Our first pictures Sunday

Most pictures are in order on the blog, but I lost a set I'd saved (these), and got the next set lined up (zoo) and posted before I realized I'd lost this set. Anyway, today was an exciting day, starting with this drive across the middle of the island, called Saddle Road. So called because it goes between the two big mountains, Mauna Kea (north mtn) and Mauna Loa (south mtn). This is some saddle: it crests at over 6,000' elevation. The changes in landscape from west to east are striking. You start with dry, sparsely vegetated soil in the west, move through barren lava beds that look other-worldly (I don't know which other world), and end up in a lush rain forest. And the road itself, is a hoot. Originally built in 1942 by the military, it is rough in places, and rollercoaster-like in others. Several times, the kids said "Wee!!" as we rolled over steep, short hills. They loved it. Here are some shots of the lava beds.








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