Speeding Tickets in Paradise

Slept al fresco last night on the lanai and awoke to a still-life version of the sky.

bed on the lanai - puna

bed on the lanai - puna

Deceptive calm

Saddle Road stretches languidly between the two big volcanoes, their stately and ethereal landscapes passing by slowly, even as the car speeds by (18,000 cubic miles of material doesn’t escape the eye very quickly). Still, the wide stretch of road urges you to drive fast, and the last stretch heading down towards Waimea is a miles-long, downhill roller coaster.

Saddle Road above the Kohala Coast

Saddle Road above the Kohala Coast

Pushing the limits

Saddle Road was the site of Arvin’s first speeding infraction. We’d gone to Costco on the other side of the island to pick up a new tent for the tractor. On our way back—it was a compressed 5-hour shopping journey, not a leisure trip—he passed a slow-moving car and got clocked by an oncoming cop going about 20 miles over the speed limit. The fact that he didn’t have his driver’s license was gratefully forgiven, representing a savings of nearly $150.

Ticket #2 occurred a few days ago, on our way back from the beach. Passing through Laupahoehoe, again after passing a slow-moving car, he was going 67 and got officially clocked at 62. This time the good officer knocked the fine down to the cost of a basic over-the-limit ticket. Back in Virginia, 20 miles an hour over the speed limit got you a reckless driving citation.

Happy trails…

Off to Hawi to write in solitude for a couple days. Will drive the limit, I suppose.

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