Bays of Piilani

Aloha from Maui. It has been another beautiful day on the island. You can't believe how relaxed this environment can be. It's a little like Alice in the Looking Glass, deceptive and mesmerizing; you think everywhere must be like this. Yes of course I understand that the people who live and work here don't necessarily look at this the same way but there is an overriding atmosphere that just lulls you into slowing down. Hawaiian time on Maui; what could be better?

Before I get carried away I want to describe today's training. This was a run day. My goal was to go out 30 min and then return. Mission accomplished. Took the Lower Honoapiilani Rd. north towards Napili. Started my run about 9:30 and it was warm. I figured since I was going out for just 60 min that I didn't need any water. By the time I finished I was drenched in sweat as if I had been sitting in a sauna. I really needed some fluid at the end. No problems, went about 4.25 miles, just lumbering along at my usual pace. Everyone passes me. The only people I pass are going the other way. But hey, some day some how my speed will improve and I look forward to that.

I stayed on the lower road so I had the sunny side of the street and mild headwind out, partial shade back. Just when I was feeling tired, a brief Maui shower cooled me down. Along this 2 lane road that snaked up and down along the shore I was treated to peek a boo views of the ocean as I ran along developed areas populated by condos, private homes in developed cul-de-sacs, and a smattering of older less kept up homes, all with great locations. There is very little in the way of commercial along this stretch. There is the occasional market, store, deli, and Kahana Gateway center, but mostly residential. I ran by one old semi-run down home that had at least 75 feet of water front on a 150 foot deep lot. Eventually someone will cash in on that but now it is a reminder of how homes in the past were situated: deep lot with the home about 2/3rds of the way in, most of the property open and clear.

Honoapiilani in Hawaiian means Bays of Piilani, Piilani being at one time the ruling chief of Maui. Honoapiilani Road provides views of the bays of Lanai, Molokai, and Maui; all part of the domain of Piilani.

Yesterday I had the chance to go to the Bailey House Museum in Wailuku. The Bailey House, listed as a national historic place, is located at the mouth of Iao Valley, so sacred that it is the burial place of the bones of many kings and chiefs. Here was the royal compound, with the king's houses and his heiau. Bailey House was the home of Edward Bailey, headmaster of the short lived Wailuku Female Seminary. My family name has had a presence on Maui since at least 1800, when my paternal ancestor came to Maui to establish a sugar business. At one point it thrived enough that one could say our family was among the wealthiest. There was a large home in Waikapu and my family at some point donated a "settee" to the Bailey House museum, hence the lead-in picture for this post. Our family name continues to be part of Maui today, however at a much lesser level of importance. Nearly all of the family fortune and land was lost over time and all that remains is a small land-locked parcel, surrounded by the Makani Olu Ranch, in Waikapu which is the site of a family cemetery. Here are interred many family members for over 200 years.

Swim day tomorrow. I have missed the bike. Hoping to go to Fleming Beach Park at Honokahua Bay, possibly America's best beach. See you on the road; a hui hou.