Alright, so time to talk about my birthday hike. Mom and I did the Hau'ula loop, which is way up by the North Shore. And I don't mean the north side of the island; it's quite close to the North Shore. The hike I picked out in our rather used-looking copy of The Hiker's Guide to Oahu described a seven-mile double loop, we decided to tackle the shorter loop first, a mere three-mile hike. Unfortunately, we started so late by the time we finished, I was too hungry to start the other trail (although my ankle felt perfectly fine. It was a lot of fun, although we were constantly going either up or down.
I absolutely loved my new Camel Bak and hiking shoes. Trail Runners were the right way to go if I wanted lightweight shoes to do short hikes in. I had plenty of pockets for everything: the guidebook, the car key, my cell phone, my special nut-free trail mix. And it was so nice to be able to take a sip of water whenever I felt like it without having to stop and dig a bottle out of someone's bag. I really think that contributed to the feeling that it wasn't too hard of a hike. Usually, I find constant change of elevation very hard to do, but I was doing switchbacks climbing down thigh-high drops with no problems. I highly recommend some sort of Camel Bak or a knockoff to anyone who plans on hiking even semi-regularly. I really think it make a difference.
Now if only there were a way to get an easily accessible camera without hanging it around my neck... Mom kept digging it out of the back of my bag, which in some ways is good. Our 2-hour hike resulted in 50 pictures, and it probably would have been triple that if I had had my camera in my hand (or a short reach away) the entire time. (Mom said I need a smaller camera, but I love mine and refuse to replace it; it's 6 years old and when I pull it out, people still say it's a good camera.) It's hard to stop taking pictures, though. I don't go on hikes for the views, or to experience nature, but it's hard not to notice the natural beauty around you. I would have added "when you live in Hawaii" but I'm sure everywhere has amazing views. Otherwise, why would people hike? Sure, there's the "I did it!" and "exercise" excuses, but I think without beautiful views of nature, hiking as a sport would not exist. Besides that, there's certainly beauty in everything God created.
That being said, Hawaii is breathtaking. Is there anywhere else in the US where you can see a beautiful valley at one spot, and a few minutes later, see the ocean through the trees? I'm asking that seriously, because if there is anywhere else, that's the first state I want to hike in after I've knocked out Hawaii and Alaska. While I was doing this, I got inspired. I want to hike in all 50 states. I'm going to live in the Mainland again one day, and by then I'll have already knocked out the two hardest states (Alaska in August, baby!). Right now, though, I'm just so happy to be back in the game and physically capable of hitting the trails again. I just need to find someone to go with me next Monday...
I absolutely loved my new Camel Bak and hiking shoes. Trail Runners were the right way to go if I wanted lightweight shoes to do short hikes in. I had plenty of pockets for everything: the guidebook, the car key, my cell phone, my special nut-free trail mix. And it was so nice to be able to take a sip of water whenever I felt like it without having to stop and dig a bottle out of someone's bag. I really think that contributed to the feeling that it wasn't too hard of a hike. Usually, I find constant change of elevation very hard to do, but I was doing switchbacks climbing down thigh-high drops with no problems. I highly recommend some sort of Camel Bak or a knockoff to anyone who plans on hiking even semi-regularly. I really think it make a difference.
Now if only there were a way to get an easily accessible camera without hanging it around my neck... Mom kept digging it out of the back of my bag, which in some ways is good. Our 2-hour hike resulted in 50 pictures, and it probably would have been triple that if I had had my camera in my hand (or a short reach away) the entire time. (Mom said I need a smaller camera, but I love mine and refuse to replace it; it's 6 years old and when I pull it out, people still say it's a good camera.) It's hard to stop taking pictures, though. I don't go on hikes for the views, or to experience nature, but it's hard not to notice the natural beauty around you. I would have added "when you live in Hawaii" but I'm sure everywhere has amazing views. Otherwise, why would people hike? Sure, there's the "I did it!" and "exercise" excuses, but I think without beautiful views of nature, hiking as a sport would not exist. Besides that, there's certainly beauty in everything God created.
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