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Posts from the ‘Hiking’ Category

2016 Joshua Tree New Year

Happy 2016 everyone!  Our annual New Year Joshua Tree expedition was another memorable one! Read more

2015 Joshua Tree!!!

Happy New Year y’all!!!!  We rang in the new year in one of my favorite places on earth – Joshua Tree!!! Read more

Ha Ling Peak – Canmore

Cross Ha Ling Peak off my list of hikes!!!  Sensational, wowee zowee, insane hike!  Check it out! Read more

Edith Cavell Meadows – Jasper

The last installment of the Debbie-Shelli-Hiking-Extravaganza.  And what a way to end our Canadian Rocky trip!!! Read more

Wilcox Pass – Jasper

This hike is A-1 sauce, the bee’s knees!!!  One of the most gratifying little treks that you won’t regret! Read more

Taylor Lake – Banff

Heyooo!!!  Back to Shelli n’ Debbie’s hiking adventures!!! Read more

Lake Agnes Teahouse – Banff

Hey y’all!  Into the Canadian Rockies for the next bunch of posts!  And it’s going to knock yo’ socks off! Read more

Hiking Stawamus Chief – aka Flirting with Death on My 37th Birthday

Dear Mom, Dad + Ashley.  It would would probably be in your best interest to skip this post, as viewer discretion is advised. Read more

Iona Beach Park – Vancouver

This gorgeous + serene beach is near the Vancouver Airport y’all.  What??!! Read more

Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park

Today my new friend Michelle took me for a hike in Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park.  Oho, a new friend you ask?  Yes!  Read more

Japanese Breakfast + Lots of Volcanic Activity

Yesterday we started the day at the Cooper Center.  We saw this sign the other day + new we had to make a cameo.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

These were our people, yo!!!  I don’t know if that’s necessarily a good thing, but we hung out, talked story, bought honey + looked at lots of weird stuff.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The guy selling honey told longer stories than Jeff, but his Japanese wife made us the yummiest Japanese breakfast!  Suggoku oishikatta!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Check out those prices!!!!  Bomb!!!!

 

 

 

There were so many local characters there.  It was such a tight community. I loved it.  Here’s the lady with her pet turtle, who I was told is the swap meet mascot.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then it was off to hike the Kilauea Iki Crater!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

First, is a path through lush rain forest.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The beautiful, but invasive Kahili ginger. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Lehua blossom.  In Hawaiian folklore they represent tears from heaven for separated lovers everywhere.  Sigh.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then, we descended in to the crater itself.  Land of the Lost, y’all!!!! This is Pu’u Pua’i, the vent of the crater.  Here’s me in front of it doing my muscle competition pose.  Because that’s how volcanic craters make me feel.  Power!!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Descending into the vent.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Amazing, hearty new life growing in the lava.  Jeff the explorer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fruity Pebbles lava.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Steam vents.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Heading out.

 

 

 

Next was the Maunu Ulu trail which is one of the longest known rift zone eruptions of Kilauea.  Fascinating!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Like mother of pearl!!!  Gorgeous!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

Out of this world!!!!  Dy-no-mite!!!

 

 

 

This is when I screamed, “Frodo!!!!  Sam!!!”!!!  I said, “Hey Jeff, remember in Lord of the Rings when Sam + Frodo were escaping the fires of Mordor + they were surrounded by flowing, red hot lava???”  He replied, “No, I’ve never seen any of those movies.”  I screamed, “Whaaaaaaat????!!!!”  I might have to rethink this marriage.   Well, I’m stopping this blog now because we have to check out + Jeff hasn’t downloaded all the pictures of more volcano fun, so until then!

 

 

 

 

 

“No, Mr. Frodo!!! You must hang on!!!!”

The Last Days of Kaua’i

The days after the wedding were a blur for all of us at Anini House.  The adrenaline of the days leading up the wedding completely left us all spent.  We lazed around the house + here are some things I’ve learned about kids.

#1 – they really, really love television.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

#2 – they really love playing in hot tubs.  They’d be like, “Shelli!  Come play in the hot tub!!!!”  + I’d be like, “NO WAY!!!!!  The ocean’s better!!!!”  + they’d be like, “No it’s not!!!!!”  + I’d be like, “Yes it is!!!!!!” + they’d be like, “No it’s not!!!!”   We would have those type of conversations daily.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

#3 – I never realized how much they like Ichiban noodles.  They ate it cooked or they would munch on it dry!!!!  Keiko + Hana are so cute, it sounded they were calling it Itchy Bum noodles.  So that’s what we all called it during the trip.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We all made a couple of family trips to Hanalei Bay.  I don’t know why I didn’t take a picture of the actual beach.  Here’s lunch at Pat’s Taqueria taco truck with my swimming buddy, Ambur.  The kalua pork tacos were to die for!!!!  FYI, future Hawaii travelers, they close at 3pm.

http://www.yelp.com/biz/pats-taqueria-hanalei

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After, we had shave ice at the truck next door.  It was ono!  That’s Hawaiian for good, y’all.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We had dinner that night with my mom + dad over.  The Canadian Lady Posse wanted me to highlight what typically happens during dinner prep.  Let me enlighten y’all.

Ladies toiling over a hot stove + slaving away.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oh look…..how interesting!!!!!!!  Here, we observe the male species in their natural habitat.  Beer AND snacks (provided by the ladies, of course!)  Must be nice, guys!!!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jeff, mom + mother Jean

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Okay, okay.  The guys helped a little bit, too.  They grilled, okay!!!!  Sheesh!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Look who’s first at the dinner table again!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jeff with his Moustache Gang!!!!  How freaking cute is that???!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The next day some of us went to Tunnels Beach.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here’s Jeff uptight in paradise.  Getting everyone out the door is like wrangling cats.  Daphne + I had to have a cocktail while waiting for everyone.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The current was pretty strong at Tunnels, so Deb + Liz took the kids back to Hanalei.  Jeff, Daphne, Tom + I went to take a hike on the Kalalau trail along the famous Napali coast.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It is a steep uphill for 3/4 miles, y’all!!!  I cursed my short Japanese legs trying to keep up with the long ass legs of the Fayle family!!!  But every step of the way was so beautiful!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The descent led us to Hanakapia Beach.  This sign greeted us towards the bottom.  Yikes!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

River leading to the ocean.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I didn’t know there were Spider monkeys at the beach!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lava caves

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AWWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!  Jeff is such a romantic!!!!  This is what he was making in the lava cave in the picture above.  So sweet.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The road back home.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bye for now everyone!!!!!  Sorry there’s so many gaps in the pictures, I still don’t have a hang on this software!!!!