NEW HOUSE!
We are moving to our new home on January 27th. We are very happy and we hope all our friends and relatives come to visit us someday.

I invite you to visit my Facebook profile for more photos and info.

Aloha!

SUMMER PLANS

We will be traveling to Ohio in June to attend several events:

• Laura's graduation from Ohio State on June 8th. She will be graduating with Honors with a double major in Economics and in International Studies.
• Great Ohio Bicycle Adventure the week of June 14.
• A side trip to visit Amish country
  
• Laura's wedding to Joseph Speakman on June 21
• A lovely getaway to Put-In-Bay for Gwen and I.
  

Check out Laura and Joe's Wedding site: http://www.josephandlauratietheknot.com/home.asp

See you all in Ohio Soon!

New Year's Eve 2007

December 28, 2007 - January 3, 2008

We visited Gwen's parents in southern Illinois for the New Year Holiday. It may not be warm like Hawaii, but it is family. We had a great time visiting our relatives, having a quiet New Year's Eve, learning about the local history and doing a little bit of geocaching while there.

The weather was not really that cold, but there were still a few patches of snow leftover from the latest storm, which allowed us to have a brief snowball fight.

This modern (2003) covered bridge is along old, historic route US 40, about a mile from where my in-laws live. We had the opportunity to go geocaching in the vicinity.

Stone arch bridge along historic route US 40 in Clark County, Illinois. This is the only original stone arch bridge from old Rt. 40 still in use today.

Lincoln School in Clark County.

No, President Lincoln did not attend school here, in fact he never visited this place. But it is named after him and it is a historic building in the area.

Having brunch.

************

Next Stop, Puerto Rico!

Aloha!

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Best Wishes from Juan and Gwen Rivera

Facebook Photo Album Link:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=80012&l=cf583&id=527930286

Aloha!

HIATUS
To our friends and family.

Sorry I have neglected to post for a long time. There are a couple of reasons: First, our primary computer broke down earlier this year and we are yet to replace it. In the meantime we are making do with a very old desktop PC which is simply way too slow and unreliable to post pictures on blogger. The other reason is I have been using more of Facebook.com to get in touch with friends and family. Who knows? I may end up just using Facebook and dropping this blog, but I have not made that decision yet. Maybe when we buy a better PC next year, I will be posting more photos here.

Anyway, the fact I have not posted does not mean we have not been having fun. We had Diana visit for the summer, Laura visited back in August too, then Diana came back for another visit last week. We have been hiking and camping a couple of times. We went to the UH Pig-Out on Oahu in June and stayed with our friends Andy and Leyla. Our friends Kathrin visited us for Thanksgiving and we had a big party here. We also went to Hulopoe Beach in Lanai a couple of times.

We are now getting ready to travel for the Holidays, to visit Gwen's family in Illinois and my family in Puerto Rico.

And yes, Laura has announced she and her boyfriend Joe are getting married next June in Columbus! Right after they graduate from Ohio State and from the Air Force Academy, respectively.

Aloha and See you soon, either here or on Facebook.

JR

Trip to Oahu
May 19-20, 2007

We traveled to Honolulu for the weekend to visit friends. Here are some photos of the trip.

This is in Honolulu, at the rooftop of a building right by the H1 Freeway. We were there to attend the first birthday party of baby Jaden, whose father used to work with Gwen at UH.
Diamond Head is visible behind the skyline of Honolulu.

Gwen with Baby Jaden, who was celebrating his first birthday

Gwen with our friends Jingru (Jaden's mom) and Kathrin

We also saw our friends Leyla and Andy. We went to the Bishop Museum.

At the Bishop Museum

Camping at Kipahulu
May 12, 2007

Check out the following photos of our trip to Kipahulu

The Car is Dead
Long Live the Car

After five years of faithful service full of many good memories, our 1993 Geo Tracker finally broke down for good. So long Tracker, thanks for all the fun.

We have replaced it with a 2003 Subaru Forester.

Aloha.

Sliding Sands Trail
March 18, 2007

Hiking Sliding Sands Trail from the Haleakala visitor center (Elevation 9,800 ft) to Ka Ku`u o ka `O`o Crater (Elevation 8,300 ft) and back. Round trip 5.6 miles.

Aloha!

Waihee RIdge

March 11, 2007

Today we decided to challenge ourselves a little bit and do the Waihee Ridge trail. This is our second time hiking this trail, the first time was on July 22 last year.

This time the weather was somewhat different. While it was dry at the trail head, we could see the clouds near the top of the trail. We hiked up anyway and halfway up we were surrounded by clouds and a persistent drizzle which changed to rain by the time we reached the end of the trail, 1500' above the trail head and 2.5 miles out.

