Over fifty years ago, my family hiked the beginning of a trail that navigated the Na Pali Coast of Kauai. I remember driving to the end of the road just past Hanalei, being told not to hike any of these trails alone due to the threat of flash flooding, and seeing signs that 15 miles or so would bring us to Waimea Canyon. We made it about a mile, which seemed to be all uphill, saw a couple magnificent views, and turned back to home.
Jumping ahead to the present, Mrs Bear has the body, stamina, and desire to tackle hikes like the Na Pali coast … And she has found a willing and capable companion in our granddaughter, A. So, together, they contracted a guide and spent a day hiking this spectacular coastline. There are reportedly a multitude of trails to choose from … They selected a hike to a waterfall which, while only consisting of eight miles, took all day to complete.
A’s main job on these hikes is to assure that nothing happens to Mrs Bear … This may sound a little weird, but this need was put to the test on Table Mountain in South Africa a few years ago when Mrs Bear lost her balance and fell backwards. She was very fortunate to have A with her.
Amelia loves to dance and pose for photos … This is one of her best !!
The group made it to their waterfall turnaround, posed for pictures, and headed back down the trail. I was told that the steepness made the descent very challenging. They made it back with about 35 minutes of daylight to spare … which made A’s mother just a wee bit nervous !! But all is well that ends well, and they had bragging rights for the rest of the week. One more A pose to finish.
The Adventures of Barry Brink 