Aloha Stadium

[ElvisLives]

That reminds me...
Apparently I am way behind, but I recently discovered that they are going to tear down the current Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, and build a new one.  I have mixed emotions. A very unique and iconic facility. I loved working there (even though the dressing room left a LOT to be desired). That was the only place we didn't have to wear a jacket and tie to the game site - slacks and Hawai'ian shirts were the order of the day! With the covered grandstands, we never had any sun issues, even with afternoon kickoffs. We could almost be guaranteed to get a brief shower during most games, but that was never a bother. Just a novelty of the environment. We did have to work to keep folks out from in front of the play clocks, mounted on the front of the lower seating bowl. But, we always had a tailgate party in the parking lot after the game with our local friends and family - "pupus in the parking lot" was the post-game cry!
Not that I get to see it much, any more, but I will miss seeing the green roof, the yellow, orange and blue seats, and the blue sky above. It felt like Hawai'i. I hope the new stadium isn't too glitzy. It doesn't really matter, I suppose, since I won't be working there. But I hope those that do get to go there enjoy Hawai'i and the marvelous culture of the Hawai'ian people as much as I did (and still do, just not as often).
Mahalo to my Hawai'ian friends, and Alooo-HA!

[HLinNC]

My wife and I went in 2017 for our 25th anniversary as Western Carolina, of which I'm an alum, played there.  It got bad mouthed quite a bit while I was there.  I think they had closed off the upper deck then.

We hit the "flea market" in the parking lot earlier in the week.  Cheapest way to get t-shirts, beach towels, and other Hawaii paraphernalia to bring back to the folks.  My wife and I got a matching purple and white Aloha shirt and sun dress to wear to the game.

Probably need to build a stadium on campus at UH.

[ElvisLives]

My wife and I went in 2017 for our 25th anniversary as Western Carolina, of which I'm an alum, played there.  It got bad mouthed quite a bit while I was there.  I think they had closed off the upper deck then.

We hit the "flea market" in the parking lot earlier in the week.  Cheapest way to get t-shirts, beach towels, and other Hawaii paraphernalia to bring back to the folks.  My wife and I got a matching purple and white Aloha shirt and sun dress to wear to the game.

Probably need to build a stadium on campus at UH.

Not enough room for a 30,000+ seat stadium plus parking on campus (average attendance 32+). Nothing wrong with the current location. They just need to build it with a concrete fame, instead of steel. The marine location is not conducive for the durability of a steel frame. But provide an officials dressing room for at least 8 officials, with ample room, and with GOOD air conditioning.

[Grant - AR]

I drove by that stadium on Monday.  If I had known it was going to be torn down, I would have stopped to take a few pictures.

[ElvisLives]

I drove by that stadium on Monday.  If I had known it was going to be torn down, I would have stopped to take a few pictures.

Now you are just bragging. You win. I am envious. Even with Covid protocols, I would love to be there. Making plans for Christmas, though. 

[HLinNC]

From Sept. 2017
https://ibb.co/6WYscyK

[ElvisLives]

From Sept. 2017
https://ibb.co/6WYscyK

Yep. That's the place. Less than great dressing room. But I loved working there. See attachment.

[HLinNC]

I've done a little research.  Between proposed costs and the pandemic, it appears there is no consensus there right now on what to do.  There appear to be 3 options in the plans to re-develop the Aloha Stadium site area with a mix of retail and housing.  One option has the stadium being demolished and a new, smaller one (35K) built in its place.  The other two keep the existing stadium while a new one is built and then demolish it.

UH appears to be looking to modify their existing track & field stadium to add seating given the lack of direction on Aloha.
https://hui.uhfoundation.org/project/25766

[Etref]

Yep. That's the place. Less than great dressing room. But I loved working there. See attachment.

Looked like you were trying to pick their pockets Robert.   

[ElvisLives]

Looked like you were trying to pick their pockets Robert.   

One of the perks of being the R. 

[Grant - AR]

Now you are just bragging. You win. I am envious. Even with Covid protocols, I would love to be there. Making plans for Christmas, though. 

