Google Maps said our perimeter hike today should only register around seven miles. Not only humans make mistakes.

Kualoa Beach Park

We all met up at the park steeped in history as it was associated with Hawaiian royalty, refuge and spiritual significance.

Hau’ula

That was a long bus ride! You sure this is only seven miles?

Hau’ula

Some suspicious minded individuals had to conduct their own independent confirmations. Shouts of 9 and 10 miles rang out. Are we not hikers?

Kamehameha Highway

The place to get a real kanak attack. Too early in the day.

Kamehameha Highway

Navigating the Kaipapa’u Stream Bridge Replacement construction barricades and detours.

Kapalaoa Beach

Scott the swinger. That doesn’t look too hard.

Kapalaoa Beach

Train wreck in progress. Woman down! Don’t worry, I do this for a living.

Kamehameha Highway

On the Windward side, the shoulder is your sidewalk.

Hau’ula Beach Park

Bathroom break.

Kamehameha Highway

Looking for souvenirs. Look harder.

Kamehameha Highway

Crossing over Maakua Stream.

Kamehameha Highway

The only ones straddling this now stripped coconut tree are these thin shelled a’ama crabs.

Kamehameha Highway

Passing this honey stand, as this was the closest we were getting to the state park that harbors Kaliuwa’a, where a rockslide on May 9, 1999 killed eight people and injured many others. It has been closed to the public ever since that tragic day.

Hale Aha Beach

Monkey see, monkey do.

Kamehameha Highway

Splash of color on the road.

St. Joachim Catholic Church

Passing this simple clapboard church dedicated in 1919.

Kaya’s Store

Supporting local. This store has been around since 1946, where it started as a butcher shop and evolved into today’s convenience store.

Ching’s Punaluu Store

This local store has been in business even longer, since 1935.

Kamehameha Highway

Looking out towards Kahana Bay.

Kamehameha Highway

Skipped the shrimp and went straight to swinging.

Punalu’u Beach Park

Better than the bushes.

Kamehameha Highway

Even the ocean needs shade.

Kamehameha Highway

Makeshift marina.

Kamehameha Highway

The breath of life.

Kamehameha Highway

Paddlers in Kawa Stream.

Kamehameha Highway

Walking on the road that is constantly being eroded by the ocean and passing the reopened Crouching Lion Restaurant. Lunch?

Kamehameha Highway

“No bird soars too high if he soars with his own wings.” – William Blake.

Kamehameha Highway

Snack stop at the 7-11 right across Swanzy Beach Park. Walking is hard work.

Kamehameha Highway

The popular slogan plastered all over the areas not yet touched by commercial and large scale residential development originated in the late 1960s on the North Shore side of the island.

Kamehameha Highway

Walking on the road against the backdrop of wind rippled waves.

Kualoa Sugar Mill

Standing against the ruins of the first steam-powered mill on the island that was built in 1863.

Kualoa Ranch

I guess this is the closest we are getting to Maui’s fish hook.

Kualoa Beach Park

Carrying a stick with two flags all day is hard work.

Kualoa Beach Park

Our last group photo of the day with Mokoli’i in the background. Hawaiian legend has it that the basalt islet is the tip of the tail of a giant lizard that was killed and thrown in the bay by Hi’iaka, the younger sister of Pele.

GPS Tracks

Our #12 perimeter walk covered 10.7 miles on the Windward coastline with fun company. Post hike meal at Pieology as the food court was all filled up.

Photos taken by Aida Gordon, Akira Suzuki, Allison Banks, Cristy CM, Kenny Lui, Mari Saito, Marilyn Bermudez, Scott Dea, Tessa Bugay and yours truly. Not necessarily in order.

Note: I have been made aware that some hikers have been using my blog as a hiking guide and getting lost on the trails. Please note that this blog was made to document the hike for the crew(s) that did it. That is why some of my comments will seem to have no relevance or meaning to anybody outside of the crew(s) that hiked that trail. My blog was never meant as a hiking guide, so please do not treat it as such. If you find inspiration and entertainment from these hikes, that is more than enough. If you plan on replicating these hikes, do so in the knowledge that you should do your own research accordingly as trail conditions, access, legalities and so forth are constantly in flux. What was current today is most likely yesterdays news. Please be prepared to accept any risks and responsibilities on your own as you should know your own limitations, experience and abilities before you even set foot on a trail, as even the “simplest” or “easiest” of trails can present potential pitfalls for even the most “experienced” hikers. One should also always let somebody know of your hiking plans in case something doesn’t go as planned, better safe than sorry.

Met up with Chico, Jen, Laredo, Lilyn, Mari, Quan, Tessa, and William for our third leg of the perimeter walk today.

Waiahole Poi Factory

We took our group photo that we missed from the last walk after Chico and Lilia staged the truck at Kualoa Beach Park.

Kamehameha Highway

It was too early to get a treat of Sweet Lady of Waiahole, so we pushed off on our walk.

Kamehameha Highway

What’s that? I forgot something? My medication?

Kamehameha Highway

Tessa rubbing elbows with the legend.

Kamehameha Highway

Somebody’s on the wrong side of the bridge.

