Over 1000 feet elevation gain. 1082 Railroad ties. 0.8 miles. I have promised myself that I would do this trek ... once. After several trips to the Island, I figured I had to finally bite the bullet. The Musician told me to "have fun" because he wasn't foolish enough to do the climb. The tour guides point out that really only tourists do this. Plan was to start early before the heat of the day, so we did ...headed past Hawaii Kai and to the Koko Head Park around 7 AM. Got there at 8 AM (ish) and the parking lot was full. WHAT!?!?!
There is NO shade. Short trek to the base of the railroad. It goes straight up from there. When you think you are climbing straight up, you aren't, it just gets steeper. Oh, and you ... well at least I ... can't take one step at a time. Just a wee bit too far apart. So I had to be careful to balance legs so that one didn't do more work than the other.
Halfway up, there is a bridge. WHAT!?!?!? I new about this and thought I could do it. But, I got asceered. (Yes, I mean asceered, which is worse than scared.) I wasn't sure of my balance since my legs were shaky (that's my excuse and I'm sticking with it) and it is a long way down. I had to bear crawl my way across. I think it took longer and was probably more exhausting than just walking it, but what can I say. Afeer got ahold of me.
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| You can just make out Hawaii Kai |
Reaching the top was totally worth it. The views are, as always on the Island, spectacular. I think I said that word a lot on this trip.
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| Incredible view of Hanuama Bay Rermants from World War II |
The problem with reaching the top, is that there only one way down. By foot. I don't know which was harder... up, or down... So, I headed back. I have to mention here that it's not just tourists. Locals with their dogs use this for exercise. And I came across a few fools who run up and down and up and down several times a day for exercise. They didn't seem nearly as winded as me. Anyway, I had to alternate legs down also. I didn't know which was worse, the shaky leg, or the screaming knee. 
I have to mention that I was asceered when I came across the bridge going downhill also. I think it was worse going down than going up. And I'm blaming my tired legs, not my fear of heights that I don'g think I have. I bear-crawled again. DAMMIT!!! Even worse, half-way across, I looked over my shoulder to see some spry 20-something hopping past along a trail that goes around the bridge. I could have avoided the bridge altogether and not crawled like a baby.
I was happy to be finished. Proud of myself for doing it, but not convinced that I need to do it again ... until next time.
