Sunday, March 16, 2008
Thursday, March 6, 2008
Adventures with Erv
Big Erv and I managed to get out on our own for a few sweet hikes while he was on island. The first was the Po'omau Canyon Ditch trail which I hiked in the late fall last year, but it might as well have been a completely different trail back then. The winter rains had fueled the streams and waterfalls, I mean big waterfalls, were everywhere.
We got a bit wet on our hike from some light rains, but were rewarded with rainbows over the waterfalls.
A couple days later, actually the morning of their departure, Erv and I did the "secret" falls kayak and hike. .
We paddled upriver and met with some significant current near the takeout for the hike. Erv rolled his kayak here, but tragedy was averted. We started hiking and I encountered my own tragedy in the form of thick nasty mud while I was wearing only slippers (that's Hawaiian for flip-flops). I had no choice, but to go "hippie" on this hike and just walk it barefoot. Surprisingly, the mud was soft enough that I don't think I got a single cut
I took a quick swim to cool down after the frustrating hike and then back into the mud toward the kayaks.
It was a rewarding hike and a very rewarding visit from my family. Their departure that evening involved tears, but all were consoled by the idea that we'd be back in Cincy within 2 weeks.
We got a bit wet on our hike from some light rains, but were rewarded with rainbows over the waterfalls.
A couple days later, actually the morning of their departure, Erv and I did the "secret" falls kayak and hike. .
We paddled upriver and met with some significant current near the takeout for the hike. Erv rolled his kayak here, but tragedy was averted. We started hiking and I encountered my own tragedy in the form of thick nasty mud while I was wearing only slippers (that's Hawaiian for flip-flops). I had no choice, but to go "hippie" on this hike and just walk it barefoot. Surprisingly, the mud was soft enough that I don't think I got a single cut
In any case, after some slipping and sliding, we made it to the "secret" waterfall which was raging.
I took a quick swim to cool down after the frustrating hike and then back into the mud toward the kayaks.
It was a rewarding hike and a very rewarding visit from my family. Their departure that evening involved tears, but all were consoled by the idea that we'd be back in Cincy within 2 weeks.Tuesday, March 4, 2008
The (Delayed) Arrival of Big Erv
We had a few friends over on Saturday night when we got a call from Big Erv saying his flight was delayed and he was probably going to miss his interisland flight. Bad news for everyone, especially Big Erv who had to spend a buck and a quarter on a closet...I mean, Honolulu hotel room to sleep in. Fortunately, he would catch an early flight Saturday.
We headed to the north shore again and caught a few of the sights on the way there. We stopped by Wailua falls which had turned into a raging torrent from the recent rains and also saw Opaekaa falls (where the hikers fell). 
We grabbed burritos in Kapaa and continued on to Hanalei Colony Resort where we had a booked a room. The room was decent, very close to the beach which was average, but very nice views of the surrounding mountains. Happy hour with beer, wine and margaritas was enjoyed by all while Great Grandma T prepared a meal of chicken (no turkeys at the grocery store), stuffing, gravy and corn. It's pretty awesome when your grandma travels 5000 miles to visit her great granddaughter and still has the energy to prepare a great meal for the whole family.
The evening was filled with margarita-fueled hijinks (that's right, I said hijinks) involving carrying my infant daughter in a wicker basket.
The following day was spent enjoying the sunshine and wandering along the nearby beaches.
The Grandmas were kind enough to pick him up at the airport so Em and I could catch a few extra Zs. Big Erv arrived in good spirits despite his unanticipated stay in Honolulu and was clearly overjoyed to hold his new granddaughter.
We headed to the north shore again and caught a few of the sights on the way there. We stopped by Wailua falls which had turned into a raging torrent from the recent rains and also saw Opaekaa falls (where the hikers fell). We grabbed burritos in Kapaa and continued on to Hanalei Colony Resort where we had a booked a room. The room was decent, very close to the beach which was average, but very nice views of the surrounding mountains. Happy hour with beer, wine and margaritas was enjoyed by all while Great Grandma T prepared a meal of chicken (no turkeys at the grocery store), stuffing, gravy and corn. It's pretty awesome when your grandma travels 5000 miles to visit her great granddaughter and still has the energy to prepare a great meal for the whole family.
The evening was filled with margarita-fueled hijinks (that's right, I said hijinks) involving carrying my infant daughter in a wicker basket.
