Compare and Contrast

Alright, this will be my last post of the Islands Restaurant for a while unless something truly photographic catches my eye or until some real progress has been made worth showing... I walked around in the ruins of the restaurant as the first real day of demolition begins (the other days were simply the removal of furntiture and tiki artifacts, railings, lights, etc...). Walls are coming down already, which meant that last night I was asked by the General Manager to relocate the entire liquor stock, since the current liquor storage room is being demolished to help with the expansion. It has been a hectic couple of days, coupled with the fact that the owner has been on property for a military pilot reunion that he is hosting and a part of... So, it is with a great sigh of relief that I have tomorrow off and that things will sort of return to normal (except for the sound of jack hammers as a dull backdrop for the next few weeks as well as one of my most used walk ways being blocked off by the demolition crew, so everything has to go the long way around).
I don't usually post a picture twice, but I decided to do a compare and contrast on some pictures today. First the centerpiece waterfall as it was and how it is as of 2 hours ago.
Next I tried to stitch together some panoramas of the restaurant from before and after. I don't know how these will expand when I finally publish them, so this is just kind of a trial balloon on panoramas here on blogspot for me. The photographs were kind of hastily taken so they could be better, but I tried to take them both from the same spot.
Tomorrow will probably return to my usual programming of photos. If you have any questions about the remodel that I might be able to answer feel free to send them my way. This whole thing makes me sad. They really mean well with this remodel, but I think it is going to suck, and they just don't realize it yet...

Islands Drop Lights

These lights originally came from the Luau restaurant and came down on Sunday and I don't think they are going back up again: another victim of the remodel. I found out that yesterday's post was noticed by some Tikiphiles and I share your sympathy in the loss of one of the few remaining Polynesian Oases. You can find the article as well as some more pictures at Humu Kon Tiki. As a quick note, the waterfall pictured at the top of the article is being rumoured to survive the remodel. However the beautiful clamshell waterfall and the waterfall on the opposite exterior wall by the pool are scheduled for demolition. The waterway that used to snake through the dining room will also be filled in. The Dragon Room, a picture of which can be found in one of the picture links on Humu Kon Tiki is to be demolished, which is too bad, but the real draw of that room was the ornate chandelier which was broken beyond repair by some drunk firemen (true story) two summers ago. The dragon room will be expanded and become some variety of coffee nook. Since there is an apparent interest in the demise and rebirth of the Islands I will try to remember to keep people abreast of the work as I hear final plans and see the work firsthand.

Goodbye Islands as I Once Knew You

Today was the last day of business for the Islands Restaurant at my hotel as I new it. The Hanalei is undergoing extensive remodel in the next 6 months and the first stage is the remodel of the hotel's signature restaurant. This waterfall is one of the victims of the remodel. It has been there for decades along with priceless tiki artifacts as well as Monkeypod tables (which is a now endangered wood native to the South Pacific). The tables are supposed to return, since they truly are priceless at this point, but the fate of many of the artifacts is in question. Most are supposed to return, maybe not to the restaurant, but around the property. But there has been rumour that they may not return and simply be liquidated at bulk to some collector. There are also many pieces and furnishings from the long defunct Luau restaurant. I will miss many of these things and hope they make a return when the restaurant reopens. But sadly 2-3 of the popular waterfalls on property will meet their demise with this remodel as well as tons and tons of lava rock, imported to San Diego when the restaurant was built. To see old pictures of the Luau and the Islands (and actually other parts of the Hanalei Hotel) you can find them in the Book of Tiki. I will probably post a few more pictures of the restaurant in the next few days or I might save them and then do a compare and contrast with the restaurant when it reopens.

The Best You Can Do When Cindi is Screaming About Buffalo

After A While It Begins To Lose Context

Firelight and The Great Beyond

Keep A Weathered Eye Out

Pssst... Avast There... You be seekin salty old pirates, eh? I'm back and this is where I went. Happy Halloween.

A Wonderful Place on Stony Creek

I won't be posting for the next couple days, because I'll be gone. I thought this an appropriate picture for a "leaving for a few days" post. This is the cabin that Cindi's parents rent and we visited it with them. Cindi's dad said he would happily live up here year round if Cindi's mom would let him. I think it would be great to stay up there for an extended amount of time, but I don't know how long I would last once winter fully set in. I would like to thank them for their hospitality and for a wonderful time.

Three Big Horn Sheep Far Away

I was really stoked to see some big horn sheep, but sadly this is the closest we got and this is a crop from a full 300mm zoom.

Glacier Lake, Winter Lake, Secret Lake

I didn't realize until I sat down to work on this picture there was a lake in this picture. I was more preoccupied with the clouds moving across the peak...and Matt, by the time I'm done with all my pictures you will have your trip booked...

Solitude

Release

I need to thank Curtis for throwing darts...

Sometimes Quiet Does Find You In Quiet Places

Plumb

Maybe the Meanest Baby I've Ever Seen

The Mountain Goat and the Tree

Three Thoughts On a Row of Wheels

Avalanche Gorge

As The Forest Comes Rushing In

The Graveyard of a Mountain

Lady of the Night

Soaring Into the Clouds

Ptarmigans

The Fire At the Loop (Years Later)

Things I See Every Day: The Neighbors Questionable Wiring

Finding Elven Doors Isn't As Easy Without Lino

Happy 1010

St Mary Falls

Did I mention that we saw waterfalls?

Stop Looking At Me

Chipmunk

Have A Good Weekend

Socked In

The next morning it was socked in at lower elevations, but it was starting to clear...

