Number 29: Camp at a National Park

 For spring break this year, a fellow teacher and I camped our way around the big island in Hawaii.  One of our camping stops was Volcanoes National Park. 

 We camped two nights at the Namakanipaio Campground located in the park.

 The Nene is Hawaii's state bird and apparently endangered.  There were signs everywhere about the bird, but we one saw them once near the shore.  The signs at the campground assured us that there would be plenty of bird all over the site, and that we should not feed them or harass them in anyway.  

 We drove the bottom half of the park road on the first day in the park to see the most recent lava flow.  We did not do the 13 mile round trip strenuous hike over lava to see the actual currently flowing lava, but we were ok with that.

 We drove the top part of the park on the second day and we went late in the day so that we could see the orange glow of the lava lighting up the sky from within the crater.

 We could even see the glow from out campground out the window of our tent.

Although we never saw the elusive Nene, we did see plenty of free range chickens!!!

First thing of the list...done!!!