The following day was spent enjoying the sunshine and wandering along the nearby beaches.
Relaxation was the key word. In the late afternoon we retreated to the condo and enjoyed happy hour again. From there we headed to the mediterranean restaurant on site where Big Erv and I enjoyed the special, Paella for 2 (at a price tag of $100 unbeknownst to us until the bill arrived). A bit of a surprise despite the massive portion. I recovered from the sticker shock more quickly than Erv, but that's because he paid. In any case we enjoyed our meal immensely. I even managed to fling a chunk of crab claw meat into Maddie's seat while she slept - she didn't mind.
In the morning, after a continental breakfast, we checked out and visited Hanalei Bay beach for some more sunshine. A bit later Em and I took advantage of our visitors and left Maddie for a few hours while we hiked to Queen's bath and I snorkeled at Hideaways beach. From there we visited Kilauea Lighthouse on the way home. 
Oddly enough, I ran into a former attending physician who taught me at UT. We talked awhile, enjoyed the sights and headed home. The trip was a nice diversion from day to day life and a perfect way to enjoy a few days with my family.
Oddly enough, I ran into a former attending physician who taught me at UT. We talked awhile, enjoyed the sights and headed home. The trip was a nice diversion from day to day life and a perfect way to enjoy a few days with my family.Grandma G and Great Grandma T
We got to spend about 4 days with Maddie before she was scooped from our arms for another week and a half - that's right, the Grandmas were in town. The first few days of their visit were dominated by spending time with Madeline while it rained frequently. Great Grandma T passed the time by hitting the bottle.
They did get to spend time on the lanai in some intermittent sunshine with temps in the 70s (which should satisfy anyone from Cincinnati in February). They also went with Em and Maddie to the National Tropical Botanical Gardens where they were kicked off the tour since Maddie was too young(?????). Despite this, they did a walking tour and managed to see some beautiful garden areas from what I can gather.
They did get to spend time on the lanai in some intermittent sunshine with temps in the 70s (which should satisfy anyone from Cincinnati in February). They also went with Em and Maddie to the National Tropical Botanical Gardens where they were kicked off the tour since Maddie was too young(?????). Despite this, they did a walking tour and managed to see some beautiful garden areas from what I can gather.On Saturday morning I had planned on hiking to the Jurassic Park waterfall, but torrential downpours throughout the night continuing during the morning required canceling this adventure. We headed to Salt Pond beach in the late afternoon to get outside and catch a few rays.
We watched the sunset and I walked with Maddie along the beach. We headed home and awaited Big Erv's arrival at the airport that evening.
We watched the sunset and I walked with Maddie along the beach. We headed home and awaited Big Erv's arrival at the airport that evening.Where to Begin...
Sorry it's been so long since I've updated. Lots of visitors, busy at work, new baby - take whichever excuse you like. In any case I'll try to remember some of the highlights, but going through the pictures should help. I didn't even get a chance to finish up comments on Grandma and Grandpa D's trip to Hawaii. The Thursday before they left, big Den and I took a NaPali Coast tour with Blue Dolphin. It consisted of starting from Port Allen on the southwest side of the island, heading west to the NaPali coast and then some snorkeling off the coast. It was an enjoyable trip and the day was beautiful. We caught up with some spinner dolphins and they cruised alongside the boat. 
Views of NaPali were gorgeous although the pictures didn't turn out as well as I'd hoped due to the backlight from the sun.
Views of NaPali were gorgeous although the pictures didn't turn out as well as I'd hoped due to the backlight from the sun.
After turning around near Honopu (ridgeline pictured on the title page of blog viewed from Honopu trail), we anchored for snorkeling which was, at best, below average. 'Nuff said. Big Den said the same for scuba. We ate some lunch and I had a few beers, while we enjoyed watching some of the other passengers blow chow off the back of the boat. As the afternoon progressed, the wind picked up, the seas got rougher, more and more people retreated to the stern to puke. We found great joy in watching others suffer - call us mean if you'd like, but we had fun. The next day at the airport, good byes were difficult, but buffered by the thought that we'd be in Cincinnati with Maddie in a month's time. Only 4 days until Great Grandma T, Grandpa and Grandma G arrive.
