Posts in Category: hike

Manoa Falls hike

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The kids had another fun hike today to see a 150′ waterfall! It was shady and lush in the forest, with lots of neat trees and plants to look at. The hike is about 2 miles roundtrip (including distance from car parking to trailhead). We envisioned the mud and rocks were chocolate and macadamia nuts since it’s Valentine’s Day ๐Ÿ™‚ Enjoy the virtual hike through a lush rainforest by clicking on the picture above.

Another great hike!

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Here’s Sam and his friend Anneliese on a hike today ๐Ÿ™‚ We had a great time – didn’t quite tag the top but next time we will! They did 700′ elevation gain in just over a mile. And that was one way – they were tired by the time they got back to the trucks!

Mariner’s Ridge – a great family hike

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Video: Doggie kisses

Sammy and I had a great time on this hike! He hitched a ride on the way up and walked down. I am guessing it’s about a 2 mi roundtrip hike with maybe 1000′ elevation gain. We had plate lunch and ice cream on our way back from our favorite haunts – Keneke’s and Dave’s, both in Waimanalo. Thanks to Nancy and Laurie for showing us the way! Nancy’s dogs were a big hit with Sammy – the two little doggies bounded around on the trail making Sam giggle all the way up!

Oneawa hills | Friendship Garden hike

Sam and I had a great hike today! Check out Outdoor Ohana for the full write-up and pictures ๐Ÿ™‚

a Pillbox reverse traverse | Sam’s observations

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A picture from our hike today – we did the Pillbox trail in reverse, starting at the south end of the loop and coming back to the golf course trailhead. It was good to get that long walk on the road out of the way early. The hike up that steep trail at the end of Lanikai was difficult going up, but not as bad as coming down it. We were at the top in 30 minutes. From there to the third bunker it took 40 minutes, still carrying Sam. From there we walked (Sam on his own) to the first pillbox in 1 hr. Sam was slow today, checking stuff out all along the way, clearing the trail of rocks and standing on one leg “like a stilt.” It was cute, but not so cute in the strong winds up there. We had lunch then descended back to the truck where mom surprised us at the trailhead! We went to have some shave ice, and Sam stole much of mom’s cone.

Sam was very observant today on the hike. We talked about runways with a new bath toy (an aircraft carrier) last night. We saw a runway today from the hike (at Bellows) and I asked what it was – he said “a runway for planes landing”! He also loves a particular flower here – a plumeria? He picked one up yesterday on a walk to the playground and held onto it for 1/2 mi walk, saying repeatedly “it smells so sweet.” He held onto it on the hike for about the same distance while in the pack. We talked about birdies chirping in the trees – I asked where the birdies were and he said “in the trees,” and when I asked what they were doing he said “napping.”

Tonight he was very studious in his baff…he watched the water go down and stuffed a washcloth in the drain to see it stop up the water. Then he filled his big bucket up with water and put the washcloth in there and said “fishie in day-oh!” with a big smile. As the last of the water was draining out he said “it goes down a tunnel” (because he knows it’s a drain, I enjoyed this alternate take on what a drain looks like). Then he said – and I know you totally won’t believe me and think I may have heard something else – “water goes out ocean.” So I asked again – where does it go? And he said “to the ocean,” to which I asked “and how does it get there” and he replied “on a road.” During jammie time he continued to talk about this and said the water from the bath goes out “to the beach, to the water” and “comes down the rocks by the beach.” We talked about how rain fills up the lakes, then water comes into our house and goes back out to the ocean to come back down again in the rain. Lord knows if he has any idea what I’m saying…but you never know. I must have said once long ago that water goes out to the ocean from the bath. We also had fun with shapes on the hike – there are huge leaves with oval shapes in them and he noted that right away. I pointed out red hibiscus and he pointed out “yewow hibiscus” when we passed it. He is so full of wonder and absorbs so much information daily, it’s mind boggling. His mind must be really burgeoning with information. Mine would be totally and completely overloaded if I had to absorb that much stuff every day.

On a separate note, I made some sourdough demi-baguettes today which we ate for lunch (with peanut butter and honey – a favorite lunch request of some little buddy I know). They tasted good, rose well, had good hole structure and were soft and springy. They were lacking in oven spring (they should have had a better rise in the oven) but that could be due to lack of sufficient preheating – I only let the oven come to temperature rather than sit at temperature for 45 min or so (we needed to hit the trail). If the stone had been quite a bit hotter we may have gotten better oven spring. Next time.

Kuli’ou’ou Ridge trail – what a view!

