BIG ISLAND HI Thread

Good ideas, something I'll look into. Thanks.

 

Big island -Any installers here? For installing a front camera to be mounted (R4T) , a tailgate factory lock install, And maybe Cali raise front light bars on a 2019 Tacoma? Prefer Kona side.
All the parts will be provided. ( not order yet) .

 

now that covid restrictions are over, the wife and i are planning our annual trip to kona in december.

i have a strange fascination with Kamilo (plastic) beach.
i understand that Ancient hawaiians salvaged timber from the mainland ie cedar and Douglas fir and iron nails etc that washed up in the currents.
nowadays, it represents an unfortunate side of plight of mother earth.
i wanted to witness and help clean up a little of the trash.

i tried to access Kamilo with my rental jeep in 2020 but wimped out part way through.

i would consider trying again.

is it possible to drive there with bone stock jeep and not damage the vehicle?

thanks

 

I think you can? , There is a volunteer group. I would have to research this. There maybe a couple of different roads. But I have not been there. I know I live here too.

Kamilo beach 1,500 feet long. It say NO paved roads. Now when I did a fishing trip past South point, there was lots of debris, plastics all around around us. No big fish came out. I found a nice round plastic fish float use on commercial fish netting.

When buying Kona coffee, be aware. Kona farm land can only produce 3 million pounds of pure Kona coffee in a good year. The Hawaii Tax office records 20 million pounds of pure coffee sold each year. Meaning 17 million pounds is “fake”. Mostly likely from South America . We have Arabica coffee trees , South America use Arabica coffee tree. Just be aware.

Also not all Kona coffee will taste the same, processing methods, drying process, roasting process will effect the taste. And where it is grown in Kona, got lowing growing farm to high elevations coffee farms, the weather, amount of rain and sunshine.may produces and effect the taste too.

When you visit Kona, be sure to also visit the Hamakua Macadamia Nut company. ( factory) Has a very nice visitor center. 100% pure Hawaii macadamia nuts is use. Hawaii does import “ton” of Macadamia nuts . Our coffee is sold there , alsouse our coffe in the Mac nut brittles .

 

There is a “Debris Hot line” they have many options, they do have a volunteer program. You will need to contact them.

Google - Kamilo Beach volunteer clean-up.
It post a web site and phone number to call to help with clean up.

 

I just sign up with “Hawaii Wildlife Fund” as a volunteer and for there news letter. A non profit a501(c)
Just found a calendar for June 2022 . They have a beach clean-up this Sat. Need to make RSVP.

Being a volunteer for this kind of organization is a great way to meet new people, start new friendships, be involved in helping the local communities.

Plus a way to open your life from the daily routines. New challenges. I think I need this!

I have to thank the “bush rat” for me in getting involved . Helping others is really helping yourself more! Not many people understand the benefits of this.

 

lava-road,
thanks for the intel regarding plastic clean up and kona coffee.

i always believed the label claim of 100% kona grown and roasted.
i
some brands have less than 100% kona and therefore must blend their coffee.
i enjoy my coffee fix.
im a dark roast fan but not really a coffee snob. Kona is not commonly roasted dark.
kona is pricy but a nice change of pace.
what brand do you recommend

 

Related link of interest: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/jan/10/kamilo-beach-plastic-hawaii-pollution

 

What brand? I really do not drink or try other brands . Unless it is offer or at a coffee festival, where you can taste the many local companies.
The prices are very high and sometimes ridiculous high. If you ever see how coffee is raise! Super labor intensive! Every bean is pick by hand. Has to be carry to the mill, go though a process to remove the coffee bean from the cherry. Then move to a drying area, can be sun dried or gas dried. Then to a mill to remove the paper cover on the bean, where it is also sorted by size, then to a roaster, bag . Some has to sell it or take it to the markets. Every company may do it differently.

When your family has a coffee farm, it is all you can drink.
Off course I will alway recommend the brand I know.
We use only the beans we pick from the farm . 100%

I will pm you. Kona coffee is sold as 100% or a 10% blend.
We carry only 100%.

 

i was lucky to work on the british columbia west coast for a few years.
i recall walking on pristine beaches as a kid in the early 1970’s.
now plastic debris is common with every incoming tide.
commercial fishing equipment is a common find.
plastic nurdles float in on every tide.
storms, tsunami events, lost cargo containers and occasional wrecks send large quantities of plastic ashore.
nothing close to what shows up at your kamilo beach daily.
sad state.
i look forward to getting there.

hoping to take my rental jeep (2 door with highway tires) as long as i dont beat the shit out of it

 

Please beware of rental jeeps clauses , regarding of places jeeps are not allow to go. Each rental may differ.
Especially on the Big Island where there is so many off road trails. Just ask about Kamilo beach.

A friend many years ago rented a jeep, it was allow to go in to South point roads. So he adventure in to South Point. Where we spent 4 days of fishing.

 

I can. Shoot me a message.

 

mainstream rental contracts are crystal clear; no off road even gravel road.
rental desk guy would laugh and tell me to F -off if i asked.
mauna kea is gravel (technically not allowed) but i went regardless. its a well maintained gravel road and cars go up there (unless heavy snow). easy to risk manage that one.
bone stock jeep rental with p rated tires; (the tires are the weak link IMO) -i will risk manage kamilo if there are no show stoppers.
really im just trying to get trail condition report of back half to the beach.

i recall the first half of trail being solid but increasingly overgrown and brushy.
increasingly more tight corners and mild rock steps/drops. no other traffic noted.
where i turned around, the beach still seemed many miles away.
i should have allowed more time and planned for an overnight stay.
im not adverse to parking and walking some.
there is off-road jeep rental outfit i could look into.

 

I never been to Kamilo beach. As a new volunteer in the Hawaii wildlife fund group, I hope I get a chance to see the place.
Hopefully the roads aren’t too terrible.

 

thanks lava-road.
i love my duratracs

 

The Goodyear Duratracs has a nice pattern. Sounds like a great winter tire too. I am not familiar with these Duratracs. Great reviews.

In the 80’s I had Goodyear Wranglers and had some bad experiences, side walls damages and flats. A few years later Goodyear redesigned the wranglers due to many failures. Never went back to a Goodyear.

Since then I always use the BFG A/T for almost 25+ years. For Hawaii roads and sand . It works very well.
I been in snow on top of Mauna Kea, No problems.

The snowy condition in Canada from what I read the Duratracs are great for this. Load range D.

BFG’s A/T years ago were load range C, now they are Load range E, way stiffer riding. But has a stronger side wall.

 

On some rough roads today and I heard the spare tire chain rattle around. Is that normal? There’s about 8” of it hanging down banging on the spare tire/wheel. I guess I could zip tie it?

 

No harm in zip tying. And reducing the noise.

Just that you will need to climb further underneath to remove the zip ties if they do not come off when lowering the spare.
You will not want to crawl under when it snows or rains and have muddy conditions?

 

I purchase 5 rims and tires , I wanted a matching spare. Lucky the 275/70/R17 tire and rim fit in the factory spare area.
The chain under neat look ok, not hanging low. If the chains hung too low, I would zip tie too.

Not common to find guys buy who will buy 5 tires and rims when they lift and put bigger tires.

 

Yeah, maybe I’ll zip tie it so it doesn’t bother me anymore.