Stone Vertical Epic "Halfway There" Tasting

Vertical tasting at Hark J's commenced with Eric, Paul, Hark Jr., Hark J and me in attendence. A plethora of flavors enjoyed in the company of some fine gentlemen.

At Mt. Airy in Cincinnati

Backpacking Waimea Canyon along the Mokihana Trail

While Em and Maddie were in Cincinnati enjoying the company of family and friends, I took advantage of the free time with Tyler to explore some very remote sections of Waimea Canyon. We saw 1 person over 20 miles and braved the heat of the canyon as well as the cold of Kokee. Bonus: the hunter we met gave us some nice, fresh from the kill, pork loins to cook over the fire.

6 Days of Bonding

Emily met Laura and visited Catalina Island off the coast of California for 6 days and 5 nights, so Maddie and I were on our own. As opposed to some fathers who would hunker down in front of the TV, order pizza and just wait out the "misery", I saw an opportunity to do some new things and have a good time. I'll say this, the kid sure does sleep well when you tire her out during the day.

Sunday was spent biking along the coastline path near Kapaa with a small sidetrip to a fairly secluded beach for lunch. Maddie had her first short mountain-biking experience on the trail down to the beach. She enjoyed playing with some of the old fishing net floats that had washed up on the beach and even got to swing on one that was tied into a tree. This is basically what hanging out with your dad is all about - doing things that Mom wouldn't let you do. After an afternoon of fun, Maddie napped, I made dinner and prepared for the next day's escape to Kokee cabins.

The next morning we packed up and drove up the canyon road to Kokee, where we got an early check in at the legendary and dreaded Kokee cabins. I say this because these cabins are not well regarded by many, so we'll call them rustic. Considering our experience 4 years ago on Maui at Waianapanapa cabins, which I would classify as hellish, I was hesitant to give the state park system another chance. I guess I was pleasantly surprised since my expectations were so low. It was by no means luxurious living, but it was reasonably clean with a functional bathroom and kitchen. A small woodburning stove was present to provide heat during the cool evenings so I couldn't complain. In a good mood, we walked from the cabins to the Nualolo trail and started hiking. I guess I underestimated the heat that day (it's been hot as hell with no breeze for a week) because I was struggling on the way back up the trail. I'd definitely rate it as one of, if not the hardest days of hiking with Maddie even though I've done this trail with her multiple times. I was thankful to get back to the cabin and grab a cold shower and cold beer. I'd say that it's rare that a cold shower would feel good in Kokee because it's generally quite cool and rainy there, but the hot weather had even filtered up into the mountains. Nonetheless, the evening was quite comfortable and enjoyable.

Wearing the heavy PJs to protect against the cold

I dedicated Tuesday to doing whatever Maddie wanted to do while we stayed in Kokee. We did awesome stuff like feeding the chickens, playing in the rain, running around, climbing on and jumping off rocks, reading books and wandering around looking at flowers. We visited the Kalalau overlook at sunset an I took some surreal pictures of the military tracking station and the sky. A warm fire and bowl of chili with cornbread hit the spot on our return to the cabin.

We did a short hike across Waipo'o stream to view the waterfalls the next day and bid a fond farewell to the "not too shabby" rustic cabins of Kokee. We'll definitely visit again per Maddie's request. I got Maddie back home in time for a nap in her own bed while I unpacked and sweated. No breeze and plenty of heat that wouldn't break until 3 days later.

At Maddie's request (her vocabulary is both a blessing and occasionally a curse) we went to Baby Beach on the south shore where we took advantage of the calm water for Maddie to run and splash around. Maddie played with the water toys and learned the meaning of a new word (dizzy) while being spun around in her tube. The water was refreshing and leaving was depressing, because I knew we were returning to a home about the temperature of a blast furnace. I made dinner with minimal use of the oven or stove for fear that I would spontaneously combust from a core temperature that was too high.