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Dave, Sam and I went up the Kuli’ou’ou Ridge trail today. The weather was cool and clear (70 and sunny) – we couldn’t have asked for a better day. Dave loved the trail as much as I thought he would – the woods, climb, views – and we had a great time. What we didn’t count on was today being SuperBowl Sunday. We wanted to stop at Kona Brewing Co. for beer afterwards (a ritual after hiking) but found they were closed. So was the second place we tried. Three’s a charm and we devoured lunch in Hawaii Kai at the Blue Water Grill. If you check out the picture above you may be able to notice some names scratched into the “End of trail” sign. We didn’t pay any notice to the scribbles until we told our waiter why we were so famished (I was, like, stalking him for food). When we told him which trail we’d done he was impressed Sammy went all the way up with us, and then mentioned he loved that trail as well. He went on to say that his name was on the sign, so we pulled it in close on our camera and he showed us “Scuttles.” (We didn’t ask.) So I took a picture of him as well (it’s in the Album).

For any hikers reading this and planning a trip up the ridge, my husband says on the absolute treachery scale (1-10, 9 being Angel’s Landing in Zion – if you’ve ever done that you know), this was about a 5. If you are carrying a child, tolerable treachery is a 6 for us, and this trail is about a 4 or 5 because the last 1/2 mile is steep, a little narrow and slippery due to loose dirt. Bring trekking poles. The trail is otherwise excellent – the first 2 miles in the 2.5 mi one-way trip are shaded and easy to navigate. Total elevation gain is 1800′, and elevation at the top is just over 2000′. The view from the summit over the windward side is awesome. There is a picnic table shelter at about 1.2 mi into the hike – we used that as our stopover on the way down.
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lava, steam vents, craters, crisp air, stars, and lots of fun!

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Mom treated Sam and me to a Big Island adventure! We just got back today after 4 days exploring Kilauea. Who could guess that lava could be so fascinating? We had a great time, got lots of exercise hiking all over (and working up a big appetite for buffet dinners at the Kilauea Military Camp!), and made sure we spent some time relaxing, too (I even read a magazine cover to cover!). Sam was such a great traveler – he settled right into his new cottage and was even a bit sad to leave it this morning. He had a playground to romp in just 50 yards from our door, lots of grassy hills to run up and down, and was content with 5 books and a few matchbox toys for entertainment when we were home. It was pretty chilly – exactly what I needed! I got more than I bargained for, though – I had to borrow a space heater from the staff for Sam’s room since even dressing him in layers topped by fleece didn’t keep him warm enough the first night! Single wall construction wasn’t meant for low 40’s weather! The star gazing was incredible up there – we had cool, clear nights and warm days. We saved much to look forward to on our next trip, hopefully with Dave. We highly recommend the KMC – great time, and pictures will be posted this weekend! (I still have a birthday camping trip expedition to mount on Saturday – only one day to turn this adventure around, make a lava cake, and pack up all the gear! whew!!!).

Kuli’ou’ou Ridge trail was great!

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Sammy and I really enjoyed our hike this morning. We went up the Kuli’ou’ou Ridge trail about an hour behind the Sierra Club. I’d hoped to join them but we got a late start since our little buddy had a rough night coughing all night. It was nice to know tons of people were on the trail, but we didn’t necessarily have to hike right with them. We got a little solitude and occasional company. The trail to the ridge was about 1000′ elev gain, shaded and beautiful. (No treacherous parts!) I loved the ironwood stands at the top. Sam hiked a good ways up and enjoyed hauling me down the trail after his PB&J. His new hiking boots worked great and he had a good time despite being pretty knocked out by his cold. Next time (when Dave can join us) we’ll continue on to the summit for great views of the windward side. I just enjoyed finding a hike that satisfies all of my requirements for a great hike: good climb, steep (so you get good bang for your buck and don’t have to be out all day), shaded, views, and far enough away to enjoy a latte on the way to the trailhead ๐Ÿ™‚ We enjoyed a plate lunch at Keneke’s in Waimanalo on the way back – Gramma met us there for this amazing food! Sam loved his pineapple, banana and coconut shave ice. This is a great local place. Such good food and the owner is a Christian – the inside of the seating area is plastered with scripture verses. Sorta like going to church, right? It was Sunday, after all. (We skipped out due to the bad cough.)
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New hiking boots!

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Note to reader: If my posts ever prove boring, just read the comments instead. In fact, it would be great if you could get an RSS feed on the comments, not my posts! I am fortunate to have a cast of nutty readers who follow my blog daily AND comment frequently.

Sammy and I got our new hiking boots from Campmor yesterday! It was time to get Sammy bigger hiking shoes and I need a pair of light hikers so I could stop wearing old beat-up sneakers. When Sammy opened his box from Merrell, I almost cried (my hiking buddies will understand this!). My Columbia hikers feel good, and Sammy’s fit fine even if they’re a bit big. They don’t make actual hiking shoes for toddlers, but these will work out great and he can grow into them. (They’re a size 10! His shoe size is actually an 8/9 so I guess we’re not too far off.) As soon as he put them on, he went down the hallway to the mirror and started modeling –

Hobbits on a hike

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Sam, Laurie and I went on a hike today and braved the windy, wet weather. We enjoyed a quick trot up our local “pillbox” trail and Sammy did a good job hiking along the ridge, even when it got really wet. Thanks, Laurie, for spotting him with me as we climbed up that steep bit! We ran into a lady and two 6 yr old girls along the way. The girls were funny – they told us they were already on their third snack stop just 30 min into the hike! We compared notes on the trail and when the mom wondered about getting back down when it was slicker (she saw I had trekking poles) I suggested a good butt slide ๐Ÿ™‚ We made it down on our feet, but it was a bit slippery!

