Damn hoodlums! I mean, if you weren’t around in the fifties and sixties then you have no idea just how stiff American culture was.
As I was writing this this morning, I thought of Danno actually. I've been witness to a ton of street racing in my life... and will most likely be witness to more. Hell, just yesterday... We were at a secret "locals only" beach on Kauai located at the very end of an old country road. On our way back, we ran into a group of teens in three or four Nissan Hardbody mini-trucks doing burnouts. Point being, shenanigans are everywhere... and I'm not immune to being a part of them. If it weren't hot rodding, but something else just as risky biscuits to those involved and around, I would be 100% against it and thumb my nose at it. Apparently, my hypocrisy knows no bounds. If you fall down the rabbit hole of historical hot rodding and the political/social ramifications of it all.... There's a ton of similar hypocrisy that, to me, if fascinating to learn and think about. This is the wrong place for that sort of thing, but... I guess a book is in the works. A scholar is writing it... but I am helping with some research... More details later.
Years ago running around that island, my wife and I took a one way road to a black beach directed by a local fellow. It took us to an opening where there were three foot rocks running along the edge of a cliff where you could park. We got out and I seen a steep pathway down to the water and traveled down. . I was overwhelmed by the beauty of the black sand and rocks with white foamy surf hitting those areas. I turned and looked at the beach goers. They didn’t have a lick of clothes on. I was alittle overdressed. Most beautiful beach I’ve ever seen.
Most beautiful beach I've ever been on is tunnels... north shore of kauai... I dive this spot a lot and have swam with countless sharks below the surf riders. Taken during lockdown last year: Typically packed during regular times... so much so, in fact, that they have mostly closed it down this summer while working on the roads... My favorite spot might be one we found this summer. Very much locals only... hardly ever more than two families there: I'm not showing the beautiful part... or telling anyone where it is. *** Back on topic though... and speaking of beautiful locales here on the island: It might be the most perfect drag strip on the planet... Beach racing with traction and therefore, actual speed... It's glorious...
"In a Fast & Furious twist, I’ve interviewed two different people arrested that night that claim the undercover informant went on to become an avid and well known hot rodder. I haven’t been able to confirm that, so I won’t mention any names…" So I suppose even if he was outed, it's too late to beat him up...
Fun read, thanks. Reminds me of this photo. Is it real? Don't know and don't care. Sure would make a great shop poster.
Most People like rules. They know where to step with approval. Thats why it’s tough to be different, or creative or a rebel. It takes balls to stand out. Related to this hobby its the difference between make it yourself and off the shelf, at least it is for me. No offence meant to anyone here.
Hey O, No, it is not Kee Beach at the end of the coastal highway past Hanalei. We were on that beach most of one morning and at the time, it was rather calm. Our friend who owned his house in our past Kauai photos said that his neighbor had gone to Kee Beach just before the warning of a tidal wave approaching the islands. When he got there, he said it looked like our photo taken a couple of years later. But, within minutes, the calm waters sucked out so the bottom showed its craggy rocks and reefs. He had said that it was the strangest thing he had ever seen. Then in the horizon, he spotted a large wall of water heading toward shore. He had time to run back to the street opening and climb up a tall coconut tree. He strapped himself with his belt and hung on for life. He was a surfer and diver, so he had experience being underwater. But, he was not prepared for what was to come. The wall of water hit, swept away his Datsun Pickup Truck back into the highway opening. Much later, he found his Datsun truck in a street gully about a 1/2 mile back down the road towards Hanalei. He survived by doing his emergency breathing being held under water like rolling under a wave. So, he did not panic and survived. Jnaki My wife said that the calm beauty of that moment standing on Kee Beach and walking around the shoreline was very eerie, after our friend told us of the story. No matter how many times I look at that photo I took, while standing on the beautiful beach, it was hard to imagine the water being sucked out and the ensuing damage the wall of water did to the whole island. This is Kee Beach as we saw it when we stayed on Kauai for a whole month, one Summer, in our 20 something days. Paradise can be not so friendly, at times... YRMV
