darren
Poobah Emeritus
In May of 2006 I broke my leg while mountain biking. That September, about 2 weeks after the docs gave me the green light and said it was healed, I broke it again in the same spot. The second break caused some complications and the healing and recovery process dragged on and on. By February 2007 I was neck deep in a pool 3 days a week learning to walk again. PT dragged on and on and it wasn't until late 2007 until was taking short walks on uneven terrain again.
Gradually the walks got longer. Carmel came out to visit and we were able to do a series of short hikes together. We hiked Mariners Ridge - a 3 mile hike with some elevation gain. I was very happy to be on a "peak" with Carmel again. But, at the same time, it was sort of sad to me. Years ago when I would come to Oahu for a few weeks ata time I used to pretty much jog up Mariners Ridge just for the exercise. Now it was like a major accomplishment just getting up there - sweating like a pig and out of breath the whole way and always nervous about my leg.
Our next hike was longer, but flat. We hiked out to Ka'ena Point on the Northwest corner of Oahu to see the albatrosses. Although flat, it was was about 6 miles round trip and the trail / 4WD jeep trail was all mud. It was the longest I had walked in a long time and my legs were like jelly. I was dead tired. I loved it, but I was really hurting the last mile back to the car.
Then we hiked a loop trail at Hanauma Bay near my house. Some length, some elevation gain, no mud, and plenty of sun. A lot of sun. Towards the end Carmel and I were trying to seek shelter under a 3' tall bush.
I felt better though.
After Carmel left I continued my short hikes and did Mariner's Ridge 3 more times. The last time I did it I got up to the top in 35 minutes and felt a lot better. It had taken well over an hour when Carmel and I went up it.
I felt like I was ready for a "real" hike. I chose the Kuli'ou'ou Ridge. (Coo-lee [pause] oh-oo [pause] oh-oo) The trail runs up Kuli'ou'ou Ridge to the juntion with the Koolau Ridge (koh-oh-lau). The Koolau are the mountains that form the spine of Eastern Oahu. The Kuli'ou'ou ridge trail is about 5 miles round trip and has 2000' of elevation gain. In the past it would have been an easy stroll for me. At this point, it would be quite a challenge.
The good thing about hiking in Hawaii is that you can keep your pack weight down. Camelbak, 100 oz of water, 5 granola bars, sunglasses, shell, camera, compass, headlamp - done. I hit the trail and I liked it right away.
After a short time in the woods, the trail broke clear briefly and I could get a view of what was to come.
Then it was back into the woods. As the elevation increased the trees changed. There was a section of pine where the forest floor and trail were just covered with huge pine needles. The switchbacks just kept going back and forth through a sea of pine needles.
I found the variety of trees to be very interesting and was so psyched to just to be in the woods.
Elevation went up and the trees got smaller.
The trail became very steep and headed straight up to the Koolau.
The steepest parts of the trail had plastic step risers installed to prevent erosion. It made quite the staircase with a view back to where I had started.
I finally gained the Koolau Ridge and had views down the other side to Windward coast and the town of Waimanalo down below.
It was very windy on top and I thought I was going to get blown off. It had been a long time since I had stood on a summit and felt the force of winds like that. I had a hard time taking pictures because the wind was really blowing me around. My views from the top were short lived as some dark storm clouds rolled in and I beat a hasty retreat back down the way I came.
Back in the safety of the forest I took my time hiking out. What was the rush? I had done my first "real" hike in a very long time. I was just thrilled that I had gotten up there and had an awesome time doing it. I think I called Carmel about 5 times during that hike. Yah, cell phone in the backcountry, but whatever. I was so happy that I just had to share it with her.
Back at the trailhead. I was tired and sore, but I was stoked. It was probably a bit much for me and my knee on my bad leg is still sore 4 days later, but I'll take it. It just feels so good to be "back out there". For the first time in a long while I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. I know I have a way to go, but I'm feeling good right now.
All the pix from my Kuli'ou'ou Ridge hike are here.
Aloha
- darren
Gradually the walks got longer. Carmel came out to visit and we were able to do a series of short hikes together. We hiked Mariners Ridge - a 3 mile hike with some elevation gain. I was very happy to be on a "peak" with Carmel again. But, at the same time, it was sort of sad to me. Years ago when I would come to Oahu for a few weeks ata time I used to pretty much jog up Mariners Ridge just for the exercise. Now it was like a major accomplishment just getting up there - sweating like a pig and out of breath the whole way and always nervous about my leg.
Our next hike was longer, but flat. We hiked out to Ka'ena Point on the Northwest corner of Oahu to see the albatrosses. Although flat, it was was about 6 miles round trip and the trail / 4WD jeep trail was all mud. It was the longest I had walked in a long time and my legs were like jelly. I was dead tired. I loved it, but I was really hurting the last mile back to the car.
Then we hiked a loop trail at Hanauma Bay near my house. Some length, some elevation gain, no mud, and plenty of sun. A lot of sun. Towards the end Carmel and I were trying to seek shelter under a 3' tall bush.
I felt better though.After Carmel left I continued my short hikes and did Mariner's Ridge 3 more times. The last time I did it I got up to the top in 35 minutes and felt a lot better. It had taken well over an hour when Carmel and I went up it.
I felt like I was ready for a "real" hike. I chose the Kuli'ou'ou Ridge. (Coo-lee [pause] oh-oo [pause] oh-oo) The trail runs up Kuli'ou'ou Ridge to the juntion with the Koolau Ridge (koh-oh-lau). The Koolau are the mountains that form the spine of Eastern Oahu. The Kuli'ou'ou ridge trail is about 5 miles round trip and has 2000' of elevation gain. In the past it would have been an easy stroll for me. At this point, it would be quite a challenge.
The good thing about hiking in Hawaii is that you can keep your pack weight down. Camelbak, 100 oz of water, 5 granola bars, sunglasses, shell, camera, compass, headlamp - done. I hit the trail and I liked it right away.
After a short time in the woods, the trail broke clear briefly and I could get a view of what was to come.
Then it was back into the woods. As the elevation increased the trees changed. There was a section of pine where the forest floor and trail were just covered with huge pine needles. The switchbacks just kept going back and forth through a sea of pine needles.
I found the variety of trees to be very interesting and was so psyched to just to be in the woods.
Elevation went up and the trees got smaller.
The trail became very steep and headed straight up to the Koolau.
The steepest parts of the trail had plastic step risers installed to prevent erosion. It made quite the staircase with a view back to where I had started.
I finally gained the Koolau Ridge and had views down the other side to Windward coast and the town of Waimanalo down below.
It was very windy on top and I thought I was going to get blown off. It had been a long time since I had stood on a summit and felt the force of winds like that. I had a hard time taking pictures because the wind was really blowing me around. My views from the top were short lived as some dark storm clouds rolled in and I beat a hasty retreat back down the way I came.
Back in the safety of the forest I took my time hiking out. What was the rush? I had done my first "real" hike in a very long time. I was just thrilled that I had gotten up there and had an awesome time doing it. I think I called Carmel about 5 times during that hike. Yah, cell phone in the backcountry, but whatever. I was so happy that I just had to share it with her.
Back at the trailhead. I was tired and sore, but I was stoked. It was probably a bit much for me and my knee on my bad leg is still sore 4 days later, but I'll take it. It just feels so good to be "back out there". For the first time in a long while I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. I know I have a way to go, but I'm feeling good right now.
All the pix from my Kuli'ou'ou Ridge hike are here.
Aloha
- darren
