Hiking with the Yamamotos

On September 21, 2013 we hiked Kuamoʻokāne (Koko Head) with our friends the John and Nicky Yamamoto and their two kids Elise and Jacob.

 The trail is completely paved

and overlooks the Haunama Bay

We started out early and caught the beautiful sunrise.

 

It was short and sweet and we had cinnamon roll pancakes and fried rice afterwards....definitely my kind of hike!

Re-starting ......again....

I just published my post "The Hiking Hoveys" and realized the last time I updated my success blog I had just completed the Thrive Challenge at work. I re-read my post and felt a little nostalgic about the "old" me. After over a year of physical inactivity I'm hoping to eventually get back to where I was, because I was feeling very successful on a physical level for the first time in a LONG time.

After everything I've been through this past year and a half my priorities have changed. I've forgotten some of the things that were so meaningful to me and one of those things was how I began enjoying my walks. While on bed rest and while recovering I yearned to be able to exercise. Now that I can I've made other things more important.  I want to get back on track and am feeling grateful for the few small steps I've made so far. After all even the small wins contribute to big success. I'm happy to report that I'm at least walking once a week  thanks to my friend Jen who walks with me on Fridays and Janeen who walks with me on Sunday mornings. I'm also hiking every Saturday thanks to my beloved Scotty.

It may not be ideal........
                                       it's far from perfect.................
                                                                                          but you gotta re-start from somewhere right?

The Hiking Hoveys

Since June we have hiked EVERY Saturday! Yay for the Hiking Hoveys!!!If you know me, you know I am NOT a very good enthusiastic hiker. I like to complain. I try not to, and I've gotten light years better than I used to be. But without fail I always breakdown just before the summit or end of the trail. No matter the distance of the total hike it seems to be that within a hundred yards of the destination I 'm done and will tell Scotty I'm not going any further. My theory is that I have "trust issues" from previous hikes where people have said it's "just a little further" or "just around the bend" only to realize they mean like 2 miles more. I once was on a hike where I was told it was 4.5 miles. only to learn while on the hike that it was 4.5 miles ONE way!....yeah, so I'm still figuring out the whole happy attitude about hiking thing.

I must say tho, that I've really enjoyed hiking with our little Hoku. Mainly because of the great photo opportunities to "prove" I did something and because she is so cute!She LOVES hiking! After all she IS her father's daughter AND I think I'd probably like hiking too if someone carried me.

Yesterday we hiked Pu'u Pia located in Manoa Valley.

I liked it a lot because it was short (1.5 miles), mostly covered, and had a beautiful view. We are definitely spoiled here in Hawaii because ALL the views are gorgeous. Yesterday's hike felt like we were far away from the city, yet in reality we were about 5 minutes from everything.

I love how quickly the surroundings changed. We went from a residential neighborhood, to a jungle,to the top of the mountain where the Koa trees grew and back again. I always expect the dinosaur from Jurassic Park to jump out from behind the bushes at any moment....you know...the one who looks cute and then gets scary when his flappy ear things come out! FREAKED me out! (I was gonna post a picture of it but I got scared so I didn't).

Anyway walking around in the jungle always reminds me of that.

AND snakes.....

oh AND spiders......

 

hmmm...maybe that's why hiking might not be my favorite thing......

Thankfully Hawaii doesn't have any snakes...although there is the rare story of them finding one on the news every so often.....and they have those invasive species exhibits at the airport with the pickled snake in the jar.

I know Hawaii has  the big cane spiders, and I am lucky enough to NOT have encountered any...hopefully I never will.....

It must be a raised in the desert thing or something....jungles and ocean are a little scary for me.

I prefer the wooded areas with nice open trails.

 And the wide open space at the top....

.  

with the beautiful valley view.  

 Thankfully I have the hubby's and Hoku bear to keep me safe from the scary monsters in my head.I love how Hoku loves to see everything even if it's just peaking out from her napping/snacking spot.

This hike had it all!

And the best part is that we were back home in the pool in no time.