The Bucket List

Joel and I are now moving through our Bucket List-things we want to do before we leave Hawaii. Thankfully we feel we have done an OK job throughout our years here so we don't feel overwhelmed now to shove activities in. We have done a lot but now want to see it all again! It is amazing how accustomed we have come to life here and are not looking forward to being housebound due to bad weather. Everyday we try to look around and not take this beautiful scenery for granted. We are truly blessed to have been able to enjoy paradise for 2.5 years.

So this past weekend we got a sitter and finally did an intense hike, Kuliouou Ridge, that ended with a 180 degree few of the island.
However our hike started with us hiking a 2 mile detour on the wrong trail....so after an hour, we found the right trail. This resulted in a 7 mile hike for the day. We were pretty dead!

At one point, the trail and surrounded landscape was completely covered with pine needles. It was so beautiful and looked like snow to me...it didn't even seem like Hawaii.


This was about the halfway point and I don't think my dear friend Melissa was too happy about agreeing to hike with us at this point. Melissa was my sailing partner when I first learned how to sail and now we are instructors together...a lovely friend that I will sorely miss.

One of the many amazing views...that is Diamond Head crater in the background.

The hike was fairly steep.

But we made it and it was well worth it!

Joel and I at the top. I don't think there are words to describe that color of blue. The sky was so clear that we could see 3 of the other Hawaiian islands from the top.

At the top with our friends Melissa and Richard.