Volcanoes are what created Hawaii, and also the force that is continually changing its landscape.  One of the most striking examples of this change is the “Road Closed” sign at The End of the Road.  In 2003, as lava made its march to the sea, it buried a stretch of more than five miles of the Chain of Craters Road leaving behind the now famous road closed sign trapped in the frozen flow.  Debi and I are far from the first to pose for a photo at the “Road Closed” sign at The End of the Road in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on the big island: however, we were some of the last.  That’s because as we were taking this photo, the long active Kilauea volcano’s continued to shape the island and its latest lava flow was threatening to cut off the small village of Pahoa from the rest of the island.  What used to be The End of the Road is now the beginning of a gravel road that has been carved out of the lava as an emergency exit for the residents of Pahoa in case of the worst.

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Hawaii    June 2014