Life of Larisa or LOL

I haven't been hiking...so I haven't been blogging. Instead, I spent a good portion of the summer working.  This stay at home mom got a job!  I love working again, but it has been a period of adjustment for me, my boys, and my hiking schedule!  Now that the kids are back to school (one entered tenth and the other entered first grade), I am trying to get back to a routine of hiking...even if it is only once or twice a week as opposed to the four or five days I was getting used to before working.  Since I haven't been as active as I would like, I figured I better ease back into hiking with some less strenuous/dangerous trails to get my hiking legs/lungs back.  Today I eased back into Tuesday Trails with the bestie (and an added addition of my oldest who had a teacher work day off from school) with some exploration of the Maunawili Demonstration Trail. The Maunawili Demonstration Trail connects, intersects, and travels to several other trails on the Windwar...

Summer time on O'ahu, the perfect time for hitting the trails.  No matter how often I hike, there are always new places and trails to experience and explore.  Just as soon as I scratch one hike off of my "to do" list, another one appears to take the old ones place.  Maunawili Ditch Trail is a trail I had not yet hiked, so it was on my list, as I am diligently trying to hike all the trails .  In doing some online research about this trail I discovered that it is the only trail in the Na Ala Hele state trail system that officially allows horses. In fact, all the blogs I read prior to going on this trail recommended bringing a horse to do this trail instead of hiking in on foot. I didn't have a horse readily available (maybe next time), but I did have my kids, the bestie, and her kiddos.  So, off we went on a windward adventure to Maunawili Ditch Trail.  This trail is flat, great for all levels of hikers (young, old, fit, unfit, fast, slow). ...

Na Ohia Falls, better known as Kalihi Ice Ponds, was a quick, wet, slightly muddy adventure to a three tiered waterfall not far from the sights and sounds of the city.  The Tuesday Trio (Marina, Sarah, and myself) set out for the Ice Ponds on a slightly overcast morning where a drizzle greeted us as we stepped out of our car and headed across the oldest wooden plank bridge towards the start of this *Officially Closed* trail.  Rumors of a gate guard and no trespassing signs did not deter us from our adventure agenda. A quick search on Google can get you to where you need to be to begin this less than two mile journey into the lush forest in the back of Kalihi Valley.  Parking can be limited for this waterfall hike, but luckily we were early birds and there during the week, so we had no issues.  I had heard about this hike from a couple of other hiking friends...all of whom agreed the falls were very stunning in person. The beginning of the trail r...