Hawaii Has Become Too Expensive for Middle-Class Travelers

Above, Diamond Head from Waikiki. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It was a good thing that I went to Hawaii back in 2016 before the pandemic and Hawaii vacations skyrocketed in cost.

Hotels and resorts have hiked prices as has the state government with various taxes. We know which political party has total control of the state's government (the same one that messed up California). 

It now appears that Hawaii has become too expensive for middle-class travelers. 

Fodors posted an article on this and it begins with:

There’s no denying it: it’s gotten more expensive to visit Hawai‘i since the pandemic. 

In an op-ed for SFGate, contributing editor Christine Hitt poses that very question, noting that average daily hotel rates statewide have risen 25% since 2019, and on some islands, including Hawai‘i Island (the Big Island) and Kaua‘i, the increases are in excess of 50%. 

The state’s tourism promoters have said this is by design, as the state looks for ways to maintain the economic contribution of visitors to the state’s economy without growing their overall numbers. In 2025, they’ve largely succeeded, with total year-to-date visitor spend showing a healthy increase over 2024, with the total number of visitors remaining relatively flat.

But as Hitt points out, that also leaves travelers fewer options if their budgets are more modest—particularly Hawai‘i residents seeking to vacation on other islands, and native Hawaiians wishing to visit friends and family in Hawai‘i after being driven to the continental U.S. by the islands’ high cost of living. 

 To read more, go here.

The Most Expensive Lever-Action Rifle Costs a Whopping $850

Above, Winchester lever-actions at the Winchester Arms Collectors
 Show in Cody, Wyoming in July. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It is interesting that interest in lever-action rifles has been surging during these past few years.

Much of it may be the nostalgic factors, but people are finding these rifles fun to shoot. I enjoy shooting my Winchester 94 in .30-30 cal. made in 1962. I was lucky to get it six years ago before prices started to skyrocket.

MSN has posted a slideshow of the most expensive lever-actions.

They begin it with:

When you think about some of the most important rifles, the lever-action rifle is an American staple. A uniquely American rifle, the lever action has become familiar to any Western movie fan. However, before Hollywood, the US military incorporated the lever-action rifle into the Civil War, and American law enforcement also widely used it during the first half of the 20th century. 

Today, you’re more likely to find lever-action rifles in a gun cabinet displayed by collectors than in practical use. The lone exception is at a gun show, where you might have exhibitors and stunt rifle people showing off rifles from back in the day. Data from Gun Genius was used to analyze recent sales and create a list in descending order to look at the most famous lever-action rifles.

To see what they are, go here. 

Cody's Irma Hotel

Above, a gunfight show taking place outside of the Irma Hotel. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Last summer, friend Mitch Geriminsky and I visited Cody, Wyoming to attend the Winchester Arms Collectors Gun Show and visit the Buffalo Bill Center of the West.

While roaming around Cody, we went to the Irma Hotel for dinner and browsing around. The food was good, by the way!

The hotel was built by Buffalo Bill in 1902.

Above, trophies on walls near the restaurant. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

From the hotel's website:

Built by Buffalo Bill in 1902, this historic hotel in central Cody is an 8-minute walk from the Buffalo Bill Center of the West and 9.8 miles from Buffalo Bill State Park.

Spartan rooms have TVs and coffeemakers; some offer Western-style furnishings and elevated ceilings. Buffalo Bill's private suites is also available.

Free parking is provided. Additional amenities include a restaurant, an Old West-style saloon, a gift shop and a porch.

Above, Mitch and I about to have dinner at the Irma Hotel's restaurant.

From Wikipedia:

The Irma Hotel is a landmark in Cody, Wyoming. It was built by William F. "Buffalo Bill" Cody, the city's co-founder and namesake who named it after his daughter Irma Cody. A focal point is a famous back bar made of cherry that was a gift given by Queen Victoria to Buffalo Bill.

The Irma opened with a party on November 18, 1902, to which Cody invited the press and dignitaries from as far away as Boston. The hotel quickly became the social center of Cody. In the meantime, Buffalo Bill was under pressure from creditors and was forced to sign over the hotel to his wife Louisa in 1913, who was at that time on bad terms with him. After Cody's death in 1917 the hotel was foreclosed upon and sold to Barney Link. Before the end of the year Link's estate sold the property back to Louisa, who kept it until she died in 1925. The new owners, Henry and Pearl Newell, gradually expanded the hotel, building an annex around 1930 on the west side to accommodate automobile-borne visitors. After her husband's death in 1940, Pearl Newell operated the hotel until her own death in 1965. She left the hotel's extensive collection of Buffalo Bill memorabilia to the Buffalo Bill Historical Center, and stipulated that proceeds from the estate be used as an endowment for the museum.

