Yesterday I was awake for 21 hours after having slept for 2 at most, and I just awoke from sleeping for 9, my body has got to be so confused. My friend Shane Harder informed me he had family in town and would be taking his brother to do Ha'Iku Stairs (also called Stairway To Heaven), a series of somewhere around 4000 steps and landings leading up to an antenna used by the military (More Details). Unfortunately my bride wasn't with me. She decided to hang back for this one for baby's sake. Missed you, Boo!
The trail is closed off and there is a security guard at the stairs turning hikers back. However, if you arrive before he does, enter at your own risk (he doesn't even mind seeing you come off the stairs). Problem is: he is there by at least 3:30 in the AM.
Now here is where key timing comes into play, as well as the reason I was up for 21 hours. We live approx. 40 minutes away. The trailhead is about 20 minutes from from the start of the stairs and the security guard; let's just say he is there at 3:30. In no circumstance of mine is everyone ready on time, but let's assume they are. That means we should leave at 2:00 to guarantee that we could reach the trailhead, and the stairs BEFORE the guard is there. Providing you anticipate a breakfast and last minute packing, you have to get up early. This is becoming quite the ordeal, you see?
Now for the sad ending to what's been set up for a great story. We were aware that we needed to be early, but we did not know the guard started arriving earlier than he has in the past. I woke up at 1:45 to eat breakfast. I met up with Shane and Ashley at 2:40. Shane, Ashley, and I headed to our friend Matt Bledsoe's place a little before 3:00 where he and 8 others were also getting ready to go. (shout outs: Those 8 were Cody Harder, Bart Jolley, Bryce Van Leuven, Torree Soelberg, Terryn Soelberg, Kassie McGonegal, Dallas Porter, and Hailey Rasmussen). We left around 3:15. On the way, Matt got a flat so we piled everyone into the back of the truck Shane had (belonging to Jared Zimmerman). Is this detailed enough?
To wrap things up, we didn't start the trail until after 4:00AM, and had to hear from several different hikers, coming back down the trail, that we were too late and they had gotten turned back. It's by this experience we know that the guard is there by at least 3:30AM.
While hiking Stairway To Heaven was a failed attempt, our backup hike, Olomana, was a success. Here are the pictures:
Sunrise over Kaneohe and Marine Corps Base
Matt, and Terryn (right?)
That wall you see that reaches above the clouds
contains the ending part of Stairway To Heaven
Shane
At the peak with Matt, Terryn, Ashley and Torree
We sort of broke off into groups, and this was us
on the way down
That peak up there is where ended
Some graffiti on this old run down building
Got home before noon, then went to the beach to barbecue with Matt and Lacee Roberts, Chase and Amy Carlston, and another couple I didn't really get a chance to meet. Matt and I spearfished with no success, then we all played throwing/catching games of sorts. AFTER THAT we got back together with Shane and Ashley and got to meet his family and swim/hot tub with them at Turtle Bay.
Finally went to bed around 10:30. What a day!
I'm sorry, Sarah. Sarah got bonked in the head yesterday by a bread fruit (this honker). We were on the motorcycle, and since she doesn't like the speed bumps, I went around one. However, the path was under a low lying breadfruit. I called out "watch your head", but she couldn't duck low enough in time. I felt so bad. Although it was sad and I wish it didn't happen, we both admit it's quite hilarious now.
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