Lee Potts

Or are they just teasing us again.

The Maui News reported today that Transportation Director Brennon Morioka states work on the Lahaina bypass will begin in Mid-December. After over 30 years of delays this vital project is set to commence in just over 2 weeks.

The most recent set of delays occurred due to previously undiscovered archaeological sites. The newest plan avoids those sites.

The bypass will help ease traffic congestion in and out of Lahaina. Currently the 2 lane road known as the Pali, is the only road between Lahaina and vital services such as our only hospital in Wailuku. The road is completely jammed every morning and afternoon during commute hours.

During the high tourist seasons of summer and fall, the Pali can grind to a complete halt. It can sometimes take 2 hours to get from the airport to Lahaina.

Over time the bypass could not only make traffic flow smoother, it has the opportunity to make the coast line more accessible and beautiful as the current road is replaced by parks, bike lanes and pathways. That's the vision in at least one plan.

Starting the bypass will also create additional much needed employment at time when construction on Maui has slowed.

It all sounds good. Better traffic flow, more employment, environmentally friendly, it can't fail, right?

However, there is still a meeting, an "informational meeting", to discuss the draft environmental assessment report on December 10th. And while powerful politicos like Roz Baker say they support the bypass, the Maui News also reports Baker stating that the environmental assessment report has not been fully evaluated.

Well, they better hurry up with that evaluation if construction is going to start in 2 weeks.

Thanksgiving in Maui is a bit different than Tday on the mainland. For starters it's warm, very warm. While some mainlanders spend the morning getting bundled up to go visit the family (ohana), we went snorkeling at Airport Beach.

That might not exactly be traditional elsewhere, but it seems like a good tradition to start here. After touring the coral and seeing hundreds of brightly colored fish we returned to our home at Aina Nalu (land and wave), to carry on another new tradition.

It was our second year of what we hope becomes a long lasting tradition and the smells from the kithens around the complex were definitely traditional. We roasted turkeys, made giblet gravy with dressing, or filling which seems to be an east coast term. We had guacamole, gugoma (Korean sweet potatoes - mmmmm), Romanian garlic mashed potatoes, and pies provided by a former resident of England. She was the only one at the party without an accent.

The star of the feast was Price Jack, our ohana's one year old, who seems to like barbequed turkey just fine.

Dinner was served family style outside in our covered hale or pavilion. From the late afternoon into the evening we enjoyed the warm breezes, the company, the conversation and a few glasses of wine.

There were friends and family we missed. But hopefully we'll see them soon and, so far, Thanksgiving in Maui with its new traditions works just fine.

Lahaina Lee

Traffic was light at the Banyan Tree

I used to run with friends on Sunday mornings. We didn't run just to stay in shape. It was a weekly opportuntity to catch up on everyone and every thing.

I'm trying to get back to that old tradition and this Sunday I went for a run/walk with my best friend. We wound up our outing in Lahaina's Banyan Tree Park. On Sunday mornings this park is bustling with artisans, craftspersons, artists and musicians. But not this Sunday.

There were a lot of empty spaces. Maybe it was the forecast for heavy rain that didn't come. Maybe it was the lack of patrons.

We stopped and spoke with Julia, a well known local artist who keeps a particular spot under the banyan tree. We noticed several spots that were normally occupied by a local artist were empty. Julia, "it's hard, especially for the newer vendors. After 2 weeks of no sales maybe they decided to stay home."

Maybe it's time for a little bumper sticker economic philosophy. You know the ones. "When the going gets tough, the tough get going." Or "when the going gets tough, tough go shopping."

Anyway next Sunday is the shopping Sunday after Thanksgiving. We'll see if the tough are out shopping.

Lahaina Lee

Mornings in Lahaina, Maui, are uncommonly cool in every sense. Yes, it gets warm, OK, hot later in the day, but mornings are cool.

Barb just left for her walk with Mihaela and sister Kathy at Kaanapali. I've decided to take advantage of the cool morning and go for a run.

I usually like to run in the afternoon. I head out down Wainee Street, which is between Front Street and the Highway and parallels them both. I start off at a fast walk to warm up. I've reached an age at which my bones, joints and feet need to get used the idea that a 200 pound body is going to be bouncing up and down on them for the next 40 - 45 minutes.

This morning there is a lot of traffic on Wainee, and when I turn mauka (toward the mountains) on Shaw I see there is a lot of traffic on the highway as well. It occurs to me that when the Lahaina Bypass is finished, this traffic won't be here.

