We’re Ready for Molokai

[slip]

Do you have AAA? If so, they'll bring you a new battery that you buy from them and install it on the spot. It comes with a nice warranty. I had to do that one day when I had
gone to pick up my grandkids from school and we got stranded at the school when the battery didn't start.

That doesn’t really work on Molokai. Starting in the afternoon on Saturday things start closing up for the weekend. There are a couple of restaurants open and convenience stores but that’s about it.

It’s kind of like when we were growing up as kids. I was actually surprised that the Ace hardware store was open. That’s one of the few chain stores on the island. I was able to get a socket set so I can remove my battery tomorrow.

Here’s a picture when I was waiting for my wife at Dave’s Ice Cream Shop. They were open until 4pm.

 

[luv_maui]

Nice video and pictures. Glad you are enjoying some r & r.

 

[slip]

Just a few clouds up in the cliffs behind the resort. I took this one when I walked up to the office to check the mailbox.

We decided to go to Hiro’s for my Birthday dinner tonight. So as long as the car starts in a couple of hours we’re good.

I was messing with the tv this morning and I noticed a Spectrum app. When I went into that, it synced up with our account and now we can stream with the app and that uses our tv remote so we have all our cable channels. I am going to call them on Monday and have them ship us a new remote still.

So really, the only thing we missed out on was grocery shopping but we will go tomorrow and we have drinks and we brought plenty to snack on.

The weather has been perfect since we got here and my app shows the weather staying the same for our whole trip here. We will definitely hit the pool this week. There has hardly been anyone there since we’ve been here.

 

[slip]

Another clear view of Maui from the lanai.

 

[Passepartout]

Jeff, you might consider a solar battery maintainer/trickle charger. Just place it where the sun shines in the car and plug it into the lighter socket. $25-$50 on Amazon.

Very nice pictures. Maui sure looks a lot bigger from Molokai than Molokai looks from Maui.

 

[slip]

Jeff, you might consider a solar battery maintainer/trickle charger. Just place it where the sun shines in the car and plug it into the lighter socket. $25-$50 on Amazon.

Very nice pictures. Maui sure looks a lot bigger from Molokai than Molokai looks from Maui.

That’s a good idea on that charger. I have been talking to people here and they have been saying that batteries only last three to four years here. I thought they would last longer than Wisconsin since we have some hard winters.

I’ll check Amazon, our next planned trip will be two weeks over Thanksgiving.

 

[Passepartout]

That’s a good idea on that charger. I have been talking to people here and they have been saying that batteries only last three to four years here. I thought they would last longer than Wisconsin since we have some hard winters.

Batteries don't like either cold or heat. The heat causes the stuff in them to percolate out, and in the cold, add the additional load of more friction to crank the engine and less battery efficiency. Cars also have some parasitic power draws. Clocks, radio memory, warning system sensors all use a tiny bit of power, but over time and with nothing adding electrons to the system, eventually they fail. Installing a switch on the positive cable connection would allow you to isolate the battery from these power robbers. Just switch it off when you park the car for an extended time. Or consider a marine (deep cycle) battery. They are made to discharge to nearly nothing and then be recharged to a high degree, then depleted again, over and over. without damage. 'Normal' automotive batteries are made to charge, discharge within a narrow range of their capacity.

 

[slip]

Batteries don't like either cold or heat. The heat causes the stuff in them to percolate out, and in the cold, add the additional load of more friction to crank the engine and less battery efficiency. Cars also have some parasitic power draws. Clocks, radio memory, warning system sensors all use a tiny bit of power, but over time and with nothing adding electrons to the system, eventually they fail. Installing a switch on the positive cable connection would allow you to isolate the battery from these power robbers. Just switch it off when you park the car for an extended time. Or consider a marine (deep cycle) battery. They are made to discharge to nearly nothing and then be recharged to a high degree, then depleted again, over and over. without damage. 'Normal' automotive batteries are made to charge, discharge within a narrow range of their capacity.

I may have to consider the switch. My wife reminded me that we put a cover on the car so we wouldn’t be able to use the solar charger.

 

[slip]

Well the Birthday Dinner was a success. Pa’a Pono was playing music and it was a beautiful night. I had a Hawaiian Subrise and my wife had her favorite Li Hing Mui Margarita. We started with some Pork Potstickers. Then my wife had the Saimin and I had the catch of the day, Grilled Ono. Everything was excellent.

We had to wear masks to our table and they gave us hand sanitizer when we entered. Staff all had masks. We were able to remove the mask the whole time we were seated. They had about half the tables as usual.

Here’s some pictures.

 

[slip]

Here’s a short video of the view at Hiro’s. You’ll hear Pa’a Pono playing in the background. And you hear my wife at the start saying “Don’t get me in there.”
Those are Taro Rolls at the start and they are awesome.

 

[slip]

Then when we got home all the tiki torches were lit at the Pool/Cabana.

 

[geist1223]

Until you get the switch would it work to just disconnect the + cable from the battery while you are gone.

 

[Passepartout]

Until you get the switch would it work to just disconnect the + cable from the battery while you are gone.

Exactly. It accomplishes the same thing, but installing a switch keeps your hands clean. Many boats have 'battery isolating' switches and in Hawaii, a boat shop might be able to put it on easily/cheaply. Just a thought.

Nice dinner, Jeff. And Happy Birthday!

Jim.
Vicariously living in Paradise.

 

[melissy123]

Here’s a short video of the view at Hiro’s. You’ll hear Pa’a Pono playing in the background. And you hear my wife at the start saying “Don’t get me in there.”
Those are Taro Rolls at the start and they are awesome.

OMG. The music and the sound of the waves. Perfect birthday dinner. I could almost feel the tropical breeze.

