Boys in Kauai!

Hi all,

Matt, Tucker and I took a trip to Kauai last weekend. It was a blast ... a beautiful and fantastic time. We rented a condo and below is the view we got a few steps outside our condo!

On Friday, we went on a long hike. It was 2.2 miles from our parking spot to a secluded beach.

The hike was a lot of uphill climbing.
Then there was a dramatic down hill until we got to a stream that lead to the beach.

The trail was the only way in unless you had a boat. The waves were too rough for us to swim but we hung out at the beach for a while and enjoyed the roaring surf.

We continued heading up from the beach inland toward a large waterfall.

It was tough going at times. We got tired and gave up on staying dry and instead of attempting to hop from rock to rock, we just plowed through each stream crossing. Finally, after another 2+ miles, we turned a corner and there was about 400 feet of cascading waterfall.

It was stunning. The cool breeze whipped through the water brought droplets to our faces. We stood there in awe and just gazed up. Matt was the first one with his shirt off and ambled his way into the water. Tucker followed quickly. I stood there for a moment in disbelief.

At this point in time, a young man was coming out of the water.

"Cold, huh!" I said.

"Yeah, but not as cold as at home" he said.

"Where is that?" I asked.

"Massachusetts." he commented.

"Oh, I grew up there. Where abouts?"

"Western Mass now but I used to live south of Boston."

"No kidding. Me too." I looked toward Matt and Tucker as they were getting deep.

"You've probably never heard of the little town I was in," he said.

"Where is it near?" I asked.

"Milford."

"Bellingham, Franklin, Medway?" I asked.

He laughed, "Bellingham!"

Is that bizarre or what?
After kibitzing with Jeff Menardi, I got in the water with Matt and Tucker. It WAS cold! We told George Costanza jokes and swam under the waterfall. YES, UNDER THE WATERFALL.

Somehow, we were tired AND refreshed by the waterfall.

We made the climb back down reluctantly. None of us had ever done anything like that. During that hike, we realized that Tucker had wrecked his ankles. He let us know that he could not hike for at least a day.

Matt and I chose a hike that was 6 miles round trip and not as steep or up and down as the first day. We drove to Waimea Canyon which is also known as the Grand Canyon of the Pacific. The car took us up to the top of the canyon (thankfully, we didn't hike it!) The view of this canyon is stunning.

The waterfall off to the side caught my eye but both Matt and I were too tired to hike another waterfall.

So, we drove on to another hike. This hike heads away from the canyon and toward the ocean. We really weren't sure what to expect. It was downhill most of the way and after 3 miles, I began to get concerned with the uphill hike when we returned!

We got to the end of the trail and it opened up to a sparkling vista at the edge of a narrow cliff. That's me down there ...

Here is a video clip of the mountains all around me from down on that point.

As I turned around, I could hear the sound of a baby crying. At least it sounded like a baby. Matt spotted it first. There were goats on the side of the cliffs! They are amazingly agile.

We headed back and were tired before we even started. The previous day had really sapped our energy level. We heard something in the woods and I stepped off the trail to investigate. Matt was soon beside me as we looked through the brush ... 4 wild pigs were rooting around. Actually, it was 4 adult pigs with at least 3 babies. As soon as they heard us, the pigs started running around. One of the babies ran right by us within about 5 feet. Those little guys are super-fast! I had the camera ready but frankly, it ended up being a black blur!

We continued on our way back up the trail ... it was painful. I had images of Tucker eating bon-bons while we struggled up the rooted trail.

We had a hearty evening meal and watched a movie. I think I fell asleep at 9pm. I was very tired.

We decided to have an easy day. We kind of drove around to some waterfalls and ended up at a beach. Note the rainbow at the bottom right.

We did not go swimming at this waterfall. It is said that Hawaiians used to leap off the top of this to prove their manhood. We declined. We were too tired!

At the beach, the waves were rough but we went in anyway. It was us and the surfers and that was pretty much all there was.

How rough was it? The picture below does not do it justice but notice that there is a wave behind the wave ...

