Pololu Valley Overlook

One day Scott and I headed north, along the Queen Ka ahumanu Hwy which runs along the coastline.  Graffiti takes on a whole new life here, as white stones are laid against the back lava to create simple sayings, proposals or to just say Aloha.  I didn't get very good pix but I think you can get the idea.

Mainly along the road

put also on a hillside

This road is also used for biking section of the Iron Man World Championships and it common to see bicyclists training as you drive along it.  The landscape on the western side of the island is made up of lava and ranch land, and as you continue north on Akoni Pule Hwy toward the northern most tip of the island the land becomes desert-like, then suddenly as the road turns east, the land wakes up and becomes green, there are shrubs, then trees, then rain forest.  We went through the small town of Kapa'au as the road hugged the Kohala mountains.  There were signs warning drivers when the two lane road would become one lane,  usually over a small bridge.

As the road ended we arrived at the Pololu Valley Overlook.  We walked to the edge to take in the view.

One the way back we stopped to see the King Kamehameha 1 statue in Kapa au.

then we took a different route back home over the top of the Kohala Mountain range.  This road slowly climbed upward and is made up mainly of ranches; cows and horses and rolling meadows.

Then descends into the city of Waimea, home of the Parker Ranch.

Looking up at the mountain we just drove over

We then made a quick stop at the Pu ukohola Heiau National Historic Site.

The stone Heiau (scared temple) was built on Whale Hill, by Kamehameha 1 and dedicated to his family war god.  It is said that the rocks were from the Pololu valley, and that the rocks were passed along a human chain 20 miles long, transporting the rocks hand to hand.
There was a walking path, and a film at the visitors center but that's about it.  Visitors are not allowed on the temple and there is no fee to view this site.