Our friends Dave and Diane suggested a hike up the 2.8 mile Makapu'u Trail on the other side of the island. It has a 462 feet elevation. Actually, it is an easy trail because it's paved. Nevertheless Art recommended I wear my hiking boots since I've sprained my ankles on two previous hiking attempts.
The warning about crumbling cliffs and falling rocks had me raising my eyebrows.
It was fun to see some flora that we don't seem to see on our side of the island.
We do see this flower all over the island. As a rather curious boy who often did get stung, my brother, Dennis used to wait until honeybees would go into these trumpet flowers and he'd pinch it closed. Then he'd walk around with the trapped bee buzzing. Once he let it go, of course... he'd have to run pretty fast to get away. Maybe that's why he's a faster runner than me.
We saw that people had been scratching their names onto the cacti.
I considered it graffiti.
Why do people need to do this?
The warning about crumbling cliffs and falling rocks had me raising my eyebrows.
It was fun to see some flora that we don't seem to see on our side of the island.
We do see this flower all over the island. As a rather curious boy who often did get stung, my brother, Dennis used to wait until honeybees would go into these trumpet flowers and he'd pinch it closed. Then he'd walk around with the trapped bee buzzing. Once he let it go, of course... he'd have to run pretty fast to get away. Maybe that's why he's a faster runner than me.
Dandelions used to make Art cringe in Illinois when they would invade our lawns. However, these flowers were beautiful against the cliff. They were different from the Illinois dandelions because of their pretty red centers.
These koa shrubs are found everywhere in Hawaii. They often use the small seeds to make leis.
It wasn't a difficult trail and appeared to be very popular with both locals and tourists. It was a first time for me.
We saw that people had been scratching their names onto the cacti.I considered it graffiti.
Why do people need to do this?
These purple flowers were pretty, but I wondered if they are indigenous to Hawaii.
I had a pencil cactus in a hanging planter for about 20 years in Illinois. I had no idea they could grow this big.
We could easily see which way the wind usually blew because of the formation of the leaning trees. I had no desire to go and see what was in that hole in the shrubbery.
Although the views were magnificent, the vog (volcanic smog) did not make photography easy.
Woo hoo!
We made it to the TOP!
Dave took this photo. Notice my nifty hiking shoes? That's Art looking over the guard fence at the following panoramic view that Dave also photographed.
We could see the Moku Islands from up high. The one on the top right is called Rabbit Island.
And then we saw this dog perched over the lighthouse and we all gasped.
When he looked at us he seemed to be saying, "Who me? Of course I wouldn't jump."
Going down was a heck of a lot easier and we could see somebody was going to be thrilled to get our parking space.
After burning some calories on the hike, we felt we were entitled to a lovely brunch at Big City Diner. This Portabella mushroom and spinach Benedict really hit the spot.
Thanks for taking me along. I miss Hawaii often. Lived there for a year and passed through many times in another life. Good old Rabbit Island.
ReplyDeleteThis looks like a great hike. Your lunch doesn't look too shabby, either!
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed going on this hike with you today Kay, what views!Amazing, lovely brunch after as well!
ReplyDeleteSound likeyou had great healthy fun, thanks for the wonderful photos, those dandelions look so pretty, who kmew?
ReplyDeleteWell.... now I'm not so sure that IS a dandelion.... Sigh...
DeleteVery nice hike, Kay. I do have to say those are not dandelions, as the leaf is wrong. I think you lunch looks lovely, but the hike was really my favorite part, especially that picture showing Rabbit Island. I love the "vog" on the left mountain. And of course any picture that shows YOU! :-)
ReplyDeleteActually the pinnately compound leaves you see in the front are not the leaves of that plant that looks like a dandelion. I checked a close up of another photo I took of that plant and it does have the pinnately lobed leaves like the common dandelion. There were plants mixed in with each other. On the other hand, although there was a stiff wind which would take away all the puff balls, there was only one that looked like it might have been one. Art says we'll have to take ANOTHER hike up there to get a closer look. Hmmmmm.... I've read that there are 250 varieties of dandelions so I don't know... I know it makes Art shudder to think about it.
DeleteI love all the pictures of the local flora. The dog on the cliff gave me a feeling of vertigo. Whew. But what a spectacular view.
ReplyDeleteYour brunch looked yummy. I always order a combination of eggs and spinach when I see that on breakfast menu.
It was pretty scary to look at that dog. If it decided to jump, I don't know what the owner could have done. It was pretty steep there.