The next morning we ate breakfast at Kalaheo Cafe and drove to the airport to pick up Mom. Of course, Maddie was excited, but I was still her favorite for a few days...until Grandma and Grandpa D showed up and quickly absconded with the title of "Maddie's Favorite". Oh well, I guess that's the nature of the child/parent/grandparent relationship.

Kelsey and Tom Come to Kauai

Kelsey and Tom came with a plan - they knew what they wanted to do and got to do most of it. Snorkeling, surfing, mud-bugging, hiking, playing with Maddie, etc., etc. Their excitement about the trip was contagious and we had a great time with them. It's nice when people visit and have a gameplan other than "I don't care, what do you want to do?"

Despite Kelsey falling asleep every night at 7:30, they really did experience much of what Kauai has to offer. After arriving on Sunday and reacquainting with Maddie, everyone (except me - working) spent the day at the beach where Tom and Kelsey received their requisite sunburns for the trip.

Tuesday they went mudbugging which is a dunebuggy trip along the muddy roads on the southeast side of the island. Based on their report and the pictures, I think they enjoyed themselves.

The following day we awakened early to make a jaunt up to the north shore where Tom and I had scheduled a 2 hour surfing lesson. We spent a few minutes going over the basic maneuvers of paddling and the transition to standing and then we headed to Hanalei Bay. After waiting for a nice set of waves, we paddled, paddled, paddled, right knee, left foot, right foot and then we were surfing on our first attempt. I'm sure we didn't look like pros, but at least we were upright and riding a wave. It was infinitely more fun than I expected since I figured we scheduled ourselves for two hours of frustration. We rode quite a few waves, some rides were prettier than others, but at the end of the lesson we were surfing without cues from our instructor. At least now when people find out I live on Kauai and ask if I surf , I can say yes and don't have to spend the next 15 minutes trying to explain why I haven't.

From the surfing lesson, we proceeded to Pat's Taco Stand for some excellent burritos, tacos and quesadillas. Next, we attempted to get to Hideaways beach for some snorkeling, but were unable to find parking due to construction at the Princeville Hotel. Even though it was a fairly short day at the beach, there was a lot of napping on the way back home.

Everyone (except me - working again) spent the following day at Mahaulepu beach. That evening we took a scenic walk to Kukuiolono golf course to watch the sunset. Only a few hours later I was awakened at 4 AM by the hospital calling me in to the worst intra-abdominal abscess case of my career (N.B. the patient survived and is doing well against all odds!). That was followed by some more fun when another patient's heart stopped and required a temporary pacemaker and transfer to Honolulu. All this by noon. When quittin' time rolled around, I sprinted out of the hospital to Port Allen where we met for our NaPali sunset cruise.

As expected, the scenery was spectacular, the food average and the drinks strong and abundant. I partook of (too) many Mai Tais while everyone else had more sense, but we relished being on the water, the ocean breezes and the evening shadows playing on the cliffs.

Notwithstanding our less than optimal hiking condition from the previous evening's festivities, we took advantage of Tom and Kelsey's last day on Kauai by hiking a few miles on the east side. Unfortunately, the views of Waialeale mirrored our cloudy state, but it was still good to get out and let them forget the impending pain of that night's flight.

As always, the departure was sad, but everyone was encouraged by the idea that we'd see each other soon in Cincinnati. "Good work!" to Tom and Kelsey for taking full advantage of the opportunities that Kauai offers.

Erv's First Foray into the Backcountry

On our trip to Yosemite last year, Paul, Erv and I made plans to do it again, but in a different location. Before we'd even left, we penciled in Glacier as our destination of choice. We arrived in Kalispell on Saturday, excited to see each other and for the fun that lay ahead. We spent the afternoon talking and sipping some cocktails while doing some light activity planning for the week.

After pizza and beer, we got down to the business of loading our backpacks for two days at Granite Park Chalet, a backcountry lodge in Glacier National Park. We packed what we needed and a few luxury items (beer, tequila, rum) to make our stay more enjoyable. We had planned for an early start so we got to bed early.

