Hawaii - the series: the reason we're here...

I told ya'll we planned this trip because of Butterfly & Ironman.  Butterfly didn't qualify but he had a couple of friends that did though...  

I figured since we'd traveled 4000 miles, we might as well check out some of the Ironman stuff in Kona.

It's obviously a huge deal there.  Kinda like here & the stupid Derby.  I had heard that some of the locals get the heck outta town on the actual Ironman day.  We ate lunch at a restaurant & the lady was telling her friend, "Yea-I'll leave Saturday & go hang out for the day in Hilo. I don't want to be anywhere near Kona on Saturday..."

 They had all the staging areas set up.

 I'm sure it's a tremendous amount of revenue for them.  And they play.it.up.

 Rhonda, their buddy that qualified & Butterfly wanted to go out on the swim course.  It's way more intense than the silly Ohio River.  There are waves & currents & all kinds of stuff. (I'm sure there are ucky fish too!)

 While we waited for them to swim, I kept watching a wave come in so big it would come over this wall & onto the street.  I never could catch it for a pic, but they were swimming in that crap.  They are crazy...

 Some of the swim course.

 This guy was just hanging out in his speedo.  I thought that was funny...

 This tent was chocked full of OFFICIAL Ironman stuff.  It was also OFFICIAL Ironman prices.  Needless to say, we didn't buy anything there.  I thought about getting Butterfly something for Christmas, but I decided against it.  I mean-he was the loser who didn't qualify...why should he get anything that says, "Ironman Kona World Championship" on it?!  Pssssh!