Everyday things about Big Island life that make visitors go "Wha?" (Hilo: shops, plantations)

[hotzcatz]

Before they had the guide/guard at the top of the road down into Waipio valley there used to be quite a few rental cars that would get into the valley. Towing them out of there was really pricey provided they were even in a condition to be towed. Most of the ones in the trees have been removed, although I think there's still a truck in a tree on the Hilo side of the third gulch as you head towards Waimea.

There's a sign up towards the observatories which reads "Beware Invisible Cows" so there's all sorts of things which get out onto the roadways around here.

[smallbrat]

I'm like...WHA? now

[OpenD]

Originally Posted by smallbrat

I'm like...WHA? now

What, about Waipio Valley? No worries, it takes some very deliberate effort to go there. You won't fall in by mistake.

It's a very beautiful place with spectacular waterfalls, and quite special to Hawai'ian natives, because several kings lived there. It's widely regarded as a kind of Shangrila, and many traditional ways are still practiced there, like old school taro cultivation. The valley floor is at about 2,000' altitude.

The issue with Waipio Valley is that, as Wkipedia puts it:

"A steep road leads down into the valley from a lookout point located on the top of the southern wall of the valley. The road gains 800 vertical feet (243.84 m) in 0.6 miles (0.9 km) at a 25% average grade, with steeper grades in sections. This is a paved public road but it is open only to 4 wheel drive vehicles. If classified as a road, it would be the steepest road of its length in the United States and possibly the world."

Even with signs stating No Rental Cars Allowed, and big penalties if you do take a rental car there, including voiding any insurance coverage, and more recently with a guard/guide posted at the entrance, people who shouldn't be there still manage to get in with some frequency and then either crash or break down, which messes things up for everyone.

If you have an uncontrollable urge to visit, it's best to hike in, or hire a native guide to take you in, or both.

[AlohaHuey]

Originally Posted by OpenD

What, about Waipio Valley? No worries, it takes some very deliberate effort to go there. You won't fall in by mistake.

It's a very beautiful place with spectacular waterfalls, and quite special to Hawai'ian natives, because several kings lived there. It's widely regarded as a kind of Shangrila, and many traditional ways are still practiced there, like old school taro cultivation. The valley floor is at about 2,000' altitude.

The issue with Waipio Valley is that, as Wkipedia puts it:

"A steep road leads down into the valley from a lookout point located on the top of the southern wall of the valley. The road gains 800 vertical feet (243.84 m) in 0.6 miles (0.9 km) at a 25% average grade, with steeper grades in sections. This is a paved public road but it is open only to 4 wheel drive vehicles. If classified as a road, it would be the steepest road of its length in the United States and possibly the world."

Even with signs stating No Rental Cars Allowed, and big penalties if you do take a rental car there, including voiding any insurance coverage, and more recently with a guard/guide posted at the entrance, people who shouldn't be there still manage to get in with some frequency and then either crash or break down, which messes things up for everyone.

If you have an uncontrollable urge to visit, it's best to hike in, or hire a native guide to take you in, or both.

This reminds me of a tradition in Seattle: "Let's watch all the cars slide down the hill when it snows!"...

The same people who slide down the hills also probably slide into Waipio Valley.

[henry1]

there is place in Utah where iam from and if you know how to drive the road two wheel drive is fine for the road and if you are not a local then get with a local and go back them a few times to this place hidden in the mountains and onto the valley floor to camp out in ..

you can hike back or atv back and if the summer time drive back with a normal two wheel drive vehicle ..but know how the road is going to twist and turn and where the spots are to drive like a little old lady up and down into the valley trail road and other spots you can drive normal speed on the trail..

there is people every year that go out there and there trucks get smashed up and torn up from the comeing off the trail and there is a few death a year in the area because of people not listening to the locals about driveing the trail up there

[hotzcatz]

I like everything you said, OpenD, although now you have me going "wha?" about the part where it is mentioned that the floor of the valley is at 2,000' yet there is a black sand beach there, too. Must be a bump in the ocean to get the beach to 2,000', huh? The cliffs look about that high and there's the "Z" trail on the other side of the valley, not to mention the ford area across the stream. We were camping there once and someone tried to cross the stream and I guess they forgot to use a Ford since they had water up and over their hood and things floating out of the back bed of the truck. A tow truck came to get them out, then it got stuck, too. It took another tow truck and some cables, winches and handy trees before both tow trucks and the fellow stuck in the stream were all unstuck. I later heard it was his neighbor's truck that he'd gotten stuck in the stream. He'd been watching it while they were on the mainland. Ooops!

[OpenD]

Originally Posted by hotzcatz

I like everything you said, OpenD, although now you have me going "wha?" about the part where it is mentioned that the floor of the valley is at 2,000' yet there is a black sand beach there, too.

Yeah, the crescent shaped black sand beach is one of the notable features. I think the name means something like "curving water" or somesuch but I haven't had my coffee yet so I don't know how reliable that info is.

Subject to the same caveat, the waterfalls are something like 2,000 feet, and the height of the surrounding valley walls not only adds to the beauty, but made the place more secure, which is why the "grass palace" was located there. Then there was that famous invasion, when the four trees were burned. What are those things called? Nihei? Tropical cherries. Something...

Dang this brain is hard to start on cold mornings. Let's see... prime... choke... quarter throttle... kick... kick... kick... kick... kick...

[nwcountrygal]

Dont forget the wild horses and cows! I liked the sign at Kalopa yesterday in hunting area. No Guns only bows and knives!!

Yesterday at Waipio and I was the one going Wha?? from some of the visitor comments. Let alone the rental car that almost took out the truck coming up the hill. They didn't believe someone actually drove the road so they just pulled out of parking spot without looking. Don't forget pupu's and pipi. Got some good pipi's for dinner tomarrow!

[nwcountrygal]

Also to get a total blank look back at ya. Give directions with street names or landmarks that not there anymore. My favorite the other day tourist came up wanted to go to a real beach in Pahoa. So gave him directions to Kehane. Although in the end said it was a little loose there and by the way clothing optional. His face was completly Wha??? Young guy too - it was funny it wasn't like cool he was mortified and almost went purple at the idea.

[OpenD]

"What the heck is THAT? Looks like a spinach pillow!"

That's lau lau, a traditional luau item you'll find at many "plate lunch" places. It's the Hawai'ian answer to the hamburger.

Can be many kine, but most common is pork and fish... layer of pork, one piece butterfish, more pork... wrapped in an edible taro leaf and steamed. Comes wit' two scoops rice, one scoop potato salad or macaroni salad or coleslaw.

Ono grinds! (delicious eats!)