Our sandbar sailing got cancelled due to mechanical and physical breakdowns and so we pulled a magic trick. We turned a two hour hike into a full day. How? Read on impatient ones.

Ka’a’awa

We all met up despite the annoying church slut saying it was raining and perhaps a waterfall hike was in order. What rain? 100000000000%!

Ka’a’awa

Left the highway and scrambled up a trail less traveled. No signs.

Ka’a’awa

Mere minutes later, we arrived at the first bunker that was currently being occupied. No open bunker today?

Ka’a’awa

Can you see the lion for the bunker? Let me hear your primal roar! Keep it quiet up there, people are trying to sleep!

Ka’a’awa

Sunday Showing was canceled, so we popped over to the next bunker.

Ka’a’awa

The second bunker was open for showing that showcased ocean views and cross ventilation. This was the affordable section of town.

Ka’a’awa

The view from the rock, can you see the group for the distance?

Ka’a’awa

Follow the arrow if you can see it for the group.

Ka’a’awa

View from the studio sized bunker.

Ka’a’awa

Go back out there and catch the rainbow. Be quick about it.

Ka’a’awa

I couldn’t even taste the Skittles. Let alone that the bag of sugared candy are missing blue and violet colors, so it would have been an incomplete taste test as nonsensical arguments goes.

Ka’a’awa

Leaving the man-made structure for natural rock formations.

Ka’a’awa

The hard part was over per Allison. Easy peasy lemon squeezy. Whew.

Ka’a’awa

Looking down at Huilua Fishpond located in Kahana Bay, believed by some to have been built by the legendary menehunes.

Ka’a’awa

Short climb to the top of the ridge.

Ka’a’awa

Akira should be DJing instead of dancing.

Ka’a’awa

We got the mountain views.

Ka’a’awa

Tessa perched high on the rock with her ocean views.

Ka’a’awa

Cristy with her coastal views.

Ka’a’awa

Group photo on the overlook rock. How many people can perch on this spit of a rock, safely?

Ka’a’awa

Aida wanted to show off her dance moves too.

Ka’a’awa

Making our way down to the saddle.

Ka’a’awa

Hugging the cliffs as we made our way to the crouching lion rock formation. Hawaiian legend has it that the formation is actually of the demigod Kauhi’?makaokalani, or large dog that was sent from Tahiti to guard the area. He was trapped by roots and turned into stone when trying to escape the goddess Hiiaka’s siren song.

Ka’a’awa

“What we have here is failure to communicate.” I thought Allison meant we were doing the loop trail to Kahekili, she meant the loop trail back down. Oh well, let’s take a group photo before going up towards the rock formation.

Ka’a’awa

Scrambling up the rear of the “lion.” Or shall we call it a dog now?

Ka’a’awa

The girls were not going any higher.

Ka’a’awa

We coaxed and cajoled Kenny into joining us for the views to no avail. The acrophobia is still strong with this one. Work in progress.

Ka’a’awa

Standing on the head of the “lion.”

Ka’a’awa

Akira climbing down the direct descent. No contouring.

Ka’a’awa

Step back from the edge.

Ka’a’awa

Look who’s talking.

Ka’a’awa

360 views of the four of us shoved into this faint resemblance of a cave.

Ka’a’awa

Leaving the eroded section for greener pastures.

Ka’a’awa

Allison walking down the “runway.”

Ka’a’awa

Fond farewell to the “large dog” or “crouching lion”, however historically accurate or not you want to be.

Ka’a’awa

Somebody was making the most of their anniversary gifted IPhone 17 Max. Tessa’s birthday is coming up.

Ka’a’awa

Descending back down to civilization.

Ka’a’awa

Over and under going down the trail.

Ka’a’awa

Back on the road again.

Ka’a’awa

Talks of further explorations and lunch were abruptly cut short when somebody locked their keys in the trunk. Don’t blame the duck either. Googling and YouTubing didn’t help matters much either. Let’s eat. Better to think on a full than empty stomach.

The Crouching Lion

What better place to eat than at a restaurant named after our hike? ‘Nuff said.

The Crouching Lion

Sampling the culinary creations of the restaurant that just reopened last year after a decade of being shuttered. The dishes were small, pricey and tasty. We also had the freshest rice we ever had in our life per our waiter. Say what? We are in Hawaii right? Just had to check.

The Crouching Lion

Raise your hands if you have the keys to your car. Tessa, put your hand down! Our bellies full, Akira and I drove to Pearl City to Kalihi and back to Ka’a’awa to get his spare key. Road trip. The rest of the group would go look for that plane wreckage that Allison had told us about.

Ka’a’awa

The group spent over an hour trying to find the plane wreckage. They had a lot of time on their hands.

Ka’a’awa

Success!

Ka’a’awa

Exploring the wrecked fuselage.

Ka’a’awa

Posing in front of the plane that turned out to be a former movie prop, likely a Bristol Britannia from the 1950s.

Ka’a’awa

Everybody wants to be a pilot until the crash.

Ka’a’awa

Reunited!

All pau

Walking back to our cars, keys in hand, our day was finally over. That is how we turned a two-hour hike into a full day filled with fun, food, and good company that turned a bad situation into a good one. Now you know the rest of the story.

Photos taken by Aida Gordon, Akira Suzuki, Allison Banks, Cristy CM, 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.

Met up with Chico, Jen, Laredo, Lilyn, Mari, Quan, Tessa, and William for our third leg of the perimeter walk today.

Waiahole Poi Factory

We took our group photo that we missed from the last walk after Chico and Lilia staged the truck at Kualoa Beach Park.

