Two Hikes

Hidden Beach 6/9/13

Our first hike since early May has to be a short and simple one for everyone to get back into the groove. At CC's driveway, Bruiser, Jane, Cutie, Handy, Chops, SpiceGirl, who brings her puppy Boy along, get ready to go down Xterra trail and to Hidden Beach.

Boy meets Girl (Perky).

Grass on Xterra trail is longish, but very passable. Chops makes her way down the trail sure-footed. The trail is dry and easy. 

Hidden Beach. It's high tide but fairly calm.

Boy is like the king of the hill, surveying his kingdom.

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After we have already finished our snacks, Handy comes sauntering down the beach, having had to take Perky back home from the trail, and then catch up. We are happy to see him.

Handy, Cutie, SpiceGirl with Boy, Jane, Bruiser, Chops, and CC.

Although we, as usual, really enjoy Hidden Beach, we are disturbed to see the trash people have left on top of the rocks, ruining a perfectly beautiful beach.

Achugao Exploration 6/23/13

We have intended to explore the Achugao area for some time now, and with almost everyone free to hike this Sunday, it is a perfect chance to realize the plan. At 5:45 a.m. Sunday morning, we gather at CC's driveway: Cutie, Handy, PT Shelley, Wonder Woman, Chops, Giggles and son Adam, Bruiser, Jane, CC, and special guest Rexplorer (aka Professor K) who will lecture on the historical significance of the Mt. Achugao and the Wireless Ridge area during the war. Beginning with Hill 721 (Fourth of July Hill).

The first stop is to view Hill 721 behind the house. Professor K explains the fierce battle that results in capturing the hill on July 4th, hence the name Fourth of July Hill.

The lecture continues as we make our way uphill, on Savana Road, toward Mt. Achugao. PT Shelley leading the way.

WonderWoman and Cutie leading the pack on the trail to the foot of the Mount.

The start of the steep climb to the Achugao ridge. Handy, Adam, and Chops picking their way very carefully over loose rocks and very uneven slope.

Rexplorer, PTShelly, and Bruiser surge forward ahead of the pack. PT is actually running, maybe to pass Rexplorer!

Cutie makes use of gloved hands to keep steady footing.

Giggles and Adams determine to push on. Giggles carrying a very heavy backpack that we hope contains lots of goodies. Chops and Handy are taking a break resting before their next stretch of uphill climb.

With the help of her hiking pole, Jane almost reaches the top. This is a very steep part of the slope. 

View from the top of Achugao Ridge, San Roque village and the old Nikko/Palms hotel clearly visible.

On top of the narrow ridge, Adam, Rexplorer, Giggles, WonderWoman, Jane and Bruiser mesmerized by the view. 

We descend partway from the ridge and cut around the mid section of the mountain on the trail. From the trail, we can look up and see the cave on the cliff. 

Scrambling up the slope to the cave, we see this deep hole, probably from a bomb.

PTShelley takes a tentative look into the cave.

Inside the cave, we discover two rows of nails embedded in the cave wall. We speculate the purpose of having those nails. The cave is in a T-shape, about fifteen feet deep, without another exit.

From the outside, we walk about 15 feet and find this unfinished dig, which we conjecture is meant to be the exit point for the cave.

From the cave, we double back on the trail to the base of Mt, Achugao ridge. We run into this unexploded shell halfway buried in the ground. We decide not to dig it up and risk losing a limb.

This foxhole is still hiding a soldier ready to shoot us down!! Actually, it is Bruiser re-enacting the war scene. 

We find another well preserved foxhole that we can all climb in: Chops, Rexplorer, Cutie, Handy, Capt.Charlie, WonderWoman, PTShelley, Jane, Adam, Bruiser, and Giggles.

Many more foxholes along the ridge lead us to this bomb sitting atop a rock.

Under the shady pine trees, we stop to have our snacks. Handy looks awfully comfortable.

Chops, Adam, Jane, Bruiser, and Rexplorer enjoying a rich assortment of snack.

Our final leg of the hike is going down the southern slopes into the valley in search of an ancient artifact. On the way, we see this Japanese NKK marker. When we reach the valley, we venture further through tall grass and onto a stream bed. Crossing the stream bed we turn left.

This is the object of our search, an ancient grinding stone. Bruiser, Jane, Cutie and Handy admire this stone used by people who lived near the stream.

Handy finds the stone a good seat. We don't see the pestle for this grinder. 

On our way back up the hill to head home.

This hike is nearly four hours, not quite the short hike we had anticipated, but covers a lot of grounds and historical facts. The Wireless Ridge and Achugao was one of the big battlegrounds on island and it is worth spending the time to learn about it. It is Four Sneaker Hike.