Well, this is rather late, but it occurred to me that I never finished my blogging intentions on the whole trip to Hawaii last October. You can find my race report from the Ironman World Championship in an October 2013 blog post, and I did a separate post in November documenting the week prior to the race. I meant to do one more about the week we spent on the Big Island after the race and I'm just now getting to it. Clearly, speed isn't everything....
So, here it is, and I'll just throw it up here as a photo gallery with some captions.......
The vacation post-Ironman didn't start out too good. Mom had busted her knee taking a spill in front of Lava Java the first day we were there. I, of course, well......I've written about my knee enough. Anyway, the day after the race neither of us were very thrilled to go anywhere. The sisters hit the beach though......as is their custom.....
I had heard that they served SPAM at Hawaiian McDonald's, so naturally I had to try it. This is a SPAM breakfast, and it tasted as good as it looked. I was surprised to see how many folks were eating it not for the novelty that I purchased it for.
After you finish the Ironman World Championship.......if you're REALLY good and place in the top 5 of your age group.........you get a special Hawaiian umeke bowl as a trophy. It's a wooden salad bowl. I didn't get one but our house we rented already came with one in the kitchen cupboard, so we goofed around and set up this picture in the back yard like I had just earned it the hard way.
We wore out Lava Java pretty good after the race. You can't beat the view anyway.
Where the magic happens inside Lava Java.
Mokuaikaua Church. Hawaii's first Christian Church. The steeple is always visible from the Ironman finish line and is in the background of almost every swim start photo I've ever seen. As I dreamed over the years about one day making it to Kona the vision of its steeple has been burned in my mind. It was always a big deal to me that if I ever qualified for Kona I would make it a point to visit this church.
At the foot of this great steeple that has been on my mind for a very long time.
Inside Mokuaikaua Church. Kinda reminded me of the one we visited in St Croix.
I was glad my mom and I got to see the inside of this church together. I've shared a lot of pews with her. A lot of P.U.'s too for that matter. It was really peaceful though.
The other must-see church. This one marks the turnaround of the marathon on Ali'i Drive.
Angie and I loved this little sushi hut just a short walk from the pier in Kona. Mike Beaman tipped me off about it and he was right about how good it was. They make whatever you want and it's all take out. When you see a lot of locals and Japanese there, that's a good sign. The prices were more than reasonable too!
I didn't eat there. I wasn't going all the way to Hawaii to eat from a chain restaurant. But the obligatory photo op was too much to pass up....
Cool drain spouts. This is right across the street from Dig Me Beach.
Angie HATES it when I post pictures of her, but this one is fun and
she is definitely my better half. I love her very much and there are
few things I can do without her help. At the moment only chewing comes
to mind......
This store owner asked me to sign his Ironman Race Program. He tries to get everyone's signature every year. So cool!
Madi and Kenz entertaining a tired old man.
As soon as I saw this on the menu I had a sneaking suspicion it would end up on Dave's plate.....
......and here it is!
Eric, Dave and I and his bottle of Opus 1. If anyone goes to Kona Canoe
Club let me know if Dave's picture is on the wall for this.
I had a barbecue pork sandwich. I should have had the wine and cheese burger.
The Four Seasons north of Kona to see how the other half live. This was the adult only pool. My lawn looks just like this.....
Rocky beach front at the Four Seasons. In the distance is the NW horn shape of the island where the town of Hawi is, where the bike turnaround is on the Ironman course.
Tide pools in front of the Four Seasons. They reminded me of being a
kid at Taechon Beach, Korea. I used to love to forage through the tide
pools looking for shrimp, crabs, and little fishies.
The beach was a little rugged in front of the Four Seasons.
Dave Mirra and family came over to our crib one night for some casual grilling and wining. Good times. I still had my race numbers on my arms like a complete dork. This year they were "iron on tats" and they were a b!tch to get off.
This is my brother-in-law, Mark, working the grill that night. We kinda favor each other. Meals at home were just as good as meals out.
We took a day drive most of the way around the Big Island. It was amazing to see all the different climates on each side of the island. This is in Waimea (not the one with the really big waves) on the north side. The relaxed lifestyle can be seen all over the island, even in their stop signs!
A waterfall on the east side of Hawaii. I didn't make the hike down to it. Too far for the bum knee.
We completely stumbled on this place by getting the map wrong. At the end of a dirt road on the NE side of the island we found this spot under a bridge where the ocean meets a river. A couple locals were splashing in the water wondering how us haole found the place.
This is the view towards the ocean from that same spot.
A shrimp pasta thing I had at Cafe Pesto in Hilo. This place was great and had really good cheesy baked bread.
A cool waterfall in Hilo. In the parking lot we came across a bunch of local Hawaiian dudes all passing around some weed. It looked like a situation that could have gotten a little sketchy, but as soon as we walked by they were like, "Whoa, you did that Ironman?! Cool! Come hang out with us!" I've never been to a friendlier place than Hawaii.
I could make a living just being a fish taco taster all over the island. I'm not sure where I got this one from.
I'm not much of a beach lover like my sisters Ginger and Cindy, but it seemed kind of silly to go to Hawaii and not sit on one beach at all. Angie, mom, and I went with them to Hapuna Beach north of Kona. It was pretty, yes. But after 10 minutes I was ready to go do something.
Our beach setup. Apparently you're supposed to just sit there. I don't get it.
The coolest thing about Hapuna Beach was exploring this lava tube. It was kinda creepy as the further you went inside it would get so dark you couldn't see anything at all. I sat there for a bit letting my eyes adjust, but in the end the creepiness got to me and I headed back out.
The view as you exit the lava tube. It takes you right out to the water's edge, and depending on the tide you have to swim to get to it.
Other than doing the World Championship itself and visiting Mokuaikaua Church,
the other big bucket list item I had was going to the Kona Brewery!
What a bonus that Leanda Cave, last year's Ironman World Champion, was hosting too! lol
Hawaii is known for many sacred places. I'd say this is one of them.
Drinks at Huggos with my dear ol' mom! She has been at the finish line for me at all 5 of my Ironman completions.
Our last dinner in Hawaii. Mom, Angie and I went to Huggo's on Ali'i Drive while the sisters went back to the Four Seasons. We sent pictures to each other competing for best dinner. I'm calling it a tie when you figure the long drive they took.
Our last sunset in Hawaii. This is looking out on the swim course from Huggo's bar and restaurant.
Pu'uhonua o Honaunau National Historic Park. It was a place of refuge
for those that had broken sacred laws, defeated warriors and such. Whatever creepy things were in that lava tube couldn't get me here...
Mom and I locked in battle in some ancient Hawaiian chess game. Supposedly, the winner of the game was allowed to kill the loser. I just couldn't bring myself to it. I guess I'm a lover not a fighter after all.
Sebastian Kienle was on our flight out of Kona, so I chatted with him a bit. I really like this guy and I want to see him take the Championship next year. He was my pick this year, but another dog had his day.
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