 

[slip]

Until you get the switch would it work to just disconnect the + cable from the battery while you are gone.

Yes, that’s what I was planning on doing. Since we moved. We always planned on coming once every couple months but the virus pushed it back to 5 months this time.

 

[slip]

OMG. The music and the sound of the waves. Perfect birthday dinner. I could almost feel the tropical breeze.

Yes, they often have live entertainment and we really like Pa’a Pono. They have very soothing vocals. The large reef on the south side of the island always keeps the waves just rolling in gently.

 

[Tamaradarann]

Yes, they often have live entertainment and we really like Pa’a Pono. They have very soothing vocals. The large reef on the south side of the island always keeps the waves just rolling in gently.

We haven't been to Molokai in about 5 years. We stayed at the Hotel Molokai and had breakfast and dinner almost everyday and night at the restaurant siting on a table on the rail near the water. What a nice place to eat and the food and drinks were always good. On Friday night we enjoyed the Kapuna Ukulele Concert and on Saturday night a performer named Ekolu Kalama played with his band and kicked off his Dare to Dream CD which we have and he signed.

 

[slip]

Busy day today. Slept like a rock again last night. It is so quiet here. So, I didn’t get up until 7:30am., my wife was up at 6am.

By the time we had breakfast on the lanai it was close to 10am. I filed all my work emails and then caught up with messages to friends.
After that I went down to loosen up the battery terminals and the clamp that holds it in place. All that went well so I asked my wife if she was ready and I could tell she wanted to relax a bit. So I asked her if she wanted me to go get the battery and she was up for that.

I had to go to the bank and the Post office also but I didn’t want to be gone too long since I had to give back the portable power supply back to the resort office.

Last time we were on island there was a grand opening for a CarQuest. They were a really nice family so I went there. The had my battery and I asked if they had those portable power supplies. They did and a nice one with a compressor was on sale so I grabbed that too. I figured most of the time when we get in the office is closed so it would be good to have our own. I was checking them on Amazon and they won’t deliver those to Hawaii.

That stop went good so I stopped at the Bank of Hawaii. We chose them because they have the branch on Molokai. I had to get a certified check. She checked our account status and moved me a level so I got the check for free so that was awesome.

I was on a roll so I stopped at the Post Office and sent it out with tracking. Then made my way home. I made it in time to give the portable power unit back. I thanked them profusely and I got to meet the new lady in the office, very nice.

ThenI get back to the condo and she is still relaxing on the lanai. She couldn’t believe I got back so quick but then looked and couldn’t believe almost an hour and a half went by.

So, she hopped in the shower while I changed the battery and then we headed into town to grocery shop and turn in my old battery.

Shopping at Friendly Market was about the same but you have to wear masks and you can’t bring in your own bags. After that we were hungry so we stopped at Molokai Burger for a Burger and a Chicken Dinner.

So now we are all caught up and probably ready for a little nap.

 

[slip]

Here are a few pictures from our Mokulele flight over from Oahu.

 

[TXTortoise]

I may have to consider the switch. My wife reminded me that we put a cover on the car so we wouldn’t be able to use the solar charger.

Skip, at a minimum get one of these... https://antigravitybatteries.com/productline/micro-starts/

Awesome and covers a lot of other backup battery needs, e.g., laptop, etc.

 

[slip]

Skip, at a minimum get one of these... https://antigravitybatteries.com/productline/micro-starts/

Awesome and covers a lot of other backup battery needs, e.g., laptop, etc.

The one I got does all that but isn’t micro. I had something similar to that when I traveled from Wisconsin to Hawaii twice a year. The one I had lasted about 8 years before the battery went through a charge too fast. Buying that stuff and getting it shipped to Hawaii at a reasonable price/if at all can be difficult sometimes.

I ended out buying it local and got what I wanted and helped a local business. I try to do that as much as possible here on Molokai but choices can be limiting sometimes or you just can’t find what you need and then we check Amazon but we really have to watch because not all Prime items ship.

 

[optimist]

Do you still love Hawaii as much now that you live there?
It made me so nostalgic to see the videos... the views, sounds and especially the music but I wonder if I would stop noticing it all if I lived there.

 

[slip]

Do you still love Hawaii as much now that you live there?
It made me so nostalgic to see the videos... the views, sounds and especially the music but I wonder if I would stop noticing it all if I lived there.

I‘be been here just under a year and it hasn’t worn off. On Oahu there are so many places to go that everything is new all the time and because I am still working I can see it being that way until I retire.

I remember living back in Wisconsin and we would have family from the Chicago area come up and comment how beautiful it was in the Dells and all the lakes. We definitely took that for granted so I know what you mean.

It may be different here because my wife is retired and she tells me all the time how much she loves it. As a matter of fact, she just mentioned last night how she couldn’t even think about moving back to Wisconsin.

We have owned our condo on Molokai for two years now and every time we come it feels more like home. We don’t have to bring much anymore and we settle in on the first day most of the time. I would have had a very easy time quarantining here. Maybe it’s because we definitely take the time to sit back and enjoy it.

So, it hasn’t worn off yet we’ll have to wait and see if it ever does.

 

[slip]

Breakfast on the lanai this morning. I had to sit in the other side of the table today to even out my tan. My wife sits at the head of the table so I am on the side and don’t get even sun in the morning.

We had some clouds come through early and it rained briefly, like usual. My wife said it rained last night too. Sun came out in full force right after the brief rain. Breakfast was Toads in a Hole and Molokai Muleskinner Coffee.

 

[DeniseM]

Love your dinner video! When we visited Molokai we ate at Hiro's several times and so enjoyed the atmosphere and the music!
This really makes me miss Hawaii! You two are LIVING THE LIFE!