As I sat on the beach, Tucker trotted up out of the water. He was holding his hand funny. He had been stung by a jelly fish! It left a mark all the way across his hand and around the other side.

It seemed like we were getting hurt every day. Matt's ankles were bothering him and a blister on my foot was just getting worse. So, we went out to dinner at a fine restaurant!

The next day, we took an easy walk. No one got hurt but we were STILL tired from that first hike. What wimps we were!

At the end of the day, we looked toward the amenities of the condo ... the pool beckoned. It was crisp, clear and free of Jelly fish!

At the end of the trip, I think we all reflected on how tough that first climb was and how it made the subsequent trips even tougher. Hopefully, none of us will forget the incredible views, hard hikes, cheezy-eggs, the tortellinis, onions, garlic, green peppers, and pesto, or the bow tie pasta!

We worked hard and we ate well but I'm still tired and it is a week later!

Peace!

John

10th Street Hike Re-visited

It is the rainy season here in Oahu. There are downpours at night and the days are alternating mists and a soft stream of water. When the sun comes out you feel like you are in a steam bath!

Tucker, Matt and I planned to hike the 5 or so waterfalls off 10th Street. Tucker and I had done it and I had also taken Krista and her friends up to the first waterfall. This is not a hike for the clumsy as the stream crossings tend to be slippery and sometimes steep. The path climbs alongside the steep wall of the mountain without much in the way of footing. Add rain to the mix and let's just say it can get exciting.

We picked yesterday (10/25), a Saturday to climb this adventurous trail. Tucker and I wanted to show Matt the many different waterfalls. On Friday it rained. It rained a lot. There's a gallon bucket outside our house and it was full. On Saturday morning it seemed to be clearing. Tucker and I looked at each other and thought the same thing ... the stream might be running a bit fast.

Below is us at the car getting ready.


We got to the site and started our hike. It misted slightly as we climbed down from the road to the ravine. The rocks and tree limbs were slippery. I saw the huge tree that Krista banged her head on as we climbed down.
The ferns and plants were in full growth making it hard to walk without getting soaked. The path was blurred by so much greenery. We did our best to make our way down to the stream.

It wasn't a stream anymore. It was a river ... a raging river ... a torrent of brown water that brought with it mud, muck and a number of sticks, branches and boughs. It was impossible to cross.

Go back? We all looked at each other. We decided to climb around and bush whack our way upstream to another part of the trail. It was tough going climbing around the trees, the rocks and yes ... a car ... or what was left of it!



We found a spot that was a little wider meaning that the water was spread out and maybe not rushing as fast. Below is a video clip (thank goodness for the waterproof camera) of Tucker making his way across the river. Look how deep it is! Matt and I stayed strategically down stream to catch him if he fell.

We crossed several times and each was a bit of an adventure. Back and forth we went getting soaked up to our hips at times. The trail then headed uphill and up we went. The path was narrow and slippery. On the left was the hill going up and on the right, the hill going down with only small bushes to stop you if you slipped. It was here that I took a tumble and my feet went out from under me. I slid down a few feet but thankfully the bushes were thick enough to stop my slide. Tucker grabbed my armpits and helped me up. My backside was muddy from my shoulders to the backs of my thighs.

We moved on and each of us took turns slipping and sliding ... and then it started raining some more.

I thought about the river. What if more rain came? What if we couldn't cross it on our way back? I mentioned it to the lads and we decided to press on to at least the first waterfall. After several twists and turns we heard what sounded like a jet engine on full power. It was amazing the difference in water flow from the last time I was there!

Here is a picture from last time:

I'm not sure the pictures do it justice but you can make out Matt on the lower left side of the picture below.

50 yards away, Tucker and I got misted by the falls.

To get the full effect watch and listen to the next video clip!

It began raining again ... not misting and I got worried about the level of the water. We hustled down the trail ... and yes, I fell again ... right on my backside but not to worry, the rain had me cleaned off in no time!

Getting down was easier than going up. We made our way back to the car fairly quickly compared to the tough time going up. Isn't always easier going down than going up?

Soaked to the bone, we dried off and changed shirts and headed home for some rest and relaxation back at the house.