I e-mailed Dayle to do Kamiloiki then traverse to the site and then down the Bishop Estate road. I was hoping to get two cars, staging one at the top of the Kamehame Ridge subdivision, but he demurred.
So, set off at 10:00 a.m. as scheduled. I have done this traverse two times previously, and done Kamiloiki countless times. Every time I did it, I trail-cleared, for more than 10 years, and so it's in very good shape.
Near the top, there is a flat area that is usually overgrown with grass, but this year, somebody cleared it wide open near those power-line poles (probably the utility co.), and so there is very little work to be done. Since my tendons are okay today, I made good time, equally the best time I did with Dayle back in '96.
The traverse was also as expected. I saw two hang-gliders take off and then hover right near me. The recent rain did cause the buffalo (?) grass to grow wild in some places, but it's manageable, and I cleared some of it.
Got into the site, and the path, supposedly over (ancient) concrete, is severely overgrown. I was cutting away, and then saw a man with his car parked on the site. I froze, pretended not to see him, and hacked away. Actually, he pretended he never saw me, and I passed by without incident, without saying hello.
The hang-glider people put a green mat over their launch site, which makes it a very comfortable site to have lunch and to relax and admire the fantastic scenery.
There is a gate near the top that is usually closed (one has to go way off the road to bypass it), but it's open today: presumably that man at the site left it open.
Went down the road with no incident. There is a prominent "no T" sign at the gate at the subdivision. That was knocked down, but another new sign was put up. It cites criminal penalties according to Hawaii Revised Statutes so-and-so. Did not memorize it. Will deal with that sort of thing one of these days, after I got my license :-)
The subdivision road was long and boring, and I kept thinking, how ugly are these rich people's houses. The road at the bottom curves to the left, necessitating more walking. So I took the right turn to the end, and luckily, there is a footpath going down to Hawaii Kai Drive, and that short-cut probably saved 10-15 minutes.
Eventually got back to the trailhead, and I was surprised by loud noises of a husband and wife quarreling in Cantonese in one of the nice houses. The language was vulgar and low class, reminding me of the quarreling I occasionally heard in the slums of Hong Kong!!, from which I just returned.
As is my custom when I am in the area, I stopped by Bale for a big meal (since I only snacked up top) located in one of the big shopping centers nearby (the one with a Long's). That place has nice, inexpensive food. Wing
Author: wing@lava.net (Wing C Ng)
Comments
Post a Comment