Old Roads and New Roads

Old Roads and New Roads was Originally Posted on May 6, 2010 by lavarock

Lately we have been getting a lot of “vog” which is what we call the volcanic smog. The air in Kailua-Kona looks as thought it was imported from Los Angeles, however, there appears to be no odor. It almost looks like fog.

The volcano has been active since the 80’s but recently changed course. Now the flow has covered the road again down near Kalapana. Visitors should note that this is NOT the road that circles the island and you can still get around. This road is an ocean road that used to go to Kalapana (which is now under tons of rock).

If you want to see how close the lava is flowing to the temporary visitors parking area, go here: http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov/kilauea/update/images.html

Note that this location is OUTSIDE the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and county Civil Defense controls that area and not National Park members.

So, what’s it like living on an island with an active volcano at your doorstep? Well the volcano is 90 miles away (driving) and I was going to say, 60 miles as the crow flies. I decided to be a bit more accurate and measure it so out comes Google Earth and ignoring the curvature of the earth, about 56 miles to the active flow and about 40 miles to the vent. As long as the wind carries the smoke elsewhere, you would never know you were on the edge of the volcano.

Well, that is, except for the periodic earthquakes and the lack of ability to yhead inland from here without getting a nosebleed. I am a few miles from the ocean and already up almost 1,000 feet from sea level. Just a mere 19 miles east from here, I would be at 19,000 feet elevation on the top of Mauna Loa (long mountain). Of course, that is not where the lava comes out, just the second high point on the island.

Speaking about interesting things to see here, they have almost completed the widening of Saddle Road across the middle of the island. In the past, rental car companies forbade you to drive it. Now I think they have removed those restrictions. The road is well designed and has gutters to carry away rainwater. Built with federal funds and to federal specs, it actually looks like a mini interstate highway!

If you have driven the road in the past, I could drop you blindfolded onto it now and you would not recognize where you were!