We were bound and determined to go.  Our trip was originally scheduled for May 2020 and we had to reschedule it twice because of Covid.  We were finally able to go last week (about 20 months late for our 25th anniversary  ).  It wasn't ideal with all of the mask mandates, etc. still going on, but we did a lot of outside activities so we got around a lot of that stuff.  That was our first time in Hawaii and we are already trying to figure out when we can go back. 

[ElvisLives]

We were bound and determined to go.  Our trip was originally scheduled for May 2020 and we had to reschedule it twice because of Covid.  We were finally able to go last week (about 20 months late for our 25th anniversary  ).  It wasn't ideal with all of the mask mandates, etc. still going on, but we did a lot of outside activities so we got around a lot of that stuff.  That was our first time in Hawaii and we are already trying to figure out when we can go back.

That is great to hear. I'm really glad you enjoyed it. A local FBS guy was assigned the Hawai'i Bowl this year, and was on a plane back home 5 hours after it was canceled. What? You didn't want to hang around a couple of more days and enjoy paradise? Apparently not. He did not enjoy it at all, and I just don't get that. But, he's the kind of guy that is much happier out in the sticks and brush, waiting for a scraggly deer to wander by so he can shoot it. To each his own.

Anyway, truly glad you experienced enough that you want to go back. Been there 19 times, so far, and can't wait for 20. Been to 5 of the 6 publicly accessible islands. Each has their own character, and are magnificent in their own way. Oahu is the place for activity, daytime and night-time. Go to the Big Island to see the volcanos, and for the best Hawai'ian style music. Go to Maui to be pampered at the resorts. Got to Molokai to see what Texas would look like if it was in the Pacific! (Mesquite trees and cattle!) And go to Kauai for incredible jungle, and peace and quiet. Haven't been to Lanai, yet, but will try to get there at Christmas. Things to do: The Arizona, the Missouri, the Bowfin; submarine ride; parasailing; catamaran rides; hike up Diamond Head; snorkeling in Hanauma bay; the Napali Coast cruise (whales!); the Road to Hana (scary, but fun); staying at a bed and breakfast on Maui; golf (lots of places to play, but my favorite is Wailua public course on Kauai - as nice as any mainland country club, and the views...oh, the views); dinner at so many good places: Dukes, John Dominis; luaus (I love luauas - pulled pork from a pig cooked in a traditional Hawai'ian imu (underground pit)); beautiful Hawai'ian hula dancers; the street performers on Kalakaua avenue in the evenings; and, of course, the incredible white sand beaches - especially Waikiki. Lots more. Hawai'i is why I play the lottery.

I hope you get to go back soon.

[Grant - AR]

That is great to hear. I'm really glad you enjoyed it. A local FBS guy was assigned the Hawai'i Bowl this year, and was on a plane back home 5 hours after it was canceled. What? You didn't want to hang around a couple of more days and enjoy paradise? Apparently not. He did not enjoy it at all, and I just don't get that. But, he's the kind of guy that is much happier out in the sticks and brush, waiting for a scraggly deer to wander by so he can shoot it. To each his own.

Anyway, truly glad you experienced enough that you want to go back. Been there 19 times, so far, and can't wait for 20. Been to 5 of the 6 publicly accessible islands. Each has their own character, and are magnificent in their own way. Oahu is the place for activity, daytime and night-time. Go to the Big Island to see the volcanos, and for the best Hawai'ian style music. Go to Maui to be pampered at the resorts. Got to Molokai to see what Texas would look like if it was in the Pacific! (Mesquite trees and cattle!) And go to Kauai for incredible jungle, and peace and quiet. Haven't been to Lanai, yet, but will try to get there at Christmas. Things to do: The Arizona, the Missouri, the Bowfin; submarine ride; parasailing; catamaran rides; hike up Diamond Head; snorkeling in Hanauma bay; the Napali Coast cruise (whales!); the Road to Hana (scary, but fun); staying at a bed and breakfast on Maui; golf (lots of places to play, but my favorite is Wailua public course on Kauai - as nice as any mainland country club, and the views...oh, the views); dinner at so many good places: Dukes, John Dominis; luaus (I love luauas - pulled pork from a pig cooked in a traditional Hawai'ian imu (underground pit)); beautiful Hawai'ian hula dancers; the street performers on Kalakaua avenue in the evenings; and, of course, the incredible white sand beaches - especially Waikiki. Lots more. Hawai'i is why I play the lottery.