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Full Weekend
It was a fun and exciting long holiday weekend here. We kicked it off with dinner on Friday night at Yum Cha, an asian eatery located on the grounds of the Hyatt on the south shore. Dinner was delicious, but made all the better by the hollywood star sighting - Pierce Brosnan. We've been saying things lately like "Yeah, we grabbed a quick dinner with James Bond and his kids this past Friday, no big thing." I believe he owns a house here on Kauai and in considering how we would like to be treated while enjoying dinner with family, we didn't bother him and tried not to stare too much. This was a difficult task for Big Den.
The next morning, Big Den and I arose early to meet a friend at Port Allen small boat harbor for some deep sea fishing. We introduced ourselves and headed out on the water. We watched the sun rise out of the ocean and light the water so we could see the crystal clear blue. We trolled for awhile attempting to catch some big fish without any luck. Then we did some jigging to try and hook some Ahi (Yellowfin tuna) despite the outlook on the fish finder looking pretty bleak. Alan, our captain managed to hook something, handed the rod to me and I promptly lost whatever it was. I gave it a few more casts and then one of the other guys managed to hook something and reeled it in - a small one, good for a few pounds of fileted ahi. From that point we started to hook fish with some consistency for a total of 9.
After getting the boat on the trailer, the guys taught us how to filet the fish and generously gave us 8 of the 9. We iced them down, drove home and I spent probably an hour trying to end my career while slicing up the fish. I enjoyed some sashimi while I worked. By the time it was over, I had about 20 dinner-size portions and most importanly, all my fingers intact. I would have made some sushi, but we were in a bit of a rush to get to the north shore to check in for our weekend escape. Ahi to the freezer and the 5 of us to the car for our trip to the north shore.
We checked in and were pretty happy with the place at Puu Poa. The condo overlooked the cliffs down to the ocean in near enough proximity that you could easily see the reef below surface - it beckoned to be explored with snorkels and fins. I made some fresh margaritas and we picked up pizza for dinner, but best of all we relaxed someplace with our everyday concerns far from our thoughts. Em and I had not been on a true vacation together for over 6 months and we missed the respite (even though you could argue that our whole life here in Hawaii is a vacation).
Maddie did well with her new surroundings and slept pretty well in our room.
The next morning, Big Den and I arose early to meet a friend at Port Allen small boat harbor for some deep sea fishing. We introduced ourselves and headed out on the water. We watched the sun rise out of the ocean and light the water so we could see the crystal clear blue. We trolled for awhile attempting to catch some big fish without any luck. Then we did some jigging to try and hook some Ahi (Yellowfin tuna) despite the outlook on the fish finder looking pretty bleak. Alan, our captain managed to hook something, handed the rod to me and I promptly lost whatever it was. I gave it a few more casts and then one of the other guys managed to hook something and reeled it in - a small one, good for a few pounds of fileted ahi. From that point we started to hook fish with some consistency for a total of 9.
After getting the boat on the trailer, the guys taught us how to filet the fish and generously gave us 8 of the 9. We iced them down, drove home and I spent probably an hour trying to end my career while slicing up the fish. I enjoyed some sashimi while I worked. By the time it was over, I had about 20 dinner-size portions and most importanly, all my fingers intact. I would have made some sushi, but we were in a bit of a rush to get to the north shore to check in for our weekend escape. Ahi to the freezer and the 5 of us to the car for our trip to the north shore.
We checked in and were pretty happy with the place at Puu Poa. The condo overlooked the cliffs down to the ocean in near enough proximity that you could easily see the reef below surface - it beckoned to be explored with snorkels and fins. I made some fresh margaritas and we picked up pizza for dinner, but best of all we relaxed someplace with our everyday concerns far from our thoughts. Em and I had not been on a true vacation together for over 6 months and we missed the respite (even though you could argue that our whole life here in Hawaii is a vacation).
Maddie did well with her new surroundings and slept pretty well in our room.
Here's what she had to say about the trip.
In the morning, Em and I left Maddie with her grandparents and headed down the slippery trail to Hideaways beach with some snorkel gear. I headed out and saw tons of fish in the clear water.
After I don't know how long, I swam back to the beach to Em and we headed back up to the condo to eat some lunch and grab the rest of the crew to head back down to the beach.
Big Den and I spent hours in the water exploring the reef and well...I'll let the pictures and video speak for themselves.
After I don't know how long, I swam back to the beach to Em and we headed back up to the condo to eat some lunch and grab the rest of the crew to head back down to the beach.
