The random dumping of rain over the weekend resulted in cancellation of the original hike and its easy peasy lemon squeezy replacement.

Manoa

We met up deep in Manoa Valley under a constant pitter patter of rain and paid our four dollars to park inside while somebody parked in the neighborhood.

Manoa

Going through the shipping container that leads to a picture perfect rainforest that has been the backdrop in many Hollywood productions.

Manoa

Walking through the gravel path that winds its way through the forest of trees.

Manoa

Kenny playing in the water colored by rain and runoff.

Manoa

The girls didn’t want to get any more wet, so they stayed on the trail.

Manoa

Close enough without dipping my big toe in the water.

Manoa

Clustered around the tree throne that was grown by Mother Nature and maintained by the State of Hawaii.

Manoa

Walking up the reinforced steps as we approached the 150′ waterfall that was a little more voluminous than usual due to the weekend rain showers.

Wahii Nui Falls

Group photo at one of seven waterfalls in the valley, this being the most popular, well-known and misnamed.

Manoa

A bug’s eye view. Watch where you step. Met up with Allison and her daughter on the way down.

Manoa

Leaving the Honolulu Makau Trail System where talks of visiting another waterfall at nearby Lyon Arboretum were quickly dropped due to lack of interest and water.

Paradise Park

Gaining admittance to the 76-acre bird park that opened in 1967 and shuttered its operations in 1994 due to low visitor count.

Paradise Park

Akira making use of one of multiple abandoned aviaries throughout the compound.

Paradise Park

Wanna be birds climbing in the Aloha Aviary, where they were given more space than the smaller aviaries.

Paradise Park

The roof was for the most part still non-permeable which allowed the group shelter from the rain.

Paradise Park

Smoke ‘em if you got ‘em.

Paradise Park

I was half expecting a pack of velociraptors to emerge from the shadows in the dilapidated Kamehameha Amphitheater.

Paradise Park

The only thing that was lurking in the amphitheater shadows was these poison dart frogs that were introduced from Panama in 1932 to control the mosquito population.

Paradise Park

This unamazing untrained bird that flitted across the amphitheater stage sucked. No wonder the place shut down.

Paradise Park

Trying out the Coconut Margarita from the Snack Shop.

Paradise Park

Potential sighting of a night watcher? I think it came from Temu.

Paradise Park

Eyes wide shut or open?

Paradise Park

Taking what was left of the Menehune Trail as we returned back to the road, washed our muddy shoes upstairs and got back into our cars. Our short exploration around Manoa covered 2.56 miles where we saw the main waterfall and checked out the deserted bird zoo that can be yours for the princely sum of $21 million.

Manoa

Post hike meal at Nishi Moncho Ramen. The set meals were the best bang for the buck. Akira auditioned for the missing Ronald McDonald statue that was stolen by a solitary person in the middle of the night according to the employee. Think he can fill his red clown shoes?

Photos taken by Akira Suzuki, Kenny Lui, Mari Saito, 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.

Hurricane Hone which eventually dissipated into a tropical storm but was still lashing the islands with torrential rain aborted my KST hike, so I met up with Aida and Roger, Akira and Tessa, David and Susan, and Scott to do a relatively “safer” hike in the rain. Even Chico showed up due to him mistaking Colorado for Texas.

Paradise Park

We arrived deep in Manoa Valley as the forecasted rain made its appearance, given that this was a waterfall hike, it should have come as no surprise to anybody. Even the parking lot attendant showed up early to collect the four dollar fee.

Trailhead

Entering the valley that are home to seven waterfalls, we were just interested in visiting Wai’ihii Nui which means trickling water in Hawaiian. But now people just call it Manoa Falls. Easier on tourist tongues.

Manoa Falls Trail

Passage through an abandoned shipping container that replaced a bridge back in 2022, gave us a few seconds of respite from the rain.

Manoa Falls Trail

Walking through the mixed rainforest that has been the backdrop for Hollywood films such as Jurassic Park and Tears of the Sun to name a few. This valley also served as the backdrop of the last gasps to restore the Hawaiian Kingdom. The 1895 Wilcox Rebellion started off with Robert Wilcox and several hundred Hawaiians who sought to restore Queen Lili’uokalani to the throne. In skirmishes and battles that started out in Waikiki, then on to Diamond Head where government forces actually shelled the volcano slopes to dislodge the royalists, then moved to Mo’il’ili and finally to their eventual defeat in Manoa.

Manoa Falls Trail

Can you see the throne for the crowd?

Manoa Falls

Group photo in front of the 100′ or 150′ waterfall. Depends on what sources you use.

