Two men, Neil and John were bar hopping from one hotel to the next on Alii Drive when as they drove around a bend they saw a "maiden" with long black hair, dressed in a black and red "mu'umu'u" (native dress) walking in front of their car. No street lights existed in that remote area. The woman appeared to be walking in the middle of the road, away from vehicle, with her back in view. But her feet nowhere in sight. It was if she was floating gracefully just above the road. Neal felt the hair on the back of his neck start to rise, so he slowly, carefully drove around her and passed her. John, unaware of the legend of Madam Pele, wanted to stop to pick her up. Neal warned him not to stop and not to even look at her. They drove away from the area. Three nights later on July 5 1975, Mauna Loa, after approximately 25 years of rest, erupted.

Google map of this location.