Hiking to Hanakapi'ai Beach - Kauai June 2010

Ha'ena Beach, Kauai

In 4 days on Kauai, we drive nearly the entire road that circles 3/4th of the island of Kauai - from Waimea Canyon to the West (the road ends just west of Waimea at the site of the Pacific Missile Range) to Ha'ena Beach in the North (at the start of the Napali Coast Park/Trail).    By far the most memorable portion of the trip was exploring a small sliver of the Napali Coast.

The landscape of the island changes drastically on the north shore, with the mountains shrouded in fog and sweeping vistas of the interior canyons, including the view of this reclaimed taro field.  Taro was once grown all throughout the islands, but demand has decreased as tourism income increased, leaving few taro fields left in Kauai.

The main highway that circles the island ends at Ha'ena Beach.  We arrived at 9am, which was too late for parking in the main parking lot, so we parked our car in the overflow lot and made our way to the beach/trail head.  The Napali trail ventures deep in nature reserve, and registered camper/hikers can take a hike along the trail that ranges from a few hours to several days.  Once you leave the beach, it is just you, the nature trail (originally built to connect the tribes of the islands and improved over time since the 1930s), and your fellow hikers.  Several people had recommended old running shoes as they said I would get them dirty and the red clay mud would not come off.

According to the trail signs, it was 2 miles to the first stop - the secluded Hanakapi'ai Beach, and 2 more miles up hill from there to a majestic waterfall.  Realizing we forgot to bring our lunch and it was already warm at 9:30am, half our group headed up the trail for the Beach.  About a quarter of the mile uphill, the views of Ha'ena Beach below fill the view.  Many less experienced hikers made it this far up the challenging trail before turning back to the beach. 


As a lover of nature hikes and trail runs, I was excited and invigorated by this trail.  We kept going progressively up, up, and up, hugging the mountains as the ocean floor fell further and further below us.  there were occasional tricky patches involving crumbling trails and slippery stream crossings, but in all a glorious hike.

After about 45 minutes, we reached the peak of the 2 mile hike to the beach.  Slowly as we started to descend, Hanakapi'ai Beach came into view below.  Where there were 100's of loungers on the Beach at Ha'ena, you could only spot a few below enjoying the sand. 

Not far from the bottom of the hill, a sign on the trail warned of the imminent danger on the beach ahead.  With no shaved ice booths, no lifeguards, and no modern facilities, care was warranted on the beach.  As the sign says "Do not go near the water - unseen currents have killled xxxx visitors." 

So what did I do? Hit the water of course.  I was swimsuit ready and in the water almost immediately, of course protecting my head from killer UV rays!

After cooling down, we decided we had better head back.  It had taken us and hour and 15 minutes to hike to the beach, and if we wanted lunch before sundown, it was best not to dawdle too long, especially since we left half our group back at the starting point.  More adventurous hikers, or more prepared ones for that matter, could follow this stream up into the mountains where at 3000 you could swim at the base of a grand waterfall.  From there, another 7-8 miles along the route would lead you to even more remote beachlands for camping.  Another trip!
 
The way back was much easier (only took about 45 minutes), and gave me the chance to enjoy the magnificent mountain views I missed watching the trail so closely on the way in. 

Finally, after a thrilling 2 hours of exploration, it was off for a truly Hawaiian reward - a visit to the shaved ice truck! 

There are many cool places to explore along the North Shore of Kauai, including spending an hour or so in Hanalei Town.  Another great stop just two miles off the main highway is a visit to the Kilauea Lighthouse and Bird Sanctuary.  The lighthouse was built in 1913 to aid the shipping fleet navigate past the islands.  With the exception of WWII, the lighthouse remained in operation until it was decommissioned in 1976.  The land became a National Wildlife Refuge in 1985 and is the home to several species of rare and endangered birds. Given my slogan of "Climbing the towers of the world one stair at a time," I was disappointed to not be able to explore the upper levels of the lighthouse, which were closed to the public.  So I had to settle by amusing myself and celebrating my domination of this landmark.

In retrospect, we covered a lot in just a few days on Kauai.  To my liking, the focus on was exploring the natural surroundings of the island, and I even got a couple of 6 mile runs in during my time on the island (part of which preview the Kauai Half Marathon course that is run at Labor Day).   Sure, I had a misguided vision of a few days sitting on a calm beach swimming in blue seas, not knowing how rustic the island would be.  But a good time and good memories were had by all.

