Twelve Mile Circle – An Appreciation of Unusual Places

Twelve Mile Circle

  • Hawaii, Part 9 (Oahu: Pearl Harbor)

    We left the Big Island of Hawaii and took a short flight to Oahu for the final part of our adventure. I’ve been to Oahu several times, mainly to Honolulu, but so much still remained unseen. For instance, none of us had ever visited Pearl Harbor even though it’s right there in Honolulu. So we…

  • Hawaii, Part 8 (Big Island: South Point)

    We had one more corner of the “Big Island” of Hawaii left to explore before moving on to Oahu. It was a late addition to the schedule. The younger kid who is pursuing an undergraduate degree in geology wanted to see an unusual formation. However, this request didn’t materialize until we were actually in Hawaii.…

  • Hawaii, Part 7 (Big Island: Windward)

    I’ve mentioned previously the difference between windward and leeward, and how it’s particularly pronounced on the “Big Island” of Hawaii. We used the windward side as our home base so we had our share of tropical moisture and verdant vegetation. It rained every day where we stayed south of Hilo. However, we never had what…

  • Hawaii, Part 6 (Big Island: Mauna Kea)

    Mauna Kea on Hawaii’s Big Island is a massive shield volcano that rises majestically 13,803 feet (4,200 metres) above sea level. By some calculations it’s also the tallest mountain in the world if measured from its base deep below the ocean. Mauna Kea formed over the Hawaiian Hotspot over the last million years, still an…

  • Hawaii, Part 5 (Big Island: Lava)

    The “Big Island” remains the most volcanically active of the chain, perched directly above the Hawaiian hotspot. Magma continues to bulge from the depths of the earth, ever increasing the size of this young island. Unfortunately we didn’t observe a lava flow in person because the volcanoes took a little break during our visit. However,…

  • Hawaii, Part 4 (Big Island: Kona)

    Maui was all about fun in the sun, and now now we transitioned to a more active phase of our adventure as we moved to the “Big Island” of Hawaii. The entire state is called Hawaii of course, and so is it’s largest island. But more importantly it was the island’s other designation, the County…

  • Hawaii, Part 3 (Maui: Haleakala)

    Eventually I tired of beach life and I wandered into interior Maui, a place they call Upcountry. The elevation rises slowly but steadily at the base of Haleakala, a massive shield volcano dominating the larger eastern portion of the island. Beaches give way to farmland and the climate starts to moderate as the road climbs.…

  • Hawaii, Part 2 (Maui: Kihei & Wailea)

    I knew our trip would involve three separate islands, Oahu, Maui, and the “Big Island” of Hawaii. However, there were many ways to figure a path. The route simplified when I realized we could take a direct flight from the mainland United States to several Hawaiian islands, not just Oahu. We had multiple options inbound…

  • Hawaii, Part 1 (No Cigar)

    This was supposed to be the year I finally finished Hawaii, with my fourth trip to the islands. There are only five counties in the state and I needed three more: Maui County, Hawaii County, and Kalawao County. I should be able to capture that small remaining set for my County Counting list. This should…

  • Skyline Drive – North District

    Skyline Drive hugs the crest of Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains for 105 miles (169 kilometres), down the length of Shenandoah National Park. I’ve traveled every section of it, in whole or in part several times, as recently as 2022. So it felt like I rejoined an old friend as we undertook a day-trip from our…

Latest Comments

  1. I’ve enjoyed your Hawaii reports. I’ve visited 4 times, between 1976 and 2007, but no plans to return. In 1976…

  2. The British flag continues to fly at Roche Harbor, a couple miles north of English Camp.

  4. Been there Once for a few years. In 76 &77. Ran cooperative store. Even though it was very isolated It…

  5. As an Alaskan I always wondered why Interstates were a big deal. From my point of view a road went…