DeleteWow, that is one brave dog. I would have been a little worried about him. It looks like it was a great hike and a really great looking breakfast.
ReplyDeletewhat a lovely hike, thanks for sharing. You are probably getting muscle or retaining water if you are gaining weight after that exertion...
ReplyDeletePhew, I'm glad that is not my dog.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great hike. Good onya, Kay. It must be those nice hiking boots.
The boots did work great!
DeleteWhat kind are they? Want to recommend them? The pair of Ecco I bought in Australia many years ago are getting holes in the sole; I hate to part with them.
DeleteThe darn plant was getting too big. With a machete, I chopped down the pencil tree outside my office. An hour later I was in the hospital emergency room because the spraying white sap had blinded me. They flushed my eyes out with water and the next day I was all right, but, boy!, it had really hurt. I could say it smarted, but it wasn't so smart of me so I won't. The eye doctor said all plants with white sap can temporarily blind you. He also started talking story and said it's a regular thing for plumeria pickers to come to the emergency room. He wouldn't even wear a plumeria lei. Who knew? Not me.
ReplyDeleteNo kidding??? Wow! The pencil cactus does have that awful milky sap that oozes out any time you cut it. I used to put a band aid on it when I trimmed it until the sap clotted. I didn't know it could squirt. Sheesh!!! I wouldn't have put it in the classroom if that were the case. On the other hand, I had it in a high hanging planter so the kids were safe. And I used to make plumeria leis all the time when I was growing up!
DeleteNo worries. The kids were safe. You did the right thing. Personally, I like potted pencil plants. They are very unusual and, in their own stark cactus way, attractive. The reason the sap sprayed was that I attacked the plant with a machete and kept slashing back and forth with abandon. The invisible droplets must have been all around me while I slashed. I had taken a house plant from home and planted it outside my office. I often transplant house plants. As often happens in Hawaii, because there is no Winter to retard growth, the house plant got bigger and bigger. I think the doctor was being overly cautious about plumeria leis, and I wear them with no second thoughts. Incidentally, the sorry episode was classified as a workplace accident and added to the statistics. Well, it did happen at my workplace, that's true. However, the fact remains that I fought the pencil plant and the pencil plant won!
DeleteOh my gosh! You must have been really hacking away!
DeleteI hiked that trail 45 years ago and it wasn't paved. I hope the ferns are still growing along the ridge. I wonder at those yellow-flowered plants. They don't look like Dandelions at all. Of course if they develop puff balls later you will have confirmation.
ReplyDeleteI think all the plants on the islands were either washed in from the sea or arrived via air or humans brought them. Some evolved into new plants of course, but the island flora has been largely overtaken by foreign invaders. Same thing is happening in the Galapagos Islands today. Dianne
No kidding? Dave is suggesting we do different hikes every so often. I don't mind hikes so long as there's no uphills. LOL I didn't see any ferns there. That's a shame.
DeleteI don't know what those flowers are now for sure. They really had a dandelion look to me, but now that you and DJan have mentioned it, perhaps they're too pretty. The buds were different too. However, since there's 250 varieties of dandelions, who knows?
Wow Kay -- my bare feet feel just fine after going on that hike with you! Hiker boots are good. The dog must be part cat, with 9 lives. At the plantation resort on southern Kauai, the owner's wife brought over cacti in the 1920s to grow on the arid land. They said she shouldn't have done it, because spots of cacti are now growing all over the island. Didn't know it bounced to Oahu. Poo! At least I've learned not to "squirt" plumeria in my face! DrumMajor
ReplyDeleteGlad you got some exercise with me, DrumMajor.
DeleteNo hand rails? I would have a hard time descending that hill.
ReplyDeleteThank you for doing your comment again, Gigi. I'm glad it worked.
DeleteYou are a brave woman to follow Art off on some of his adventures.
ReplyDeleteI really like that shot of you leaning on Art's shoulder. What wonderful views too,.
ReplyDeleteGood for you for hiking that hill! It look pretty steep in some of those photos.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful hike. I'd love to do it and be surrounded by all those flowers. Your dandelions are prettier than ours. A love way to spend a day.
ReplyDeletesadly if my dog was in that spot, she'd jump thinking she'd have a soft landing at the bottom. Which woudln't be her first bad idea that sent her to the vet. I always freak out when dogs, cats and other animals get in rather dangerous areas and situations .
ReplyDeleteThe owner was right there and she even took the leash off. Freaked me out.
DeleteWhat a nice way to spend the day. Good companions, a rewarding meal and exercise!!
ReplyDeleteL....w