A visit to the Irma Hotel is well worth it. During the summer, gunfight shows take place outside of the hotel.

To access the hotel's website, go here. 

Elvis Presley and Willys Jeep M38A1

 Here's a clip of Elvis Presley and a Willys Jeep M38A1:

30% Chance of Snow Showers

Above, following a December 2018 snow storm. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

According to the National Weather Service, our next chance (30%) for snow is this afternoon and tonight.

There is still some snow on the ground from the storm that came a few days ago. 

The forecast for today and tonight:

Today

Scattered snow showers after 2pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 38. Southwest wind 5 to 15 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. Little or no snow accumulation expected.

Tonight

Scattered snow showers, mainly before 8pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 19. West wind around 5 mph becoming south after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 30%. Little or no snow accumulation expected.

Why Silver Has Been Surging More Than Gold

Above, a 1923 Peace silver dollar. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

With silver surging on the spot market, I am glad that I bought a lot of it while the spot price was in the 20s. Right now, it is around $59/toz.

If one is wondering why silver has hit record highs lately, an article in Bloomberg can provide some insight.

They begin with:

Gold has staged a dramatic rally this year as the US Trump administration’s unorthodox economic policies sent investors and central banks reaching for safe-haven assets. Right now, however, it’s silver that’s stealing the spotlight.

A squeeze in supply of the precious metal had catapulted it to a 100% gain as of early December, while gold was up 60%. Both have been experiencing a surge in demand from investors seeking to hedge against political turbulence, inflation and currency weakness.

Unlike gold, silver isn’t just scarce and beautiful: It also has many useful real-world properties that make it a valuable component in a range of products. With inventories near their lowest on record and investors still scrambling for more, there’s a risk of supply shortages that could impact multiple industries.

 To read more, go here.

What Not To Do In Yellowstone

Over the years, I have been to Yellowstone National Park several times. The first being in 1990 and the last being in 2019.

Above, Yellowstone bison grazing in a meadow next to a river. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

While Yellowstone is a national park that should be put on everyone's "bucket list" of things to do, there are a few things there that visitors should avoid doing.

Travel + Leisure has posted an article on six mistakes to avoid in Yellowstone.

They begin it with:

My California cousins may have taken their first steps at Disneyland, but growing up in Montana, my family’s go-to “theme park” was Yellowstone National Park—where the theme wasn’t Mickey Mouse but rather Mother Nature.

More than 30 years later, my home base is still just an hour from the Beartooth Pass, which leads to Yellowstone’s northeast entrance. As both a local and regular parkgoer, a part of me dies inside every time I read about a Yellowstone “touron”—a term now in our vernacular thanks to the popular Instagram account—doing something dumb. Touron offenses run the gamut from getting too close to wildlife to damaging fragile geological sites, and these incidents often put visitors in danger. People have been gored, stranded in their vehicles during winter, and even "dissolved" in hot springs.

Don’t get me wrong: I don’t want people to stop visiting Yellowstone, and I certainly don’t want to be giving hall monitor energy. I just want us to respect the environment and ourselves while enjoying the world’s first national park. For that reason, here are a few common mistakes to avoid during your visit, whether it’s your first or 15th time driving through the Roosevelt Arch. It’s not an exhaustive list, but it’s a good start. And remember, in the wise words of Jellystone’s lovable Yogi, be “smarter than the average bear.”

 To read more, go here.

Ammo Buying Time

Now that we're close to the Winter Solstice, our plinking is done for the year (unless we get a unseasonable heat wave).

This is the season for restocking my ammo box. I have plenty of pistol ammo (.38 Special, .357 Magnum and 9 MM). But I do need to replenish my .30-30 Winchester rifle ammo. I also have plenty .22 Caliber and 12 gauge and 410 shot gauge ammo.

On .30-30 Winchester ammunition, I try to find deals where the price per round is under $1.00. I found some at Outdoor Limited going for 95 cents per round. My only quibble with them is their high shipping cost ($20.00).

Like other things these days, ammunition is not immune to inflationary pressures. So taking time to search for ammunition deals pays off in the end. 

