Day 1: Nu’alolo Trail, Nu‘alolo Cliffs, A-something Trail

I’m not really kidding anyone, myself included. Very good odds that Day 2 never gets posted, even better that Day 3 never does, and so forth. Regardless:

Nu’alolo Valley and Cliffs of Na Pali

I’m starting with the payoff. Or one of the payoffs. Of the trail. That I went on. Where I nearly died of dehydration. Again. But, for you, payoff with no work. Inasmuch as this photo constitutes “payoff”. Now I wait with baited breath to find out whether DDF feels this is a photo that anyone could have taken. I can never tell myself. I think these are mostly Na Pali cliffs, though, fwiw. Taken from the trail heading out to the Nu’alolo Lookout. I like the colors. Think it sort of looks like something the happy trees guy would’ve painted. Wish he were still around. And that I remembered his name. Rather than just his hair.

Trail to the Nu’alolo Lookout

 This photo looks better on my laptop screen at full-size. It’s the trail that goes out to the lookout. At this stage in the ordeal, I was not yet aware that it was to be an ordeal. That came later. I may or may not talk about it further down in the post. Mal sehen, nizh wahr?

Nu’alolo Trees Pattern

 Sometimes I think I’m clever for taking “pattern” pictures. Anyone could’ve taken this photo. Looks way better at larger resolution. Sorry.

Signs at the trailhead and later on the trail indicate that the trail is watched out and potentially lethal. The washed-out lethal parts weren’t that washed out or lethal, although there were probably three steps that I took that seemed like they could’ve resulted in immediate and unrevocable death. But it hardly seemed dangerous. FWIW.

Seriously, the payoff here was fantastic. Unfortunately the lighting was way beyond anything I knew how to deal with. Plus all the shots I got look so darn pedestrian. And I’d never sweated so much in my life:

Sweat on the Trail

 Ah, sweet onset of dehydration!

On the plus side, once I got to the other trailhead (too lazy to go look at the name of the trail I took back to Koke’e Road — something with an A at the beginning), I figured I was good as dead if I didn’t get a ride for the 1.5 miles back to my car at the lodge. So: first time ever hitchhiked (in the United States). And successfully. Nice adverb.

When I’m on vacation, I’m constantly worried that I’m doing it wrong. And it doesn’t help when everyone assumes there are two in my party. Bah.

bkd

 

7 comments

  • HC12

    I’m assuming the hikes were hot and steep. I’m glad your alive, B. Can’t wait for the full details when you’re home.

    Take a day off, lay on the beach and buy a shave ice (also elements of vacation).

    The adverb without a verb effectively communicates your real emotion.

  • telkontar

    I have purchased 3 (extra) copies of a survival manual to share with my brethren. I will provide you a copy. Next time, watch out for hyponatremia — people tend to go to exremes.

  • bkdunn

    But if I *don’t* try to superhydrate myself next time, the world may be out of balance. I don’t want *that* on my conscience.

  • DDF

    DLF wanted me to reply saying anyone could’ve taken that photo, but I think it’s a bkdunn one-of-a-kind. 🙂 Well done.

  • ocmudrunner

    Definitely like your payout shot — I’d call it the money shot personally. The way the fog or mist comes into the cliffs – very nice touch. And I love your comment on how you like to take pattern shots — I’d never really thought to do that … I tend to go for depth of field photos myself. Funny … I guess those of us trying to be artistic latch onto something and stick with it — but I actually thought the pattern shot was pretty good too. Keep click’n and shoot’n 🙂