I hope you get to go back soon.

I heard about the guy who left a few hours after the Hawaii Bowl was canceled.  I assumed he had been there numerous times and just wanted to get back home.  We went on a snorkeling and whale watching tour.  One of the guys working on the boat said there was really good deer hunting on Lanai.  Maybe you should contact the guy who left early and tell him that...he might want to go back. 

We did several of the things you mentioned above.  We spent all week on Maui except for one day.  We flew over to Honolulu to go to Pearl Harbor and hike Diamond Head.  The snorkeling and whale watching tour was between Maui and Lanai.  We liked it so much, we went on just a whale watching tour later in the week.  We stayed at a resort at Kaanapali and went to a luau at the resort (food was awesome!).

The Road to Hana was great, but if you want a real adventure, drive Hwy 340 between Kapalua and Kahului.  It's about 22 miles and it will take you well over an hour.  We got on it accidentally and I don't think I would do it again.  The Road to Hana was a piece of cake compared to this road.  It's tighter than the Road to Hana and there are no guard rails most of the way.  Here are a couple of links to check out.  Some of the tripadvisor.com reviews are hilarious.

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g29220-d108170-Reviews-Highway_Route_340-Maui_Hawaii.html

There's a decent video at this link someone took from their dash while driving part of it.
https://www.dangerousroads.org/north-america/usa/643-kahekili-highway-usa.html

[HLinNC]

My wife and I went for our 20th and 25th anniversaries.  The first trip, we never left Oahu- visited Pearl harbor, Diamond Head, luau- all the major touristy stuff.

On the 2nd trip we took a day on the big island.  The helicopter tour over the volcanoes is a must.  Had lunch at Kona Brewing since I'm a consumer of their product and also visited a coffee farm/plantation, since I'm also a consumer of their product.   We also took a day tour up to the Waimea Valley and North Shore back on Oahu.

[ElvisLives]

Y'all gotta go back and get some Dole Whip (pineapple ice cream) at the Dole Plantation (on Oahu). The best ice cream I've ever eaten. Work the maze, then go get some whip. An awesome experience.

But, my two favorite things to do are
1) to just sit under an umbrella on Waikiki (in front of the Royal Hawai'ian or Outrigger Waikiki), with a Coca Cola, and just watch the people, and the boats, and the airplanes, and the surfers, and the paddle boarders, and the submarine loading/unloading passengers, and the catamarans, and all of the other things going on. I could - and have - just sit there all day watching (with a dip in the ocean once or twice),
2) play golf at Wailua on Kauai. Across from one of the greens is the island prison. Quite low security. Their philosophy is, "Where are they gonna go?"

I could do this all day, but I'd better get back to work. Got buildings that need to get built.

[dammitbobby]

I used to transit Honolulu on my way to where I was working as an army contractor at Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands - Hawaii was halfway there, and Continental Airlines was the only ride in or out (no Space-A flights for civilians.)  I worked there about a year and a half... While I was out there, my girlfriend (now wife) met me there for vacation, and we had a blast on Oahu.  Only thing we wanted to do, but didn't, was the Arizona; they had closed the ferry rides due to high winds. 

That said - most everybody I worked with at Kwaj very much did not like Hono - air temp was cooler (felt like I was freezing in comparison), and water temp was significantly cooler (you think the diving/snorkeling in Hawaii is great, closer to the Equator where the warmer water is, it is absolutely incredible!  The warmer the water = the more vibrant and vivid the colors.)  There were places at Kwaj, getting in and out of the lagoon (couldn't go oceanside - way, way, way too dangerous) it literally felt like a hot tub - I think the average water temp was 86-88 degrees.  And the diving/snorkeling is just unparalleled, because it's a restricted army installation, so no tourists or crowds, no trash or ecological damage, and tons and tons of WW2 shipwrecks and airplanes to dive and explore.  Completely pristine.

Plus the crowds and people.  Kwaj is an island 3 miles long and 1/4 mile wide, no cars, only bicycles, and when I was there, about 1500 people, 2500 miles from the nearest  Wal-Mart... compare that to Waikiki.  Hated it, only by comparison though .

