7/21/13 Bird Island Trail
Having given up trying the trail "Laderan Tangke to Bird Island" the previous week, our group decides to try again this Sunday. We will go backward from post 16 to the trail head between 15 and 14, find the BI trail to the lookout, then return back. Gathering at the trail head are Handy, Cutie, Chops, Wonder Woman, and CC. We start from Post 16.
Part way into the forest, PT Shelley joins us. Wonder Woman leads the way. Note the wet pants cuff, indicating the wet ground and humid air in the forest.
Handy having himself hanged!
Several big hermit crabs near a cave.
Near another cave are these old bowls and plates from war time.
PT and Cutie stop for a moment to marvel at the scenery.
At the entrance of this cave, Chops pretends to be the cave woman.
In the middle of the rock forest we see this marker by NKK Company. We don't know what is the significance.
Part of a gas mask is found near a shallow cave.
Wonder Woman points out some interesting features of the rock fortress.
Cutie and Handy take a water break.
Onward to the trail after leaving the rock fortress, PT stops by this blue tree. Likely an earlier trail marker.
At the end of the trail, just above Bird Island overlook parking lot, the group decides to forego climbing down, and have our snacks in the shade of the ironwood trees.
Returning back on the trail, a short rest at marker 15 before the end of the hike.
8/4/13
Waserak to Guala Rai
With a new trail discovered recently, the group anxiously gathers at the Capitol Hill post office to determine how many cars will go near the trail head. PT Shelley is waiting at the lot, but due to unforeseen obstacles, decides to forego this hike. She wishes us well and leaves. Bruiser and Jane soon arrive with Spicegirl in tow. Dora, with a surprise appearance of Cowboy, complete our group. We decide to take the two SUV for the rough ride up Mt. Tapochao and onto Waserak Rd. We park the cars just before the road becomes rougher than we would like to tackle. From there we walk the rest of the way on Waserak until we come to the trail head.
The trail becomes immediately dense with trees, vines and large birds nest ferns. We take this opportunity to take a couple of photos before we immerse deeply into tackling the thick forest. Bruiser, Jane, Dora, Spicegirl, and Cowboy are all smiles, not suspecting what is ahead.
After spending most of the time crouching and squeezing through branches, trunks, we take another moment for a water break.
Bruiser and Jane demonstrate the posture we have to adopt for most of the trail.
Another chance to stand up straight and rest. From here on, very few photos are taken as CC and everyone are so busy keeping our balance, placing each step carefully to avoid slipping, hanging onto trees and vines, or simply butt-slide, down the steep slopes, all the while still admiring the scenery.
Before the descend, we find this concrete marker. It does not have a K on the top, and we are not able to make out the etching, but it is definitely a marker of some sort.
One of the creepy looking roots on a tree branch as we try to grab available branches, but not this one.
Finally we are at the bottom. Here we are on the way to the end of the trail where the overlook is. We will return to the bamboo for snacks.
Here we are, resting on the road to Guala Rai down below. Beyond in the lagoon is the pre-positioning ship.
We return to the bamboo forest, and set up our snacks under the canopy. it is a beautiful spot of giant bamboos, singing birds and general stillness. We are prepared to retrace our steps to climb and claw our way back up the cliff, crouching "Hobbits" like (Jane's description), or brave like "Indiana Jones" (Bruiser's description), and then through the two sword-grass fields. Going up, is faster and actually a bit "easier". Well, just a little bit. We walk back up the road to the car.
A group of happy and satisfied hikers back at the cars (even though Bruiser broke his hiking pole.) The total hike takes about four hours.
Everyone declares that this hike is fully Five Sneakers rated!
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