Weekly Photo Challenge: On The Way, Or: Kohala Cows

Kohala Cows

This week’s challenge is all about photos you’ve taken along the way to your destination. I immediately thought of Highway 250 on Hawaii’s Big Island. Most people don’t associate cows and farmland with Hawaii’s tropical paradise, so Kohala’s highlands seem so wonderfully strange.

To New Horizons

To New Horizons

There’s a lot of world out there. Where will you go in 2015?

*Taken along the southern highway on the Big Island.

View From Kohala Highlands

View From Kohala Highlands

During my trip on the Big Island, I happened to travel along Kohala Mountain Road in the Kohala District. This high, winding highway stretched through seemingly endless fields and hills, resulting in epic vistas like this. On the far right is the west coast of the Big Island, and Mauna Kea looms in the clouds on the left. It’s so awesome, I decided to make this the blog’s new header.

*Photo can also be viewed here.

Hiking On Mount Diablo

Hiking On Mount Diablo

Hey, folks. Yesterday’s Daily Prompt was all about the summer solstice. Specifically, what you did with all that extra sunlight during the longest day of the year. I got up bright and early, got dressed, ate, grabbed my old hiking stick, and went to Mount Diablo. Despite its sinister name, the mountain and the surrounding state park is one of the most beautiful natural places in the Bay Area. You can spend hours walking is well-marked trails, enjoying the spectacular views along the way. Going in the summer is kind of ill-advised, though; it’s dry and hot up there at this time of year, and the recent drought has dried up all of the streams. My mother and I used to hike the mountain once or twice a month when I was a child; I like to think my appreciation of nature came from those long treks. This time, however, we couldn’t go so far. We had other errands to run, and Mom’s knees aren’t what they used to be. After three hours, we called it quits and headed back to civilization. At least I got a few great photos while I was there!