We used public transportation and our own two feet to get around today.

Kualoa

Boarding TheBus that had its genesis back in the formation of HRT in 1898 which gradually evolved into the MTL under Mayor Fasi in 1970 and the current OTS in 1992.

Kamehameha Highway

Getting our road legs back after an almost hour long bus ride.

Waimea Beach

We going down there?

Waimea Beach

Group photo overlooking Waimea Bay, where the British ships Resolution and Discovery anchored in 1779 after Captain Cook was killed on the Big Island just two weeks prior. This was the first contact with Europeans on the island of Oahu.

Waimea Beach

Teamwork gets everybody safely down to the beach.

Waimea Beach

Whac-a-Chris.

Waimea Beach

Shoes on? Shoes off?

Waimea Beach

Walking the beach that is home to big wave surfing in winter, but now is home to swimmers and beach goers.

Waimea Beach

Jumping off “The Rock” is considered a rite of passage for local kids and kids at heart.

Waimea Beach

No jumping for Mari, getting her feet wet was good enough.

Waimea Beach

Dale and Chris decided to climb off the beach to stay high and dry.

Waimea Beach

Fording the “reddish waters” to get to the other sandy side.

Kamehameha Highway

Chris skateboarding on the bypass bridge.

Kamehameha Highway

Dale spotted an endangered Hawaiian waterbird known as ‘alae ke’oke’o floating in the Waimea River.

Waimea Beach

Wiping off the granular materials that come from decomposed rocks, organic by-products and parrotfish poop.

Kamehameha Highway

Dale and Chris with the Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church in the background that was built in 1953 on the remains of an old quarry.

Kamehameha Highway

Star Wars? Stop Wars? I thought Trump stopped all the wars?

Three Tables

Looking out at the flat sections of reef popular with divers and snorkelers.

Kamehameha Highway

We detoured to the supermarket chain founded by Maurice Sullivan and the Lau family in 1948 for snacks and refreshments.

Shark’s Cove

Looking out past the “bonsai trees” and Dale towards the popular snorkeling and diving spot.

Pupukea Beach

Dale took us on an exploratory detour.

Pupukea Beach

The Blue Cave or Blue Room, which leads into numerous sea caves that dot the coastline.

Pupukea Beach

Partial group photo looking out.

Pupukea Beach

Kikaida sighting in the tide pools.

Kamehameha Highway

A truer statement has never been made. Especially for the person pictured.

Kamehameha Highway

One of many swings we would encounter today.

Kamehameha Highway

Walking on the bike path which kept us safe from highway traffic.

Kamehameha Highway

Find a swing your own size!

Kamehameha Highway

Following the tree covered path that will safely take us all the way to Sunset Beach.

Kamehameha Highway

Just the guys checking out the treehouse.

Kamehameha Highway

Share the road.
Suitchi On! Wan! Tsu! Suri!
Saidomashin de Yattekuru
Jiro chenji Kikaida
If you grew up in Hawaii, you would know what I’m talking about.

Kamehameha Highway

Can’t out smile the sun. Need to use Crest 3d Whitestrips.

Kamehameha Highway

Akira and Kenny doing their part. Who’s that guy behind the sign?

Kamehameha Highway

In the flesh.

Kamehameha Highway

Trying to avoid a mid-air collision.

Kamehameha Highway

Does that apply to robots as well?

Kamehameha Highway

Mari and Dale petting a friendly dog. Domestication of dogs predates agriculture, between 20-40,000 years ago.

Kamehameha Highway

Need a bag?

Kamehameha Highway

Who is Chas? Where is Chas?

Kamehameha Highway

Everyone has their own path. We will all get to the same destination.

Sunset Beach

Brief stop at the two mile stretch of sandy beach that was called Paumalau by the Hawaiians.

Kamehameha Highway

Is this a private road?

Kamehameha Highway

One of the few times that a chair is around when you need one.

Kamehameha Highway

Ramp fails.

Kamehameha Highway

We are in the red zone. Flee to higher ground.

