Yesterday's hike up matillija was more than just a hike. Neil Cowan and I had the canine escort courtesy of the Blue Heron Ranch dogs. The Lab started barking us up as we approached the ranch and the Germans came out to see what was the hubbub. After sloberry greetings and belly scratching all the way around the dogs stayed right with us the whole way, 5 miles up the canyon. Everything just felt a bit better than it normally does: the light was brighter, the shadows deeper, the water cooler, the colors more vivid, etc... Just an extra nice day. And the dogs made it that much more so. I have seldom, if ever, met dogs that I liked better.
The image below isn't upside down, it is a reflection.
Jason Carstensen and I went out to the Piru Gun Range for a little R&R with the pistols. Jason wanted to sight in his Wetherby .300 for an upcoming pig hunt, but he'd bought the wrong ammunition (which wasn't his fault) which left us shooting handguns for a couple of hours. I was doing really well, especially with the Sig .40. I was able to hit a pie-plate sillouette at 100 yds with 2 different handguns, which makes me smile.
Dustin Bell and I split town for a weekend of riding above Kennedy Meadows in the southeastern Sierras. We set up camp at Troy Meadows which is the best jump-off for numerous trails. This area was new ground for both of us and when we saw a trail sign, we just naturally rode that trail. We put down many miles on several main trails: Rattlesnake, Beach Ridge, Bonita, and Little Horse to name a few. Rattlesnake trail is rated black-diamond for difficulty and it lived up to the billing. Challenges included: numerous creek crossings, deadfall trees to be overcome, sustained 40-45 degrees hill climbs, and crazy hideous rock obstacles. Even the "mellow parts" had loose whoops, kitty litter gravel, knife edged baby-head to barbi-head sized rocks, cliff side hairpins, leaning trees and "Don't f**k this up!"s. Delicious stuff. But seriously, I was riding the best I've ever riden, and it was barely good enough. Dustin and I returned to camp completely flogged on both days, each of us having put his bike down about the same number of times. Eating Advil for an appetizer means you had a good day.
One thing that surprised me was the volume of trails exclusively for motorcycles, that and the fact that we just didn't see any of the other types of riders that you get with the OHV areas. Just motorcyclists and hunters up there, at least at this time of year. I'm good with that. Can't wait for spring so we can revisit this stuff when it is green.
We were in the neighborhood so we took one afternoon to come to the city, Honolulu and Waikiki. We hit Honolulu's China Town off Bethel Street. One always finds the most unusual stuff there. Chinatown is not a tourist destination so much as a market for asian goods. Some store operators are completely disinterested in non-asian shoppers because their goods are the common place stuff of asian homes. It is always an interesting experience to wander through this historic district.
Later on towards evening we headed into the heart of Waikiki for a look around and something to eat. We started with the International Market, an open air place with vendors hawking every imaginable tourist bauble. The setting is really unique. Only here can you have this warren of stalls under ancient ficus trees less than 100ft from Hermes, Coach, Gucci, and Channel.
We have learned that the best way to see a quality luau without paying or sitting through four hours of time-share talk is to enjoy a great sunset meal at Duke's Canoe Club on the sand of Waikiki Beach, and then wander about a hundred feet east until you're in front of the Sheraton Waikiki. They have a fantastic luau show and you don't have to pay (because you're on public beach), don't have to eat pulled pork and poi ( because you didn't pay), and you get to relax on the sand as a couple instead of sit with a bunch of tourists on plastic chairs.
Here are more great sub-surface photos of our time on the North Shore. As you can see, we had local's luck with the wildlife. In Hawaii, you can see more wildlife in an hour than in a year of diving the Channel Islands off Ventura's coast. Kinda makes it hard to dive in cold water after having lived here. It's been 2 years since I put on a 7mm Michelin Man suit just to dive off the local islands.
The North Shore.
You know it's country when a rooster is digging through your beach bag. Or when you can have a mile of beach to yourself.
Above, at Turtle Bay.
Above, Huanama Bay.
Above, at Waiamea Beach.
Above, Kaa'awa Beach,
