The Grand Canyon of Hawaii

In Hawaii, I am a morning person! It is amazing what a six hour time difference does for your attitude each morning! HA! We stopped at a Starbucks on our way to the trail to grab some breakfast and coffee before setting off for a hike we'd read about in our research. I've never been that peppy at 5 in the morning. We laughed when we got to the hike's parking lot because it was downright COLD and I had specifically asked Jackson that morning if I should throw my sweatshirt in the car. He scoffed, proclaimed we were in Hawaii and told me not to. Then we froze for a bit before we got our blood pumping on the trail. That always happens! After 10+ years you'd think I'd just grab my sweatshirt just in case, but no I just keep listening to this guy! :)

The hike was more than a little challenging. We moved so SLOWLY because the early morning meant a still dewy trail and the path was downhill. We just kept moving and eventually, after about 3.5 mile of hiking through the mud, we made it to the end.

The trail's end

Where the mountains meet the ocean

It was so rugged and so peaceful

I love when we get to these warning signs...

Looking down

Looking to one side

A glimpse of the muddy path

Pleased to have gotten to the end!

Just breathtaking 

You felt so small up here!

We did not see a single person on our hike down. As we turned around to head back up to the parking lot we passed about 45 people. Counting them became a way to not focus on the pain of the all uphill hike. We were aiming to be the first ones down and the first ones out and we made that goal. I don't know why that was so exciting to me, but it was! 

A breathing break to take in the beauty

SO TIRED!

Somehow, we eventually made it to the car. We stunk so badly that we had to roll down the windows for the chilly drive down the mountain. We pulled into each viewpoint on the way down (we'd skipped them all on the way up to make it to the trail-head timely) and just remained in awe of how gorgeous this area really is.

They call this Hawaii's Grand Canyon

Loving it

Waimea Canyon

A waterfall in the distance

Views for days

YEP! 

After we finished hiking and taking in all the beauty we needed some lunch! We stopped at a local outdoor mall on the way back to the resort and had the best hamburgers! Then we got ice cream because we'd earned it. ;)

Not mad about his ice cream!

My knee was less than pleased with the
morning's hike

We spent the rest of the day taking it easy by the pool. It is amazing how you can accomplish in a day when you start at 5! We went back that evening for some overpriced, but really good, Mexican food again that evening. We are creatures of habit, you know...

Petefish