Welcome to another edition of another hike being aborted by bad weather.
Manoa Valley
The group met up in the parking lot only to be met by rain showers and forecast called for persistent rain throughout the day. Falling back to seven waterfalls. Oh joy!
Manoa Valley
Are we going the scenic or direct way? We are not here to dawdle.
Manoa Valley
Ferlino was in the market to trade in his Tacoma.
Manoa Valley
Kenny reaching out to a clump of golden or painted bamboo grass.
Queen’s Bath
No dipping in the plunge pool today.
Queen’s Bath
Cristy making her way through the banyan trees and overhead water pipe.
Wa’aloa Falls
Why contour, when you can climb?
Wa’aloa Falls
Ferlino and Akira had the same idea.
Manoa Valley
We climbed and contoured to the top of the first falls and passed an abandoned shack that doubled as a phone booth.
Manoa Valley
Ferlino taking one of many selfies, more than you can shake a waterfall at.
Manoa Valley
The group spawning up the stream.
Waikeakua Falls
Approaching the lower tier of the falls.
Waikeakua Falls
Somebody wanted to get all wet on the climb.
Waikeakua Falls
Nobody wanted to get wet on the second tier of the falls, so we made the climb to the upper tier of the falls.
Waikeakua Falls
The falls name means water of the gods. Hawaiian legend has it that two gods struck the rocks with their staff and created the spring that feds the waterfalls. Hawaiian chiefs of the past used to send their men to gather water at night for their sacred properties. Now we have Hawaii Volcanic Water bottled at the stores.
Waikeakua Falls
Group photo at the base.
Waikeakua Falls
Making our way back down the falls. Nobody wanted to take the water slide down. Why do it for free, when you can pay $34.99 at Wet’n’Wild?
Manoa Valley
No time to eat pork adobo, we got places to go, waterfalls to see.
Manoa Valley
Is this 1/7 or 7/7 of bridges? Who’s counting.
Manoa Valley
The left is for bathroom breaks and the right is for hiking.
Manoa Valley
Making our way through the bamboo forest, the fast growing woody grass was introduced to the islands in the early 18th century by European and Asian explorers and immigrants.
Manoa Valley
Cristy and Ferlino performing the national dance of the Philippines.
Naniuapo Falls
Approaching our third waterfall of the day.
Naniuapo Falls
Some of us climbed the sturdy dead tree propped against the cliff, while others chose to remain in the spectator seats.
Naniuapo Falls
The Hawaiian name translates to “that beautiful night,” and the area was once home to Japanese plantation homes and its former occupants supposedly haunt the area.
Naniuapo Falls
Waterfall point of view.
Manoa Valley
Crawling our way through the twisted and low hanging branches after we forded Naniuapo Stream.
Luaalaea Falls
Arriving at our fourth and it turns out, the final waterfall for the day as somebody was showing their age playing in the stream.
Luaalaea Falls
Group photo at the falls whose name means “red earth pit.”
Luaalaea Falls
Chandra, Ferlino and the bad back girl went to explore a smaller waterfall adjacent to the main falls.
Manoa Valley
Time to make like a stream and split.
Manoa Valley
Just follow the finger.
Manoa Valley
Stuck in the mud or stick in the mud?
Manoa Valley
Ferlino the Flyin’ Filipino, not to be confused with Shane Victorino, the Flyin’ Hawaiian.
Manoa Valley
Contrasting color.
Paradise Park
We soon stumbled upon abandoned structures straight out of Lost. Turns out these dilapidated and decaying buildings, cages and walkways were part of a 76 acre site that opened in 1968 and closed down in 1994. Probably the most famous person that lived in one of the structures from 1997- 1999, was Peter Hernandez otherwise known as Bruno Mars. The original owners, the Wong family, still hopes to re-open the park in some form or fashion but are being stifled by community opposition and conservation restrictions.
Paradise Park
Crimson lobster claw or heliconia plant native to Central and South America.
Paradise Park
Wandering in the former Kamehameha Amphitheater where trained birds used to entertain audiences. We only had each other to entertain ourselves.
Paradise Park
Entering the former Aloha Aviary, hoping to see some exotic birds still flying around.
Paradise Park
What we found instead were flightless hoomans crawling inside the cage. Time to fly the coop.
GPS Tracks
Our rainy day hike covered a little over six miles with fun company and revisited scenery. Post hike meal at Red Pepper Korean BBQ, the preferred choice of people with bad backs.
Photos/Crew taken by Akira Suzuki, Alexis Catarina, Chandra Robison, Cristy Meador, Ferlino Carinio, Kenny Lui, Susan and David Katz, 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.
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