‘Aihualama Trail

Time to gain some elevation. 1,547′ to be exact.

‘Aihualama Trail

Akira entering the first gate on the trail.

‘Aihualama Trail

Chico climbing one of the banyan trees on the trail. The first banyan tree was planted in Lahaina in 1873 and was a gift from missionaries that brought it over from its native land, India. It has since spread to all the major islands.

‘Aihualama Trail

Rooting our way on the trail.

‘Aihualama Trail

Our only views on the hike from the landslide area.

‘Aihualama Trail

The power couple walking through the section of bamboo forest. Bamboo was first introduced to the islands by the Polynesian settlers and later by immigrants from Asia. The versatile grass can be used for crafts, tools and shelter. It can also be used as a head rest.

Pauoa Flats Trail

Scott passing through another gate.

Nu’uanu Lookout Trail

We took a short detour to the lookout to see if we could capture a view, as some in the group had never seen the vista.

Nu’uanu Lookout

Views of the valley were denied to us at the 1,600′ lookout. We did get strong winds and pelting rain as a consolation prize.

Pauoa Flats Trail

Why use the map when I can read a book? I didn’t go to public school just for lunch.

Pauoa Flats Trail

Walking on roots beats walking in puddles.

Pauoa Flats Trail

Walking on the boardwalk beats walking on roots and in puddles.

Junction

Susan showing us her land navigation skills. We are here.

Manoa Cliff Trail

I think somebody promised us mountain views.

Manoa Cliff Trail

I guess this counts as a mountain view.

Tantalus

Why did the hikers cross the road? To walk like a duck and quack like a duck if nothing else.

Moleka Trail

David passing underneath a sprawling mass of trees that overshadowed the trail.

Junction

We soon arrived at a junction that required critical thinking. Do we take the longer way which is shorter or the shorter way which is longer? Say what?

Maikiki Valley Trail

The bullet holes or critical thinking made us retreat from the longer way which was shorter to the other way. My head hurts.

Maikiki Valley Trail

Do you want to borrow my book? Old school.

Maikiki Valley Trail

Round and round we go until we go down the correct trail.

Maikiki Valley Trail

Carrying my very own hiking bindle. I just need a train to complete the picture.

Maikiki Valley Trail

Obviously, these are not rolling stones. They are much older than 62 years of age.

Kaneaolole Trail

Chico and Susan playing in the water, carefree of contracting any form of Leptospirosis, a bacterial infection spread by urine from infected animals. The water did not turn blue, so they were safe.

Kaneaolole Trail

Play Taylor Swift music loudly and carry a big stick.

Kaneaolole Trail

Crossing the bridge that soon dropped us down into the Hawaii Nature Center.

Kaneaolole Trail

Three’s a crowd.

Kaneaolole Trail

Wash day for some.

All pau

Your left, your left, your left right left! Cadence flashbacks for some.

Manoa

Will the real clown please stand up? Post hike meal at Red Pepper’s Korean BBQ where hot spicy soup warmed a body good.

GPS Tracks

Our waterlogged hike covered eight miles and was successfully completed despite the lack of a book, long being short, short being long and aloha being upside down. Good fun with a great group.

Photos taken by Aida Gordon, Akira Suzuki, Chico Cantu, David and Susan Katz, Roger Schiffman, Scott Peterson, 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.

Taking advantage of the three-day weekend, I did another more inclusive exploratory hikes. The more the merrier. Photo by Dale Yoshizu.

Manoa

Met up with everybody in the back of the vast valley, some chose the paid parking and others chose the public parking. Group photo left to right: Aida, Lilyn, Tessa, Ani, myself, Barry, Quan, Dale, Donna, Marilyn, Edgar, Cat, Narissa and Art.

Paradise Park

We had to detour around perceived homeless voices before entering the now shuttered bird zoo that closed back in 1994. Photo by Art Young.

Paradise Park

Strolling through the mud trail under the canopied tunnel that looped around the decaying park. Photo by Art Young.

Paradise Park

Apparently not all of the birds left the park. Some chose to stay for the free handouts and fallen fruit. Photo by Marilyn Bermudez.

Paradise Park

Ducking underneath the sagging parts of the tunnel.

Paradise Park

Striking or passing resemblance?

Paradise Park

We found a lot of fallen mountain apples and ripening red bananas on the path.

Paradise Park

Walking through just a tiny part of the sprawling 76 acre lot. Photo by Dale Yoshizu.

Paradise Park

Poking around the abandoned buildings that have fallen to the same fate as others of their kind – graffitied. The TV show “Lost” also used this location to film some of their episodes.

