolishly assuming that sunset would be around 7:30. I forgot I was much closer to the equator, and by the time I was ready to find the turnoff to my next AirB&B, the sun had fallen with a thud. 

It's pahoehoe, not Aa, or ow ow, which is what you say when you step on it

This proved to be a problem.

 

It's Magnolia Time Again!

The 55-acre San Francisco Botanical Garden in Golden Gate Park is just starting to burst into bloom with a variety of magnolia trees that delight the senses.  Every year at this time, the garden publishes a map so visitors can follow a walking tour through the various "rooms" in the well-laid out garden acreage, on the look-out (or more like "look-up") for the white or pink blooms - some the size of dinner plates. But magnolias are only one of the charms of this plant-fest. A few favorites: the succulent garden, which is ablaze with red-hot pokers, the redwood grove for the cool peace of giant sequoias, and the little ancient plant walk near the north entrance. Entry is free for San Francisco residents; for non-residents, single entry is $6-12. If you're thinking you might like a place to walk and unwind during the workday though, consider membership: individual membership is $70 a year, allowing free entrance any time to both the botanical garden and the park's fabulous Conservatory of Flowers, the oldest building in the park, a Victorian wedding cake filled with exotic orchids and tropical plants - a great place to warm up on a chilly day. 

If greenery is your thing, there's plenty of free plantings around the park, in bloom every season of the year. And it's almost time for the ornate tulip plantings to spring up around the windmills on the west side of the park!

A Perfect Day in a Perfect Place: Balboa Park

Cymbidiums abound in Balboa Park's pleasantly shaded plant house

Land was set aside in 1868 by San Diego civic leaders for what was then called "City Park." The sandy, scrub-covered mesa that overlooked present-day downtown San Diego sat without formal landscaping or development for more than 20 years. It was renamed for Spanish explorer Vasco Núñez de Balboa in honor of the 1915 Panama-California Exposition, held in the Park that year. Today Balboa Park's total land parcel is 1,200 acres, and is one of the city's major destinations for locals and tourists.

The 1915-16 Panama-California Exposition commemorated the opening of the Panama Canal and provided a major impetus for the creation of the Park as it appears today—it was the first of two major Expositions that created many of the cultural institutions as well as the stunning architecture in Balboa Park. The San Diego Zoo was established in 1916, the second year of this exposition.


Most of the arts organizations along Balboa Park's famous colonnaded El Prado pedestrian walkway -including a popular restaurant with outdoor seating, The Prado - are housed in Spanish-Renaissance style buildings constructed for the 1915 Exposition. It was one of the first times that this distinctive, flamboyant architectural style had ever been used in the United States. The park features numerous cafes and restaurants for all budgets and tastes.

The Park also features a large lattice-style botanical building and lily pond for exotic plants and the Alcazar Garden set in a fantastical building straight from Arabian Spain, an Art Museum (one of 17 museums and collections) and frequent cultural events. A visitor could easily spend more than one day wandering about.

Balboa Park was declared a National Historic Landmark, and a National Historic Landmark District in 1977.

Off to the Sun: Desert to Ocean - Beautiful San Diego

The last time I was in San Diego, I visited the (considerably smaller) zoo and drove through into Mexico. This time, I was visiting a dear old friend who found me after a years-long separation. Thank you, Internet! Getting off the plane and driving to Carol's home at the border of North and South Park was like stepping into a desert mirage - water, water everywhere.

 The harbor is justifiably famous, and San Diego is a happening town. That evening, we went to dinner in one of the hot neighborhoods, The Gaslamp Quarter in Old Town. Once the purview of winos and the homeless, this long street lined with Victorian buildings interspersed with modern storefronts and illuminated with gaslamp-style electric lights was packed on a Saturday night with folks out for a fine meal, nightclub or stroll. It was a scene! We ate at a Thai place with excellent curries and Yum Nuea (spicy beef salad), Sab Lai Thai Kitchen. It was voted the best Thai restaurant in the city in 2017, and is on the main drag, 5th Ave., in the Gaslamp.

After dinner, we buzzed another local hotspot, Little Italy. San Diego has gone all out to make parts of the town true destinations, and this was no exception. India Street is the central road here, and is connected to the other main street, Columbia, by Piazza della Famiglia, a 10,000-square-foot plaza with a dramatic tiled fountain. Little Italy is known for its restaurants, and, like the Gaslamp, it was packed on Saturday night.


After dinner, we went to Carol's home and I met her loyal guardians, two enormous Australian shepherds.
That's Rio, on the right wondering how soon he can maneuver his way onto a lap for a belly scratch. Lido, on the left, just wants to adore you.





The next morning, we toured the neighborhood, which borders the east side of Balboa Park and is a destination in itself: North and South Park.  The area is a fascinating combination of a real neighborhood with eateries full of locals, shops where people actually know your name, and a destination with a number of craft breweries and boutiques.