Waimea Canyon - Kauai June 2010

Waimea Canyon

The western half of the island of Kauai is bisected by Waimea Canyon - or the "Grand Canyon of Hawaii."  It took the better part of a day to explore the road up the canyon, and I highly recommend blocking out a full day, putting on an old pair of hiking shoes, and be ready to explore several of the trails that radiate out from the road to the Lodge.  Day tours in buses make the trip along the canyon as well, but only stop at one or two of the vista lookout points near the top of the canyon.  By traveling in a car, our group found ourselves stopping every few miles to enjoy a new breathtaking view of how the landscape changes along the canyon route.

More adventurous types (without a fear of heights) can take a helicopter ride through the Canyon to recreate the vistas captured in Jurassic Park and many other films.

The first thing I noticed was was the stark red of the soil, the result of iron ore in the soil.  As you drive Highway 50 from Poipu to Waimea, the redness starts to seep in, and iron ore deposits coat the buildings and old factories along the highway. 

It was a hazy day in the canyon, so I wasn't able to capture how truly breathtaking this region is.  Many adventurous hikers take several days and make their ways down the trails and along the river at the bottom of the gorge.  I had to settle for 90 minutes of burning the memories in my brain from afar. 

Not far from Waimea, a worthwhile diversion is a short stop in old town Hanapepe.  This former plantation town is no longer along the main highway and has been turned into an artist colony.  Spend an hour exploring the local crafts, enjoy the farmers market, and definitely take a stroll across the wooden suspension bridge.  It truly was a swinging time (all terrifying 45 seconds of it that I walked across). 


Another fun short excursion was to the Kilohana Plantation.  Located just West of Lihue, you get the chance to explore the grounds of one of Kauai's largest plantations.  The Plantation home was built in the 1930's, and at one time was the home to the plantation owner Gaylord Wilcox.  In its heydey, this 16,000 square foot home had only 3 bedrooms for the family! Now it is a lovely restaurant, museum, and collection of gift shops. 

The highlight (other than the newly minted Rum tasting room!) was the chance to take a 40 minute train journey through the plantation fields.  Traveling through the gardens and plantation (which still grows a variety of fruits) takes you back to another time before airplanes, highways, and the internet. 

Wild Boars roam the wilderness of Kauai, often having escaped from early plantation settlers.  However, this group of boars are gainfully employed by the plantation.  Their job is simple - greet the train passengers and eat 4-5 meals a day (mostly scraps from the restaurant). They were cute, but wildly aggressive, even to get hold of the bread that we were allowed to feed them, often knocking their smaller breathern out of the way.  Easy to see how being called a pig is an insult!

Next up: The highlight of this short trip to Kauai was a visit to Ha'ena beach at the end of the road on the North Shore of Kauai.

National Botanic Garden - Kauai June 2010

National Botanic Garden - Poipu, Kauai
With just a few days on Kauai, the entire trip is a series of rapid fire highlights. And if natural beauty is for you, there is much to see here. As long as you dismiss any ideas of translating "mainland distances" to Hawaii - multiple your expected travel time by 3 and you will be just fine!

The National Tropical Botanic Garden is just a few miles West of Poipu Beach. Just follow the road from Poipu until it ends, and you will arrive at the Visitor Center for the gardens. You could easily spend 1-2 hours exploring the grounds of the visitor Center, which is divided into regional displays of tropical plantings.

If you are feeling a bit more adventurous, $20 will buy you a tram ride to the McBryde Garden.  Located up the hills in a secluded valley, the site of the McBryde Garden is a former Sugar Plantation that originally belonged to Hawaii's Queen Emma.  All of the plants in the garden (native Hawaiian specimens as well as plants brought to the islands by its various inhabitants) have been planted since the land was obtained by the Garden Conservancy in 1970.  

The tram ride alone is worth the journey, as you feel you are being taken to Jursassic Park, with sweeping vistas of the coast on one side of the tram, and views of the future multi-million $ golf course and housing track to the other side.

Much of the stunning gardens you pass on the drive up are part of the Allerton Gardens.  A former private residence, the gardens were once the home of Robert Allerton, who was instrumental in the forming of the Botanical Gardens in Hawaii and the purchase of the McBryde Gardens. A separate tour will take you to this hidden alcove along the coast. Currently, this section of the garden had been turned over to the crew of Pirates of the Caribbean 4, whose set we could see from above.

The tram drops you at the top of the McBryde Garden, and you are free to wander through the native plants garden, the palm garden, the herbal medicine garden situated along a mile long section of the valley. This area was completely sheltered from the trade winds that batter much of the island all day long, making for a calm, quiet, peaceful stroll.




Just be careful stick both hands into the old gnarled vine at the same time.I hear they roam the garden at night trapping the visitors left behind by the tram.