A geocache we set out to find at the trail end was nowhere to be found and after a quick snack we started heading down. The walking sticks that we found at near the trail head proved priceless to help us descend the wet, slippery and muddy trail. Four hours after we set out, we were back at the car, ready to go home.

Waihee Valley and Wailuku as seen from the trail

Waihee Valley as seen from the trail

At the Valley Overlook

ALOHA!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, GWEN!
We celebrated Gwen's birthday in February. She enjoyed her gifts as well as a nice sushi dinner at Sansei and cake at home. We also enjoyed the company of our friend Kathin who was here on the island. Happy Birthday, Gwen!!

Aloha.

A Friend Visits
February 2007

Our good friend Kathrin from Honolulu honored us with a one week visit. This was her first time on Maui, so naturally we were happy to show her around the island. Also, congratulations to Kathrin on her new job on Oahu. We look forward to returning the visit soon!

Here are some photos from that week.

The Black Sand Beach at Waianapanapa State Park

Hiking the Pipiwai Trail towards Waimoku Falls

Waimoku Falls

Kathrin, Gwen and Juan
Upcountry Maui, heading towards the Haleakala Summit

Kathrin, Gwen and Juan at the Leleiwi Lookout
Overlooking the Haleakala Crater

Aloha!

Trip to Molokai
February 2007

We had the pleasure of visiting the neighbor island of Molokai. Located between Maui and Oahu, the island known as "The Friendly Isle" and "The Most Hawaiian Isle" has some of the most breathtaking views we have seen in Hawaii. Many of the 7,000 people who call it "home" are proud of their laid-back, rural way of living and want to make sure that Molokai remains that way.

No shopping mall here. No fast food either, except for a lone Subway restaurant which, as we saw in the local paper, was up for sale. The airport has two gates and only one is in use. The runway just big enough to take twin engine turboprop planes. No jetway either; just walk down the tarmac to board your plane. The main town of Kaunakakai is just a couple of blocks long, with "ma and pa" supermarkets, general stores and a bakery. No traffic lights are to be found on the island. Late at night, locals gather in the dark alley behind the bakery, where fresh Molokai bread is sold. Want to go out to see a movie? Then you have to go to Mauna Loa, 12 miles west of Kaunakakai, where the local movie house offers three screens for your enjoyment.

The island is so small that two days are enough to enjoy it. From Halawa Valley on the east to Kaulakoi on the west, and Kalaupapa Peninsula on the north, Molokai has a lot of great sights to offer.

Here are some of the photos we took on our trip.

Halawa Valley

At the Kalaupapa Overlook, Molokai

In this isolated 4.5 square mile peninsula sits the village of Kalaupapa. This is where patients suffering from leprosy (Hansen's Disease) were brought to be isolated from the rest of the world. At first they were merely abandoned to survive however they could. It is here where Father Damien came in the late 1800's to help build a community, care for the sick and minister to them. There are no roads going to Kalaupapa. The village is accessible only by boat, small plane or by hiking down a 1,500 high cliff and you need a government permit to visit.

Today, Hansen's Disease is easily treated and it is one of the least contagious diseases known. The official isolation policy was repealed in 1969 and patients are free to go wherever they want. However, for the few patients who still live there, Kalaupapa has been their home all their lives, so they decided to stay. Kalaupapa is now a National Historic Park. There is more information at http://www.nps.gov/kala/

Phallic Rock
This is near the Kalaupapa Overlook
The site is considered sacred by the Hawaiians, representing fertility.


Enjoying some geocaching near the Phallic Rock


Sunset at Kaulakoi, Molokai


Busted toes.
I slipped on some lava rocks and really busted my right foot toes.
Lost two toe nails and left some other skin on the rocks. Ouch!

A beach on the west side of Molokai

Gwen at the beach. Molokai

Trip to Puerto Rico!
December 31, 2006 - January 7, 2007

We visited Puerto Rico for the holidays and had a great time with our family and sightseeing around the island. This was our first visit to PR in more than two years and we are grateful for all the fun we had, all the love we shared and all the great food we ate!

Here are a few photos, enjoy!

Laura and Diana with their grandfather.
Grandpa is carrying a tray of "Arroz con Gandules" (rice with pigeon peas), a Puerto Rican favorite. - January 1, 2007

New Year's Day 2007
With the family in Corozal

Visit to Casa Bacardi in Cataño.

El Portal de el Yunque
Caribbean National Forest

Coca Falls
Caribbean National Forest (El Yunque)

Yokahu Tower
Caribbean National Forest (El Yunque)

Laura and boyfriend Joe
Centro Cultural Turistico Cibuco
Corozal, Puerto Rico

Laura, Diana and Joe, playing dominoes with Abuelo Felix
Corozal, PR.

Dorado Beach, Puerto Rico.

A view from my aunt's home in Corozal

Saying goodbye to the family. Dia de Reyes
January 6, 2007 - Corozal.

ALOHA!!