Inside the Big Kitchen

More than a few of the establishments have been around for years, including the popular Big Kitchen Cafe on 30th and Grape. Most of the homes here are California Craftsman style with a few Victorians thrown in - an architecture that - to me anyway - typifies a southern California town. All in all, a great place to visit and explore.

An Oasis of Bloom: San Francisco Botanical Garden

Golden Gate Park is an achievement, as everyone will agree. One of its many treasures is the cleverly laid-out 55-acre San Francisco Botanical Garden, which contains continents within its narrow boundaries.

On February 3rd, 2017, the public television channel KQED held a special day for members to come and preview the nearly 100 magnificent magnolia tree varieties normally in bloom this time of year. When the Botanical Garden opened in 1940, its exotic cup-and-saucer magnolia was the first of its kind in the Unted States--it drew crowds of visitors--and it's still in the garden today.





However, as everyone in northern California knows, after years of drought, the winter of 2016 was the rainiest on record for over 200 years! The result: the gigantic pink, purple and white lemon-scented blossoms on the trees bloomed two-to-three weeks ahead of schedule, leaving us visitors to content ourselves with fiery rhododendrons, luscious camellias and the hundreds of other amazing plants the master gardeners at the botanical garden have managed to coax from the sandy soil. Here are just a few:

A superb succulent garden

The redwood grove is a personal favorite

You can sign up for the Botanical Garden's e-newsletter on their website to be informed about what's in bloom and when.

Upcoming: wild flowers are in bloom April through June, and pianists play to entertain among the plantings in the July "Flower Piano" event. The garden is free to San Francisco residents, and $8 for adults. Special events and tours require an extra fee.

Angel Fest: Blue Angels on Angel Island

Friend Jenny and I took the ferry out from Tiburon on October 8 to Angel Island State Park, then a shuttle to Point Knox across the bay from San Francisco to see the beginning of Fleet Week. The Navy's Blue Angels Jet Team performed along with the Breitling Jet Team from France and a number of other stunt flyers. The air show ran from noon to 4PM; the seven-member Breitling team from 2-3PM (their vapor trails and maneuvers were particularly intricate) and the Blue Angels in the last hour (tight formations are a hallmark of this team). Different websites cited different times, though I understand the Angels ALWAYS perform between 3 and 4PM. The jets sound like thunder, and the sound reaches you well after the airplanes have moved past. The most thrilling moment for me was when the Blues arrived over our heads on Angel Island, flying in from points north.
Here's my brief video of moments from the day.


For an amazing video of the Breitling Team over New York, see this YouTube. It makes you want to be a jet pilot (or at least buy a very expensive watch).

Gold Country/Columbia, Gem of the Mother Lode

Strolling the streets of Columbia (Photo: Bonnie Kamin Morrissey)

Everyone has heard the story of Sutter’s Mill, and how workman James Wilson Marshall found a few flakes of shiny stuff in a nearby brook in 1848; word spread to San Francisco and the subsequent gold rush built that city from a sleepy Spanish colony of 1,000 souls to a megalapolis of 100,000 in a year. Miners competing for claims spread out, and gold was found in the town of Columbia in 1850, many miles south of the original discovery site; between the first grains panned out of a boulder-strewn stream and the early 1900s, $87 million in gold was removed from the surrounding hills. Unlike many boomtowns of the Mother Lode, Columbia wasn’t deserted when easier methods of gold extraction petered out: because the lack of flowing water in the area didn't lend itself to destructive placer mining, the town remained a pleasant place to live. Though the population dwindled from several thousand to less than 500 at a low point, locals lobbied to make the town into a State Historic Park, succeeding in 1945. Buildings that were once hazardous were refurbished over time to create a sort of *Williamsburg West of the Gold Rush period (without the high prices to get in the buildings—all of the buildings, parking, and tours are free in Columbia).

Photo: Bonnie Kamin Morrissey

Though the historic part of town covers only a few blocks, many buildings have costumed interpreters that enlighten visitors as to who lived and worked there (the nonprofit Friends of Columbia sponsors interpretation and education). A stagecoach takes riders around the town for a fee, and many of the storefronts house real businesses; some with touristy souvenirs, others with more substantial products like leatherwork and ironwork. 

Hot babe on the Fire Engine

There are displays of authentic period goods in a few buildings (the pharmacy and firehouse are particularly interesting), a couple of restaurants, and a playhouse that features modern performances. 


Two of the original hotels of the era are nicely refurbished and open for business: the Columbia City Hotel (most rooms have a toilet and sink, with shower down the hall) and the Fallon Hotel; both run from $50 to $105 per night, depending on choice of room. The state park has also fixed up three “modern” cottages in town ($115-155).

The upstairs parlor of the Columbia Hotel

Yes, it is touristy, though not at the level of Disneyland, where every shop sells trinkets emblazoned with Mickey Mouse. It's more of a cross between a well-preserved ghost town and a small-town downtown. I found the interpreters—often volunteers—to be a friendly font of information—they love what they do. In a following blog, I’ll review a few of my favorite places in this charming little historic town.