Big Den and I spent hours in the water exploring the reef and well...I'll let the pictures and video speak for themselves.
More fresh margaritas and some Mexican for dinner which is a special treat for us since we don't really have a Mexican restaurant withing 45 minutes.
The next morning we packed up and headed to Hanalei Bay so the guys could paddle the Hanalei River and the girls could hang at the beach. The weather didn't cooperate as well as it could have so we got some rain on the river and the girls ended up at some of the shops. Nonetheless, paddling was nice with decent views of the mountains above Hanalei. I paddled it to the end and back while Big Den drifted and cast a line from his kayak. On our return to the mouth of the river we met up with the girls and had some excellent tacos at Pat's Taqueria. Then we headed back home after a restful, exciting and fulfilling weekend. All I can say is Hideaways is now THE beach in my book! 'Til next time...
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Grandma D Visit
Since many of you have requested more Maddie pictures, I'll post some random ones below. Also, I'm in the midst of working on a way that you can view all the pictures via the Costco photo page where I've uploaded nearly everything. 
Grandma D arrived Jan. 4 to the delight of the entire family, especially Em who has received quite a bit of help from her mom. She's been a huge help around the house and with baby care tips to keep us sane while we adjust to life with a newborn. Maddie's been growing like a weed due to her bottomless pit of a stomach - runs in the family. She's been gaining at a rate of 1.5 oz a day and is now "normal baby size" at about 8 lbs, which is her fighting weight - translation: she can ride in the carrier on my chest to go out for sweet hikes. Mom has to carry the food though, so we have to get her back into gear since she's been off the trail for the past few months. There's nothing like spending 24/7 with a newborn for a few weeks to get you ready to get out of the house again. Speaking of getting out of the house, Maddie is already well-traveled, having visited several Hawaiian beaches, restaurants and made a few trips to the store by the ripe-old age of 3 weeks.
Her first beach experience was Glass Beach on the south shore for sunset. While the sunset and beach were less than spectacular, having her along made it more than worthwhile. The beach gets its name from the sand, which is actually tiny pieces of broken glass polished over many years by the relentless Pacific surf. In any case, here is a picture of Maddie enjoying her first beach visit at sunset.
In other Maddie news, she's achieved the following milestones: her cord fell off, she got her first real bath in the tub and she holds her head up remarkably well. In the midst of all this, we tamely celebrated Em's 29th birthday due to lack of sleep. We look forward to a more lively celebration once some of our friends get back from Thailand and the whole group can get together (we haven't been able to do this for nearly a month).
Maddie also endured the awful road to Maha'ulepu beaches (think bobble-head) to check out some clear-blue water, rugged cliffs and pounding surf. She spent most of her time cuddling with Em underneath the sunshade.
While you may be concerned (or maybe you hope) that this blog may turn into "all Madeline, all the time", I assure you that I'll continue to post more adventures and Maddie will be part of some, but definitely not all.
On that note, I've found a new mountain bike trail that hugs the rim of Waimea Canyon. This is the singletrack I've been hoping to find with lots of ups and downs, exposed roots and tight turns with places to improve my skills such as jumps, steep climbs and loose soil. Oh, I forgot to mention AMAZING views into the canyon throughout. I'll try to work out some helmet cam action so you can join me on the trail. This past Sunday, I ventured out with a general location in mind (Koke'e, Waimea Canyon) and let the hike evolve as I was on the trail to encompass some 4 trails and several dirt roads for a 10 mile Tour de Canyon loop hike. This was a great way to see the varying landscape in the parks including dessert, jungle and river valleys. Once I passed the most popular first 2 miles, I saw only 2 hikers on the trail, but I did see several 500-800 ft. waterfalls, goats, lilikoi and ripening blackberries only weeks away from prime (which means blackberry pie in the near future). The first waterfall is Waipo'o which is easily seen from Waimea Canyon Road, but from the trail you cross over the stream and look down over the first drop. After continuing on the trail you can view about half the waterfall from the opposite side.
Continuing further, the ridgeline opens up to 270 degree views of the canyon with 600 ft. Awini falls in the distance. Someone managed to haul supplies up here and construct a picnic table - nice place for a secluded picnic lunch. From there, the expansive views close up as you descend into the lushness and seclusion of Kokee's forests, beautiful nonetheless.