They used to do Raid's down the Connecting Highway on a Saturday Nite & Sunday nite but Never Arrested anybody.! Just to break it Up There were about 500 or more Watching the Drag Races They would Race on a Highway & the People would stand up top around the Track & Watch them Race I would Tow my Race Car down there But Never Raced it there Because my Car was Fully Lettered & all the would have is come to my Shop. But I would Make Burn outs in the lots. Just my 3.5 cents Live learn & Die a Fool
Hello, What a beautiful photo array. That Tunnels Beach area is quite some place. Accessible, but not so crowded, due to other factors. On our month long summer trip when we were in our 20s, Kauai was another place people called paradise. It certainly looked different from So Cal, even the So Cal coast as it was back then. Today, there is still solitude at various beaches and surf spots in Kauai. But, like So Cal surf spots, it is hard to get a wave by yourself at any good spot, during a swell. Of course, early birds can still do it. Early birds are not 6 am folks, but the “zero dark thirty” risers and those that want some waves before the masses hit the waves. When we paddled out at Tunnels, it was eerie. Our friend told us to strap on some rubber thongs to our bathing suits. He said sometimes it was better at a certain tide to walk out to the break or nearby, rather than paddle all around the reef. But, he also told us that “Tunnels” was a haven for sharks. So, as we walked out on the reef to the darker water areas, it was very intimidating. In the dark waters, there were “swimmers” all over the place. Since we had never surfed this place, we had to try to ride the chest high waves. The swell was not cooperating on this day. Our friend said that he had been in some huge tubes that resembled “tunnels”, hence the name of the surf spot. Our tubes were fast and fun, but the bottom was always in our minds and as a precaution, our host told us to fall flat and not deep, when we got plastered on a wave. Under the super clear water, we could see what could have hurt us badly if we were forced down into that reef. Our homemade wrist leashes made out of dental tubing did give us some feeling of security and that we would not have to swim over the deeper water to get to our boards if they got taken away without leashes. It was a new way to look at having a short swim versus a long swim over “shaky” waters and creatures swimming below us. Tunnels was pretty fast and it was hard to imagine a 10 foot wave with the power to drive a car into the large tube. Chest high waves taken with an 85mm F 1.4 lens from the shoreline. Jnaki PART TWO: This secluded spot looks like the place we found while exploring the Kuhio Highway and streets that led through some thick bushes toward the ocean. on the way to more explorations... It was hard to see the coastline and the waves, when a thick jungle growth covers the whole area. A neighbor told us to go down this certain street and through a thick forested growth for a great surprise. It was a beautiful secluded beach with a great point and waves that made anyone smile. It was very quiet, secluded, and my wife and I were the only ones on the beach. Being 20 somethings, seclusion on the beach allows the mind to do a lot of wanderings. Out in the water, it was a little scary, knowing there are unknown bottom feeders and unknown bottom surfaces. We can’t just put our feet down instantly, but gently, as there are some sharp rocks, parts of reefs and other items we can see sticking up. As I surfed, my wife was reading and have a quiet moment near the jungle growth. It was like being on a deserted island. Then, when I came out after the first surf session, we were having a nice lunch and about three blocks down the white sand, out pops two young teenagers out of the forest and started walking away from where we were on the barren beach. The couple, walking away down the white sand made it so, “It was not a deserted island” after all, only in our nap time dreams. If this is the same place, mum is the word. There are some places that just need to be kept a little less crowded, the beauty of the place, the great waves and seclusion can be a part of the whole island adventure. In the different part of the month’s stay in Kauai, the jungle beach area was another place we came back to get some privacy and seclusion. The waves just kept wrapping around the point and were also, pretty good. It was “Paradise” for us.
I totally enjoyed being at Princeville on the Northern part of Kauai, we spent a week at the Sealodge condos and the weather was great, only rained one afternoon! Kauai is simply the best of all of the Hawaiian islands in my opinion!
The Jalopy Journal
