We woke up, showered and prepared to leave the Sheepdawg Festival
Aaron hanging from the top bunk we called, "The Observatory"
My confidence behind the wheel was renewed
We stopped in Paia for some breakfast and met up again with Barikuda, Sassy, Cousin Jimbo, J Ross & Lindsey. Kuda brought me the most delicious birthday cake I ever ate and then we parted ways again. Dinah, Aaron and I went to the beach for a final dip in Hawaiian waters. We had a little spare time after the beach and realized that we smelled and looked like some dirty hippies. It would have been torture to our fellow travelers if we got on the plane like that, but we only had the VW to call home. I drove back to the condo we stayed at earlier in the week and we took turns sneeking into the pool area to use their outdoor shower. We got fresh dressed like a million bucks and grabbed a bite to eat. Then it was time to return the VW and explain my mishap. The guy was fairly understanding and we waited for a cab to take us to the airport.
all the luggage for Dinah, Aaron & I!!!!
Birthday shot
and Birthday shots!
then a group shot before we jumped on the redeye to come home
a hot stud I met in Maui
Luckily I knocked out in the first 15 minutes of the flight and didn’t wake until our final descent.
!Aloha Maui!
We woke up and decided we needed some beach in our lives. Camp Keanae was beautiful, but perched precariously on a cliff with no beach access. J Ross was set to perform a tribute to Dread I with the Escort Service Band in the evening but we had hours of beautiful daylight before that. J Ross, Lindsey, Aaron, Dinah and I jumped into J Ross’s rented PT Cruiser and we were on our way! Lindsey’s cousin, Chef Tracy, has lived on Maui for 11 years and told us of a black sand beach close to Hana… we couldn’t resist. I was glad to be a passenger because I was able to enjoy the scenery and take some pictures. The road is windy with dense jungle. There are no gas stations, corner markets or McDonalds; as a matter of fact, there aren’t even any street lights or signs. There are however, occasional little shanty huts scattered along the way.
The was our first stop...
with all kinds of tasty treats
bananas anyone?
We saw a peacock! The is the best shot we could get
Some booths didn't even have workers, just the honor system
After what seemed like 2 hours We saw the only road sign and it was for the beach we were looking for
it took FOREVER to get to Wainapanapa Beach but it was worth it
Wouldn't you agree? Black sand beach at Wainapanapa
Before getting to the black sand, there are black rocks
there were all kinds of danger signs, but we still went in the water
On the way back we were starving and couldn’t wait to come across a little shack with goodies. There was one place with like 6 or 7 shacks all clumped together, here is what they had…
Coconut hut
$1 Noni shots
Bentonite Clay
Feline Goddess
a choice of treats
Island Style tacos
Local Super Sweet Corn on the Cob
We did find some cool nic-naks but nothing we wanted to eat. On the way to the beach we had seen a lonely Thai buffet in the middle of the jungle and thats what we had our hearts set on. Luckily for us it was worth the extra stop and holding out for it!
Kak's Thai Food Buffet
Aaron, J Ross, KAK, Dinah & June
Kak is quite the character, we loved her so much we had to take a picture with her! She also cooked the best meal I ever ate, check it out…
Fresh mahi mahi with veggies & noodles. Only $10 in the middle of nowhere MMM!!!
We got back a lot later than expected and discovered that J Ross’ set got moved up. While she performed, we checked out some of the crazy hippies at the festival
Aima the Dreama, J Ross Parrelli & Dakini Star with the Escort Service
those crazy hippies!
We had a mini car club
Today was June 14th, the last day of my 31st year on this planet and the sky was beautiful as the sun drifted out of sight
the last light on the eve of my birthday
the crowd during Ooklah the Moc's set
more crazy Hippies & the Long Beach Gorilla
I dont know why but I wanted to call him Wolfman Jack
LBG & Wolfman Jack
The Long Beach Gorilla was on stage with Ooklah the Moc
This is where it started to feel like a cross between a rave, Woodstock & the Burning Man Festival. We were afraid to eat or drink anything we didn’t bring with us!
They had blacklights everywhere and luckily we had neon clothes!
