Holoholo- Southern Oahu

1 I've been a little stir-crazy lately. Usually I'm space-aing or something for like 6 weeks around this time of the year. I didn't get a chance to take a big adventure yet this year, so I've had to find other outlets for energy - camping with two boys while Dave was away, cleaning the garage out in one naptime, painting, and today Dave really was my hero with a huge adventure. We set out not really knowing how much we'd undertake, but we ended up being out almost 11 hours :)	2 We hiked up Koko Head (a puff created when Koko Crater - in the distance here) went off. In the middle of the photo is Hanauma Bay, a popular snorkeling spot. We like Shark's Cove way better, but this is fun.	3 So you hike right past the no trespassing signs, go up a little paved road, then take a left onto this crazy 4WD road down into the crater. It was pretty steep but the rock was a bit like slick-rock, so our hiking shoes/sneakers gripped pretty well. I was nervous with Ben on my back, but it wasn't too bad. See the road going out to the point? We went out there then made a loop back up to the left, up the other side of the crater.	4 That's what we came down.
5 Sam having some water.	6 What a cutie. I am in love with my hiker. He was amazing on this. We kept forging ahead since Ben finally went to sleep. We knew a pretty steep part awaited on the way back up and decided to just bag it without the distraction of an awake Ben.	7 The hiking poles came in handy. Lucky for me the wind was blowing against me, not pushing me down the hill.	8 Dave checking out where this went...just a steep slope down to the water.
9 Almost to the point...	10 Buds :)	11 Hey Uncle Tom - see this!?	12 Hanauma Bay from the ocean side.
13 The red rock was impressive.	14 Ancestral home of Ihi Ihilauakea (which means like broad fern leaf or something). Not sure about this. Is it a person? It's the crater name, but ancestral home??? My quick Google didn't turn up anything juicy. I'm sure Liisa will get to the bottom of it...ha ha! So punny!	15 Liisa - we thought of you many times!!! You would have a ball clicking away!	16 On the saddle heading back up and out of the crater. See how steep Koko Crater is from this angle? Whew! That last section is something else...
17 The route back from the point...Very steep at the end.	18 Safely back on the blacktop. There's a little road up to that FAA and telecomm stuff...	19 My hiker boys :)	20 Hawaii Kai - we went to Kona Brewing Company for a late lunch and brew sampler :)
21	22	23 Another excursion to the Spitting Cave, just below Koko Head. This is hard to find but interesting. Really watch the footing and the kids... Water flows into a cave then comes spitting back out a blowhole. You can hear it from fairly far away.	24 Diamond Head in the distance. Neat formations in the foreground.
25 Steep steep steep...	26 Then down to Kahala to check out Waialae Beach. Cute little island entranced me. I had to check it out, but I had to nurse Ben first so Dave went out there to see what it was like. This is just off from the Kahala Resort.	27 There I am out there now. Koko Crater to the left, and Koko Head to the right. That's what we climbed up today.	28 Smootch wrangling my boys!
29 Lots of smootch wrangling pictures, just because they make me smile. We had a fun day.	30 See the shape of his cheek? You know he's smiling trying to get away from the wrangler!	31 Got 'im!!!	32 Look at my beady eye!!! Spooky!
33 More? Seriously?!	34	35 Can we go home yet???	36 Yeah?!
37 Ok - quick nap first :)	38 Napping while Sam continues to work. He is tireless today!	39 Telling me how to build a city.	40 And peeking over the hedge at the imu being unloaded. There's a luau going on and music at the country club...we kept peeking over at all the folks having cocktails...
41 Sam is hilarious with the sticks. He insisted on bringing this one home, to hike with. He called it a "mowla." He makes up words all the time, and they sound vaguely Hawaiian. Yes, Dave did find a way to get it in the truck.