Inside the Pharmacy (Photo: Bonnie Kamin Morrissey)

Columbia State Historic Park, 11255 Jackson Street, Columbia CA 95310

http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=552

Map to this location

*You can read about Federal-era Williamsburg, VA in MoonHandbook: Chesapeake Bay

 All Photos by Joanne Orion Miller unless otherwise noted.

Yosemite: Getting There, Getting Around

The hoosegow in Groveland

We drove into the park via the northern route, Hwy. 120, through Groveland. Formerly known as Garrotte due to a local hanging, this little town is as charming as foothill villages get. Most of the buildings on the main street are originals, built as early as 1849 (when it was known as Savage’s Diggings after a local gold discovery). I suspect Groveland was a hippie haven during the back-to-the-land movement in the early 1970s, as there are a lot of artists in town (many buildings are decorated with large abstract canvases); cool little restaurants and shops abound, and the average age appears to be—well, picture hip 20-somethings in 1970, then and now. This was an excellent place to stop for lunch, which we did at Dori’s Tea Cottage (18744 Main Street, http://doristeacottage.com/, 209-962-5300), the former Groveland Post Office. Lovely service, sandwiches, and people.

Downtown Groveland

Hwy. 120 climbs a torturous route over a mountain and through the charred remains of a very big fire – the “Rim Fire” of 2013 that burned more than 165 square miles and caused Governor Brown to issue a state of emergency. On the way in, tree crews closed the route down to one lane in a couple of places to facilitate tree removal, though undergrowth is coming back. Most fires are caused by lightning strikes, and are a normal part of the mountain growth and re-growth cycle, though dry weather has increased the frequency and intensity of forest fires throughout the U.S.

If you’re lucky enough to encounter snow on your trip to Yosemite, you might consider taking YARTS bus service (www.yarts.com, 1-877-989-2787) from one of many stops from the Merced airport to villages along Hwy. 140 direct to Yosemite. YARTS not only connects with the airport, it also stops by Merced AMTRAK if you choose to travel by train. Though Hwy. 140 is usually open to cars without snow tires or chains, getting around the valley might be a challenge in icy conditions. Once inside the valley, you can take the free shuttle from a dozen stops; it runs every half-hour (www.yosemitepark.com).

On the way out of the Valley, we took Hwy. 140, following the scenic Merced River. An enormous rockslide closed down part of the road, covering the old route with what looked like 100 tons of boulders and causing a one-lane detour. This original paved road into the park parallels the old stagecoach route, which can still be seen across the river. In the town of Mariposa, the first city on the route out of the park. We stopped at a place recommended by Lisa Cesaro, PR Manager for Delaware North, the company that currently owns and runs the concessions in Yosemite. It more than met Lisa’s description: funky on the outside, amazing on the inside. 

The menu pretty much offered every diner delight known to humankind, with plenty of vegan and vegetarian options, at prices that were certainly delightful after Yosemite. The burgers are spectacular, as are the fries, the zucchini fries, and the uber-nice family that runs the place. By all means, stop at the Happy Burger Diner, located at the corner of Highway 140 and 12th Streets (http://happyburgerdiner.com/).

The "stairmaster" at Vernal Falls

Yosemite: Eat Well, Sleep Like a Bear

Yes, the Ahwahnee has shops. This little number--one of 100 signed pieces--costs $895.

The Ahwahnee dining room

The over-the-top December Bracebridge Dinner (based on a series of stories by Washington Irving, “Bracebridge Hall”-–the 1822 precursor to “Downton Abbey”), was first instituted on Christmas day in 1927. Alas, in January we were too late to share the feast, but we did enjoy a fabulous dinner in the Ahwahnee dining room. Perfect Caesar salad, prime rib, swordfish, and the Ahwahnee’s legendary boysenberry pie.

Jerry hard at work

Our waiter, Jerry, was a font of wine knowledge and helped us pick a real beauty of a red for dinner. We also ate dinner in the pleasant Ahwahnee bar one night; good menu, nice surroundings, decent prices (considering it’s in the Ahwahnee). Other options we tried: the Mountain Food Court (next to Yosemite Lodge), excellent choices for hot breakfast, lunch, and picnic goods. We also heard the Mountain Room Restaurant was a favorite among locals. Expect “hotel prices” everywhere—after all, you are a captive audience. If you’re on a budget, bring fruit and other foods you can store in your hotel room mini-fridge.

As for comfort, Lady Astor (who, in 1925, famously refused to stay in the park because it was too rustic), would be well pleased. The luxe Ahwahnee hotel (its name taken from the Miwok word “Ahwahneechee” meaning “dweller of the Valley”) was built in 1927. There are other options, from tent camping and cabins (depending on the weather) and hotel rooms at Curry Village, and the reasonably priced Yosemite Lodge at the Falls (where we stayed—recently redecorated and popular with families).

The view from our room.

Lodging Reservations: yosemitepark.com, (801) 559-5000; Guest Facilities and Services: yosemitepark.com, (209) 372-1000

You can definitely sit a spell in the Ahwahnee--no reservations required.