Met up with Aida, Allison, Ferlino, Jasmin, and Mari at the parking lot of McDonald’s to start our perimeter walk #9.

Kapolei

The combat medic saved the day for Mari’s shoes when he ran to Home Depot and gorilla glued her soles shut.

Maili

Mahalo to Chico for dropping our group off in the pebbly town that has the highest percentage of Native Hawaiians in Hawai’i.

Farrington Highway

Starting out on what was originally a walking route that connected people from Central and Ewa Beach to the West side. Repeating and walking in history.

Farrington Highway

Walking on the only artery that goes in and out of the Leeward coast and is considered one of the most dangerous stretches of roadway on the island for pedestrians due to its poor design. What are we doing again?

Mike’s Bake Shop

We stopped at this hole in the wall for some delicious morning pastries. This shop among two others was part of a violent robbery spree back in 2017 that all occurred within a 24 hour period.

Ulehawa Stream

The Hawaiian meaning of the stream is “filthy penis.” I guess that’s why its located in a stream, to wash it off.

Nanakuli Super

We stopped at the family owned and operated store since 1973, to browse and came out with candy canes filled with miniature bottles of fireball whisky. I bought one and somehow ended up carrying four.

Farrington Highway

Colorful artwork that covered the utility boxes on the sides of the road.

OR&L

Ferlino standing on the narrow gauge tracks whose trains and whistles have long been silenced.

Nanakuli

Spotted a honu (green sea turtle) bobbing in the rough waters.

Mermaid Cave

Ferlino dropping into Tunnels.

Nanakuli

Can you see the heart for the waves?

Nanakuli

The peeling paint makes it easier to see the heart.

Nanakuli

We followed the shoreline with the crashing waves on our way back out to the highway.

Nanakuli

When is a pillbox not a pillbox?

Nanakuli

Aida watching the surging water come in and out of the sandy cove.

OR&L

We continued our walk until a tree stopped us dead in our tracks.

OR&L

From 1889 until 1947, Oahu Railway & Land Company (OR&L) moved passengers and cargo from Iwilei to Kahuku on its 3 foot railway.

OR&L

First a tree and now a bicycle. Is somebody trying to derail our walk?

OR&L

We detoured and climbed out of the ditch to join back up to Dillingham’s legacy to Oahu’s transportation history.

OR&L

Where there’s a tree, you’ll find Ferlino on it.

OR&L

The girls crossing over a trestle with the Hawaiian Electric (HECO) power plant in the background.

Electric Beach

Group photo at the passive sign that now serves as a backdrop instead of regulating traffic back in the day.

Farrington Highway

We soon got off the tracks as it was leading us towards Ko Olina Resorts, which was formerly called Lanikuhonua (“where heaven meets earth”), and jumped back on the congested highway.

Farrington Highway

This Good Samaritan, a person that helps other people and especially strangers, stopped to ask if we needed assistance as she thought our car had broken down. Bless her heart.

Farrington Highway

Ferlino asked the owner of this rather imposing treehouse if we could climb it. Ask and you shall receive.

Tommy’s Treehouse

Some of us took the long way and others took the more direct approach.

Tommy’s Treehouse

The owner built this faux electric chair as he used to work at the nearby HECO powerplant.

Tommy’s Treehouse

The effort that went into building this treehouse took a period of three years and the attention to detail such as the “barnacles” on the tree limbs, crow’s nest, and the interior finishing’s all paid off for his kids and grandkids enjoyment. And obviously for curious passerby’s such as ourselves.

Tommy’s Treehouse

Leaving the highlight of the walk behind us.

Farrington Highway

Walking parallel against oncoming traffic.

Kalaeloa Blvd

Going down the home stretch where we successfully avoided the merging cars going onto the H1 highway to finish off our walk #9.

All pau

Post hike meal at the nearby Panda’s Express, home of authentic Chinese cuisine. Jasmin showed off her golf ball and thirty-one cents in loose change that she found on the walk. Still not enough to buy her even an eggroll.

