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Author:  Frank T [ Fri Mar 02, 2018 12:39 am ]
Post subject:  Re: spring

My Z and I have probably been on every square foot of public property on Oahu. Stationed in Kaneohe Bay (Khan-e-OH-Hee) on the Windward (North) shore for nearly 4 years (where I bought my Z), I hiked the Pali mountains, snorkeled in Kailua (Ki-a-LOO-ahh) and drank at King's Alley in Waikiki. While others spent their weekends at the beaches, I hiked the mountain ridges where I could see the entire island. I have driven completely around the island perimeter road once in my MG-B and three times in my Z. If you get to drive thru the Pali tunnels, that's where I drove Mike Parks' 275GTB/4 Ferrari and got passed by my own 240 going uphill at 100mph. From Waikiki beach you can see Diamond Head (volcano), where I saw the very first $1,000,000 home in the USA. Location, location, location. When I tore the interior out of my 240 to restore it, I found about a quart of Hawai'ian sand under the vinyl. Should have kept it.

I was there when they filmed Hawaii 5-0 every weekend, as well as on the first day the island ever had SMOG. Mayor Frank Fazi didn't know what it was; he activated the National Guard, put all firehouses on 100% alert and declared an emergency. He thought the island was on fire or Pele (the fire god) was about to erupt a new volcano. When some visiting California surfer called and told him, "Duuude, you've got SMOG" and explained what it was, Fazi closed all the Honolulu streets to internal combustion machinery every Sunday, which caused the first annual Hawai'ian Bed Races to be invented.

If you can, take the Catamaran Hydrafoil ferry to Maui. Take your rental car with you. Drive up Haleakala (Holly-ACHK-a-lah) crater and see where they tested the Moon Buggy. It was probably where they filmed the first "moon landing" in 1969, too. :roll: Careful ~ it was 33*F windchill up there on 04July when I visited. I wore a T-shirt and cutoff jeans, both soaked from a dip under the waterfall at the base of the mountain. Nearly froze to death going from the car in the big parking lot to the observation pavilion. I literally had ice form in my jeans pockets on the 4th of July in Hawaii. Made me sing soprano for half an hour. Moana Loa volcano on the Big Island was active all the time I was there and probably still is. it's a 'slow cooker'.

Look for 'sleeping grass', which curls up at your touch. As an MP I once tracked a perp to his hiding place by simply following his wilted footprints thru the sleeping grass. :lol: Watch for mongoose everywhere. They are prolific and are the reason there are no snakes in Hawaii. Wild boars live in the sugar cane and pineapple fields. They killed a guy I knew on the Big Island (well technically his wife killed him trying to shoot the pig, but the pig already had him down. She then accidentally shot the other couple in the backseat of their Jeep, trying to keep the pigs from killing her husband. It's a long story, but the pigs would have killed him themselves without her "help").

I experienced two earthquakes (the first one toppled my refrigerator, the next bounced my MG-B from one parking space to another) and one Tsunami while I was there. The temperature fell into the low 40s after a big storm, which felt like Alaska after being acclimated to high 90s. No houses had heaters, so I took my pillow out into the parking lot and slept in the car with the heater on. My neighbors thought that was a good idea so they did the same. Hawai'ian weather is very volatile; if you don't like what it's doing, just wait 20 minutes.

Gotta get back there someday and Zee how much of it still looks like I remember it. Can't take the Z back there tho; I left with 33 unsettled parking tickets. :oops: I still had them all until a few years ago.

Shakka, Bra. Be sure to get lei'd at the airport. 8)

Author:  Keith.H [ Fri Mar 02, 2018 5:36 am ]
Post subject:  Re: spring

I'm ready for Spring.

Author:  johnnyZ [ Fri Mar 02, 2018 10:50 am ]
Post subject:  Re: spring

Another interesting story Frank. I'll avoid the pigs and your buds wife! :shock:
Headed to Pearl Harbor today.
Only saw 1 350Z here so far.

Author:  johnnyZ [ Fri Mar 02, 2018 8:23 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: spring

Pearl Harbor was very humbling as was the war memorial. The "Mighty Mo" was awesome.

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Author:  Frank T [ Fri Mar 02, 2018 11:47 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: spring

I've been to that USS Arizona (BB-39) memorial several times. There were always older Japanese citizens there (obviously survivors of WWII), praying to the names on the wall of the 1100+ men who were killed aboard the Arizona. The alabaster colored, dogbone-shaped memorial straddles the sunken superstructure of the Arizona below. Most of the remains were not recovered, so she is officially a National Shrine. Altho she now belongs to the National Park Service, the US Navy allows survivors of the Arizona to be buried within her bulkheads when they die.

"Big Mo" (USS Missouri, BB-63) was not at Pearl on Dec7 1941; her keel was not laid until 1944. The final surrender of Japan took place on her deck in Tokyo Bay on 02Sep1945. It's very fitting that those two battleships rest near each other; one witnessed our first hour of WWII and the other witnessed our final hour.

BB-63 was called out of mothballs and into active service in 1991, when she fired the first 9-gun broadside salvo and Tomahawk Cruise missiles into Iraq during Desert Storm.

I envy you this trip.

Author:  FM6 [ Sat Mar 03, 2018 4:09 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: spring

Image

Author:  Frank T [ Sun Mar 04, 2018 12:15 am ]
Post subject:  Re: spring

75 year-old Dreadnaught. Appropriate that her flag is at half-staff. It should always be, in deference to the Arizona's losses but it may be grieving Billy Graham or the 17 Florida school kids.

Author:  johnnyZ [ Sun Mar 25, 2018 7:32 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: spring

Hawaii was great! But I spotted only ONE Z car, a 350Z the whole time. :(
Seems like everyone in Hawaii loves Toyota pick-ups and cars.

I did take my Z car out this Saturday (yesterday) and today. I think I actually heard it whisper "thank you" :wink:

Author:  Frank T [ Sun Mar 25, 2018 9:22 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: spring

Welcome home.
Thanks for the walk down memory lane.

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