J Ross Parrelli, Barikuda's cousin Jimbo, Junebugg and Barikuda
SheepDawg Tie Dye was EVERYWHERE
the crew minus Dinah Diamonds... I think she was in the shower
Ok so then they had this thing called the Whale Ride. As explained by one of the riders, it offered sonic healing. We HAD to try it!
This guy played synth noises on a keyboard mounted to a surfboard
and he took his job VERY seriously
it was like a giant teeter totter that also rotated
the other end had a hammock with headphones to hear the synth noises
Out loud for all to hear, were whale noises
this guy played music too while following the hammock
There was another guy with a digereedoo too. I don’t know if I got sonically healed but I did get a good share of giggles. Next up we heard the most off beat drum session of all time and went to investigate
Mighty Junebugg Earthday in Maui
No words can really describe it. Some time after this I went to bed… It was a looooong good day!
We woke up Saturday morning and packed up all our stuff. It was time to move to the other side of the island and head to the Sheepdawg Festival. I took advantage of our wireless internet and made some emails from my “office”
My Office
We were staying at The Shores of Maui condos. Our spot slept 8 people and was only $175/night! It was wonderful to be able to cook our own meals and wash clothes while we were there. Wireless internet was also a huge lifesaver! Here are some shots of our accomodations:
The Shores of Maui was a wonderful home away from home
Kuda & Sassy's room... Kuda got some seashells
the Ladies room
ladies bathroom
the other bathroom & laundry room (an awesome perk)
our kitchen
our living room
the view from our patio
another view from our patio
If you want to stay at the Shores of Maui, call Heidi the wonderful property manager (808)874-9010.
After checking out we picked up our 1988 VW Westfalia
this thing has some history!
Behind the wheel of our VW Westfalia
I was having fun driving this bad boy. It was stick shift and I still had the “touch”. It also reminded me of all the wonderful road trips I took as a child in our own 1966 VW Bus. We drove to the airport to return the van we had been driving all week
Our ride the first part of the trip
I parked while we were waiting for Aaron to return the van. The engine was off and we were parked on a flat surface. After about 5 minutes I turned around to help Dinah organize some stuff in the back. All of a sudden I noticed life whizzing by out of the corner of my eye… WE WERE ROLLING BACKWARDS!!! I turned around quick to slam on the brakes but it was too late. The van rolled into a parked car and made a little boo boo.
oops!
bang'd up!
OUCH! How could I have been so stupid?! Always remember folks… set the parking brake when driving stick! I filled out an accident report, shook off my nerves and we were on the road to Hana. This road is NO JOKE! I wanted to take pictures but I was driving a 1988 power nothing, stickshift, metal toaster and I was afraid to even blink let alone do anything besides concentrate on driving. Here is a little exert from Wikipedia about the Hana Highway:
“Although Hāna is only about 52 miles (84 km) from Kahului, a typical trip to Hāna takes about three hours, as the road is very winding and narrow and passes over 59 bridges, 46 of which are only one-lane bridges, requiring oncoming traffic to yield and occasionally causing brief traffic jams if two vehicles meet head-on. There are approximately 620 curves along Highway 360 from just east of Kahului to Hana, virtually all of it through lush, tropical rainforest. Many of the concrete and steel bridges date back to 1910 and all but one are still in use.”
Here is the only pic I was able to get along the way
lush greenery on the road to Hana
We were only going halfway to Hana today. Our destination was the YMCA Camp Keanae
Camp Keanae
We were there to camp for the next two nights and to perform at the SheepDawg Festival
I was so relieved to be done driving, but I made SURE to set the parking brake AND put some big ass rocks in front of the tires for good measure. We quickly set up camp and set out to explore our surroundings for the next 3 days…
Dinah at our home sweet home for the weekend
the little stage at SheepDawg Festival
the main yard at SheepDawg
they were serious! I'd love to see the video
Custom built main stage at SheepDawg
our view from the stage
Double A chillin in the VW
After waiting for hours J Ross and Lindsey finally showed up
J Ross Parrelli, Junebugg & Lindsey Love
What a beautiful day!
they thought of everything at this place
Before long it was time to get ready for our show.
