Sun-kissed /  by Dave Hileman

The clouds that fill the Haleakala Crater evaporate quickly after the sun rises but for those few moments, especially the first rays of sunlight on the clouds it is magical.

Waxing Moon /  by Dave Hileman

At 5:14 this Saturday morning we were already perched on the edge of Haleakala Crater at Haleakala National Park. We arrived at 3:12 AM after an almost two hour drive from our room on the coast. (Yeah not much sleep!) Not too far but very slow travel if you stick to the speed limit (and I was really close:). We were all alone on the mountain for a bit before others arrived. Most came after five thirty and missed this experience with the moon rising just above the cloud layer. I have not seen anything quite like this before with a whole moon visible while ordinarily it would be a mere sliver. Mesmerizing.

Enchanting /  by Dave Hileman

The flora at the Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden on the east side of the Big Island north of Hilo was a visual feast. Tall palms, a cascading stream, ocean overlooks, flowers everywhere all sizes and colors and several quiet spaces to sit and just inhale the atmosphere. Nice way to spend a couple of hours and it was right down the road from the What’s Shaki’n where they grow on property most of the fruit in their smoothes. Super good.

Green Sea Turtle /  by Dave Hileman

I almost walked into this fellow which would have been a serious faux pas because you are not supposed to get closer than about 20 feet from a sea turtle. I just arrived at the beach, it was so pretty and there were small fish jumping and a Black-crowned Night Heron fishing on a rock 10 feet from shore. So I was taking photos and moving left to get a better frame when about 4 feet from said turtle I stopped and looked to my immediate left and there he was. So I backed off a few feet and shot several photos of him and the beach. There were also 4 in the water. Going back early Friday morning before our flight to Maui.

Eruption at Sunset /  by Dave Hileman

This is the Kilauea Volcano erupting at sunset about 6:50 on September 20. We spent the entire day at Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park -park number 322- leaving our garage apartment (in a coffee plantation) at 5:45am we arrived back at 9:40pm. We did several hikes and started with those on the plain next to the Pacific because you walk on lava fields and it is very hot and dry. So we finished those about 10:30 and worked our way back the 19 mile drive to the top of the caldera. I will do a full report on the parks but we have been going before sunrise and getting back late, I’m just exhausted every night. However the sights at HVNP were just amazing. We did not see eruptions of great height or lava rivers but it was still neat to peer into an active volcano and watch the lava bubble and change intensity. It was a great cap on a day of wondrous sights, sounds and even smells.

Royal /  by Dave Hileman

This is the only royal palace in the US. It was the seat of the Kingdom of Hawaii for several years. This is also the site of the statehood ceremony held on the grounds to the left of the palace in 1959. My Aunt Carrie attended that day along with two of her friends. I still have the program, first day stamp and one or two other things from that day. It was cool to see it.

And more of the turtles... /  by Dave Hileman

Sunday was a moving day. We did one last walk on the beach in Waikiki - and one more Kai Coffee, took the shuttle to the airport, flew on Hawaiian Airlines to Hawaii, the Big island. Arrived about 1:00, neat airport with the rolling stairways as you exit on the tarmac. The airport has a few open air buildings. Shuttled a short distance to our rental car and after a stop for some food and groceries arrived at our super cool apartment over a garage on the top of the hill with a nice view. All we then did was unpack, finish shopping locally and planned the next four days. Off this morning to two or three National Park units.

Seems an Odd Photo for Hawaii...But, Here's the Rest of the Story /  by Dave Hileman

Our friend, Claude Hitchcock, Hitch, was stationed at Pearl Harbor in the submarine service on 12-07-1941. They were out at sea. Hitch’s responsibility was to plot and determine when to fire a torpedo. He did this so well that in 1943 they moved him to San Diego to teach others. But back to the gun. We toured a WWII era submarine, the Bowfin, at Pearl Harbor. This gun is mounted on the conning tower of the sub. There are two larger guns aft of this one. Hitch’s sub was surfaced in the South Pacific somewhere. This was a necessary practice as the batteries had to be recharged and diesel powered subs could only do that surfaced. They would travel often on the sea and submerge for attacks or to evade an attack. It was a calm day where no enemy ships had been spotted and the captain let a lot of the men on the deck to get fresh air etc. Suddenly a Zero appeared. It spotted the sub made a big turn and dropped to do a strafing run. Emergency horns sounded and the men were scrambling for the four hatches and the captain was preparing to dive. Hitch climbed into the tower, manned the machine gun and shot down the zero. He was not formally trained in the use of the gun but in the submarine tradition you are given a primer of every other man’s responsibility. Hitch was awarded his first Silver Star for saving the boat. He would earn a second later. It is one of the highest honors the service presents.