While Erv and I gorged ourselves to power up for the long day ahead, Paul had his usual light breakfast and we departed for East Glacier to drop our luggage and catch the shuttle up to Logan Pass. Our timing was perfect and with just our overnight packs on the shuttle, no excess baggage, the excitement to get out on the trail was palpable. We didn't forget to enjoy the sweeping views under a slate grey sky while we traveled along Going-to-the-Sun Road. Ironic since there would be no sun.

Upon disembarking the shuttle, we shouldered our packs and off we went along the Highline trail. Considering this was the first time Erv had ever carried more than a day-pack in his nearly 60 years, we made incredible time keeping a 2 mph pace over 7.6 miles (http://www.everytrail.com/view_trip.php?trip_id=358010).  Despite the cold, occasionally drizzly weather, the views were very nice and the walk enjoyable, but the sight of the chalet with a wisp of smoke emanating from its chimney was welcomed by all. We entered the warm communal area, "checked in" and were escorted to our luxurious suite which consisted of log walls, bunk beds and a table. There's a reason they call it "a view with a room" rather than vice-versa.

View from our room

 We stripped off our hiking clothes, enjoyed the feel of some cotton on our skin (a no-no unless you're warm, dry and sheltered in the backcountry) and then went to sit by the woodburning stove. We took some photos and generally lounged around for the rest of the evening.

In the morning, we awakened to 30 degrees under grey skies again, but with some snow thrown in for good measure. Paul and I had planned a jaunt up to the Glacier overlook, but decided to wait out the weather. By noon, it became apparent that we wouldn't be seeing any sun today, so despite the low-lying clouds and blowing snow that would probably obscure our view, we went hiking. Erv decided (wisely) to enjoy the chalet and nurse his blister rather than aggravate it since we had another 7.6 miles ahead of us tomorrow. Paul and I climbed through the snow and clouds not more than a mile from a grizzly and her 3 cubs. Not far from the overlook, we encountered a companion on the trail.

 On arrival at the overlook, we knew the effort was worthwhile, because despite the low cloud ceiling, we had unobstructed views to the Salamander Glacier (we think) and distant mountains.

On our return, we were pelted with snow, but soon enough we were within the warm confines of the chalet. We spent the evening playing Hold-Em for Skittles and bragging right as well as chatting with our new friends Kenneth (or was it Craig?) and Suzie.

Ah yes, another day in the backcountry with no heat, grey skies, a stiff breeze and light snow - must be September in Montana.

Our departure was bittersweet knowing that we had killer views and a hot, fresh meal awaiting us at the end of Swiftcurrent trail, but we were leaving the beauty of Granite Park Chalet behind. We had great views of the chalet and its gorgeous setting as we climbed to Swiftcurrent pass and excellent views of Swifcurrent valley from the saddle.

Granite Park Chalet (upper right)

The hard part was over and we now had just 2400 feet of elevation loss and about 6.5 miles of cruisng along wildflowers, waterfalls and alpine lakes. I lost my lens cap along the way so I managed to get an extra couple mile jog as I retraced my steps. Despite not finding the cap, I did nearly run into the broad side of a moose, but didn't have my camera with me to document it. Soon we were within the vicinity of Many Glacier Hotel and in just under an eternity of walking on the side of the road, we were sitting down in the lounge for burgers and beer. Cheers to all who survived the trip!

We drove to our lodging in East Glacier and I was lucky enough to enjoy the first shower - heaven! We then chowed down at Serrano's and enjoyed their excellent version of Mexican cuisine. Back at the Timber Frame Cottage, we put our feet up, watched a movie, drank and enjoyed cleanliness and climate control.

The rest of our days in Glacier were blessed with beautiful weather. Two-Medicine Valley was the destination for the day because of it's proximity to our lodging and access to a few short hikes since we wanted to take it easy after a few big hiking days. Despite our attempt to keep the mileage down, we still logged upwards of 6 miles. We saw some nice pond-filled meadows, a few waterfalls and the oddest clouds I've ever seen.

