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Kauai
is one of the oldest of the Hawaiian Islands. The volcanoes are now
dormant and the valleys have steep canyons with lush vegetation. It is
usually referred to as "The Garden Island". Our daughter and our two
sons-in-law decided to take a day hike up the Wailua River and see if
they could reach the base of Kawaikini, the highest peak on Kauai at
5243 feet. |
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They
drove up the road, parked somewhere near the Wailua Reservoir and
started hiking up towards the river. From that point on, it took a bit
of scrambling along the shore with little or no trail to follow. All
around them were wild, tropical plants and lots of cascading water
coming from the mountain up ahead. |
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At
the base of one of these waterfalls there was a nice pool for a
refreshing dip in the cool water. But was that a sign of more uphill
hiking to come? |
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Yes,
the hiking became a bit more challenging as they made their way through
the tropical jungle. At one point they had to use ropes to climb the
steep slopes. |
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The
destination was the saddle in the picture above, right at the base of
the first peak, Wai' ale' ale, at 5148 feet. When they reached this
point, they could see part of the top, shrouded in fog and an almost
constant rain. Water was pouring down the mountain sides, creating
numerous areas for plants to grow between the volcanic rock surfaces. In
the distance they could see a cave and imagined this was the village of
lost Polynesian tribes. Was this their "lost paradise"? |
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Then
they saw helicopters that regularly fly tourists up this valley to see
the spectacular view from above. One of them circled the kids as they
waved hello. They, in turn, wondered what the pilot and passengers were
thinking and saying about them. It was time to head back, the same way
they had come. But again it called for a cooling off time and a refill
of the water bottles. IT WAS A GREAT TRIP. |
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A great hike like
this is certainly an adventure to be remembered, but it doesn't
come without some bodily sacrifices.
After Sandra's shower back at the condo, her legs told another story. I guess I am just jealous that I didn't join them, but instead helped grandma and Susan take care of the kids and their pool time. |
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