Hiking the Waihe'e Ridge Trail

I arrived home late Sunday night, following my four-night stay on Maui (plus a final night in Honolulu).  The weather was excellent, the accommodations were great, and the company was highly enjoyable.

As I mentioned in my last post, the occasion was the eightieth birthdays of two friends, Barton and Clinton (twin brothers), from undergraduate days, one of whom had later married my sister.  The celebration was organized by Barton's daughter, and was attended by Barton's two adult sons and adult daughter, as well as spouses and one of his granddaughters.  Clinton and my sister were there, but their son and granddaughter live in Thailand, and were unable to escape from school duties to make the trip.

This celebration came just four months after a week at Lake Como, Italy, with my closest graduate school friend, Jim, together with his brother and sister and their spouses, and with his own son.

Both gatherings gave me the opportunity to become acquainted -- with some, for the first time -- with the closest family members of my two closest friends from university days.  

Barton and Jim were and are quite different in many respects -- in personality and interests -- although both are now retired university professors.  Barton is more academic, and Jim is more "outdoorsy" and athletic.  I was impressed and a bit surprised, however, with the fact that both sets of family members all enjoyed -- with varying degrees of experience -- the act of hiking while on vacation.  

In Italy, we had many opportunities for hikes, both long and short, along the lake and in the neighboring hills.  On Maui, Barton's offspring decided to hike the Waihe'e Ridge Trail on the leeward side of the island, its trailhead lying somewhat north of Wailuku.  I enthusiastically joined the hike, of course.

The hike was quite steep in places, with an elevation gain of just under 1,700 feet.  After a short, initial, steep concrete-paved climb, the trail is generally broad and is surfaced with hard-packed earth.  I've read warnings that the dirt trail can become quite muddy and slippery during and after rains, but we met excellent weather -- sunny and cloudless, with little evidence of recent precipitation.

We completed the round trip to the summit in about four hours.  Some of us found the hike a bit more difficult than others, but everyone agreed that it was fairly strenuous, and everyone succeeded in reaching the top.  The scenery of the Pacific coast to the east and of the jungle-covered mountain ranges to the west were inspiring and made our labors fully worthwhile.  The scenery also provided excuses for frequent "photo stops" while we restabilized our breathing.

Hiking offers many pleasures and has many benefits.  One of those benefits is the ease with which conversations take place, overcoming any shyness that strangers or near-strangers might otherwise feel.  None of us, on either hike, were actual "strangers," but we learned more about each other's interests and personalities and coping skills than we could have in a week of sitting on the beach sipping Mai Tais.  (No disrespect intended toward that latter occupation, of course, which we also found entertaining!)

I loved Lake Como, and I've always loved Maui.  At both locations, I also enjoyed the opportunity to develop closer friendships with people whom I had known only casually in the past.

Travel is broadening.  So is hiking.  They make an excellent combination.