Paradise Driver

Saturday, May 12, 2007

THE PICTURE

SAYS IT ALL:

Can you believe this?

There is no delay in crude oil shipments. All major refineries are on line. No pending damage from weather. So why this?

***

This is Genevieve. She started back last night. This is her 3rd or 4th time around. She usually stays for a couple of months and then disappears.

***

SPECIAL FOR RANDALL

Biking is very popular on Mau'i. Some hotels, such as the Maui Coast (above) offer the free use of their fleet of bikes to registered guests. Just have to sign a liability "release and waiver". All of our major roadways have designated bike lanes. Some are safer than others. Most bike shops have maps, available for purchase, of all designated bike lanes and public access trails.

Multiple companies offer a "Ride Down The Mountain", usually twice a day. The first trip lets you watch the sunrise, atop Mt. Haleakala. The second trip begins at a more reasonable hour of the day. Haleakala is 10,023' (3 km) in elevation. The distance from the summit to the beach in Pa'ia is about 38 miles (61 km) and you only actually pedal a non-contiguous 400 yards/meters on the ride. You should see the custom-made brakes (pads replaced every day) on these bikes and their super heavy-duty frames. We do tend to lose about one idiot a year from this tourist activity. Those "Here! Hold my beer and watch this." yahoos. If you follow the tour rules, it is probably one of the safest activities on the island.

Some companies offer tours of the mountain trails.

True enthusiasts will ship their bikes, from the mainland, as part of their airline luggage.

Hope this answered you question.

***

A really unremarkable shift. I did lose $25.40 though. Made a pick up from "Micky-D's" with just an unknown destination - "NORTH". The guy kept talking and finally said that he lived real close to the ABC Store.

Thats strange. There is no commercial activity in the north area of south Kihei Road, except condos.

WRONG!!

A new ABC Store opened its doors for business on Friday, where Suda's Store (a local iconic landmark) used to be.

I was so positive that there wasn't any store at that location that, during our meanderings, had accepted a bet of "double or nothing" on the meter. The store is there and I covered his fare.

Expensive way to learning something new.

Feces Occurs

***

Thanks for visiting
Lets see what tomorrow brings.

Mahalo

Aloha

THE PICTURE GALLERY

Fort DeRussy
Honolulu
O'ahu

Water Tower
Hickam Airfield
O'ahu

Wheeler Army Airfield
O'ahu

Plumeria Flower

Breezy Day

***

"Let's all be careful out there!"

Friday, May 11, 2007

DO YOU REMEMBER...

...FIRE DRILLS?

Thats one of the first things we learn our very first day of school. Where/when do we opt to ignore what the flashing strobe lights and glaring claxons are telling us. You know...

EVACUATE
THE
BUILDING!

Last night the fire alarm at The Shops activated.

Was there a calm and orderly exiting of the premises?
No.

Was there a panic driven stampede?
No.

In fact, no body even seemed to notice. Not even after the police and fire units arrived.

After all that excitement, I got my first fare at 8p, Headed from Wailea to Mama's Fish House, over on the far side of Pa'ia. Thats a VERY good fare. $70 and change, each way.

Their "Street" Sign

We arrived at Mama's 40 minutes later. $70.70 on the meter. They gave me $71. WOW! A 30-cent tip!
Oh, well. I still get my 40% of the meter, which will be $56 for the round trip.

Valet Entrance

After dropping them at the valet entrance, I decided that I would attempt to get some pics of Mama's.

Valet Office

The Grounds

Beautiful Entry Walkway

Gecko Tiles

Main Entrance

The Restaurant

They gave me $75 on the $70.10 return.

Feces Occurs

This is a poor pic of [chuckle] Downtown Pa'ia. The green lights is where the town's solitary traffic light is. Turn left and the business district extends about as far on Baldwin Avenue as what you see here on Hana Highway.

Had one more run before bar close. 30 seconds after the final night cab went "10-2" (end of shift) things really started hopping. Covered 7 trips between 2:01a and 4:24a, from the far north end of Kihei to the south end of Wailea and all points between.

None of the day drivers showed up until about 4:30a. I can never figure out who or when someone is supposed to be there.

***

This is another of our new drivers. Rick has been with us about 2 months, or so.

He has a bit of a "Dennis Miller" look.

***

The following is special for our G'night Girl, Lori. But I am sure she wouldn't mind sharing.

1:35 of the sound of waves washing against the shore, at Mama's. Not a damn thing to see, the lens is pointed out across the vast Pacific Ocean.

Disregard the screen. Just push the "Start" button:

***

Images courtesy:
MAUI ACTION PHOTOS

Mahalo, Van

***

I always appreciate your visit.

Have a fantastic weekend.

Mahalo

Aloha

THE PICTURE GALLERY

USS ARIZONA

A Jacaranda Tree In Bloom

"Big" Beach
Makena

***

"Let's all be careful out there!"

Thursday, May 10, 2007

"GOOD MORNING!"

"ROYAL CAB!"

"Ish thish a taxi?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"Why dishn't you say so?"
"So saying 'GOOD MORNING! ROYAL CAB!' wasn't sufficient?"
"Oh, yeah. You did shay that. Dishn't you?"
"Yes ma'am. How may I help you?"
"I need a cab."
"Where are you at?"
"I'm in north KAI HE EYE (her pronunciation) and I wansht to go to south Kihei."
"Where do I pick you up?"
"North Kihei."
"Right. How about an address?"

Wait for it.

You KNOW its coming

"WHERE THE FUCK AM I?"

With that shouted question to an unknown third party i just went...

[click]

Five minutes later:

"Dish youse just hang up on me?"
"Why would I do that?"
"I don't know?"
"What is your address, ma'am?"
"I'm at the ~~Iehik~~ Resort."
"Okay. I'll be there in about 10 minutes. How about I meet you just inside the entrance. It's well lit and easy to find you."
"Oshkay."
"I'll see you in less than 10 minutes."
"Oshkay."

Did I respond to the call?

Sure did.

Was she there?

LOL!

Don't be silly.

Of course not.

Called back the number. She answered, in a very drowsy voice.

"Huh?"
"This is the cab you called for. I'm outside."
"That wash yeshterday."
"Sorry to..."

[click]

...have disturbed you."

ROTFLOL!

She [click]ed me first!

***

This beautiful tree, an Acacia(?), was displaying gorgeous pink blossoms in the parking lot at The Shops At Wailea.
This was my best effort at capturing it.

Almost doubled Tuesday night's "meter". But, even at that, I booked less than $125. Tips were decent but not worth getting excited about.

Bar close fights from the Bada Bing crowd. Broke up as soon as the cops arrived but didn't end. All the antagonists regrouped in FoodLand's parking lot 10 minutes later. Seldom do these fights involve anyone other than Hawai'ians, Tongans and Samoans. Sad.

Bar close was covered by TMR (#27), Kimo (#22) and ONE-NINE. About 1:40a I took the phone from Kimo and then got a "flag", a pupu to World Mark. Then Kimo and TMR both got "flagged". Each of us cleared, all were shorties, and returned. The phone was amazingly silent. I pulled in front of Tiki and a nice couple "flagged" me and off to "The Ship", in Kahului. Kimo and TMR also got their second "flags" and by the time I returned to Kihei they were just ready to park their vans and go home. Perfect timing.

***

MAUI ACTION PHOTOS