This bamboo bridge isn't nearly as ancient as it looks, but it is rotting away under the moisture of the air nonetheless - so you have to just imagine crossing the bridge by food.

Allow yourself 3-4 hours to enjoy the views, be transported to another world, and stop to take plenty of pictures with your friends.


National Tropical Botanic Gardens
South Shore of Kauai
Open Daily, Tours Depart Hourly until 2:30pm. $20.

Jungle Run 2010 - Half Marathon

July 11, 2010 - Half Marathon - Los Gatos, CA

I discovered the Los Gatos Jungle Run back in 2007 when I was looking for a half marathon training run in summer.  Training for Medoc 2007, I needed fit in a long race at a time when LA doesn't have much going on.   I so enjoyed the beauty and the challenge of the run that this year marked my 4th consecutive trip to the Bay Area.  In 3 days, I can run the race, visit my mother, and get my summer teeth cleaning (long story). 

The highlight of the run is the mile 7-9 stretch through Los Gatos' Lake Vasona.  I spent many hours as a kid at Lake Vasona having family barbecues or riding my bike through the vast park. 


June through early July was unseasonable cool in Los Angeles, so I was concerned on the drive up that the average temperature would be in the 90s on race day.  In 2008, the heat wreaked havoc on my race time.  So I was pleasantly surprised when the fog rolled in Sunday morning and didn't retreat until I was nearly at mile 11. 

Another hallmark of this race is the size of the race field.  Just a hair over 900 runners completed the half marathon, making for a nice balance of runners who were easily able to share the course as we narrowed to the creekside bike trails after mile 5. 

I never fail to chuckle at the family of geese that roam the course.  If they would only put them  to work passing out water and gu packs.  :)

I felt very comfortable with my pace and was blissfully unaware of my time for the first 8 miles.  I have been trying to focus on maintaining focus, relaxing when I get tired, and working through any psychological barriers that throw themselves up during my long runs.  I know that physically I can run the race, so all my energies this past year have been on running psychologically as well.  At about mile 8, as we made our way through the park, I decided that to add a little kick to my pace.  Most of the remaining 5 miles would be slightly uphill, and my hill training could be an advantage in this run.  I steadily pushed myself until the top of the hill at mile 11.5, then opened my legs and lungs and just coasted in the last mile and a half.  I was surprised at how many runners were running out of steam and slowing down on the downhill stretch so close to the finish line. 

After a final lap around the high school track, I crossed the finish line at a chip time of 1hr 52min and change - a full 3 minutes faster than last year, the 2010 Jungle Run is now my 3rd fastest Half Marathon on record. 

Update: 
The Jungle Run also has a more inauspicious legacy as well.  In 2008, that is the race where Phil, my running buddy for the past 15 years, injured himself leading to a year of on and off running that was capped by a knee surgery in 2009.  The spirit of the Los Angeles Marathon got Phil back on the road, and he had completed 5 half marathons in 2010 prior to facing his demons at the Jungle Run this year.  Determination and hard training paid off, resulting in Phil finishing in a successful 1hr 56 minutes.  He remains on track for Eden in October, and we both have our sites set on some big runs in 2011. 

The best part of the run is always the feeling you get after you finish.  A quick pass through the refreshment lines, and the annual body fat test (39 y.o. - 15% body fat - yay!) and it was off to explore the local town and stroll through their weekly farmer's market.  The day was warming up fast, but that didn't matter, since all there was left to do this weekend was eat some lunch, buy some fruit at the market, and enjoy the classical sounds of some high school aged street performers. 

Just 3 months to Eden, and this was the last half marathon on the books for 2010.  Next up - the Bulldog 25K at Malibu Creek in August.  I'm ready!

The Land of the Chickens - Kauai June 2010

At the end of June, my friend Boon's daughter graduate from high school.  Before Joyce headed off to UC Irvine to become an Anteater, the family took a trip to Kauai.  After a really busy few months at work and tired from my marathon training, I was looking forward to exploring the island for a few days.  Over the course of 4 days, we explored all corners of the island, home to Jurassic Park, site of early Christian Missionaries (ala those immortalized in the book and movie Hawaii), and some amazing hiking trails on the far north of the island.

After a very long day of travel, we arrived in Kauai and within a few minutes, we were in our rented minivan on our way to the condo at Poipu Beach.  I had in my naive brain images of white sandy beaches and gently wafting breezes.  What I didn't plan on was gale force trade winds and daily rains.  Only later did I find out that the highest point on Kauai is the wettest place on earth, with annual rainfall totals of over 500 inches per year.  Yikes!  The condo reservation promised an "Ocean View" and boy did it deliver as evidence from the view from the balcony of the condo.  