Waikane Store

Pop Quiz: What is Chico doing?
A) Panhandling from a passing car
B) Looking for free samples
C) Getting his truck keys

Kamehameha Highway

We saw these and other signs that loudly proclaimed “The People United Will Never Be Defeated” and “No Development Keep the Country Country” and “New City…What A Pity! No Development.” The problem dates back to the 1880s when Lincoln McCandles and brothers arrived in the islands and began drilling artesian wells to feed the sugar industry and in the process amassed considerable land holdings. Fast forward to 1974, when his daughter attempted to to urbanize 1,337 acres in Waiahole and Waikane Valleys with local developer, Joe Pao who promised affordable housing with his “New City” development. Sounds familiar? Massive protests erupted and was temporarily simmered when the State purchased 795 acres in Waiahole Valley to manage the land. Fast forward to 1987, when the Housing Finance and Development Corporation was created to promote affordable housing, the predecessor to today’s Hawaii Housing Finance & Development Corporation. The HHFDC claims they are running a deficit managing the water resources and below market rents for the approximately 100 valley residents and must raise rents to stay solvent. Both sides have retained lawyers and are slugging it out in court. Who will win? Most certainly, the side with deep and corrupt pockets will prevail against the residents.

Kualoa Ranch

Entering the cattle ranch and tourist attraction that sits on over 4,000 acres. This valley was considered sacred to ancient Hawaiians and was purchased by Dr. Judd from King Kamehameha III for the sum of $1,300 in 1850. That would be $50,560 in today’s money.

Kamehameha Highway

Passing through the often seen Coral Kingdom Shop & Restaurant but never visited.

Kamehameha Highway

When the traffic mirror doubles as the selfie mirror.

Kamehameha Highway

The public picking of parya (bittermelon) leaves.

Kualoa Ranch

Looking for the private tour.

Kualoa Ranch

Group photo in front of the 50′ artistic representation of Manaiakalani, Maui’s fish hook that was used to capture the sun.

Mokoli’i

Looking out towards the basaltic islet in Kaneohe Bay that was once owned by the Judd-Morgan family until the City & County of Honolulu purchased it back in the 1970s.

Chinaman’s Hat

Group photo in front of the conical shaped island. Advocates are pushing to erase the name of Chinaman’s Hat as it’s not culturally correct and politically offensive to some. But for most locals, it will always be called that.

Kualoa Sugar Mill

Wandering through the ruins of the first sugar mill built in the islands during 1863-1865. Due to lack of rainfall, the mill ceased operations in 1871 and was left exposed to the elements where it sits today.

Kamehameha Highway

Leaving the prominent Kualoa ridge behind us. I wonder if anybody has ever climbed that mountain?

Kamehameha Highway

The fish were biting today.

Kamehameha Highway

Bunker exploration. Where’s Scotty?

Kamehameha Highway

The color of death.

Kamehameha Highway

When there’s no sidewalk, one has to walk on the bridge.

Kamehameha Highway

Roadside summer snacks. Lychee was introduced to Hawaii in 1873 when Ching Chock brought the evergreen tree from China and planted it on the Afong property on the corner of Nu’uanu and School Streets.

Kamehameha Highway

Chico got his own summer snack. Free shave ice!

Ka’a’awa 7-Eleven

Motorists yielding to pedestrians. Refreshments at the convenience store that was originally named Tote’m Stores and later changed to reflect the operating hours. Time to change again?

Kamehameha Highway

No touch the girl or the golf cart?

Crouching Lion Inn

Trying to see the resemblance of the rock formation above the shuttered eatery. Originally built as the Larsen residence in 1927, it was converted to a restaurant in 1952 and closed in 2008 due to cesspool violations.

Crouching Lion Hike

Where is the trailhead?

Kamehameha Highway

Clucking like a chicken.

Kamehameha Highway

Bridge crossing.

Kahana State Park

I still haven’t found a working pay phone yet.

Kamehameha Highway

Words to live by.

Kamehameha Highway

View of Kahana Bay.

Kamehameha Highway

Swinger.

Kamehameha Highway

Walking on the road next to traffic. The Handi-vans were especially too close for comfort. I think they were looking for future customers.

Punalu’u

Group photo at the beach park. The town name means “coral dived for” or “spring dived for.”

Punalu’u

We may have walked on the wrong side of the bridges, but never jumped from them.

Punalu’u

End of the road for us. Food outside.

Punalu’u

Drinks inside. Pay inside too.

Punalu’u

Eating on the beach. Laredo preferred to sun on the beach.

Punalu’u

Quan trying to burn off her caloric intake.

Route 60

Everybody have exact change? Three dollars.

Route 60

Time to get off the bus and give the riders some relief.

Kualoa Beach Park

Happy Birthday Mari!

Kualoa Beach Park

Pinay Hat.

McDonald’s Temple Valley

Thanks Chico for the soft serve ice cream cones!

Chico’s Bar

One shot for the road.

GPS Tracks

Our fun walk covered 10.4 miles through the Windward coastline.

Photos taken by Chico Cantu, Jen Odence, Lilyn Avendano, Mari Saito, Quan Haberstroh, Tessa Bugay, and yours truly. Not necessarily in order.

Note: I have been made aware that some hikers have been using my blog as a hiking guide and getting lost on the trails. Please note that this blog was made to document the hike for the crew(s) that did it. That is why some of my comments will seem to have no relevance or meaning to anybody outside of the crew(s) that hiked that trail. My blog was never meant as a hiking guide, so please do not treat it as such. If you find inspiration and entertainment from these hikes, that is more than enough. If you plan on replicating these hikes, do so in the knowledge that you should do your own research accordingly as trail conditions, access, legalities and so forth are constantly in flux. What was current today is most likely yesterdays news. Please be prepared to accept any risks and responsibilities on your own as you should know your own limitations, experience and abilities before you even set foot on a trail, as even the “simplest” or “easiest” of trails can present potential pitfalls for even the most “experienced” hikers. One should also always let somebody know of your hiking plans in case something doesn’t go as planned, better safe than sorry.