El Boogie on the Congas
Barikuda was up first. Even though it started pouring rain, the crowd was still enthusiastic
Barikuda rocking the mic
Barikuda wearing da fluorescent at Sheepdawg
After his set I played “I Can’t Stand the Rain” by Ann Peebles and the rain… went away! J Ross got on stage and let the people know why they should be excited to be at Sheepdawg
J Ross Parrelli at SheepDawg
"So what's it gonna be..." the Mighty Junebugg @ SheepDawg Festival
Lindsey Love & El Boogie at SheepDawg
Kanoa of Gomega @ Sheepdawg during Parrelli's set
J Ross Parrelli at SheepDawg
Barikuda & the Mighty Junebugg
the crowd at SheepDawg Festival
backstage at SheepDawg
Later in the night, the Goddess Alchemy Project performed and they were pretty fresh. If you dont know, look em up!
Goddess Alchemy Project before their show
Music and performances went on til 6am… I’m pretty sure I was in bed by 2 or 3 though.
We started off the day in Kihei at our condo with the breakfast of hawaiian champions while watching the surf
Spam, Portugese Sausage, Eggs, Rice with seaweed, apples and oranges
Double A was all smiles
J Ross Parrelli too
After Breakfast we headed over to Makena Big Beach for a little excitment
Shann. our soundman, tour guide and friend took us to Makena Beach on the southside
while we were there we did some promoting for our shows
it was the second to the last day of me being 31
I had to get the obligatory sign shot
first glimpse of the beach
barrel waves... watch out for that rock!
We swam out past this with snorkel and goggles and saw SEA TURTLES!!!
the view from my blanket
I wiped out on a big wave coming in and my hair got covered in sand
horses and goats lives across the street from the beach
After the beach we headed home to get ready for our show that night. It was another beautiful sunset from our patio!
Beautiful Sunset in Kihei
Our show was at Casanova in Makawao. I can’t explain why but I really love this little town. We got there early and ordered some dinner, this was our first meal we didn’t cook since arriving in Maui. Double A ordered duck and his plate looked delectable!
mmmmm
The waitress who delivered our food was wearing some beautiful jewelry. When I asked her about it, she told us that she made it herself and gave me her card. This girl is amazing!
Melea's Hand Crafted Maui Jewelry
If you are interested in ordering some of her work, her name is Melea & here is her contact info:
Melea Matthews
Hand Crafted Maui Jewelry and Art
meleamatthews@yahoo.com
(808)463-1717
After Dinner we rocked the show. Dinah Diamonds was our show photographer and didnt get a chance to snap Marco or B arikuda because she was on merchandise duty…
Dinah Diamonds, our show photographer
Double Bubble
J Ross Parrelli @ Casanova
El Boogie at Casanova
Lindsey Love at Oceans
We napped and beach bummed it most of the day at our spot in Kihei. Here is a view of the sunset from our patio… DAMN THAT POLE!!!
After Sunset, we grubbed on some yummy BBQ (Dinner for 12)
Teriyaki Chicken breast
Sesame ginger chicken legs
BBQ Corn on the cob... mmmm
Carne Asada
a lovely green salad
a plate o'plenty!
After dinner we got ready for our show at Oceans in Kihei
Dinah Diamonds helped the Long Beach Gorilla get ready
We ended up having two extra house guests that night, because we gave them a place to stay one volunteered to be the Long Beach Gorilla. On the way to the venue he told us, “Thank you guys SO much for letting me be the gorilla!” I laughed in my head because I’ve been the gorilla and its HOT AS HELL in there! I could only imagine how he felt in the humid hawaii heat WITH a full gorilla suit on. He walked to Ocean’s with a sign like the pied piper of the jungle, luring people to our show. By the time he got there, he had clostrophobia and a heat stroke and was unable to get on stage with us… he HAD to get out of that suit! None the less, the show went on… I dj’d for a half hour or so and then it was Marco’s turn to rock the mic.
Marco rocked the rub-a-dub style
After Marco it was time for J Ross Parrelli to rock it. We recruited El Boogie and Lindsey Love to sing on backup
J Ross Parrelli
the whole crew with J Ross Parrelli
J Ross Parrelli & Kanoa doing their duet "Shoeless"
J Ross & Junebugg get down
And finally Barikuda was up. He put it down in true hip hop ocean creature style
Barikuda wrote a song for his lady Sassy, so sweet!