Among other really compelling topics, I mentioned one day I’d love to be able to spit a good loogie. Laurie’s face was so funny when she said, “OK, that’s not on MY life list!” So of course I asked what was…”Be on The Price is Right!” She is too funny. That’s only because she’s accomplished so many other things – wife, mother, two bachelor’s degrees. So what’s left for her to do? I know you’re impressed with my aspirations now. But having the skill to form a really tight spit wad that travels far and doesn’t get you messy while running and spitting into 30knot headwinds is really something. I would like to be able to do that, and certainly need to be able to show Sam how…

Just like a hobbit, Sammy fully embraces the idea of first snack and second snack. By the time we got back to the truck, he’d spied another Sweet and Salty Nut trail bar in my pack and I decided to let him have it since he was a trooper about hiking even with a little cold. Hey – whatever keeps it all fun! Plus, there was some golf to watch (we parked next to the 18th hole of a local country club). We soon heard lots of hooting and laughing from the dense hillside. I figured it’d be fun to hang out and see who emerged…it was the mom and two girls! Their little pink pants had tell-tale signs of their glissade down the last stretch of eroded trail. We enjoyed a good laugh about how it’s cool to be dirty ๐Ÿ™‚

Kaiwa Ridge trail report

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This hike is also commonly referred to as the “Pillbox” or “Keolu hills” hike. Na Ala Hele provides a complete trail description. We wanted to check out the entire length of the trail with our friends Nate, Laurie and daughter Cate, so we hiked past the second pillbox and came down at the far end of Lanikai. Total hike probably 3+ miles, ~700รขโ‚ฌโ„ข total elevation gain. It was a great hike until the final descent which was steep, muddy, loose footing, narrow with lots of thorny overgrowth, a few cacti and a centipede lurking in the weeds. Needless to say I wasnรขโ‚ฌโ„ขt a big fan of that part with Sam on my back. The rest of the hike was really great and one even Sam could do much of (along the ridge). I’ll likely do an out-and-back next time which should give me the 4mi/1000′ elev I’m looking for in a nearby, beautiful hike ๐Ÿ™‚ Sam and I miss our Green Mt hikes in WA! But maybe this can be a good substitute.

Kualoa Ranch hike

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Sammy and I went on a hike yesterday with a neat group called the Solemates – an informal off-shoot of the Hawaii Trail and Mountain Club. There were about 60 hikers, most of whom were older than us.

epic hike and other reflections

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We went hiking with our intrepid adventure buddies (Nate, Laurie and daughter Cate). We decided to find a waterfall mentioned to us by a fellow hiker. The distance estimates, however, were a little off. One guy we ran into was like, “Ummm, I’m not very good with times. It might have been five minutes?” Or it could have been 15, 20… You get the idea! We had a great time and Laurie gets a medal of honor for hiking with a spiral fracture in her pinky toe. She was a real trooper. (She didn’t break her toe on the hike – it was a freak accident…) The kids did great – it was a long time in the pack for them (about 3 hrs total) because it was really pretty slippery going most of the way.

Out looking for mischief and all we get is LOST!

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Don’t worry, everything turned out ok! Angel and I went for a hike this morning to Manoa Falls on the leeward side of the island. First, we stopped to get lattes (a tradition that started with my buddy Ang in WA). I remarked to Angel that I was dissatisfied with the paltry amount of mischief in my life.

hike with a view

Video and photos: 2006-09-30 Pillbox hike

We went on a quick hike in Lanikai yesterday, near our home. The ridge hike offered great views, and a tiny bit of treacherous footing! I wish I had my trekking poles with me, but Dave served as a great substitute. Sam enjoyed the hike from his backpack vantage point. It was too high and steep for him to get out and walk. Hope you enjoy the movie. Note – at 24 sec into the video, you are looking down onto where we live, back toward some green space (the marsh). Around 20 sec you are looking at the Marine Corps base, a peninsula that juts out into the ocean. We otherwise had a pretty lazy weekend working on projects which seemed like they should go quickly but mushroomed into more. We got out for a good bike ride today onto the Marine Corps base – a trail that circled some very ancient fishponds. Nice ride.

Tonight we had dinner with our friends Mike and Angel – it was so great to see them and enjoy an impromptu dinner together. Dave whipped up a good tuna farfalle for us and Sam enjoyed chomping down dinner, then lots of dessert as he circled everyone’s laps to read and swipe their chocolates. He was a little wound up afterwards ๐Ÿ™‚