Saturday, May 4, 2013

Climbing the Kuli'ou'ou Ridge Trail

A little over 2.25 miles to the top......not a great distance, but you're ascending roughly 1800 feet between here and there. Good tree cover most of the way, but precious little breeze. I was sweating more on this trail than on Mt Olympus last weekend, just due to the humid, static air.

Great views at the top, as advertised. One does well to heed the sign.


The views from the top. The next ridge over.....looks doable.




Koko Head Crater in the background.


I did earn my Good Samaritan merit badge on today's hike. I had passed a group of older ladies as I was trekking up...they were heading down. After my ascent, and probably about a mile from the start/end point, I came across them again. One of the ladies had twisted her ankle pretty badly, and they were making only a few steps at a time before taking a break. Being a good Infantryman and a gentleman to boot, I inquired if she minded that I was drenched in sweat, and piggy backed her the rest of the way down. luckily for me [and my back] she couldn't have weighed over a buck 20, so it ended up giving me a strong finish to a hike that only took a couple of hours.

I hit the weights back in the gym and am ready to relax and enjoy Single Malt Saturday!

4 comments:

  1. Good for you.

    Both of us are Scotch aficionados. What wets your whistle?

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    Replies
    1. I still consider myself a SMS rookie; I've only been at it for going on a year and a half.
      I'm partial to Highland Park 18, The Macallan 15/18, Balvenie Doublewood.

      I stay far away from Ardbeg....

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    2. Good choices. If that's the case, check out Aberlour, particularly their A'Bunadh.

      Don't give up on Ardbeg. If you like a spicy Bloody Mary, try their 10-year instead of vodka. And their Alligator (now recently extinct unfortunately) is absolutely fantastic - if you find an establishment that has some on hand, try a tot.

      I used to stay away from Laphroig for the same reason but their upper-end versions are good if I'm in the mood. I discovered that part of the secret is to drink some along with some flan. Sounds strange, but it's a great combination.

      The single malts are a wide, wide world, & I'm enjoying the journey. So will you.

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    3. I do like Aberlour, in fact, after the obligatory Glenfiddich, that was probably my first foray into the world of SMS. I like smokey...but not so much peaty. So I'm in search of the perfect balance.

      And you're right...I should not shy away from the Laphroig and Ardbeg family based on one or two experiences [though I don't care for Bloody Mary's].

      The trick for me is to sample the entire offering at the various Highland Games I go to, while the kiddies are doing their activities.

      It is indeed a journey, and one I wish I hadn't waited so long to embark on.

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