Island life

Like I posted yesterday morning, it looked like it was going to be a great day to do the hike. It was cooler and there weren't many clouds in the sky. The hike in to Kalalau was great. It was cloudy, but not raining, so it was cool and the trail was dry. The weight of my pack (most of which was the 2 gallons of water and the bottle of Gatorade) slowed me down to a reasonable speed and my legs/lungs/heart felt good the whole hike in. I started on the trail at 7:05am and was at the waterfall in Kalalau Valley (the first 11 miles) at 11:40am, only 5 minutes slower than I had planned.

By the time I entered the Kalalau Valley, the clouds had descended some, so I couldn't see any of the tops of the peaks, but it was still an amazing sight. I ate lunch at the falls and rehydrated. While I was at the falls there was nearly always someone using it as a shower or a sink, but I did manage to get some photos without anyone in it. They weren't the most spectacular falls I have seen on the trip, but still quite nice. The campsite has composting toilets, so I got a kick out of the "Keep Out Compost Area" and "Put in a handful of leaves after each use" signs that were near the toilets. I thought about grabbing the "Keep Out Compost Area" sign for Marc and Tina to use up at the yurt, but I didn't want to lug out the extra weight.

I spent half an hour in the valley and headed out at 12:10pm. The waterfall was about 2 miles behind me when it started to rain. I didn't think too much of it, since most of the times it has rained while we have been on the island, it only rains for few minutes. Not the case this time. It rained the rest of the way back. I don't mind rain while hiking, in fact, I really like its cooling effect. Its muddening effect, however, I don't care for. The trail became very, very slick. I also don't really mind slick trails for the most part (the slickness of the Powerline Trail for instance was fine), but when the trail is slick, and has a sheer cliff up on one side and a sheer cliff down to the ocean on the other side, I prefer a dry trail. Overall I felt very safe on the trail when it was dry; when it was slick I still felt safe, just not nearly as safe.

About the same time the rain started, I got a bit of an ache in my mid-to-upper back whenever I started to breath heavily (when I was going up steep inclines). 2 or so miles after that, my right knee started to get a little cranky. The rain, the ache in my lungs/back and my cranky knee all worked together to slow me down. It seemed like I was going really slow, but I kept checking my time whenever I got to a mile marker, and I was still on track to get back within the alloted time I had told Danika. When I got to the last stream crossing (2 miles from the end of the trail) I assessed it, and it seemed like it was really going to suck. I had done the crossing at least 5 other times (on the way in and in and out on other hikes) and it was very easy every other time. I started trying to cross on some rocks, but then thought how much it would suck if I would slip and fall this close to the end and finally just said "Screw it" and jumped in the water to finish crossing. I was totally soaked at that point anyway. I had told Danika I hoped to be back at 5pm, and she should wait until 7pm before she felt compelled to notify authorities. I finally got back to the parking lot at Kee Beach at 5:42pm. Later then I originally thought I would, but much sooner than I had anticipated once it started raining.

It didn't feel like I took too many photos, but when I checked today, I saw there was over 100. None of the photos were taken after it started raining (which is probably what I was most remembering). Shortly after it had started raining I had put the camera in a Ziploc bag and put it in my pack. There were a few times I thought I should pull it out to get a photo of something, usually the condition of the trail, but the urge to get a snapshot was never enough to actually stop and do it. You'll just have to believe me when I say it was very wet and very slippery :)

As I hiked I talked to a few people on the trail. When I told those that asked that I was hiking to Kalalau and back I got "Wow, powerhouse" or "Workhorse", I merely smiled and said, "Hmm, I think perhaps just crazy". In the end most thought me crazy, nuts or both. Much of the way out I thought I was crazy and I would never do the entire trail again, but about 5 minutes into the car ride back to the rental house, I started thinking about how I could train better, so the next time I would enjoy the hike more :)

Here are a few photos. When we get back to Seattle, I will post more and more of the trip in general.

Here I am at 7:05am, clean, dry and excited to start.

Here's what part of the trail looks like when it is dry.

Early morning at Hanakapiai Beach.

Here is another shot of the trail. Do you see the guy (Bill) working on the trail?

One of the many feral goats I saw.

Some trees in one of the smaller valleys.

Part of Kalalau Valley.

A glimpse of Kalalau Beach.

The falls at Kalalau.

Kalalau Beach with rain clouds looming.

Here I am at 5:42pm, wet, dirty and ready to go home.