The Top 8 Best Affordable Lever Action Rifles!

 The Top 8 Best Affordable Lever Action Rifles! video by Gun Junkies.

Summary: 

When it comes to rifles, there is something special about lever action rifles. But with increasing prices every year, many shooters are left behind, simply not buying it. Wondering if there are still great lever-action rifles that won’t empty your wallet? Which models give you solid performance without the hefty price tag? Stay with us until the end of this video as we explore the top 8 best affordable lever action rifles you can own without spending big.

Last Night's Snow

Now that the sun is (somewhat) up, I took a look outside at last night's snowfall.

Supposedly, we're to get more from this storm today. There is also another storm coming in around Wednesday/Thursday.

I took a couple of pictures of the front yard a few minutes ago:

1964 Kennedy Half Dollar Is Skyrocketing In Value Again

Above, 1964 Kennedy Half Dollars. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Some specimens of Kennedy half dollars are skyrocketing in value.

This is especially true with the 1964 Kennedy Half Dollar which was minted in 90% silver. Later coins had the silver content lowered to 40% silver. 

In 1971, the mint removed silver from minting which continues to this day, making the coins in clad copper-nickel composition. 

According to La Gradia:

In the world of collecting, numismatics often carries an extra level of excitement, especially when it comes to coins. This is evident in the interest shown in each and every unique coin that has ever been in circulation in the United States. Such is the case with the Kennedy half dollar, which commemorates his assassination in 1963. A year after his death, it was put into circulation, and those coins minted between 1964 and 1970 have become collectible items with a value of $15,000. It is still in circulation today, but between 1975 and 1976 there was a design variation celebrating the bicentennial of the Declaration of Independence.

No, not all examples of this coin have the same value, as the earlier ones have a composition of 90% silver, which was later reduced to 40%. In 1971, the Mint removed the silver and replaced it with clad copper-nickel, reason why the first ones can cost up to $15,000 and the ones produced after may only cost around $5.

To read more, go here. 

USD/JPY Extends Toward ¥157

Now that we're in a new month, it is time to take a little peek at how the U.S. dollar is faring against the Japanese yen. This should be of particular interest to those planning on taking a vacation trip to Japan this month.

According to Trading News:

USD/JPY Extends Toward ¥157 as Japan’s Finance Minister Warns of “Non-Fundamental” FX Swings and Markets Eye Intervention

The USD/JPY pair traded close to ¥156.70 after Japan’s Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama stated that recent yen volatility “is not moving based on fundamentals.” Speaking on Fuji TV, Katayama emphasized that stability reflecting economic reality is essential, signaling Tokyo’s rising discomfort with the yen’s slide. The remark followed a sharp monthly depreciation that erased earlier gains and positioned the yen near its weakest level since the summer, as traders priced in persistent policy divergence between the Federal Reserve and the Bank of Japan (BoJ).

To read more, go here. 

Classic Rock Music Monday

The stuff that now passes as "music", particularly rock 'n roll, leaves me cold. So, to start off the week, here's a video of a classic rock artist. 

To kick off the month of December, we have two music videos from Michelle Branch, "Everywhere" and "Game of Love" (with Carlos Santana). 

From Wikipedia:

Michelle Jacquet Branch (born July 2, 1983) is an American singer, songwriter and guitarist. She won a Grammy Award for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals with Santana for their 2002 single, "The Game of Love".

As a solo recording artist, Branch's first album Broken Bracelet came out in 2000. After signing to Madonna's Maverick record label the next year, her second album The Spirit Room followed and contained the singles "Everywhere" and "All You Wanted". Her third album Hotel Paper was released in 2003. Two years later, she formed the country music duo the Wreckers with Jessica Harp, and produced the Grammy-nominated single "Leave the Pieces". The Wreckers disbanded in 2007 to pursue their respective solo careers. Since then, she has released extended plays in 2010 and 2011, and a fourth solo album, Hopeless Romantic in 2017. Her fifth studio album, The Trouble with Fever, was released in 2022.

 

Snow!

Finally, we have some actual measurable snow.

I took a look (and a couple of pictures) outside and it appears we've received about an inch to an inch and a half of the white stuff.

This will make the drive eight miles today to the post office in Continental Divide to mail my bills and pick up my mail. 

Looks like I'll have to get my snow shovel out of the garage.

Here's today's snow (so far):