Walk around Oahu (Waialua to Waimea)

A group of us walked on the holiday that was founded in 1910 by Sonora Smart Dodd to celebrate fatherhood and complement Mother’s Day. It took awhile for the holiday to gain traction with the public until President Nixon formally made it a national holiday in 1972.

Some did pushups to warm up at our meeting spot, while others checked out the latest fad from Nordic folklore through Hong Kong.

Thanks to Lilia and Jeremy for shuttling us to our starting point that started as Camp Kawaihapai in 1922, then Mokuleia Airstrip in 1941 and Dillingham Airfield in 1948 and full circle to Kawaihapai Airfield in 2001. But most locals still call it Dillingham Airfield. Old habits die hard.

Edgar met us on his e-bike to keep us partial company today.

Look, up in the sky! It’s a glider! It’s a plane! It’s skydivers!

The closest we will come to jumping out of a perfectly good airplane today.

Pedestrians have the same crossing rights as equestrians.

Chico taking a break from walking.

Entrance to Dillingham Ranch that was founded in 1897 and was sold to the Nolan family in 2023 for 36.5 million dollars.

Where there is no polo, there can be no marco.

I didn’t know they had a petting zoo around here.

The group checking out one of the fruit and vegetable stands on the road. What’s in your hand Akira-san?

Many of these older homes are considered historic and are granted tax exemptions and in return must grant the public viewing access that is not obstructed.

Exploring Crozier Beach that was accessed through a public corridor. There is a growing entitlement among migrant wealthy owners who seek to gentrify local areas by restricting public access to beaches which run contrary to State law that mandates all beaches are public. Money talks, locals walk.

We didn’t see any campers, just hikers.

Art imitating life.

Public dancing or stretching.

Looking for affordable beachfront housing. Barking up the wrong tree?

Edgar riding by the Pu’uiki Beach Park which is privately owned by Dole Food Company. Public beach access?

The bus stop served as our temporary resting spot where Jeremy joined us on his electric bike.

Public papaya pickers.

We got papayas, now all we need is a chicken.

You can keep the cash reward. Chicken papaya sounds pretty good right now.

We going that way. You go that way.

Did everybody smile?

Railings were a late addition to the bridge. Safety first.

Photo provided courtesy of Dale Yoshizu which I believe shows the last run of those giant cane hauler trucks across the Cane Haul Bridge on October 3, 1996, which marked the last day of the Waialua Sugar Mill, the last of its kind in the islands.

Looking back at the roughly 420′ bridge that crosses over the waters of Kaiaka Bay.

Group photo in front of what most people think of when you say grass shack. This particular one was sheltering a couple of canoes.

Walking from the road to the beach to the park.

Group photo in front of the rock known as Pohaku o Lana’i, the two rocks seemingly stacked and balanced on top of each other resembles a giant mushroom, legend has it that the rocks floated ashore from the mythical land of Kahiki.

Jeremy getting some air time as he leaves no carbon footprint. Until he charges his bike. Edgar packed his bike in the car and went home to celebrate his day.

Something is out of place on the Bill and Peggy Paty monument, can you spot it?

We stopped at the Waialua Fire Station to get our blood pressure checked, saw an old co-worker and just to take photos.

Group photo in front of the 93-year old fire station that sits in a flood and tsunami zone. Five acres of land was purchased from Dole in 2020 to build a new fire station but then they found out that it also sits in a tsunami zone. You can’t make this stuff up.

Checking out the shuttered Chun’s Store and Market that was a fixture in the Haleiwa community since 1946.

Partial group photo in front of Kealii O Malu Church that was built in 1939, services are held every Sunday at 10am.

The rest of the group was more interested in picking calamansi from the nearby tree than praying.

I don’t know if Dale wanted to take his photo with the pretty wahine or the vintage VW bus.

Passing Haleiwa Boat Harbor that was built in 1966 at the mouth of the Anahulu River.

Mari plucking a penny off the pavement in front of 7-11 where we had stopped to refresh ourselves. Find a penny, pick it up, and all day long you’ll have good luck.

Watching people climb and jump off the Rainbow Bridge constructed in 1921 and paddlers going up Anahulu River that once teemed with edible marine life, but now is polluted ever since Haleiwa Harbor was built in 1966.

The original wooden bridge built in the early 1900s that served to facilitate mostly horse drawn carriage traffic into town until a tractor in 1915 destroyed the bridge.

Group photo in front of the current Anahulu Bridge.

Entering Haleiwa town, that was founded by Benjamin Dillingham in 1898. Jeremy directing traffic or giving directions as some of us stopped to grab some fruity ice cream. Quite a treat for our taste buds.

Aspiring and fallen angels.

Passing Haleiwa Beach Park and admiring the crimson flower trees bordering the park that was constructed in 1939.

Group photo at the sign that had its genesis in 1996, graffiti and vandals soon rendered the sign a shadow of its former self in 2005, as perpetrators had sawed off the surfer and only left the feet on the surfboard. Japanese surfboard shaper, Tatsuro Ota volunteered on his own to repair and rebuild the male surfer. However, in 2006, the original artist who made the signs, Carole Beller, took down Ota’s replacement and replaced it with the current female surfer you see in the photo. Copyright protection.

Chico helping direct traffic so HPD can get to where they are going. The civic duty is strong in this one.

Take a wild guess as to who lives here.

No turtles. Only beachgoers. Nothing to see here. Move along.

Approaching the side street where our cars were parked.

Our Father’s Day walk covered 11.9 miles with good company and fun times. Aida went to eat in solitude on the North Shore. The rest of us tried Waiahole Poi Factory and discovered it was closed so we decided on Saito and Pho to have our post hike meal.

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

Video by Edgar Gamiao of our walk #9.

Photos taken by Aida Gordon, Akira Suzuki, Alexis Catarina, Chico Cantu, Dale Yoshizu, Edgar Gamiao, Jeremy Cannone, 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.

Tagged as: cane haul road, dillingham airfield, dillingham ranch, dole, haleiwa, kaiaka bay beach park, kealiiomalu church, pohaku o lanai, puuiki beach park, rainbow bridge, waialua beach road