What is there to say? Today we hiked, we looked, and we ate.
Jenney up at her usual time (early) BBQed tofu and purple sweet potatoes, boiled salt potatoes, and mustered up breakfast (hash browns, eggs, pineapple, and toast). Jenney and Kevin ate a peaceful breakfast. The girls were served a peace offering in bed to entice them up.
We headed up Waimea Canyon to what we now realize is the top. Hiked 4 miles out, with the first mile along a ledge overlooking the Na Pali Coast (Pihea Trail – stunning views here for a mile), then hooking east through a swamp to a look out (Alakai Swamp Trail) that should have had a view all the way to Hanalei, but when we got to the pay off, we were sitting in a cloud. Cool, but not what we expected. Lunch (salt potatoes and tofu – surprisingly good) at the terminus and then the 4 mile return, which went by surprisingly quick. Much of the trail through the swamp was 2×12 inch board walks, some areas in better condition than others. The descent was reminiscent to one of our favorite trails in Newfoundland, which had hundreds if not thousands of steps ascending and descending many miles. The fond memories kept the mood light. All of us where mud covered (hands, legs, butts) by the end of the 8+ miles with a total elevation gain and loss on the way out and back of 1768.4 from 3,680 to 4,272 ft. Pretty moderate to easy hike all around.
Complete with mud, we hit Jo Jo’s at 5:50pm just before the 6pm bewitching hour when all shave ice closes during the week. We have now moderated our shave ice to two smalls between the 4 of us. No waste and bellies more than full.
Back to the house for a quiet evening and early bed, so we are able to be up at 4am and out by 4:30am to see turtles at Poipu and then head back to the north coast for what we hope will be a day of surfing, snorkeling and hammocks on the beach.