Kamehameha Highway

Just need chicken and green papaya now.

Ted’s Bakery

We had lunch at the local eatery that is a long time North Shore fixture. It was originally called Sunset Beach Store that opened in 1956 and later became what it is today when the son opened up a bakery and started selling pies and plate lunches in 1987.

Kamehameha Highway

End of the line. Back on the highway.

Kamehameha Highway

Mari sampling the carissa berries that populated this stretch of the road.

Kamehameha Highway

Which ones will make the cut for USDA Prime?

Kamehameha Highway

Exploring the abandoned buildings that used to be part of the Waialee Home for Wayward Boys.

Sheepside

Checking out the skatepark that skaters, Tippy and friends built in 2016.

Kamehameha Highway

What hotels? We must be walking in the wrong direction.

Kamehameha Highway

Stopping at Kuilima Farms to grab snacks and refreshment and shade from the sweltering sun.

Kamehameha Highway

Just missing the rubber papayas.

Kamehameha Highway

Passing one of two hotels on the coastline, Turtle Bay is probably the largest employer on this side of the island.

All pau

Enjoying the air conditioned ride back to our cars.

GPS Tracks

Our 10th perimeter walk covered 8.88 miles with fun company. No post hike meal as it was getting late and we ate enough on the walk to fill our tummies.

Photos taken by Akira Suzuki, Chico Cantu, Chris Bautista, Dale Yoshizu, Kenny Lui, Mari Saito, Marilyn Bermudez, 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.

We spent Kamehameha Day doing our perimeter walk #5 around the island.

Kualoa Park

Early hiker gets the sunrise view.

Kualoa Park

Aida, Mari, Tess and myself boarded the bus as the others failed to wake up or became ill.

Kahuku

We got off the bus, checked out some wood carvings and pushed off on our walk.

Kahuku

Passing by shrubs of naupaka with their distinctive lower half flowers. The other upper half flowers live in the mountains. Hawaiian folklore spins it as lovers separated by a jealous god.

Kahuku

The golf ball originally started out as a wooden ball, then leather balls filled with cows’ hair, then leather pouches filled with chicken or goose feathers, then balls made from dried sap from the Malaysian sapodilla tree, then rubber thread wound into a ball covered by sap from the balata tree, and finally the modern golf ball we know today which is made from polymer blends.

Turtle Bay Golf

Good morning from the Rank Amateurs. What a day this is going to be. The early start with the unknown, straight off the streets, the skies are a canvas of colors, the air is thick with anticipation. The putt for birdie.

Turtle Bay Golf

He made the shot with his hybrid shaft topped with a MAX 360 head. The crowd of two was nonplussed at the display of low level athletic ability. He flashed the shaka, which supposedly has its origins with a Kahuku Sugar Mill worker who lost his three middle fingers and would wave his disfigured hand at kids who soon imitated him.

Turtle Bay Golf

Got my first yellow shirt. I’m going to Disneyland!

Turtle Bay Resort

Standing in front of the sprawling resort that covers 858 acres and was built in 1972 with the intentions of becoming the state’s first legal casino. Needless to say, that didn’t happen as the illegal game rooms continue to flourish in its absence.

Kahuku

Stopped at a fruit and vegetable stand to gawk at the sky high prices and Aida settled on a bag of cut pineapple slices. Where’s the pizza?

Kahuku

Dry run. Flat elevation. Daytime. Easy peasy.

Kahuku

Do they have a walking hiker ranch as well?

Kawela Bay

Looking out towards the offshore islet, Kukaimanini. The place was certainly living up to its name, the heat.

Kahuku

No wonder business is not booming.

Pupukea

Standing in front of what used to be called the Sheepside Skatepark that was in use from 2016-2022. I believe these abandoned buildings were part of the other ruins …

Pupukea

… across the highway. The buildings were part of the Waialee Home for Wayward Boys that was operated by the Hawaii Board of Education from 1906-1947. The mauka buildings were later purchased in 1954 and became the Crawford Convalescent Home, which is supposedly still in operation. The makai buildings were left to rot and return back to Mother Nature.