Kamehameha Highway

It was too early to get a treat of Sweet Lady of Waiahole, so we pushed off on our walk.

Kamehameha Highway

What’s that? I forgot something? My medication?

Kamehameha Highway

Tessa rubbing elbows with the legend.

Kamehameha Highway

Somebody’s on the wrong side of the bridge.

Waikane Store

Pop Quiz: What is Chico doing?
A) Panhandling from a passing car
B) Looking for free samples
C) Getting his truck keys

Kamehameha Highway

We saw these and other signs that loudly proclaimed “The People United Will Never Be Defeated” and “No Development Keep the Country Country” and “New City…What A Pity! No Development.” The problem dates back to the 1880s when Lincoln McCandles and brothers arrived in the islands and began drilling artesian wells to feed the sugar industry and in the process amassed considerable land holdings. Fast forward to 1974, when his daughter attempted to to urbanize 1,337 acres in Waiahole and Waikane Valleys with local developer, Joe Pao who promised affordable housing with his “New City” development. Sounds familiar? Massive protests erupted and was temporarily simmered when the State purchased 795 acres in Waiahole Valley to manage the land. Fast forward to 1987, when the Housing Finance and Development Corporation was created to promote affordable housing, the predecessor to today’s Hawaii Housing Finance & Development Corporation. The HHFDC claims they are running a deficit managing the water resources and below market rents for the approximately 100 valley residents and must raise rents to stay solvent. Both sides have retained lawyers and are slugging it out in court. Who will win? Most certainly, the side with deep and corrupt pockets will prevail against the residents.

Kualoa Ranch

Entering the cattle ranch and tourist attraction that sits on over 4,000 acres. This valley was considered sacred to ancient Hawaiians and was purchased by Dr. Judd from King Kamehameha III for the sum of $1,300 in 1850. That would be $50,560 in today’s money.

Kamehameha Highway

Passing through the often seen Coral Kingdom Shop & Restaurant but never visited.

Kamehameha Highway

When the traffic mirror doubles as the selfie mirror.

Kamehameha Highway

The public picking of parya (bittermelon) leaves.

Kualoa Ranch

Looking for the private tour.

Kualoa Ranch

Group photo in front of the 50′ artistic representation of Manaiakalani, Maui’s fish hook that was used to capture the sun.

Mokoli’i

Looking out towards the basaltic islet in Kaneohe Bay that was once owned by the Judd-Morgan family until the City & County of Honolulu purchased it back in the 1970s.

Chinaman’s Hat

Group photo in front of the conical shaped island. Advocates are pushing to erase the name of Chinaman’s Hat as it’s not culturally correct and politically offensive to some. But for most locals, it will always be called that.

Kualoa Sugar Mill

Wandering through the ruins of the first sugar mill built in the islands during 1863-1865. Due to lack of rainfall, the mill ceased operations in 1871 and was left exposed to the elements where it sits today.

Kamehameha Highway

Leaving the prominent Kualoa ridge behind us. I wonder if anybody has ever climbed that mountain?

Kamehameha Highway

The fish were biting today.

Kamehameha Highway

Bunker exploration. Where’s Scotty?

Kamehameha Highway

The color of death.

Kamehameha Highway

When there’s no sidewalk, one has to walk on the bridge.

Kamehameha Highway

Roadside summer snacks. Lychee was introduced to Hawaii in 1873 when Ching Chock brought the evergreen tree from China and planted it on the Afong property on the corner of Nu’uanu and School Streets.

Kamehameha Highway

Chico got his own summer snack. Free shave ice!

Ka’a’awa 7-Eleven

Motorists yielding to pedestrians. Refreshments at the convenience store that was originally named Tote’m Stores and later changed to reflect the operating hours. Time to change again?

Kamehameha Highway

No touch the girl or the golf cart?

Crouching Lion Inn

Trying to see the resemblance of the rock formation above the shuttered eatery. Originally built as the Larsen residence in 1927, it was converted to a restaurant in 1952 and closed in 2008 due to cesspool violations.

Crouching Lion Hike

Where is the trailhead?

Kamehameha Highway

Clucking like a chicken.

Kamehameha Highway

Bridge crossing.

Kahana State Park

I still haven’t found a working pay phone yet.

Kamehameha Highway

Words to live by.

Kamehameha Highway

View of Kahana Bay.

Kamehameha Highway

Swinger.

Kamehameha Highway

Walking on the road next to traffic. The Handi-vans were especially too close for comfort. I think they were looking for future customers.

Punalu’u

Group photo at the beach park. The town name means “coral dived for” or “spring dived for.”

Punalu’u

We may have walked on the wrong side of the bridges, but never jumped from them.

Punalu’u

End of the road for us. Food outside.

Punalu’u

Drinks inside. Pay inside too.

Punalu’u

Eating on the beach. Laredo preferred to sun on the beach.

Punalu’u

Quan trying to burn off her caloric intake.

Route 60

Everybody have exact change? Three dollars.

Route 60

Time to get off the bus and give the riders some relief.

Kualoa Beach Park

Happy Birthday Mari!

Kualoa Beach Park

Pinay Hat.

McDonald’s Temple Valley

Thanks Chico for the soft serve ice cream cones!

Chico’s Bar

One shot for the road.

GPS Tracks

Our fun walk covered 10.4 miles through the Windward coastline.

Photos taken by Chico Cantu, Jen Odence, Lilyn Avendano, Mari Saito, Quan Haberstroh, 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.