Day 20 of the September Photoblogging Challenge: Disruption, suggested by me, @crossingthethreshold

I had no idea what I would post when I suggested this subject for a photo, but settled for snow in Portland from when we lived there in 2013.

Snow on the streets of Portland, Oregon in 2013

Day 19 of the September Photoblogging Challenge: Edge, suggested by @rnv

Two edges. The horizon and the west coast of the United States last night, just south of San Francisco.

Looking towards the horizon as I approach and see the US west coast, just south of San Francisco, flying in from Maui

Day 18 of the September Photoblogging Challenge: Fabric, suggested by @adam

Rolls of indigo fabric. Chikugo, Japan.

Rolls of indigo fabric. Chikugo, Japan

Day 17 of the September Photoblogging Challenge: intense, suggested by @rori

The noise from these mechanical looms was intense, as in loud. They were weaving indigo cloth. Hirokawa, Japan.

A small factory of mechanical looms, weaving indigo cloth, in Hirokawa, Japan

Day 16 of the September Photoblogging Challenge: oof!, suggested by @bkryer

Being held up by the strong winds on the Isle of Skye.

Me leaning into the strong winds on the Isle of Skye

Day 15 of the September Photoblogging Challenge: Red, suggested by @chiawase

A red bicycle in Florence, Italy.

A red bicycle leaning against a wall in Florence, Italy

Day 14 of the September Photoblogging Challenge: Statue, suggested by @christopherchelpka

I found this character in Bristol, UK.

Statue of a monkey sitting down and holding a Rubik’s Cube

Day 13 of the September Photoblogging Challenge: Glowing, suggested by @anniegreens

A hotel lobby somewhere in Kyoto.

A hotel lobby somewhere in Kyoto with yellow neon lights built into the ceiling

Day 12 of the September Photoblogging Challenge: Panic, suggested by @maique

While I’m not sure that I was panicking, at times I felt uncomfortable as we walked up the switchbacks of the precipitous Halemau’u Trail at the end of our crater hike last week.

The switchbacks of the Halemau’u Trail in Haleakala National Park

Day 11 of the September Photoblogging Challenge: Retrospect, suggested by @chadgmoore

This just fitted the bill for me for retrospect. A area from my past and which is still in my heart.

A sign on a post in South Wales pointing out the route for the Usk Valley Walk

Day 10 of the September Photoblogging Challenge: Cycle, suggested by @agilelisa

I miss the annual Providence Bridge Pedal in Portland. This photo (that arm on the left bothers me) from 2014 of cyclists stopping for the view from the Fremont Bridge, normally busy with freeway traffic.

Cyclists stopping on the Fremont Bridge in Portland during the 2014 Providence Bridge Pedal, possibly at the start of the ride as it looks from the light as though the sun is just rising

Day 9 of the September Photoblogging Challenge: Language, suggested by @thedimpause

If it wasn’t for the pictures of the food in this Kyoto restaurant, we would not have eaten.

A restaurant in Kyoto, Japan where they had pictures of the food that they were serving

Day 8 of the September Photoblogging Challenge: Yonder, suggested by @jidabug

Inverness, CA.

A wooden pier jutting out into Tomales Bay from a house in Inverness, California

Day 7 of the September Photoblogging Challenge: Panorama, suggested by @dejus

The audience in Portland welcoming His Holiness the Dalai Lama, 2013.

The audience of a large arena welcoming His Holiness the Dalai Lama to Portland. Everyone has Khatags, white silk scarves, around their necks, a traditional Tibetan greeting

Day 6 of the September Photoblogging Challenge: Well, suggested by @val

I think that this must have been a well? Now inside a hotel on Lake Como.

Standing above what might have been a well, now inside a hotel on Lake Como

Day 5 of the September Photoblogging Challenge: Forest, suggested by @ovr

The woodland leading down to the river Avon from Durdham Downs in Bristol, my stomping ground when I was growing up.

Woodland leading down to the river Avon from Durdham Downs in Bristol

Sunset this evening from our lanai.

Sunset view from our house with red and grey clouds

Hiking Haleakala Crater

I spent yesterday hiking Haleakalā Crater with a friend. The mountain sits at just over 10,000ft in altitude. The crater that is there today is not a classic volcanic crater, but rather a large erosional valley. It is believed that two valleys, Ko‘olau to the north and Kaupō to the south, expanded into the remains of a much larger volcano, possibly 12,000ft high, creating the crater that is there today.

View over Haleakalā Crater

I love being in the crater. It has a beauty made up of barrenness of the landscape, the otherworldliness of the cinder cones and lava flows, all which change in colour and mood as the light and weather flow through the day.

This was my first time in the crater since recovering from pneumonia and I wanted to see how I would cope with the eleven mile hike - down, flat, up, down, flat, never ending up.

This was certainly not my easiest hike across Haleakalā, “house of the sun”. Despite the elevation or maybe because of it, the sun was hot and there was little cloud cover. I had done some walking since I had been unwell, but this hike pushed me a lot.

We were treated though to some wonderful views and the Silver Swords, endemic to the region, were on full display.

Silver Sword plant in Haleakalā Crater

As if a tired body was not enough to contend with, my boot needed some first aid as it lost its sole. Not having much at hand I used a plastic bag and my bandana to try and keep it in one piece until I was back at the car - which it barely did.

My boot tide up with a plastic bag and bandana

Before the final hike up and out of the crater, we took sometime to catch a nap at one of the huts that are in the crater. With advance reservation it is possible to spend the night in a hut, carrying in and out all of your supplies.

Me taking a nap in Haleakalā Crater

Yesterday was a lovely day. The funny thing was to see hikers return to parking lot at the end of the trail letting out exclamations of pain and exhaustion after the final, long climb. I myself am nursing aches and pains right now. While I am in no hurry to go back up there right now, hopefully I will do before too long. Haleakalā Crater is a special place.

Day 4 of the September Photoblogging Challenge: Orange, suggested by @ekcragg.

An orange cloth, along with other items, in a china bowl on a shelf

Day 3 of the September Photoblogging Challenge: Precious, suggested by @odd.
Precious memories of past travels, this in Nepal, 1989 (photo of slide).

Bus with a lot of people sitting on the roof, somewhere in Nepal in 1989