We took our kids to the Big Island about 10 years ago and had the time of our lives.  Surfing, bodyboarding, volcanoes, driving, food... we did it all.  (Waipio Valley was a different story, and experience...  never, and I mean never, have I felt as 'unwelcome' in a place through vibes as there.  Like 'Go away, do not disturb, you are not welcome in this sacred place' vibes just emanating from the ground at haoles.

We are thinking about going back, to a different island... We've been trying to get my wife to Scotland the last two years (I attended the University of Stirling), and really want her to see it), but we may have to just give up on that for now and head back the other direction.

Good stuff, thanks for bringing back those memories. 

[HLinNC]

Stayed at the Outrigger Reef on the first trip.  Time change messed with my mind. I'm sitting at the poolside bar enjoying pork sliders and beer, watching the NCAA tournament.  I think it was Louisville and somebody.  Game ends and I'm thinking, wonder who is on next?

There was no next as it was the late game on the east coast.  It was around 6 pm Hawaii time, I believe.

I've always wondered what it would be like to be an NFL fan in Cali or Hawaii and realize you still have a lot of day left to get things done around the house after the games are over.

On our final day, I took my then 7th grade son over to the museum at Ft. DeRussy.

Our 2nd trip we stayed at the Marriott Waikiki as that was the team hotel.

[ElvisLives]

Stayed at the Outrigger Reef on the first trip.  Time change messed with my mind. I'm sitting at the poolside bar enjoying pork sliders and beer, watching the NCAA tournament.  I think it was Louisville and somebody.  Game ends and I'm thinking, wonder who is on next?

There was no next as it was the late game on the east coast.  It was around 6 pm Hawaii time, I believe.

I've always wondered what it would be like to be an NFL fan in Cali or Hawaii and realize you still have a lot of day left to get things done around the house after the games are over.

On our final day, I took my then 7th grade son over to the museum at Ft. DeRussy.

Our 2nd trip we stayed at the Marriott Waikiki as that was the team hotel.

The Reef is our favorite hotel. Very nice, but affordable (relatively speaking). 
In 2018, we took a family vacation at Christmas. When asked what I wanted for Christmas by my son and daughter-in-law, I said, "To be allowed to take you two with us to Hawai'i for Christmas," totally our treat (flights, hotel, meals, entertainment). But, I always like to surprise folks, in some way, at Christmas. Because they were traveling from a different home airport, I couldn't surprise them with First Class seats - they would know that long before the travel date. And our son had been with us to several Hawai'i trips for football, so he was familiar with the Waikiki area, so it was going to be difficult to surprise him with a nicer hotel than one at which we might normally stay. We told them we were staying at a hotel several blocks inland from the beach (but still in the general area of the Reef). A decent place, but not like being right on the beach. But, I managed to jump into the driver's seat of the rent car (my son usually likes to be the driver). So, as I was driving toward the 'fake' hotel, I told them I wanted show them the new Trump hotel that had been built (right across from the Reef), before we head over to our hotel. So, we drove by the Trump, and, as I turned the corner, with the Reef right in front of us to the right, I asked my wife (loudly), "What hotel is this?" She replied, "Oh, this is the Reef. You know, we've eaten at the Shorebird (their shore-side restaurant) a bunch of times." Then, with my son getting a bit anxious to get to our hotel, I said, "Oh, this looks pretty nice. Let's just stay here!" and pulled into the valet drive. The looks on their faces were priceless.
They were with us for six days (including a relocation to Kauai for a couple of days), and my wife and I spent another 2 days back on Oahu. The best week of my life, because I got to share the splendor of Hawai'i with the most important people in my life.
I just may do it again in December. But, probably no surprises, this time. 

[bushman]

I agree a great old venue to work in. Just like the old Orange Bowl time catches up with steel structures near salt water. I was lucky to work the bowl game there in the past. Went out 3 days early and stayed 4 days after the game. Most of the crew did the same. Rainbows everyday, going to the beach every day, hanging at Duke's on the beach, hiking up Diamond Head, helicopter tour, Pearl Harbor tour, and a dinner on the north coast given by our host. One of the top bowl trips there is out there. Sorry to see it go, but the longer you work this game the more change you see.

[HLinNC]

hanging at Duke's on the beach,

 

Fantabulous breakfast bar!