It was that time of year that we all gathered again to celebrate Mr. Lawrence Murray’s another year around the sun or is that rainbow?

Keaiwa Heiau State Recreation Area

Shout out to Aileen, Menchie, Mona and Sandra for arriving early to secure our spot and for decorating the picnic shelter.

Keaiwa Heiau State Recreation Area

The girls testing out the party blowers.

Keaiwa Heiau State Recreation Area

All those years working at Napoleon’s Bakery finally paid off.

Keaiwa Heiau State Recreation Area

The man of the hour, none other than Larambo or Rainbow Man arriving to his party.

Keaiwa Heiau State Recreation Area

Meet and greet.

Keaiwa Heiau State Recreation Area

Group photo by gender – she/her/hers.

Keaiwa Heiau State Recreation Area

Group photo by gender – he/him/his.

Keaiwa Heiau State Recreation Area

Group photo by mixed gender – they/them/theirs. Do PB&J identify as nonbinary?

Keaiwa Heiau State Recreation Area

Matt blessed our bounty of food and company.

Keaiwa Heiau State Recreation Area

We all enjoyed the grilled chicken (Andrew), Pork Adobo (Ferlino), Garlic Eggplant with Tofu (Christine/Scott), Dumplings (Sandra), Deviled Eggs (Allison), Poke (Maria/Mona), Pork Hash (Edgar), Pancit (Chris), Lumpia (Dale), Potato Salad (Leslie), Rice (Mona), cake and brownies (Mari), cold drinks (Chico/Allison) and paper products (Susan). Kanak attack. Who’s hiking after this?

Keaiwa Heiau State Recreation Area

Eating food and talking story.

Keaiwa Heiau State Recreation Area

A Cinderalla Story. If the Shoe Fits. Role reversal.

Keaiwa Heiau State Recreation Area

Birthday dance for the birthday boy with his birthday cake. Happy 80th birthday! Glad we got numbers instead of individual candles.

Keaiwa Heiau State Recreation Area

We took turns swinging at the rainbow pinata stuffed with bite sized candy with varying degrees of accuracy hampered by disorientation and temporary blindness. Thanks to Aileen for setting it up. The modern day pinata evolved from a blend of religious customs and pagan beliefs to the party favor that it is today.

Aiea Loop Trail

A bunch of us split from the food group to set foot on the hiking trail established in the 1970s from land that originally was home to the OR&L Aiea Loop Railway that ran from 1898 to 1947.

Kalauao Loop Trail

Branching off from the loop trail as we made our way through thick stands of invasive strawberry guava trees whose dropped fruits invaded the air with its sweet and fruity smell.

Kalauao Loop Trail

Over and under.

Kalauao Loop Trail

Chico testing out the 138kv power lines that carries bulk electricity to the substations which further reduces it to 46kv and then reduces it to 120 volts for household consumption. It’s not the volts that kills you, it’s the amps.

Kalauao Loop Trail

We left the lemon scented eucalyptus trees and followed the mango tree down to the valley.

Kalauao Loop Trail

Descending down the steep trail with the help of webbing, trees and friends.

Kalauao Loop Trail

Jasmin squeezing her way through some of the trail “obstacles.”

Kalauao Loop Trail

Our stiff climb down was thankfully interrupted by the valley floor.

Kalauao Loop Trail

Mountain apples or ohi’a’ai were brought to the islands by seafaring Polynesians over 1,000 years ago. Considered bland in taste, it is still a refreshing trail snack.

Kalauao Loop Trail

Rock hopping our way up Kalauao Stream, which was barely trickling.

Kalauao Falls

The only “climbing” I did all day.

Kalauao Falls

When life gives you dry waterfalls, bring your own water.

Kalauao Falls

Group photo at the stagnant pool and dry falls.

Kalauao Loop Trail

We soon contoured past the dry falls to make our way upstream to connect to a spur ridge after a little “exploration.”

Kalauao Loop Trail

Mari going under the “doorway” of a banyan tree.

Kalauao Loop Trail

Ferlino climbing and contouring his way around a downed tree.

Kalauao Loop Trail

Andrew next to the “copycat” rock.

Kalauao Loop Trail

Making our way up through the uluhe corridor as the ridge steadily took us out of the valley.

Kalauao Loop Trail

Are we there yet?

Kalauao Loop Trail

Our last group photo at the junction where the Kalauao Loop Trail, Aiea Loop Trail and Aiea Ridge Trail intersect.

Aiea Loop Trail

Bench with a view.

All pau

We arrived back to the starting point to find out that birthday boy and church slut and others long since gone. I guess it was time to go home.

GPS Tracks

Our birthday hike covered 4.71 miles with good friends. Happy Birthday Laredo!

Thanks to everybody that came together to make Laredo’s special day. Mahalo to Aileen Agustin, Akira Suzuki, Andrew Green, Blaine’s mom and family, Chico Cantu, Christine Laforga, Chris Bautista, Dale Yoshizu, David Johnson, Edgar Gamiao, Ferlino Carinio, Jasmin Nepomuceno, Leslie Pelton, Mari Saito, Maria Neil, Matt Vidaurri, Menchie Bautista, Mona Guillermo, Sandra Walter, Scott Dea, and Susan Katz. Good times. Good laughs. Good memories.

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.