Day 4: LOST

Mission: Take the Judd Trail through the bamboo, eucalyptus and ironwood forest. Pass through the Norfolk Pines. Meet the Nu'uana Trail. Continue through the upper Pauoa Valley and Pauoa Flats... through the sea of swirly twirly gumdrops...and arrive at Manoa Falls.

We arrive ready to conquer. Our friend Courtney, who is an experienced hiker told us to be careful not to be fooled by side trails... so we were EXTRA careful.

Starting our hike, we immediately follow the directions crossing the stream. We continue on, but find that the directions are getting more and more confusing. Its totally not making sense. Still we continue, believing that the trail was more difficult than Courtney let on. This trail will NOT get the best of us!


After about an hour, we are thoroughly confused. We have not found the "short metal stake" signaling a left turn across the gully. How "short" is "short"? Is it labeled? Is it hidden? Some mean person MUST have picked it up to confuse us! And I havent seen a gully... I don't think. Wait...what is a gully?!

Ashamed and disturbed by our sub-par hiking skills, we reluctantly decide to turn back.

Upon our return to the starting point, I walk a few feet past where we started. I see a sign up ahead...


"Whoa...what does that say???"



"Aw. CRAP. We are idiots!"

Turns out there are signs all throughout the trail. We just missed the first one.. and by extension....all the others. The "short metal stake" we were looking for was just that... a short metal stake... except there was also a sign on the top of it... with an arrow...pointing left...towards the gully.

Note to self: Never assume the trail is tricking you...and always ask expert if there are bright orange signs on the trail.


I found a broken down Vespa!...and pretended to ride it...

Then I grabbed a bamboo limb and somehow managed to slice open my finger:(

Altogether, it was still a fun day!