1.16.2014

Wandering Mountains and Valleys

This morning we set out with a few friends to hike a trail we'd never been on before.  Just off of the main road heading up and over the mountains, we parked off to the side and set off through the path of tall ginger plants.  A few moments on the trail and we were cruising through a thicket of vibrant green bamboo with bright yellow stalks and then the view opened up in front of us.  The lush green valley and wide open space was a surprise to me, which I LOVE.  I never expected this to be there, from the main road it looks like it's all dense jungle/forest.  From here we continued up, up, up the mountain under the shade of Eucalyptus trees, which are among my favorites and incredibly beautiful, despite being extremely invasive and choking out the native and deeply loved indigenous trees including Koa among other species.  It got a little bit steep, very very muddy and kind of sketchy at point.  There was a stream crossing or two and some very old stone steps and rock formations that used to comprise an ancient fish pond.  When I come upon things like that while hiking, I always wonder about who built them, how long ago it was, and what the area looked like in pre-contact Hawaii, which really wasn't all that long ago.  This place, it stirred something in me...There are a million beautiful places on this island, and for some reason I really connected with this spot.  Bare with me, but I felt like it's energy was something to be taken in and recognized.  I'm already plotting for this to be my new regular spot.  I can see myself taking Max there frequently as it was almost totally deserted,  the wide open valley with it's semi-flat trail will be great for me as I embark on a personal challenge of upping my running game.  All in all it was an amazing morning, I feel fueled up and high on nature love...







3 comments:

  1. I can see why you liked it so much. Lushness and openness at the same time!
    You'll feel like a deer running through there, connecting with the land, exploring even more.
    Very beautiful.

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  2. I was so happy when we found this place, and I've gone back several times already...It's so incredibly green, lush and quiet!!! Thanks for stopping by the blog :)

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