Kahuku Motocross Track

I didn’t know they added a trail for mopeds.

Pupukea

Passing through a little red pocket in a deeply saturated blue state.

Ted’s Bakery

We had to make a quick stop at this iconic North Shore eatery that has been in business since 1987.

Sunset Beach

Group photo at the two mile beach known as Paumalu in Hawaiian.

Pupukea

Some swung better than others.

Pupukea

Share the path, or they’ll just run you over.

Banzai Pipeline

I’m glad I’m not the only illiterate person on the beach, home to big wave surfing in the winter.

Rock Piles

Passing through another famous surf break.

Pupukea

The girls got their swings, I got my banyan tree.

Pupukea

If the slippah doesn’t fit, you must acquit.

Pupukea

Swinging the day away.

Shark’s Cove

Looking out at the lava beach that is popular with snorkelers and scuba divers due to the myriad of caves and tunnels underneath the water.

Pupukea Beach Park

Taking a bathroom break along with the scuba divers.

Pupukea

Stopping at the oldest and largest supermarket chain in the islands for some cold refreshments.

Three Tables

Looking out at low tide with the exposed flat reef which gives the place its name, is another popular spot with snorkelers and swimmers due to the underwater lava tubes and marine life.

Waimea Bay

The birthplace of big wave surfing. The winter waves were first ridden here in 1957 and the rest is history. During summertime, the waters are calm and clear.

Pupukea

Watching Waimea River drain into Waimea Bay.

Waimea Valley

Across the street was once the valley of the priests that has has since been turned into a tourist attraction showcasing the botanical garden, waterfalls and pool.

Waimea Bay

Watching the swimmers jumping off table rock to make a splash. It’s hard to believe, but a 1928 photo showed the same rock surrounded by sand. Beach erosion is real.

Waimea Bay

Looking back into the bay that was the site of Oahu’s first recorded contact with Europeans back in 1779, after British ships stopped here to get fresh water after the Big Island battle that resulted in Captain Cook’s death.

All pau

Taking a group shoefie while we waited for our bus ride.

GPS Tracks

Our hot as heck hike covered 10.3 miles that was filled with interesting pit stops and with a fun group.

Photos taken by Aida Gordon, 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.

I decided to connect the dots with a trail that I haven’t done yet. Met up with Analyn and Janell on the North Shore for another HTMC hike. Making use of my hiking membership, since I’m letting my gym membership go to waste.

Trailhead

Met up with the HTMC group, where we saw familiar faces in Art, Christine and Dale at Sunset Beach Elementary School parking lot where we then carpooled to the end of Pupukea Road to begin our hike.

Paalaa Uka Pupukea Road

Leaving the trail and hitting the road.

Kaunala Trail

Leaving the road and hitting the trail.

Kaunala Trail

Following in the footsteps of the HTMC trail clearers from the week before.

Kaunala Trail

Our forward momentum was momentarily stalled as some confusion existed as to where to turn off from the main trail. Where are the people that know the path? Oh, all the way in the back of the group.

Trail

Making our way through a patch of mixed forest.

Trail

Passing through the cleared trail topped by power lines.

Trail

Looking out towards the military installations that populate central Oahu.

Trail

Yielding to bikers on the path.

Beer goggles

Yeah, everybody is starting to look pretty good in this heat and humidity.

Lilikoi Junction

Arriving at the picnic bench area and the seeming nexus of the well maintained bike trail system that exists back here.

Lilikoi Junction

Signs pointing everywhere and nowhere.

Just need the Queen

Isn’t this stating the obvious, or am I just that oblivious? Photo by Janell Tuttle.

Trail

The rest of the club continued down the trail to the bunkers, while Dale took us on the higher road to see a giant swing.

Spare

One of many spares hanging on the trees.

Ellbo junction

Analyn using some grease to move the trees as we headed the wrong way.

Trail

Headed back to the right way.

Bowling

Props to the biking community that keeps these trails maintained and their creative expressions.

