Nappy's Hawaiian Vacation

			Nappy, the About Motorcycles Knapsack and his Hawaiian Vacation By Leilehua Yuen, Knapsack Rider #6 February-March, 2004 About Motorcycles Backpack Thread - http://forums.about.com/ ab-motorcycles/messages Wrench Wench Home Hawaiian topic links will be added as time permits.
		In his last run, `Io i ka Po (Hawaiian for "Hawk in the Night"), fondly known as Li'l Black, brought the About Motorcycles knapsack home from the Downtown Hilo Post office. The knapsack had been mailed to Hawai`i by GrammaOcean (AKA Beth) to HulaRydr (AKA Leilehua, "Hawaii's Biker Kumu"), and had arrived safe and sound. Li'l Black, a 1982 Honda Nighthawk 450, had run over 110,000 miles in his long and useful life. With lights taped and zip-tied on, holes in his tail pipes, leaks in his headpipes, oil dripping steadily from his tranny, headgasket cracking, rods knocking, and splices in the splices of his electrical system, he managed to limp the last quarter mile home. In the last eighth mile, his fuel valve started spraying an atomized mist of gasoline over the exhaust leaks. It was time for Li'l Back to pass the torch.. Or, in this case, rider and knapsack. Fortunately, after his own tribulations, Kamakani o ke Kai (Sea Breeze), Leilehua's new ride, was eagerly awaiting his chance at the honor of carrying what may be the World's Most Famous Backpack! After handing over Nappy the Knapsack, Li'l Black was rolled into the garage for a well-earned rest, with promises of a full restoration from the frame up.
		One of the first things Nappy went to see was the town of Hilo from across the beautiful Hilo Bay. To learn more about the disctricts Nappy will visit, click here: http://www.epinions.com/content_45624692356
		That night, Nappy dove into the Hawaiian lifestyle with enthusiasm, studying hula, the traditional Hawaiian dance.
		Nappy enjoyed helping the dancers to husk coconuts in Kumu Leilehua's back yard.
		Nappy also enjoyed practicing hula in Leilehua's yard.
		But it wasn't all home-based studies - Nappy's first long ride on Kamakani was up Mauna Kea - the tallest mountain in the world, if measured from it's base. But just starting at the beaches, it rises almost 14,000 feet above sea level. Nappy, Kamakani, and Leilehua only went to the 9,000 foot level, though, because beyond that, the snow was above Kamakani's axles. Mauna Kea is the home of Poliahu, the Hawaiian goddess of snow. She and her sisters make tapa, bark cloth, each winter, and spread them over the mountain top to dry.
		They were so excited, they forgot to take pictures of each other.
		A few days later, Nappy rode with Leilehua to Keaukaha to harvest the bark of the hau plant for making thread used in traditional crafts. The hau plant has large heart-shaped leaves, and the white inner bark comprises long strong fibres. They also harvested some laua`e, a fragrant fern prized for making lei, the garlands seen so often on hula dancers. Nappy learned that the giving of lei is an ancient tradition, and they are worn by people for many kinds of occasions.
		Nappy made friends with Akane Maru, a cute little blue Knapsack which travels with Akane, a student of Leilehua. The knapsacks enjoyed their date at Wailoa Boat Ramp, though they were chaparoned.
		Moku Ola, the small island in the background, is the Pu`uhonua, or Place of Refuge, of Hilo. The temple is gone now, but it still is considered a sacred site. For more information on the Pu`uhonua system, click here: http://www.epinions.com/ content_41446051460
		Pai`ea Kamehameha, known to the Western world as King Kamehameha, or Kamehameha I, united the Hawaiian islands through war and diplomacy.
		Since becoming a territory, many Hawaiians have served honorably in the US armed forces. here, the memorial to those who gave their lives in Vietnam..
