Two Hikes by The Dynamic Duo

Two weeks in a row, only Chops and Capt. Charlie are available for the Sunday hike. This is after  having to skip two Sundays due to heavy rain. On 10/21/12, we decide to do our regular circle hike from CC's house, around Capitol Hill, down Talofofo Road and up the Xterra Trail back to the house. On 10/28/12 we return to the other circle hike in Marpi from the Last Command Post, to Banzai Cliff, toward Cow Town Beach, past the dump and back to LCP. We narrowly escape a downpour, just as we arrive back to the car. 

Despite missing the other hikers, we enjoy our two hikes, and we look forward to having others join us next time. 

TALOFOFO/XTERRA

Beautiful betal nuts hanging from one of the trees by the Legislature building. These are not edible betal nuts. If they were, they would not have lasted a day on the tree. 

A black and white billy goat half hidden behind the tangan tangan bushes giving us the eye. The road to Talofofo is fairly dry and bikers are also enjoying the 50K Pre-Hell race.

Back on the Xterra Trail, the sword grass, a bit overgrown, stretch out their serrated arms ready to have "fun" with our bare skin. The first part of the trail is pretty dry and hike-able. 

This wash-out has been growing larger and larger. Previously there is an overhang about two feet out. Since the rainy season continues to pour down heavy buckets of water, the overhang has been washed away and the pathway now has less than two feet of usable space.

Well, the good trail comes to an end after the wash-out, as rocks and boulders begin to be exposed more and more drastically. What dirt remaining from previous rains has been washed away. We have to pick our way carefully.

One of several "bathtubs" almost cut off the trail completely. We negotiate our way along the very narrow strip of trail.

This portion of the trail is still wet with running water. After this part of the badly damaged trail, we return to the fairly dry and good trail until the end. 

BANZAI/COW TOWN

This little guy is guarding the gate to the large field that has a great ocean view. We have been watching the development of this land during the past months. It is located on the way to Banzai Cliff. Now it has a barbed wire fence and this gate around the property. We don't know any more about it.

 Another surprised discovery on the trail, right across from the Hilblom boat. There are two fiberglass containers that measure about 25 ft long, alongside three narrower containers between the two large ones. We are baffled by the "sudden" appearance of these containers that have obviously been here all along, hidden behind the bushes that have been recently cut down.

 

A "group" photo at Cow Town Beach. We treasure this photo, as setting the timer on my new water-proof camera is a bit of a challenge. But with two brilliant brains working together, we manage to take this shot. We look happy!

Finally, after resting and snacking at the beach, we return to the main road, around this large puddle, and reach our car just in time before a heavy downpour.