Campsite!
The natural bridge formation at the end of Crater Rim Road, where the road ends and the newest lava bed begins.
...looking straight down...
There used to be a road that went all around the Island, along the coast. Then, Pele decided to get rid of that road.
Hiking the lava rock, in search of fresh flow.
When lava is hot, it is orange. The instant it begins to cool, it turns silver. It remains shiny and brittle for awhile before becoming dark and solid. As we hiked closer and closer to the actual lava flow, the ground beneath us began to chip away at the weight of our shoes, and the landscape became almost glittery. It was exhilarating and spooky, all at once. You run a risk of falling into a deep lava tube, or having the earth just up and crack beneath your very feet. 
It's oh-so-faint, but you can make out the slightest ball of orange off in the distance there.
It *poured* rain on us during our hike; we were all soaked to the bone. It was a very warm rain, though, and rather refreshing. The next day, we learned that during the time we were hiking the lava bed (less than a half mile from the ocean, a solid two hours from the car) Hawaii was under a tsunami watch. !!!! If you'll remember, the last time Mariah and I tried camping, we were ALSO under a tsunami watch! What can I say, I have a knack... Luckily, we didn't hear anything about the distant earthquake or the watch until it had long passed; in fact, I thought my friend was kidding when I got his text message. "Was that a last ditch April Fool's effort?" I asked. Turns out, he spoke truth.
When we were finished with our hike (8 miles round trip), we perched on some lava rock near the car, had our picnic, and watched...
...lava, flowing down the side of the volcano...
...where it creates huge steam plumes as it enters the ocean.
Jordan, Alex, Mariah and Crystal, enjoying hot chocolate and red wine (no, not together) in the Volcano House before heading back to the campsite for the night.
