The last week has been non stop excitement. I have been running myself sick for the sake of enjoyment. The fever slowed me down a little over the last two days but I was moving too fast to notice it until today. Luckily the fever broke somewhere in between finalizing my taxes, shaving my head, and swimming out to a manta ray.
About a week ago on Saturday, I ended work with just enough time to cruise to Kawaihai to the Breakwall surf spot. I met up with Tyler, Rogue, Aaron, Kalani, and Peter. Thanks to Peter we all got to ride long boards and caught some great waves. I was Stoked. The next morning Aaron and I went to Puako and got some more good waves, but it was Sunday and there were about twenty people in church at the small break. We worshiped the hydrodynamics of the most high with the rest, but they were a close group and it was hard to catch a wave with everyone else going for the glory. It was a great way to start the week.
That afternoon I went down to Pololu valley with Makai on the motorcycle for Shell's birthday. It was the same day as Ranger's birthday and for a gift I was supposed to connect with three random people, I was considering all the missed encounters during the day when two people approached me on the beach. They wanted to trade liliquoi (passionfruit), I traded some dried bananas that I had made and they mentioned they were out of coconuts. Immediately we were off on an adventure to find some nuts. From there it was easy, I connected with most of the campers that night; sharing stories, snacks, and knowledge. I stayed up late into the night talking about crazy topics, and went to bed with the stars shining bright enough to squint my eyes.
It rained early the next morning so we traded our black sand beach for a sunnier, white sand variety. Nakoa, Kawika, Keoni, and I surfed at 67's and then I opted out of the bigger waves at 69 point for some fun with all the beautiful ladies that happened to show up. We played in the sand until after sunset, and then met up at my house for a movie and popcorn to finish the night off.
Work the next day was long but easy. I hung out with the manager Dave, and Jason Lindsey owner of Monkeypod designs. He builds treehouses and will be featured on the DIY channel some time in the near future. We had a good day of figuring out what needed to be done, but not a lot of action until it started raining.That night was Onyx's birthday so I rode to their new house and hung out for a few hours. I gifted her some liliquoi mead from October. We sang and danced and all were merry.
The next two days were long days of consuming first aid information. David Kikau hosted a Wilderness and remote first aid course for Kohala Zipline. It was a lot of information but the final tests were a piece of cake. For the final scenario I had a broken femur, two broken radii in both arms, a massive head wound, and a possible spinal injury. Ezra lowered my broken body a hundred feet via rope to the bottom of the forest floor where I was cared for and carried out of the gulch by four coworkers.Everyone there gained a new idea of how an actual rescue would work out and have a new drive to clear space through the jungle to make for easier exits.
Wednesday night there was a concert by Yusopha Sidabe from Senegal West Africa. He is a Grammy nominated Kora player who sings, chants, and shares a good message. Everyone should look him up and support him on his journey. My friends and family of lost children laid in a pile listening to the dreamy African harp and watching the stars.
Thursday was Aaron's birthday. I gifted him a safe ride home from the bars in Kawaihai. We cruised the harbor around sunset, Seafood bar for pupus and to gather the troops, and Blue Dragon for some great music and a lot of moonshine cocktails from which I did not partake. We closed the place down and went back to the harbor to laugh loudly and bullshit where it was allowed and accepted.
Today I went to work and felt like there was a bubble around my head. I was in a haze of allergies and fever and couldn't wait to get out of there. Unfortunately I had to play manager while Dave and Jason went to Kona, so I stayed there until I was no longer needed and split. I got home and something came over me. It could have been the lack of hot showers for the past month, my constantly sandy itchy scalp, my new found ukus(most likely), or something else. I was over it. As soon as I got home, without thinking about it too much, grabbed the buzzer and shaved my head. I tried to keep it as long as possible but the risers kept getting stuck. After a minute or two of trying all my hair was in the sink. I felt naked but cleaner, like when you strip down after working in a field all day and jump in a pond to clean off. I needed the water. I loaded the dog and my dismembered dreds into my backpack and headed to Kapa'a. Upon arrival I was greeted by a group of friends who all turned in amazement at the sight of my new found ears. When I climbed out of the Pacific, I had to turn and jump back in because of the manta ray only a couple hundred feet away. We swam out to it but after a hundred yards with low visibility the chase was futile. I was close but not enough to see it under water. We took our time going back in and upon regathering a monk seal appeared. We did not want to jump in the water with such a big territorial mammal so we all just waited and watched the water to see if he would come closer. My friends left after realizing he wouldn't return, leaving me with my severed hair to offer unto the ocean and the heavens. After such a event as loosing two feet of hair, I feel it is best to spend this Friday at home, or find some sort of hat to cover my small naked head.
After a month of having a dehydrator and a blender I needed to send off my first package. It ended up being about ten pounds of dry food and that should last me a few weeks on the road. I have been eating dry bananas all day every day knowing that if I didn't get rid of them there would be no motivation to make more. So this weekend I'm going up to the farm for another rack to keep up the process. Here is what I could fit so far. From top to bottom. Dried apple bananas, various fruit leather rolls, dried silk bananas, dried cuban red bananas, herbal tea, golden reshi, mug wart, dried shredded turmeric, dried coconut, and I remember some raw turmeric was in there too. All packed into one flat rate box and sent to Mom. Dig in. Let me know who would like to be the next recipient.
