Our closest friends hate to hike and talk about that regularly when it comes up. My kids now groan when hiking comes up as a possible activity for the day, forgetting that once they hit the trail, it is a party. Kate is less vocal and sometimes asks to hike with me. My friend Alisha texted me one evening to let me know she was going on a hike that is difficult to navigate the next day. It's been on my adventure wish list. I made arrangements for Roxy and Owen, rushed off to buy Kate shoes that would work better (there is exactly one store on island that sells tennis shoes), packed snacks, wrote notes, and thought it all seemed like a lot of hassle and it sure better be worth it. I should know by now: it is always worth it.
The hike is less of a walk and more of a scramble; the trail less of a path and more of a choose-your-own-adventure. We crossed the river at least five times, wrestled with tree branches, dodged fire ants, and hopped over boulders. I found out that Alisha was concerned about whether Kate was capable of this, and I was so proud of Kate for her courage in this new environment around only adult women.
The bamboo forest:
It was so hot and humid. When we hunched together to take this selfie, Kate exclaimed, "Ew, Mom! Why are you SO WET???"
The fork in the river marked by a perfectly placed palm.
Destination: waterfall! It cascades clear up the mountain and lands in this quaint swim hole. A rope is attached to the rock but it does not go to the top of the first drop and there are no hand holds, so it was out for me.
Looking back from the waterfall.
I cannot say no to moments so despite having no change of clothing, I hopped right in without hesitation. Kate was unsure, but after watching us swim around for a while and after I told her I'd give her my shirt on the way back, she joined me. I did not pressure her and it was so fun to see her come around to the moment.
Mayami's shoes broke on the way in, so I gave her one of mine for the trip back and promised Kate I'd buy her a new pair of socks. I felt like a real local, hiking without shoes! I also felt so much gratitude for the healing in my feet this past year. I would never, ever have been able to do that a year ago with the severe plantar fasciitis of the past nine years. Quitting running for 2.5 years and doing yoga weekly have saved my feet.
In anticipation of a week with family, Brady took Wednesday through Monday off for Thanksgiving. He woke up Monday before Thanksgiving and groaned that he was so anxious for an adventure and wished he could explore a mountain or anything new. The Makahela hike was the answer! We made all the arrangements and took Kate and Zachary with us. They were not thrilled (at ALL), but happy about extra electronics time on the way up and willing to make it a fun experience "for Dad."
It was dumping rain all the way up. We were looking at each other with apprehension, but the nail in the coffin came with the flash flood warning ten minutes before we arrived. No river hiking that day.
Zac was so stoked by the possibility that we might bag it all, but we are resourceful and completely willing to hike in the rain--just not endanger our lives in a riverbed.
I have only been up this side of Sleeping Giant one other time and it was by accident when Zachary was about 4. He wanted to run so I went with him while Brady hiked with Kate on his back. We took a wrong turn and cooked it down the mountain into a residential neighborhood. We did not have phones with us, and I remember knocking on doors until we found a phone to call Brady. Not my proudest navigational moment.
You cannot convince me that my oldest child did not thoroughly enjoy himself. "I don't like hiking," he says before. "Take a video," he quips a dozen times as he slides, skids and surfs through the mud puddles.
Wearing my hiking shirt in honor of the Mosquito Lovers.
It was a pretty quick trip to the top and I was feeling a little grouchy about how much we spent for arrangements to care for Owen when he could have so easily joined us. Brady was annoyed that I was annoyed, and the kids were bugged that I didn't have the sour gummy bears we bought for the hike but forgot in the car. Brady snapped us out of our funk and we giggled as we caught tossed jerky in our mouths (and hair and clothes) and made dozens of silly videos. Way to save the day, Papa Bear.
Brady forgot his rain jacket and it was coming down, so he hiked the entire way with this wimpy umbrella. Kate was so embarrassed, but more embarrassed of our "tourist shoes" I bought so we could hike through the river easier. Zac detested the shoes so much, he refused to wear anything and hiked barefoot. We did not see a single person on the hike, so no worries.
Zachary started rinsing himself off with water bottles, but we axed that and made him shower in the roadside stream. When I write about staph, I'll think back to this decision. (Joke. No staph. This time.)
Hungry for more hiking and without waves in Poipu, we told the kids we were hiking again two days later. It's a little funny to us that a walk outside of our neighborhood is considered a hike by our children, but oh well. They were happy when we opted to take Roxy, and then spent an hour skipping rocks and searching for shells at the beach. We also promised them a trip to town to get our Christmas tree that night.
Roxy is not a great hiker. She apparently left her hiking legs at home.
On the way to town later that day, I searched up pine needles to see if there was any danger to dogs since she would surely be eating them if we purchased a real tree. We learned that they are harmful to dogs, and then laughed as we scanned through pictures later that night and spotted shot after shot of her chewing on them.
This picture of Kate and her bouquet squeezes my heart.
Saturday night, we took the kids to the beach to surf the (tiny) waves and play with the friends, telling them we were hiking again. We let the kids sit this one out and stay home/with friends. The rain was surely going to make the river bed trail to Makaleha muddier than normal and the water levels rush. It was a good decision, but I really wish Zachary had come because every bit of it was up his American Ninja Warrior alley.
It was so much more difficult than when I hiked with Kate. The fact that she was willing to do this again after doing the trek two weeks before speaks to her fierce self.
The waterfall was raging. It is hard to portray the power in a photo. When I swam with Kate, we went under the falls and stayed in the splash, but this time it was hard to even get close and I had no desire to get obliterated.
I fell over and over again: a combination of much muddier conditions and tourist shoes.
We swam together and Brady climbed clear to the top of the rope before jumping off.
Sigh. So content!
Three hikes in one week is a lot for us, but it was nice to help Brady scratch his adventure itch and get the kids outside in the mud and not only in the ocean. Maybe someday they will crave it the same way we do.
Like it or not, we are a hiker family.
