good ol' kalalua

Upon entering a backcountry campground, it is generally not standard practice that the hiker is invited to a fresh "goat roast" by a sparsely dressed man dragging a large tree branch. But after 11 miles of hiking on harrowing edges, one is pretty much in a stupor of acceptance, and not much will strike that person as being overly odd. In fact, one might even make a response like "Great. I have a pig in my backpack." (?)

From the beginning, the Kalalau trail was unique. Lots of thick mud to slosh through, the sounds of tropical birds, jungle-like vegetation crowding the path on either side, and dripping down into it from overhead. Alll 22 miles of the trail hug the cliffs along the coastline, and needless to say, the view is stunning the entire trail. As predicted, it was treacherous. Parts of the trail are really cliffy and narrow, as in an 18 inch trail and a 2,000 foot drop to the ocean. And no way to walk around. The trail is basically carved along the side of a cliff.

we met a friendly little kauain wino on the trip who offered to share his boxed wine. we also met a really nice Swedish guy who introduced himself as Eunice, but later when he wrote out his email we realized it was Jonas. What Jonas also neglected to say was that he is a descendent of the times when the angles mated with the daughters of man and produced a cardio-elite class of humans. he was stealthy. we also met an elderly one-eyed man who liked to cook naked and do yoga naked on the beach. and there was a whole troop of colorful hippies. They whispered of such riches as gardens of fresh salad fixings and trees that yield fruit after the gentlist of touches, all growing back in the valley behind the beach.

The beach we camped at was incredible. It was desolate, expansive, pristine. Easily the most beautiful beach I have ever seen. At the far end, a waterfall streamed over cliff onto the beach. And behind the beach rose the towering lush, serrated green cliffs that the Na Pali coastline is so famous for. And we spent the next couple days watching the weather form over these cliffs, and seeing them change in different lights. Really, quite majestic. The noni fruit grew on the beach, as did limes, aloe and strawberry guavas. There were lots of beautiful trees growing on the beach as well.

that's all for now.