Yesterday afternoon, all of us went to the beach in Kekaha though it was mostly cloudy and cool. The only remarkable thing about it was getting to see some whales breaching, spouting and flipping their tails - the first we've seen this season.
From there we made a quick stop home to grab the Baby Bjorn and walked up the street to the golf course to watch the sunset. The clouds were pretty dense so the sunset was OK, but it was still good to get out and take a walk.
Grandma D arrived Jan. 4 to the delight of the entire family, especially Em who has received quite a bit of help from her mom. She's been a huge help around the house and with baby care tips to keep us sane while we adjust to life with a newborn. Maddie's been growing like a weed due to her bottomless pit of a stomach - runs in the family. She's been gaining at a rate of 1.5 oz a day and is now "normal baby size" at about 8 lbs, which is her fighting weight - translation: she can ride in the carrier on my chest to go out for sweet hikes. Mom has to carry the food though, so we have to get her back into gear since she's been off the trail for the past few months. There's nothing like spending 24/7 with a newborn for a few weeks to get you ready to get out of the house again. Speaking of getting out of the house, Maddie is already well-traveled, having visited several Hawaiian beaches, restaurants and made a few trips to the store by the ripe-old age of 3 weeks.
Her first beach experience was Glass Beach on the south shore for sunset. While the sunset and beach were less than spectacular, having her along made it more than worthwhile. The beach gets its name from the sand, which is actually tiny pieces of broken glass polished over many years by the relentless Pacific surf. In any case, here is a picture of Maddie enjoying her first beach visit at sunset.
In other Maddie news, she's achieved the following milestones: her cord fell off, she got her first real bath in the tub and she holds her head up remarkably well. In the midst of all this, we tamely celebrated Em's 29th birthday due to lack of sleep. We look forward to a more lively celebration once some of our friends get back from Thailand and the whole group can get together (we haven't been able to do this for nearly a month).
Maddie also endured the awful road to Maha'ulepu beaches (think bobble-head) to check out some clear-blue water, rugged cliffs and pounding surf. She spent most of her time cuddling with Em underneath the sunshade.
While you may be concerned (or maybe you hope) that this blog may turn into "all Madeline, all the time", I assure you that I'll continue to post more adventures and Maddie will be part of some, but definitely not all.
On that note, I've found a new mountain bike trail that hugs the rim of Waimea Canyon. This is the singletrack I've been hoping to find with lots of ups and downs, exposed roots and tight turns with places to improve my skills such as jumps, steep climbs and loose soil. Oh, I forgot to mention AMAZING views into the canyon throughout. I'll try to work out some helmet cam action so you can join me on the trail. This past Sunday, I ventured out with a general location in mind (Koke'e, Waimea Canyon) and let the hike evolve as I was on the trail to encompass some 4 trails and several dirt roads for a 10 mile Tour de Canyon loop hike. This was a great way to see the varying landscape in the parks including dessert, jungle and river valleys. Once I passed the most popular first 2 miles, I saw only 2 hikers on the trail, but I did see several 500-800 ft. waterfalls, goats, lilikoi and ripening blackberries only weeks away from prime (which means blackberry pie in the near future). The first waterfall is Waipo'o which is easily seen from Waimea Canyon Road, but from the trail you cross over the stream and look down over the first drop. After continuing on the trail you can view about half the waterfall from the opposite side.
Continuing further, the ridgeline opens up to 270 degree views of the canyon with 600 ft. Awini falls in the distance. Someone managed to haul supplies up here and construct a picnic table - nice place for a secluded picnic lunch. From there, the expansive views close up as you descend into the lushness and seclusion of Kokee's forests, beautiful nonetheless.
Yesterday afternoon, all of us went to the beach in Kekaha though it was mostly cloudy and cool. The only remarkable thing about it was getting to see some whales breaching, spouting and flipping their tails - the first we've seen this season.
From there we made a quick stop home to grab the Baby Bjorn and walked up the street to the golf course to watch the sunset. The clouds were pretty dense so the sunset was OK, but it was still good to get out and take a walk.
Today, Big Den arrives on island and this weekend Maddie will take her first road trip as we head to Princeville and stay at Puu Poa to check out the north shore of Kauai http://www.summitpacificinc.com/puupoa.html.
Maddie says, if you don't like the pictures...
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