Hiking Trails on Oahu

  Kalalau Beach Since I started hiking avidly back in 2010, one trail I've always wanted to do was the Kalalau trail on the Na Pali Coast of Kauai. 2015 would be my year.  The Kalalau trail is highly regarded around the world as being one of the most dangerous trails. Its consistently listed in the top 10 by people who presumably know such things. Backpacker Magazine rates it as one of the most dangerous trails on their website ( Backpacker , 2013). At a local level, Kalalau is by far the hiking mecca in Hawaii. It is regarded as the top hike in Hawaii by serious hikers, bar none.  The danger is there. As I kept on preparing for the hike, it only seemed that the mileage would be the big issue. To mentally push under difficult conditions is not an easy thing to do. Add to the fact that you suffer many aches and pains throughout the 3 days and have to perform at an adequate level faced with the  mileage  and time constraints of daylight and it becomes a true ...

Waikane Restoration - July 3, 2015 Paul Zweng, property owner of Waikane Valley invited Dave to do restoration in Waikane Valley. Dave in turn invited us. The goal today was to kill albizia trees. These trees as beautiful as they are tall and their branches spread out like bonzai trees are invasive as it gets. Because they are so tall and their branches spread out, they pretty much kill any plant living underneath them. For these reasons, invasive plants take over the environment in Hawaii. Take for instance the strawberry guava. It is a native plant from Brazil. These plants have to compete for  centuries  with other plants in a tough environment. When they come here to Hawaii, competition is much less, so they take over the native plants, stealing their nutrition, sunlight, and water. The native plants can't compete, so they die.  Joining the hike today was Paul, Dave, Allison, Darren, Erik, David, & I. Meeting place was in Waiahole Valley. I thought that was s...