Swingers

Some of us had fun on a giant unstable swing.

Roost

Others had their fun climbing or soaring higher than a metallic bird.

Bowling

We soon had our fill of climbing and swinging and made our way back to catch up with the group.

Opener

Now all that was missing were the wine bottles. Red or white?

Trail

Switch backing our way up as we trudged through the thick carpet of pine needles.

Trail maintenance

Raking the pine needles from one side of the trail to the other side. Just trying to make a difference. Irrelevant difference, but a difference nonetheless.

Splish Splash

There’s nothing like soaking in a hot tub after a long hike. And this is nothing like that. Photo by Christine Galiza.

Sunset Beach

We soon met up with other dog walkers, hikers and bikers on the trail as we neared the sandy beaches of Paumalu.

Chief’s arrival

Passing another creative sign marker and other bikers sharing the trail.

Running out

Left, right, straight or back. So many choices. Not enough time.

Trail

Pushing up the final hill where we soon arrived …

Top Bunker

… at the three storied WW2 bunker with commanding views of the North Shore coastline.

Personal Bunker

Finding my own personal space to enjoy my carbonated bliss. Photo by Dale Yoshizu

Bottom Bunker

Drone view from the lower bunker. Hey, where did everybody else go? And why didn’t I point the drone towards the ocean view?

Chill

It seems the picnic bench undergoes many paint changes. Just like the seasons.

All pau

Our mountain meandering covered a little over 6.2 miles with a fun group, thanks to Quintin for leading the hike. Post hike meal at Ted’s bakery. The wait was insufferably long and I almost forgot to grab my slice of chocolate haupia pie. GYOD. Where’s the petting pig?

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.

Holidays are nice. No work. No school. For most people. Lucky us. Mari and I made the long drive out to the North Shore to do an easy hike.

Trailhead

The trailhead was not marked but we easily located it to the left of the gate that separated the parking lots of Sunset Beach Elementary School and Sunset Beach Neighborhood Park.

Nice open trail

Mari walking on the trail that started off fairly wide and level.

Tree climbing?

Banyan trees make wonderful climbing gyms. Not today.

Uphill

We soon gained elevation quickly as the muddy trail became steeper. Rope was strung out between the trees to help from falling on your butt and to help pull you upward. Take your pick or none at all.

Bat cave

A shallow cave partially covered in cascading banyan tree roots greeted us at the top.

Choose wisely

The trail eventually forked. We took the left trail. Gone are the candy cane ribbons that other hikers have mentioned. Christmas has left the hills. I explored a little of the right trail which I believe is part of the six mile Kaunala-Ehukai trail that makes its way to Pupukea. Another hike for another day.

Ocean view

The trail eventually opened to ocean views on our left. There seemed to be multiple trails that branched out from the main trail.

Dew drop

Dew drops hung from pine needles as we made our way along the trail.

WW2 Bunker

The trail eventually led to the first military bunker, that had a “bench” on top. Trivia fact: Bunker comes from the Scots word for bench.

Green things in the way

Surfers were absent from Pipeline, Ehukai and Gas Chambers, surf spots that can be somewhat seen from the top of the pillbox.

Exploring

Half expected to find homeless living inside the bunker. Pleasantly surprised to have only found brightly colored graffiti splashed on the inside walls and beach views.

Down we go

Took the trail to the left of the bunker as we made our way down the ridge looking for better views.

Heed the sign

We didn’t see the “keep out” sign when we first made our way down.

Tetanus shots up to date?

That would explain the barbed wire fence. But why is the opening wide enough that a truck could drive through? Okay, maybe a SMART car.

Peace bunker?

We traded elevation loss for open views when we came across this smaller bunker.

Rock stop

Only the skinny may enter.

Exploring bunker #2

Same interior decorator(s)?

Waianae Mountains

Good morning!

GPS Tracks

The 1.84 mile hike was a sweet and short trail on the North Shore that quickly gives up her two military bunkers from WW2 and ocean views of popular surfing spots.