Hitch was a wonderful man and a joy to be around. He spoke often of the submarine service, less about his role, but always with respect toward the submariners. His wife, Dottie, is nearing her 100th birthday. Hitch is buried at Arlington Cemetery. Our country was blessed to have men and women like this farm boy from Minnesota who joined the submarine service, cause they ate real well.

This day was really special. I wish everyone had an opportunity to visit Pearl Harbor and soak in the atmosphere of this memorial. More photos soon for National Park unit #319

Special Moose Bulletin - Hawaii Edition 2 /  by Dave Hileman

The official welcome was overwhelming. They were so grateful that i navigated the crisis successfully that they awarded me the Legion of the Shell. I imagine it is their highest award. It is a lot busier than I expected from my research. Maybe Gilligan’s Island is one of the other ones here cause this one has huge buildings. I need to rest up for my big day tomorrow. A-Low-Ha as they seem to say a lot. I need to get a translation.

First Sunset at Waikiki /  by Dave Hileman

We watched Hula Show with dancers and musicians along with a history of each dance, at Kulio Beach last night. Walked the beach, explored one of the historic hotels (where my aunt stayed in 1959 for the statehood ceremony) and enjoyed our first shave ice. Not bad for two rather exhausted people.

Its All Relative (part two) /  by Dave Hileman

The photograph is from the Hockaday Museum of Art’s collection and is of Two Guns White Calf. I copied it from their web site. They have a number of albums and larger prints by T. J. Hileman. I hope to spend time there as soon as we are able to get back to Glacier.

I did not know anything about Tomar Hileman until Cindy and I visited Glacier National Park a few years ago and went into a small restaurant at the entrance village to Glacier that is not part of the park. We opened the menu and there was a Hileman Salad. I knew what I was eating. I asked the waitress and she pointed me to a hall of photographs by T. J. Hileman. fascinating.

So today we are in Hawaii. It will be our fiftieth state and while there intend to make photographs from at least 6 and possibly 7 of the National Parks located on three islands. After all, NP photography runs in the family:) If all is going according to plan and the myriad of reservations required, we should be touring Pearl Harbor today a place I have wanted to visit for decades.

More about T. J. Hileman https://hockadaymuseum.com/artist/hileman/

Special Bulletin: Hawaiian Moose Ediiton /  by Dave Hileman

You would think that this would be easy. You want to go to Iceland you get on Iceland Air, you want to go to Britain, you get on British Air, you want to go to America, you get on American, you want to go to Hawaii, you get on Hawaiian Air. Easy. But not for the driver. Nope. We are going to Hawaii on, are you ready, ALASKAN AIR. It is a good thing that geography is one of my most underrated skills. I slipped into the Pilots Special Compartment and explained the situation and he was willing to take us where we were planning to go. I mean I told him I only had Hawaiian shirts. Not Alaska. I would have driven but I forgot my Captain’s hat so I just had to make suggestions and corrections. He was most appreciative and suggested I might want to go back and help the Trolly Pushers.

Anyway I have studied hard about tropical islands and watched the documentary about them called Gilligan’s Island. It was a mystery to me why they didn’t go to the airport. But anyhow I am prepared. Since I got us in the right direction. I mean, the big lump of Alaska is off the coast of Mexico and Hawaii is between Florida and Texas. Good thing I worked on this.

Anxious to meet Mary Ann.

They knew where we were going. Great send off with music even.

Its All Relative (part one) /  by Dave Hileman

I would like to introduce you to T. J. Hileman. He was a well known photographer of the West, particularly Glacier National Park and Native Americans. There is a bit of confusion about exactly where in the family tree he is located due to things common to old records like similar names and differing dates. He likely is a sibling to my fourth generation grandfather and named after his grandfather. But suffice it to see him about 4 generations back. He was born in 1882 and moved west in 1911, to Kalispell, Montana after completing studies at Effingham School of Photography in Chicago. He opened a studio there and this photograph is of his studio or at least one of them, I do not know if he had more than one location over the years but this one would have been about the time he was photographing Glacier for the Northern Pacific Railroad. I love the logo he created and this same stylized format of Hileman is found on his prints as well.

It is striking to think of him shooting images using a huge format camera and pack horses while I roll up in air conditioned comfort walk a few hundred feet or a short trail and take lots of images it the time it would take for him to unlimber his large wooden tripod. But we share an interest in the photographs of our National Parks.

Hawaii Bound /  by Dave Hileman

Cadillac and his two friends are winging their way to Hawaii tonight. Adventure awaits. They are all decked out in Hawaiian shirts and some of them are enjoying tropical beverages already, like guava juice. Which one is Cadillac you ask, shame on you. Everyone knows about the Pink Cadillac. Please note the first female Moose to join the is center stage. How do you tell the difference? Lipstick!

Deep /  by Dave Hileman

Well into the depths of Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky. The largest cave in the world and still they do not know where the end of the cave might be located.