GPS Tracks

Our walk covered 10.11 miles that was a mixture of railroad tracks, shoreline and paved roads. A fun day with good company.

Photos taken by Aida Gordon, Allison Banks, Ferlino Carinio, Jasmin Nepomuceno, Mari Saito, 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.

Today we gave our feet a rest and let the rubber meet the road. Met up with Chris, Glenn, Justin, Marvin and Thessa as we explored not so hidden and not so secret spots on the island. Photo by Marvin Chandra.

Hidden Bunkers

Looking at a shortcut up to the mountains. Photo by Justin Hirako.

Hidden Bunkers

Wandering in the woods. Thanks to Cisco and Dale for the info on these hidden bunkers.

Hidden Bunkers

The stairs going down to the dark, dank and deserted bunkers.

Hidden Bunkers

Marvin about to cross over the rubble landslide.

Hidden Bunkers

Skylight. Ventilation to release the trapped musty and foul odors.

Hidden Bunkers

I guess when you have to go, you have to go. I hope they at least wiped and washed their hands.

Hidden Bunkers

Father … Photo by Justin Hirako.

Hidden Bunkers

… and son. That time forgot. Photo by Chris Bautista.

Hidden Bunkers

It was time to leave the concrete corridors littered with spent paint cans, emptied beverage cans and discarded human detritus, inorganic and organic. Group photo by Justin Hirako.

Hidden Bunkers

Almost every square inch of exposed concrete was tagged.

Hidden Bunkers

One last group photo by Justin Hirako.

Hidden Stairs

Thanks to Khym for the info on these stairs.

Hidden Stairs

Playground for adults? Photo by Justin Hirako.

Hidden Stairs

Fake climbing leads to cuts and scrapes. No visit to the karst today. Photo by Justin Hirako.

Hidden Stairs

Real climbing leads to a fake cave. Photos by Marvin Chandra.

Hidden Stairs

Trying not to slip and slide down the chossy rocks. Some were more successful than others. Photo by Justin Hirako.

Hidden petroglyphs

Marvin walking into the light.

Hidden petroglyphs

Coastal erosion constantly at work. Never turn your back on the ocean. She’ll snatch you away in the blink of an eye.

Hidden petroglyphs

Thanks to Marvin for pointing out the non-existent petroglyphs. Photo by Justin Hirako.

Hidden petroglyphs

Rebuilt and retagged.

Manoa treehouse

Go away. No free spirits. Just hippies here. Take your yuppie drink with you as well.

Tantalus treehouse

All trails lead somewhere. Like a treehouse.

Tantalus treehouse

View of Diamond Head, the hardest hike on the island, bar none.

Tantalus treehouse

Creaking and popping. Wait, what is the weight limit? Photo by Justin Hirako.

Tantalus treehouse

Time to leave. Others were waiting to burden the tree with their weight as well.

Tantalus treehouse

I think the weight limit has been exceeded.

Tantalus treehouse

Not all roads lead one back down faster than the trails.

Heart Cave

Blowing kisses. Photo by Justin Hirako

Heart Cave

Who brings an umbrella to a hike. Excuse me, road trip. Marvin, that’s who. Photo by Thessa Bugay.

Pipe

Flushed to the light.

Pipe

Inside and outside. Photo by Justin Hirako.

Pipe

One last look before we enjoyed our post hike lunch meal at Tacos and More. No more unlimited salsa.

Tunnels

The mermaid caves were standing room only. So we found our own caves. Photo by Justin Hirako.

Lighthouse

Can we skip the entertainment and head straight to the food?

Lighthouse

Walking in the sand and being sprinkled by the rain.

Lighthouse

Steering hikers clear of obstacles since 1933. Photo by Justin Hirako.

Lighthouse

No sunset for us. We had to make do with the lights from the passing ships. Post hike dinner meal at Denny’s. No banana. No split. Great way to spend the day with good company.