I hiked Mariner’s Ridge today with Lillian, Pat, Matthew, Erin, Chris, and Tommy. Mariner’s Ridge, sitting above Hawai‘i Kai, hosts the shortest and easiest of the East Honolulu Ko‘olau ridge trails, and I’ve been on it many times. It’s a great way to introduce people to the Ko‘olau trails.
After leaving the houses of Mariner’s Ridge behind, we climbed through dry grass and entered an ironwood grove.
I hiked Wa‘ahila Ridge today with my coworker Roger. The trail starts at Wa‘ahila Ridge State Park, at the top of St. Louis Heights, and heads into the mountains from there. The day started out overcast, and there had been morning showers in Kalihi, so I was a bit worried about weather conditions on the ridge. But the showers passed, and although it was a bit moist on the trail, it wasn’t completely soggy up there.
We started among the Norfolk Island pines of the state park, with chickens clucking and pecking at our feet. You gotta watch out for those wild park chickens. If you’re not careful, they’ll jump you and go through your pockets looking for food. Not a good scene.
Another hiking entry. Chris and Kirk were in town so I took them, along with Lillian, Chris, and Tommy, to the Honolulu Mauka Trail complex. We started with the Pu‘u ‘Ōhi‘a Trail, went up and over the top of Tantalus, turned onto the Mānoa Cliffs Trail for a brief connecting leg, and then finished by traveling the Pauoa Flats Trail to a lookout above the Nu‘uanu Reservoir.
I hiked the Kamanaiki Trail today with Chris, Tommy, and my coworker Roger. The trail starts at the end of Manaiki Place in Kalihi Valley, at a concrete stair between two houses. I was a little confused because the older photos I’d seen of the trail had shown a gray concrete stairway. Today, it was bright green. I wonder when they put in the Astroturf?
I hiked the Hawai‘i Loa Ridge Trail today with Chris, Tommy, and my coworker Rick. The Hawai‘i Loa Ridge Trail has the best looking trailhead I have ever seen. It’s part of a private park that’s reserved for residents and their guests at the top of an exclusive gated neighborhood. Hikers’ vehicles are allowed in designated stalls, but if you’re not a resident or a guest you aren’t allowed to use the park at all.
Good god, where did February go? I know it’s a short month and all, but this is ridiculous. It seems like I only just barely got finished cleaning up from the Christmas and New Year’s parties.
I did get in some more hiking in February. Lillian and the boys and I hiked the Pu‘u Pia Trail, and I took Jayson, Tommy, and Caroline on the Waimano Trail. I forgot to bring my camera to Pu‘u Pia, so no pictures there, but here’s one from the Waimano Trail:
As far as I can tell, the Waimano Trail started out as a maintenance trail for a sugarcane irrigation ditch. The trail follows the ditch, and sometimes when it encounters a rocky outcropping, the ditch tunnels through the rock rather than attempting to go around it. There’s one of the tunnels there, behind Jayson (who’s standing in the ditch). The bike helmets are for when we walk through the tunnels — they have low ceilings!
Stayed at home today with a slight cold. By the afternoon, I was feeling a lot better so I went out into the yard and took some pictures.
Even in January, there are some nice flowers. I got the orchids from my parents’ yard when they sold their house and moved to a condo. I hope I can manage to keep them alive. Orchids are notoriously tough and forgiving, though, so I have a chance.
I hiked the Lanipō Trail this past Sunday. I’d been meaning to for years, ever since Marlyn and Tom did and came back raving about it, but the kids were small and not up to the challenge, so I waited… and waited… and eventually decided that I should go without them. Terrence and I went with a bunch from the Hawai‘i Trail and Mountain Club.
Life, books, hike photos, dogs, and other stuff.
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