First Glimpse of East Glacier

And then as we finally reached Logan Pass we had our first views of East Glacier... And as we found, once we started going lower, everywhere you turn in East Glacier there are sweeping panoramas. There are spectacular views everywhere. I can't wait to go back and visit parts of Northern Glacier going up into Canada with more views and peaks... It would be great to backpack there, since probably 75% of the park can only be seen that way, since there are very few roads cutting into the park.

Mt. Pollock

We're almost to Logan Pass and Cindi and I did a little walking around in the snow. I relish the cold that comes with snow (this having grown up in a warm climate where it never snows). I stand out there exulting in the crispness and novelty of little water crystals forming this white coat we know as snow. Cindi on the other hand, having grown up in a climate where this is all too normal, enjoyed the view, but quickly gave me the, "I don't know how much more of this I can take" and proceeded to enjoy the view from the car when possible until we came down to a warmer elevation. It was glorious being up there looking down into the valleys being practically within the clouds, but that's just my opinion.

Snow in Front and in Back

So, I decided that I'll finish giving the brief tour of the first day at Glacier continuing from the view halfway up the "Going to the Sun Road" (the two weekend posts were from our journey to Glacier) I'm just going to do some of the broad strokes, and not do every single stop that I made on the way up to the pass. (There are a lot more from this first day, I assure you) We'll even jump ahead from the wide shot of West Glacier (rather than start back on the valley floor) halfway up the road. We'll go straight to the when we first reached the snow line...

Stuck on the 93 North

Here's something I don't understand. It was raining almost this entire drive. I don't think we saw blue skies once and I didn't do any color correction to this picture... then why is the sky blue?

Salt Lake City International

West Glacier Looking Toward Logan Pass

I think a quick glance at the general landscape of Glacier might be in order... The main "attraction" at Glacier is the "Going to the Sun" Road. It starts on the valley floor, much further back than is pictured (actually about where the picture from yesterday is) at about 3,000 feet. It then climbs to Logan Pass, which is behind the middle of this picture (you can see the road cutting across the mountain in the middle left). The pass sits at around 6,500 feet. The road is the only route from East to West (or West to East) through the park, otherwise you have to drive all the way around the park, and it's not small. The road was built in the 1930s and is a marvel, since the upper half of the road skirts cliffs and is only barely wide enough to have two way traffic. Some parts have started collapsing and there is constant work to keep it maintained. The poor souls who drive a snowplow up this road have my sincerest respect, which is also probably why the park is closed from October 1st till May. The road affords guest amazing views all over the park. This picture is just one example of the kinds of views you see constantly in Glacier (this is about halfway up the road, it's amazing seeing these peaks from the valley floor and then looking down again from near the summits)This is the first day of our visit. We woke up in the morning and the road was closed at about the snow line due to snowfall. The clouds kept rising and falling on the peaks. So, we decided we would drive up anyways and see how far we would be able to get. By the time we got to the snowline it had been plowed and deemed passable. So we got up to the pass, where we were practically in the clouds, and getting a light snowfall and got a glimpse into the even more scenic East Glacier. For those who may wonder what music you might listen to on a day like this, well, it's easy... You start with both discs of John Zorn's Bar Kokhba on the valley floor and then switch to any Sigur Ros as you climb toward the peaks. Simply Amazing!

Big Sky Country

Well, I'm back. Just got back today from a two week vacation in Montana. This might have been my favorite trip there thus far. We went to Glacier National Park for 5 days, went to a cabin Cindi's parents rent for 3 days, and just relaxed when not busy. We hiked, fished, drove, sat around camp fires, saw lots of animals (Big Horn Sheep, Mountain Goats, Deer, Moose, Beavers, Pine Martens, Flying Squirrels, Bald Eagles, Gold Eagles, and Buffalo), experienced the weather of Summer, Fall, and Winter (not in that order and it kept jumping back and forth depending on the elevation and the day), shot well over a 1000 photos (but only half of them might be any good, and I think that number might be on the high side), and sat and looked at the stars, which were amazing! Living in San Diego you forget just how magnificent the stars are until you get out to the middle of nowhere. I shot the bulk of my pictures at Glacier and I really can't wait to go back there, hopefully early in the season when the snow melts create waterfalls everywhere and the wildflowers are in bloom.
This photo is the first time exposure of the stars I've ever taken (I took several more in different places, but it's hard to take a lot of them, since they are usually about a half hour exposure and it takes its toll on my battery pretty quick). It is right outside of our room in Glacier on Lake McDonald. It's amazing that you can still kind of see the snow on some of the mountains and the stones on the bottom of the lake. It was amazing to see where the stars seem to just create a circle from being far enough north to see the stars whirl around the North Pole. I think I might end up doing a lot of writing about my pictures from this trip, it was inspiring and that usually means that I then have a lot to say. It's nice to be home, but my mind keeps wandering over the "Going to the Sun" road, climbing high into exquisite glacially carved valleys admiring what George Bird Grinnell called "The Crown of the Continent". There will be a lot more to come, probably spread out over several months, since I don't want to overload you with Montana and Glacier...so stay tuned.

Flying Away

I'm going on vacation for a couple weeks, so there won't be any new posts until I return. Don't forget that there are a lot more pictures in the archives if you get bored.

The Nautilus

Working the Catch

Just Turn Around

I Can't Stop The Handheld Time Exposures

For Tony: You Can See All Kinds of Faces, But Mostly the Three Skulls on the Right

Up and Around

Joel...Joel...(Ken would know how to say it)

The Old Point Loma Lighthouse

Looking To My Right