Just a few short miles from Poipu is the St. Raphael Church (hidden off the main road with minimal signage).  This church dates back to the 1850s when missionaries from the East Coast moved to Hawaii to convert the natives from their pagan ways.  How charming!



One of the joys of the ocean front condo was the ability to watch the local residents and tourist alike explore the ocean views.  One evening, just before sunset, we noticed a photoshoot taking place along the rocks.  Using my hand 20x zoom, I caught a glipse of a glamour shot in action.  Poor girl must have been freezing in the winds!  A few moments later, the shoot was interrupted by a couple of hikers who barged in causing the model to quickly cover up. 


And the chickens? Well they are everywhere you go - roaming free.  It was hard to get a straight answer as to the origins of the wild chicken population, but apparently, in 1992 Hurricane Iniki devastated Kauai, and in the process destroyed the vast majority of the local residents chicken coops, freeing the chickens to roam wild.  With no natural predators on the island (there aren't any land animals larger on the island and no snakes), the chickens have assumed the top of the pecking order.  The Costco chickens were perhaps the most well-fed chickens I had ever seen! 

Next time: Waimea Canyon - the Grand Canyon of Hawaii. 

Coach Dave and Mary the Running Librarian

I have been a bit remiss in posting lately, but that doesn't mean that I haven't been keeping busy.  I am now 16 weeks in to training for the October 10th Eden Project Marathon (12 1/2 weeks to go).  Eden will be my 3rd marathon in the past 12 months, and I want to end my 30's with a bang!

Last weekend, I completed the Los Gatos Jungle Run Half Marathon in fine form - race report to follow.  And a few weeks ago, I took a quick trip to Kauai with friends.  For a "travel blog" I admit I am very slow in organizing my travel photos from this trip.

Back at home, in between running and working and running, I have cheering my friend Mary on her quest to complete the Couch to 5k program.  Mary purchased the Get Running app to map her workouts, I have been encouraging Mary, giving her tips, and even joining her on a few of her workouts. 

As a Coach, Mary is the dream student.  In no time she had properly fitted shoes, enough electronic apparatuses to ground a 747 during takeoff, and was exploring the best timing for pre and post workout meals.  As a runner, it is a great feeling to introduce one more friendly face to the trails, and I look forward to joining her on her first 5k this fall.  This weekend, we are taking her training to the next step - introducing interval training.  Mary will feel like a freshman in high school all over again!

Check out Mary's journey from baker to jogger.  It is truly inspiring to everyone who wants to tackle a challenge.

Valley Crest Half Marathon 2010

Sunday, June 13, 2010

Another beautiful sunny late spring day in Los Angeles.  Although there is a nice overcast layer hanging over coastal LA, in the San Fernando Valley, it is sunny and warm.  After packing up my race gear (which this time I laid out the night before because forgetting more than one thing is unforgivable - I would have hated to not have a towell today to mop up the bountious sweat). 

I absolutely love how close the run is to home.  Only 30 minutes drive to the start line means I got to sleep in until 5:30 - a luxury!  At the start line, it was easy to see this was going to be a hot run!  Nothing gets a run kicked off like a nice uphill to start. 

The course is beautiful, challenging, and had one of the nicest groups of runners I have ever been fortunate enough to run with.  I lost count of how many "good morning's" and "good jobs" I heard over the 13 miles.   Ever wonder what LA looked like before nearly 20 million of us moved in, head up to the Santa Monica mountains.  Miles of protected nature with astounding views. 

A quick view in to the valley from the 11 mile mark - this reservoir is just off Reseda Blvd in the foothills. 

I didn't set out today with a time goal.  I just wanted to relax, run with determination and focus, and get one step closer to my next marathon.  In that, I succeeded.  I would have liked to beat last year's 2hr 10 min finish time, but it wasn't in the cards today.  I ran out of gas around 12 miles in, and will figure out if I didn't eat enough during the run or maybe take in enough water.  But I kept going slow and steady and finished at 2hr 15 minutes.  I'll be curious to see how the rest of the results stack up when they are posted later in the week. 

Wednesday it is back to the trails.   I am 11 weeks into this training cycle, with 17 more weeks to go until Eden Marathon.  Up next, the Los Gatos Jungle Run Half Marathon in July, followed by the ultimate trail run (for me) - Bulldog 25k.  To fill the hole in my September training plan, I just signed up for the Lake Tahoe 20 miler.  I hear it's a beautiful way to get my long long run in. 

Tonight's reward - Visiting Gyenari Korean Restaurant in Culver City.  I've earned some grilled meat!  And beer!