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Published: June 24th 2009
June 23 Strange is probably the best word to describe my day - in a good way. I absolutely loved today. I just wish I had pictures to match my stories. Unfortunately, for the part of today that I wish I had it, my camera was in the car.
Terri picked me up at 8am for our first hike together. I was excited; it was a hike I’d read about up in Makiki Heights off of Round Top Road. I believe this road becomes something called Tantalus. Whatever it is, the guide book says it’s “not to be missed” and I agree. The lookout on the top is even more spectacular than the one last week in St. Louis Heights.
Anyways, we hiked for probably three hours on three gorgeous trails in the Manoa Valley: Ualaaka Trail, Maleka Trail, and Manoa Cliff Trail. The landscape was constantly changing: jungle, banyon trees, pines, bamboo, rain, sun…it was just beautiful. The entire trail was almost always shaded by the tops of the trees, but it also ran along the ridges of the mountain with gigantic cliff drops alongside.
After hiking, Terri took me to breakfast over at Bogarts near Diamond
View from top of Makiki Heights
I believe this may be the view off of the road Tantalus? but not sureHead. It’s a great local coffee and breakfast shop. It’s just the cutest little restaurant. The coffee is served in tall ceramic painted mugs; the kind you have at home, and the food is delicious. We each ordered a bagel with cream cheese, tomatoes, sprouts, and capers. Ah…so nice to have a bagel again!
Now, here’s where it gets funny. Terri invited me to my first Hash run tonight. I’ve been talking about it for a while...the Hash House Harriers. So she picked me up at 5 and we headed to Hawaii Kai (about 10 minutes away) to meet up with the rest of the group. Apparently Tuesday nights are a bit of an older and smaller crowd then Saturdays; I figured a good way to experience it for the first time. Not knowing what to expect, I wore my trail shoes. Good thing I did because in the first 5 minutes, I was running through the ocean along the shoreline and I believe some people’s backyards!
So here’s how it works: for each hash, there’s a “hare”: the person or people who lay the trail. They take off about 10 minutes before everyone else and they use
flour or chalk or ribbon to mark the trail. Or they can lay the trail ahead of time (which in this case I believe they did). The rest of the group or “hashers” begin by setting off in the correct direction and just looking for and following the trail in whichever way that it may lead.
And so we did. First through the park in the direction of the freeway, then under the freeway, and along the shoreline. Unfortunately, the tide was up and we had to run through the water for a while because we were on a part of the shore where people’s houses & property went right up to the water. Next we were taken through neighborhoods, off onto a dirt trail that eventually led along Hanauma Bay. (This would be my second time seeing it, though I’ve yet to snorkel in it). All the while, you’re looking for markers and each time someone sees one, they loudly say “on-on”, cluing the rest of the group in that they’re “on trail”. From there, we crossed the Highway and ran up to the base of Koko Head stairs and off the path into overgrown weeds and grass
Bogarts
the adorable little restaurant Terri took me to for breakfast that I swear I would’ve never had the nerve to walk through had it not been for this. This led into a muddy deep ditch canal that we ran the bottom of until it led to a “beer check”. Interesting…a resting place where we were provided with a can of beer and snack break. Then back to the road where the trail continued, through neighborhoods, and eventually leading all the way back to where we began. Running after slamming a beer doesn’t feel so good though. I’d guess that the whole thing took about an hour and a half. Honestly, it was the strangest, yet most fun workout I’ve had…maybe ever?
And it didn’t end there. That’s when the partying began. Next it’s tradition to hold a “circle” where I, as a “virgin” (to Hashing) was given a beer to slam while the rest of the group sang a song. Now picture the group of 15 or so whose average age might just be 50 singing and swearing a song that ends in a fast “down.down.down.down.” while you chug. It’s such a funny experience. There were other songs, and other reasons for people to drink. But for the most
View from Makiki Heights
University of Hawaii and Diamond Head in the distance part, the circle ends quickly and people hang out, socialize and drink beer. Needless to say, I hadn’t had much to eat since that bagel, and I got pretty tipsy!
I loved every minute of it! Can’t wait to do it again on Saturday. I hear that Saturday group regularly has 70 or so show up!
Our sober driver, Eric, dropped me off at home. I stumbled in, dirty as can be, shoes soaking wet, smile plastered on my face, and made quite a first impression, I’m sure, on roommate #1 Mike who had just returned from his vacation. Oh well…what can you do. We sat down and had some wine while we got to know each other. Actually, I remember doing almost all of the talking, nonstop, for about an hour. I was definitely more than tipsy. Another crazy day…more unforgettable experiences.
Mom…if I move here, will you still visit me?
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Jen B.
non-member comment
MOving
I will come visit. I promise. :-) MOre comments later, have to get Matt to an ortho appt.