		Though Nappy did not join them, he did wish his friends "Bon voyage!" when Akane san and Akane Maru went with Capt. Kiko for a sail on his double-hulled Hawaiian canoe. For more information on Capt. Kiko and his work, click here: http://waakaulua.home. mindspring.com/sailing_tours.htm For more information on canoes, click here: http://starbulletin.com/ 2002/05/12/travel/story1.html
		From Hilo, Nappy headed for Puna, where he visited Lava Tree State Park. Lava Trees are created when a lava flow enters a forest. The molten rock is cooled by contact with the cool, moist trees, and solidifies in a shell around them. The un-cooled lava drains away, leaving a shell of rock around each tree, which burn out from the heat of the lava. Today, we can tell muc about the make-up of ancient forests by looking inside the lava trees to see what grew here in the past.
		The anthropomorphic figures were sometimes considered beings, such as hula dancers or love-objects who had offended the volcano goddess Pele, and were forever stilled by her wrath.
		Heading Mauka, Nappy visited the Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. There he rode through misty tree-fern forests and heard the song of native birds.
		The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory is a world-class facility. Volcanologists from around the world come here to study the inner workings of the earth.
		Kilauea - Home of Pele, Hawai`i's Goddess of Volcanoes. Across the Kilauea Cauldera, you can see a few whitish squares. To help you gain a pespective on scale, they are 53 passenger tour busses. There are many stories of Pele, ancient and modern. And, she is a respected kupuna, elder, for many Hawaiians.
		After seeing the sights in Volcano, Nappy helped Leilehua with an Elderhostle Tour. Originally, Nappy was just going to ride along and enjoy the vacation, but when Leilehua's old travel kit split a seam, Nappy jumped right in and offered to help.
		Nappy visits with a honu, the green sea turtle, a protected species, on the royal landing at Pu`uhonua o Honaunau.
		Leilehua shows Nappy her former "office," where, when she worked for the Hawai`i Natural History Association, she demonstrated lauhala weaving, kapa making, feather work, and many other crafts for the park's visitors.
		The sacred compound of the Pu`uhonua, Place of Refuge. Ro learn more about the pu`uhonua system, click here: http://www.epinions.com/content_41446051460
		From the Pu`uhonua, Nappy and the group traveled to the town of Kailua, the largest in the district of Kona. Kailua Bay as seen from Nappy's hotel in Kona.
		Nappy made friends with a lifeguard at Kahalu`u Beach Park
		Nappy has lunch with some friends he made on the Elderhostel tour. Akane Maru has a shy moment, and is seated between two other knapsacks.
		Nappy learned about the Hawaiian Monarchy when he visited Hulihe`e Palace. In the 1800s, the palace was the summer residence of our royalty
		In Mokuaikaua Church, Nappy got to see a model of Thaddeus, the ship which brought the missionaries to the Hawaiian Islands.
		Taking a trip mauka, to Kona's village of Holualoa, Nappy visited a coffee farm and saw the coffee trees in full bloom.
		After visiting many cultural and historic sites, Nappy went to the Natural Energy Laboratory and learned how Hawai`i is a leader in the development of renewable energy. Nappy was thrilled to meet docent Roy Damron, retired SCUBA instructor and Hollywood motorcycle stuntman - and the technical advisor for The Wild One.
		Continuing North, Nappy and Leilehua entertained the tour group at Anaeho`omalu Bay. To learn more about Anaeho`omalu, click here: http://www.epinions.com/content_129318817412
		After returning to retrieve Kamakani from the Volcano Art Center, The trio, Leilehua, Nappy, and Kamakani, continued to circle the island, heading down to Laupahoehoe, on the Hamakua Coast.
		Akaka Falls, at the edge of the district of Hilo, is always wonderful to visit.
		And the scenic beauty of Onomea is not to be missed
		At last, Nappy ended his stay with Leilehua with a party in which he played music with her and Malia at the Kope Kope Espresso Cafe. Leilehua plays music at many locations around the island of Hawai`i.

		Aloha! Photographic support was provided by Hawai`i Motorcycle Tours E-mail Leilehua to inquire about taking your OWN tour of her beautiful island!