With our day of "rest" complete, we drove north to St. Mary's and the eastern side of Going-to-the-Sun Road to see the lakes and waterfalls nearby. Before we knew it, we'd hiked to 3 waterfalls, countless streams and cruised 8 miles. We retired fairly early that evening knowing that we had a big day and early departure ahead of us.

St. Mary's Falls

Our return to Many Glacier Valley was rewarded with beautiful early morning views across Swiftcurrent Lake. After a few photos we boarded the hikers' shuttle across Swiftcurrent Lake to Lake Josephine. Once we were there, we shuttled across Lake Josephine and then began our shoreline hike to Grinnell Lake. Grinnell Lake was mirror-like, reflecting perfectly the picturesque mountains surrounding it. The water was extremely clear (like most lakes in Glacier), the submerged stones were very colorful and since were the first to reach the lake that day, it was truly an idyllic setting. Paul and I then split with Erv to depart on the steep hike to Upper Grinnell lake. Sadly, Erv deferred since he was still plagued with a blister problem. Not sadly, he returned to the Many Glacier Hotel and enjoyed a cool day with bright sunshine gazing out to this view.

Swiftcurrent Lake (Erv's view)

Grinnell Lake

Upper Grinnell Lake

Paul and I started at a quick pace and we were soon shedding layers as we climbed above treeline with the brilliant sunshine blazing. At about the same time we were rewarded with aerial views of turquoise Grinnell Lake. We eventually climbed into the spectacular rock amphitheater containing iceberg-filled upper Grinnell Lake. Lunch was spent gazing across the icebergs to the steep rock walls, glaciers and waterfalls behind. It was a difficult place to leave, but we made good enough time on the way down to catch the early shuttle and have a few drinks with Erv for happy hour. We had dinner at the most unique Cattle Baron Supper Club, the pride of Babb, MT and the supposed home of Montana's best steak. Suffice it to say that I enjoy steaks off of my own grill of a much higher quality. Fortunately, I had enough beer to nearly forget that I even had a steak for dinner.

The next morning was foggy, inside our heads, not outside the cottage, but we still managed an efficient departure to Kalispell. We traveled north to St. Mary and then through Glacier via Going-to-the-Sun Road, into West Glacier and then to Kalispell stopping frequently for short hikes and pictures at scenic areas. In Kalispell we partook of some traditional Montana fare at the Mongolian barbeque and then lounged around in the hotel room thinking, but not talking about the inevitable return home.

Avalanche Gorge and Creek

We said our goodbyes early the next morning since the flight to Cincinnati departed at 7, but I went back to sleep for awhile before my drive to Missoula and then return to Kauai. Leaving each other's company we were sad, but like last year, thankful for the experiences and excited about next year's trip! Do I hear Yellowstone?

Sequoia/Kings Canyon Trip on a Moment's Notice

With both my partners at work taking nearly month-long trips over June and July, I started to get antsy knowing that I'd be tied down over the next two months. Joe was kind enough to cover some days for me so we could get off-island for a week. Not having anything particular in mind, we were sure of one thing: no overnight flight. That pretty much leaves us with Hawaiian islands, Cali, Seattle and Portland. Since it had been hot and calm for the past few weeks in Kalaheo, we decided on cooler climes and headed to the Sierra Nevada mountains to check out the adjoining national parks. We booked our last minute flight on Priceline and saved 55% which allowed us to spend more on our shoddy accommodations (more on that later).

We got some reasonable flights into Fresno, CA and planned on driving the hour and fifteen minutes to the park that night even though we were scheduled to arrive at 11:20 PM. With the 3 hour time difference, that wasn't too bad until we called the guy that was renting us the cabin and he didn't have any record of us booking it. Not surprisingly, he had no problem taking my credit card number over the phone a few days before that. This guy seemed to be the most organized fellow I'd ever encountered. After wasting about 45 minutes of our precious non-crabby time with Maddie, he realized that he did have have our reservation.

