9/2/17, “Aloha” (Goal 13/17
Complete)
Kula, Maui, Hawaii
Aloha is used here to say both
hello and goodbye, and, today, I have said, “Aloha,” to my 50th
State. There ain’t any left to
visit. The sun is now setting on my
first day in this state, but tomorrow I will be making my way to Guam. If this trip was a multi-course meal, today
was just the welcome dish, the amuse bouche.
Guam and Saipan will be the appetizer.
I have claimed my 50th State, completing the 13th
of my 17 Goals, but it was the first goal to ever be set. It was the first thing I said that fateful
night in Kentucky when I started this mission.
“I am going to visit all 50 States before I turn 30,” or some such
variation on that phrasing.
Kentucky had
marked, if my count is right, my 40th State. I went to Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma with
my friend the next week. I went to
Louisiana for the Super Bowl and Mardi Gras the next year, followed by a trip
to check-off Minnesota, North Dakota, and Montana in the summer. That was 47, within 14 months of that night
in Kentucky. The next summer I went to
Alaska with another friend, followed by a solo trip that took me to Idaho. I was now at 49 a few weeks after turning
27.
I could have flown to Honolulu any
weekend to claim this as my 50th State, but I waited. I wanted to make this trip special. I wanted to take a proper two-week trip to
see everything there was to see in American Oceania, and I wanted to celebrate
my 30th Birthday in style. On
that last front, I could not imagine a better way of celebrating it than at
Hawaii’s most iconic restaurant with one of my dearest friends.
Before then, I will explore the other parts
of American Oceania and visit Hawaii’s two World Heritage Sites, which will
allow me to at last check-off all of my goals, after which I can do something
that I almost never do in my travels: relax on the beach. This is a trip that promises to be a
contender for the Greatest of all Time, and it is a trip five years in the
making, from the moment that I made that fateful utterance outside my cabin at
Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky.
After I closed last night, I hid my cigar and went to bed, sleeping
fitfully throughout the night, but I think I caught four full REM cycles. I woke up and went down for breakfast, which
was a disappointing buffet selection. I
got a sausage, mushroom, and onion omelet, along with bacon and potatoes. I ordered a coffee, which took ten minutes,
ten precious minutes that I didn’t have.
The meal was satisfying, though, and I got ready and headed back
outside. I retrieved my cigar, which was
waiting where I left it, and finished it while I awaited the shuttle. It worked perfectly.
I got to the airport an hour before my
flight, which was slightly nerve-wracking, but I had no issue and was at my
gate before they started boarding. I had
a mai tai before we took off, followed by coffee and macadamia nuts. I watched a movie I had been meaning to watch
for a while now, “Young Frankenstein.”
It was funny, but not as incredible as the person who had recommended it
to me had made it to be. I then caught
another REM cycle before we started our descent.
It hit me once I saw the coast from the
sky. I was finally doing it. My 50th State. I had realized a bit of a problem. In order to claim a new state (or country), I
need to smoke a Cuban in the state, in addition to the Official meal. However, I usually like to post my picture of
the meal as the way of claiming the state.
What to do? I realized that there
was a beach right by the airport. I
could light a cigar on that beach, take a ceremonial picture, have my lunch,
and then finish the cigar after lunch. I
was very proud of myself for thinking of that solution.
After we landed, I picked up my car from
Hertz and drove to the beach, where I lit up a Cohiba Siglo II, my favorite,
and the cigar I will use for claiming all new states/territories on this
trip. I then went to a well-reviewed
place called Tin Roof Maui. It was
crowded and seating was limited. You
order at the counter and either take it to go or set it at the other counter
they have for dining. I had to wait for
a spot to clear up after my pork belly tin was ready.
Once I had a spot, I took my first bite and
said it, “All 50 States. Goal 13/17
Complete.” I posted the picture in
collage with the ceremonial picture on the beach and then retrieved my
cigar. I went back to my car and judged
that I could change from my travelling suit into my casual clothes quickly and
modestly behind my car’s trunk. After
all, I would not be showing any more skin than I would on the beach. I then began the long and arduous drive to
the coastal region of Haleakala National Park, which would mark my 57th
out of 59.
The drive was hard once I got
away from the airport. It felt like I
was in the Caribbean. Did I mention I
had a convertible? It was really perfect
for the weather. After my Cohiba, I
switched to a Davidoff Nic Toro and played “Red.” Then the drive got harder. It was a dirt road with one narrow lane. Not one narrow lane in each direction. One narrow lane, full stop. There were pull-outs for when we met oncoming
traffic. More often than not, though,
one of us had to reverse to allow for a safe passing.
Eventually, I was there. I realized that I had a major error by not
pre-booking my spot for seeing the sunrise tomorrow morning at the opposite end
of the park, and I am now unsure if I will even get the stamp before I have to
go to the airport. I got my stamp at the
VC in the coastal region, lit up a Bolivar, and walked to the Oheo Pools, getting
caught in the rain on the way. It was
stunning view of the waterfalls once the rain stopped, and I was proud to say,
“57 Down, 2 to go.”
After I was done, I
headed to my hotel, back up the same brutal road I had just finished driving,
lighting up a Graycliff for the drive. I
was loving every minute of this trip so far.
I got to my hotel, resituated myself, and went to the smoking area,
where I watched the sunset as I lit up a Jericho Hill and proceeded to write
this entry, which I will now close so that I can get some dinner. I will do another entry after dinner, so I
will not publish quite yet.
This isn’t much as far as
establishing shots go, but it’s my own personal piece of paradise. I am tucked away in my little corner here,
much the same as I was on my last night in the United States Virgin Islands,
smoking the rest of my cigar outside my hotel room. It is completely peaceful here, and I have a
few hours to relax before I go to sleep.
I mapped everything out, and I should be able to get my stamp and get to
the airport on time, but I will need to be on the road not much past 6 AM.
I am behind the 8-ball when it comes to sleep
right now, but that will all change by the time I get to Guam, thanks to a few
tricks fo the International Date Line, I will actually get two full nights of
sleep after tomorrow’s adventures before my first activity in Guam. I will address that more in tomorrow’s
entry.
The week before I left was one of
the busiest weeks of my life. Sunday was
the Game of Thrones season finale, and from then, until the time I got in the
car to the airport, the only things I have done are talk about the episode,
work, hang out with a few choice friends three different nights last week, get
ready for my trip, and sleep.
The last
one was what gave, and I have still not yet recovered from my shortage of sleep
this week. As I said, by the time I wake
up in Guam on what will be Tuesday morning local time, I will be fully
refreshed, having gotten two nights of sleep with no intervening
activities. For now, though, I just want
to finish this entry, post my photos, and get to sleep.
After I closed, I headed into town to get
dinner at the Japanese restaurant, which was the closest I could get to local
food. The menu was decent enough, but I
have found myself to have less and less of an appetite of late, having two
small meals and a fiber bar as my total food consumption in a typical day,
unless I wind up going out with a friend for dinner. Today, I had had a good breakfast, and lunch
was just a few pieces of pork belly. I
ordered two appetizers, salmon teriyaki and shrimp and vegetable tempura. It was the perfect amount of food, and it was
excellent. I would have gotten brown
rice, but they didn’t offer that, nor did they have seltzer. Two appetizers and water did the trick
perfectly fine, though.
After dinner, I
drove back to my hotel. When I got to my
room, I retrieved my cigar, made some coffee, changed into my pajamas, and
headed outside, where I sat down, lit up my cigar, and proceeded to write this
entry, which I will now close so that I can publish, post my photos, and get
some sleep in advance of my drive up the volcano tomorrow morning.
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