Paradise Park

Going through the interrupted tunnel section. Photo by Lilyn Avendano.

Paradise Park

Taking our seats for the next Hawaii Stars show. Bring back the bird on the bicycle.

Paradise Park

It was good that we took a collective photo, rather than individual shots. Otherwise, we would have been here all day until closing time. Photo by Art Young.

Paradise Park

Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. Photo by Lilyn Avendano.

Paradise Park

Birds of a feather flock together or is that monkey see, monkey do?

Paradise Park

Tessa looking for fresh cut flowers. Cheaper than the swap meet. Photo by Lilyn Avendano.

Paradise Park

Marilyn caught the bouquet of the bird of paradise that left 10 other individuals sorely disappointed.

Paradise Park

Everybody chose a slightly different exit point to get back to our cars.

Manoa

Some of the group went to wash their spikes and then plucked some low hanging avocados. We then all piled into our cars to make the long drive towards the West side, with the exception of Barry who returned home. Photo by Dale Yoshizu.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4NwzWXYEU1w

Video by Edgar Gamiao.

Keawa’ula Beach

We drove to the westernmost tip on the island for our next exploration. Photo by Art Young.

Heart Cave

Looking at the anatomically incorrect shape of the cave with the lava tubes pumping salt water in and out. Photo by Aida Gordon.

Heart Cave

I crawled into one of the inner caves to try and stick my head out into the big cave to get captured by the drone. No such luck. I would have ended up in the churning waters and battered by the barnacle encrusted rocks. I’m sure that would have been a source of amusement for the others, but not myself.

Heart Cave

Different … Photo by Lilyn Avendano.

Heart Cave

… perspectives … Photo by Lilyn Avendano.

Heart Cave

… of the pumping cave. Photo by Lilyn Avendano.

Heart Cave

Cat standing on the arch. Photo by Lilyn Avendano.

Heart Cave

Some of us climbed down into the outer caves. Photo by Ani Lagpacan.

Heart Cave

Edgar flashed us a shaka from the top where he was … Photo by Lilyn Avendano.

Heart Cave

… safe from the rushing waters that completely soaked the lower half of my body.

Heart Cave

Peering up towards the irregularly shaped hole. Photo by Lilyn Avendano.

Heart Cave

Looking out towards the ocean. Photo by Lilyn Avendano.

Heart Cave

When the photo shoot is interrupted by the incoming waves. Photo by Marilyn Bermudez.

Heart Cave

Can you see the heart for the people?

Pohaku Kula‘ila‘i

We parked in the sandy lot and walked past the gate to see the stone where locals and tourists alike jump off into the water. A smaller version of Waimea.

Makua Beach

Group photo at the spot where the TV show “Lost” built Jacob’s statue for one of their episodes “The Incident.”

Makua Beach

Checking out the cave, inside and outside.

Pray for Sets

Looking out towards the rock where the weathered words “Pray for Sex” can supposedly still be made out. Photo by Tessa Bugay.

Makua Beach

Is somebody going to help me get out? Thanks Dale! I mean, Donna.

Makua Beach

Dale, Donna and Quan basking in nature’s infinity tidepool before we left the beach, prayers unanswered.

Kea’au Beach

We bumped our way to the next beach park down the coastline. Photo by Aida Gordon.

Kea’au Beach

The product of erosion. Mother Nature’s work.

Kea’au Beach

High view.

Kea’au Beach

Low view.

Kea’au Beach

Goodbye view. Photo by Lilyn Avendano.

Kea’au Beach

When the big kid takes over the little kids water slide. We left the park to see turtles on a different street, but they were absent today, so we had a satisfying lunch at Coquito’s before heading to our last stop for the day.

Maili Beach

Is this the arch? No. It’s past the homeless camps, open pit toilets and stray dogs. Photo by Lilyn Avendano.

Maili Beach

When you reach a certain age, afternoon naps are crucial to doing any activity, strenuous or otherwise. Photo by Quan Haberstroh.

Maili Beach

Dale on top and Ani on bottom. The arch.

Maili Beach

As somebody pointed out, sequencing is everything.

Maili Beach

Marilyn warming up. Photo by Lilyn Avendano.

Maili Beach

Quan cooling off. Photo by Lilyn Avendano.

Maili Beach

Our last group photo for the day.

Maili Beach

We ended our day at Magnolia in Waipahu to all have some refreshing halo-halo’s. Many thanks to Dale, Edgar, Narissa and Quan for shuttling the group around the island and everybody for the fun times. Until the next adventure! Photo by Lilyn Avendano.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8A4m0PEvjA

Video by Edgar Gamiao of our hike.

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.