Upon arriving at the somewhat difficult to find cabin, Mr. Disorganized wanted to talk our ears off while Maddie wanted to go back to sleep. We were thrilled to find out that the 2 sources of heat advertised on the website were an old, inefficient fireplace and a brand new tabletop propane heater that used the little green Coleman propane tanks. These were good for about 3 hours of heat. Not an ideal method to warm an entire cabin with an 18 month who is accustomed to 70 degree temperatures at night especially when nighttime temperatures at 6500 feet fall to the 40s even in June.

After a restless night of sleep, we enjoyed the daytime scenery and made the hour drive to the Cedar Grove area of Kings Canyon. It was a beautiful drive and we made multiple stops along the way for short, easy hikes where Maddie could get out and run around after a day of traveling. Great mountain, waterfall and meadow scenery for little effort and the weather was specatcular - high 60's, mostly sunny. We stopped at the market on the way back to pick up supplies which consisted mostly of beer and pre-packaged meals. As you may know, food selection and quality is not the strong point of the national parks. We settled in at the cabin and got a roaring fire going to fend off the chilly evening temperatures and keep the place warm through the night.

Grizzly Falls

I love waterfalls...aaaarrrrrggghhhh!

Roaring River Falls

Zumwalt Meadow

Due to another night of sub-standard sleep, we got a late start to Cedar Grove to hike the Mist Falls Trail. None of us were in a great mood so the hour ride to our destination was less than pleasant. The skies were foreboding and rain intermittently pelted the windshield on our way to the trailhead. We geared up and departed for the falls despite the high likelihood of rain and low likelihood that we could make the 4.1 mile one way hike before we got drenched. We kept a blistering pace along the trail and made the falls in about 70 minutes. The sight of the waterfall brightened everyone's mood and we cruised back to the trailhead much happier than we had left it.

Everyone slept well that night and we spent the next day making our way along the General's Highway seeing some of the more touristy sights. We did a short, easy hike to another huge waterfall and then saw the largest living thing in the world - the General Sherman Giant Sequoia. The scenery along the "highway" was beautiful ranging from expansive mountain views to beautiful old growth sequoias, but the descent into Three Rivers was extremely narrow and winding. We were spurred on by the thought of a meal not produced by the national parks.

Tokopah Falls

Sadly, we were disappointed by the food selection in Three Rivers as it was harldly the artsy, gateway community described in the guidebook. It was more like a collection of crappy strip malls lined up along the road to the national park with some mildly pretty river scenery. Positives: Our lodging was much cheaper, our accommodations were very nice, good access to the remote Mineral King area of the park, the grocery store had Stone Pale Ale and Arrogant Bastard. Negatives: The "natural river water source" that supplied our shower smelled like hot rotten eggs, food was average and overpriced. Unfortunately, the weather, which had cooperated nicely until this point, did not hold out and the high elevation Mineral King Valley received snow overnight.

Despite the overcast, rainy, foggy weather, we drove through the mountains to Mineral King. The rangers informed us that typical conditions for this time of year was 50's and sunny with wildflowers starting to bloom, but we got rainy and 34 degress. Em and Maddie, having much more sense than me, returned to the car after a brief jaunt, while I continued up the mountain to view some high alpine lakes. As the snow began to fall quite hard and my tracks disappeared behind me in nearly whiteout conditions, I determined seeing alpine lakes wasn't as important as seeing Em and Maddie again so I turned around (about a quarter mile from the lakes). We ate some average Mexican food for dinner and returned to the comfort of our cabin to watch a few movies and partake of some Stone brews.

Some of the wildlife - Marmot, also affectionately known by as "mountain beaver"

How I spent my summer vacation...

Our flight was scheduled for early afternoon so we made a leisurely departure from Three Rivers to catch our flight in Fresno. Maddie was an absolute angel on the flight. We were ecstatic to have the entire row to ourselves since the big-haired crazy Hollywood "executive" just couldn't be bothered with having a small child in her row and thus, moved up a row. Good riddance, though I did have trouble seeing the flight attendant past our friend's extravagantly teased hair.

It was a great trip especially considering our severe lack of planning until 1 week prior to departure. I highly recommend Kings Canyon Sequoia if you're looking for the grandeur of Yosemite without waiting in line to take your outdoor photos.