Shann had our sound perfect, we were so lucky he had our back! Ipo was there to support us even though her man had a show at Life’s A Beach and even her man Kanoa snuck over to do a track with J Ross.
it was HOT AS HELL inside Oceans, we were melted by the end of the night!
Our 2nd day on Maui began early… AT 2AM EARLY!!! Our friends from the island said it took a couple of hours to get to the summit and they weren’t lyin’! Ipo, Kanoa & Shann showed up knockin on our door at 1:45 in the morning. None of us wanted to wake up but we did and were out the door by 2am. We packed breakfast to go and were on our way…
Sassy making breakfast
Bagels w/ cream cheese, tomato, lettuce, cucumber and cream cheese
after about 45 min we had our first glimpse of sunlight
even the Long Beach Gorilla showed up to view the spectacle
the sky grew brighter
and brighter but still no sun. If you look close you can still see Mars!
at 10,023ft above sea level and above the clouds
the sun finally peeks above the clouds
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Goooooood Morning Haleakalå!
the light glares were amazing
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the colors were amazing!
the whole crater was illuminated
Sunrise crew: (backrow) Long Beach Gorilla, Sassy, Junebugg, J Ross Parrelli, Lindsey Love, Shann, (front row) Kanoa & Double A. Ipo took the pic and Dinah was back at the spot sound alseep
what a beautiful way to start the day!
ah haa, we tried to look gangster but ended up looking like dorks
It felt nice to add another stamp to my National Parks book this year and to visit the only National Park in the Hawaiian Islands. The park includes the summit depression, Kipahulu Valley on the southeast, and ʻOheʻo Gulch (and pools), extending to the shoreline in the Kipahulu area. From the summit, there are two main trails leading into Haleakalā: Sliding Sands Trail and Halemauʻu Trail.
The temperature near the summit tends to vary between about 40°F and 60°F and, especially given the thin air and the possibility of dehydration at that elevation, the walking trails can be more challenging than one might expect. Despite this, Haleakala is popular with tourists and locals alike, who often venture to its summit, or to the visitor center just below the summit, to view the sunrise. There is no lodging, food, or gas available in the park.
The History:
Early Hawaiians applied the name Haleakalā (“house of the sun”) to the summit area only, most likely because from the west side of the island, the sun could be seen rising up over the eastern side of the mountain. In Hawaiian folklore, the depression at the summit of Haleakalā was home to the grandmother of the demigod Māui. According to the legend, Maui’s grandmother helped him capture the sun and force it to slow its journey across the sky in order to lengthen the day. In modern times, Haleakalā has become synonymous with the entire East Maui volcano.
From the summit one looks down into a massive depression some 11.25 km (7 mi) across, 3.2 km (2 mi) wide, and nearly 800 m (2,600 ft) deep. The surrounding walls are steep and the interior mostly barren-looking with a scattering of volcanic cones. The volcano is officially considered active[1] and has produced numerous eruptions in the last 30,000 years. This volcanic activity has been along two rift zones, the southwest and east. These two rift zones together form an arc that extends from La Perouse Bay on the southwest, through the Haleakalā Crater and to Hāna, to the east. The east rift zone continues under the ocean beyond the east coast of Maui as Haleakalā Ridge, making the combined rift zones one of the longest in the Hawaiian Islands chain.
Until recently, East Maui Volcano was thought to have last erupted around 1790, based largely on comparisons of maps made during the voyages of La Perouse and George Vancouver. Recent advanced dating tests, however, have shown that the last eruption was more likely to have been in the 1600s.[2] These last flows from the southwest rift zone of Haleakalā make up the large lava deposits of the Ahihi Kina`u/La Perouse Bay area of South Maui. In addition, contrary to popular belief, Haleakalā “crater” is not volcanic in origin, nor can it accurately be called a caldera (which is formed through when the summit of a volcano collapses to form a depression). Rather, scientists believe that Haleakalā’s “crater” was formed when the headwalls of two large erosional valleys merged at the summit of the volcano. These valleys formed the two large gaps — Ko‘olau on the north side and Kaupō on the south — on either side of the depression.
The Mighty Junebugg - a June of all Trades 