It has been a busy month. We went as a family to go out to the mainland in July, I was still finishing up the last couple of weeks of classes, the boys were going to stay with our in-laws while I went traipsing around to different family member's homes helping my Mom with her interior design and painting business. It was a lot of work, and quite the whirlwind, however it was totally worth it.
Getting out to the mainland from Hawaii is always a bit of a hassle. We luckily qualify for Space Available flights, which helps with cost, however it is the equivalent of ultimate stand-by, with flights subject to change without notice, and absolutely no guarantee that the amount of seats projected to be available will actually be there when you show up to attempt to make a flight. After 3 days of waking up absurdly early trying to catch flights, having flight times changed in the middle of the night, and not being selected, we finally made it onto a flight out to CA. Our first stop for family was AZ, so we got to road trip straight through from where we landed in northern CA to the Phoenix area over the 4th of July weekend! Crazy traffic, and very little sleep.
However, once we arrived, we were afforded the time to relax and spend some quality time with our family there. It was a great visit getting to see most of them for the first time in nearly 4 years. And we enjoyed the food and family as much as we could in such a short time. I however, was flying out to my first project on the 5th of July, so I decided to get up early on the 4th of July to do a sunrise hike at Camelback, on the Cholla Trail side.
Cholla Trail is a popular trail in the Phoenix area to be sure. I saw many people there early in the morning (with the temperature already reaching the low 80s before sunrise!) to take advantage of the cool before the heat of the day set in. The trailhead is up in a residential street that doesn't allow for parking, so you have to park on the main road that intersects it, and then walk up to the trailhead. The trail was beautiful to be sure, stretching around the side of a well manicured golf course and then up into the 3 peaked hill. There were so many rock steps, and covered in arid dust, that footing is of course a subject for concern. Bring plenty of water and good gripping shoes on this hike!
As I started up the trail, I was almost immediately rewarded with a very expansive view of the Phoenix valley. I am not normally a fan of AZ and the desert climate, being very Irish myself and basically allergic to the sun and heat, so this hike was a wonderful respite and a great opportunity for me to witness the beauty of the desert climate. The vibrant colors of the sunrise were visible for miles in all directions, and created such a magnificent landscape, tinting the whole world in pink, reds, and orange glows. If any of you visit the Phoenix area, I absolutely recommend doing this hike early in the morning, it is worth the beautiful sunrise views, unimpeded by foliage or clouds!
After the wonderful July 4th celebration with family, and a short plane flight to SeaTac, I was onto the second leg of my journey, with Buddha in my carry on bag! (makes for an interesting search at security to say the least!) At my sister's house, we were definitely put to work!
We planned on repainting almost every room in her house to include painting the dated wood trim to a crisp white, and creating a last minute idea of a feature wall in the main living room. Luckily we were able to each focus on areas of work to bring this mammoth project together in 6 days! (HGTV eat your heart out, lol.) All the while Buddha sitting watch on the kitchen table, as I struggled with demolishing the original mantle and marble fireplace surround, building a new floor to ceiling frame, creating and hanging the custom live edge mantle, hanging drywall on the floor to ceiling surround, tiling the surround, and finally adding the reclaimed lumber that was painstakingly aged and stained by my sister while I brought the rest of the project to life.
I was lucky enough while there to work hard everyday, and spend truly quality time with my parents every night. We cut down fallen trees, collected branches, weeded landscaping, trimmed the bushes and hawthorn trees back, re-stretched and secured my mother's Teepee, cleaned windows (inside and out), re-upholstered some outdoor stools, distressed and stained truck load after truck load of heavy rustic beams, and managed to get all the laundry done to boot! It was a hectic couple of weeks, however it was a wonderful feeling to go to bed exhausted and feeling accomplished. When it came time to leave and go back to Hawaii I was honestly sad to leave.
As soon as we got back, my oldest son started school, and we set back into getting comfortable in our house, getting back into the daily routine of life. So after a week of adjustment, I decided getting back into the saddle of hiking in Hawaii would be with an easy starter trail, Pu'u Pia. This trail is frequently used by mothers' hiking groups for early walking children, and was a hike I had accomplished before with my two boys in tow. Last time we hiked this trail it was bone dry, however we are currently in the midst of hurricane season, and have received a fair amount of rain over the last few weeks, so the once dry streambed that lay next to the beginning of the trail was flowing quite well.
With the soothing sounds of the small stream we set off up the trail. There was definitely more mud to be sure, however this is a short hike I highly recommend to anyone who wants to get in a little bit of a workout, have some beautiful scenery, but maybe doesn't have time to be in the mountains all day. We hiked with a good friend of ours up the trail, and had great conversation about being in touch with nature, spirituality, and community. Hikes with friends are always the best places to have the deep philosophical conversations, surrounded by nature and Gaia, it's hard not to feel more of a connection to one's inner self and innocence.
The top of the trail has a wonderful bench on it, the perfect place for a quick rest, maybe some meditation if that is what you would like to do, and then the downward journey back to the trailhead. There are a couple of flat clearings that allow for the great views of the ridgeline surrounding Pu'u Pia, and each one of these spots is peaceful, just calling out for you to take a moment to rejuvenate yourself.
What I learned from this chaotic and busy month. Enjoy time with those who matter most to you, and take the time to replenish yourself in the most natural setting you can find. It doesn't have to be an earth shattering hike or journey to be able to find yourself becoming more grounded and in touch with the person you are and the potential you possess. Surround yourself with a community of love and support, and you will be happy and thrive.
Until the next adventure!