However, generations have passed on to that great traffic jam in the sky waiting for the bypass to get past all of the hurdles that have jammed it up for the last 30 years and counting.

Most people believe that the addition of the Lahaina bypass will ease the congestion on the pali. That's the 2 lane road that runs from Maalaea to Lahaina. During the morning commute, the afternoon commute and, during high tourist season at around two in the afternoon after the planes have landed, the tourists have picked up their convertible Sebrings and Mustangs, made the necessary rum and supply run at Costco and are heading blissfully toward Lahaina and Kaanapali, the pali is a parking lot.

But of all places to be stuck in traffic, it's hard to pick a better spot than the pali. A friend flying in from California once called me from the pali and asked what to do. I told him to put the top down, put brother Iz in and adjust to Maui time.

But back to running.

I head across the road to the soccer fields and softball diamonds. In the morning the grass is wet from the dew and the fields are deserted. In the afternoons they're filled kids getting coached by their parents on how to trap a soccer ball or lead a cheer or catch a football. There is a lot of running and yelling and laughing which is good for an old grandpa like me.

This morning though, it's just me and my thoughts. As I round the south softball diamond I notice for the first time that I can see the mountains of Molokai in the distance above the tree tops. And even though this morning is hazy, the cloudless peaks are clear and awe inspiring.

I round the park and thankfully get to stop and catch my breath when I get back to the highway, where I have to wait for the light to turn. I head down Shaw Street toward the beach. I get to Kamehameha Iki Park next to 505 Front Street. There is easy access to the beach area, sometimes referred to as shark pit, and as I enter I see the typical morning drill of surf instructors teaching a fresh crop of visitors the basics of getting up on a wave.

I prefer the afternoons because I usually get there at or just after sunset. I can watch the colors change and see the last of the day's die hard surfers waiting for a wave. I make the last part of my run down the beach to the harbor then jog past the small group of sailing and fishing boats.

In the morning there are usually large groups of tourists patiently waiting for their whale watching tour to take off. The afternoon brings the same tourists returning from sunset cruises. They are all happy and that makes me smile too.

Now I walk and my joints rejoice. I round the park by the library. It's a good place to see sunset. I head back towards Banyan Tree Park and the Wharf center and take the little back street to aina nalu. Home.

The loop takes about 40 - 45 minutes, not counting waits for traffic lights and sight seeing stops.

Oh, want to know why they call that area "shark pit"? Email me and I'll fill you in on the local lore.

Lahaina Lee

Halloween in Lahaina is large. Some estimate that up to 30,000 people arrive for this holiday that was once special for children only, but is now special for children, children with families and, in some cases, adults only.

This year for some political the normal parties couldn't get all the permits they've always been able to get.

So would we have Halloween or no Halloween? Well the Keiki parade, the best part of Lahaina Halloween for some of us, was still on and here's how it went.

Lahaina Sne Smurf and Junior, you had to be there.

Sne junior on Lahaina Halloween 2008. Cuter than dad but where's mom? No costume, no photo, what are you going to be next year, Tab?

the bubble bath family

Witchy Woman, Susie D

Daddy D., not so scary

Just wait until she's a teenager!

The white fro, with double knit is a no go.

The devil made me do it!

Naturally organically

The princess enjoying her realm

I don't think this is what disney had in mind.

This little piggy went everywhere at once in Lahaina

One little piggy lived in a house of bamboo, one little piggy lived in a non-conforming ohana, one little piggy lived in concrete condo. What does the wolf want?

Maybe a slice of ham.

That's a tall order to follow.

Michael Phelps family has gone to seed in Lahaina this Halloween.

A ringside seat for the Lahaina Halloween party.

Lahaina's Pioneer Inn hosts a new costume party.

Halloween at Cool Cat Cafe, the 2nd best hamburger in town and a great view.

Barbara explains everything to the aina nalu crew.

Happy Halloween from the aina nalu crew

Elvis is sited in Lahaina on Halloween.

It's Mr. Incredible

Mrs. Incredible - Incredible!

Wheel crazy Incredible Jr. The Prince of Aina Nalu

The power of the incredible Incredibles.

Incredible family moment

I want my wheels!!!

Nice tail

and another final tail from the Halloween fishing tournament.

See you next year in Lahaina, Maui for Halloween.

By the way, if you want to get your own condo in Lahaina so you can avoid parking problems and walk home after the Halloween party in Lahaina, give us a call. www.alohapotts.com 808-276-8776

Happy Halloween Lee & Barbara