9/1/13 Looking for Grenade Farm
With most of the hikers unavailable for the first Sunday of September, Sparky agrees to take us to the "grenade farm" he has visited in previous weeks. After meeting at the post office parking lot, where Dora, Spicegirl, Andy, Aaron, Boy, Sparky, and CC drive in two cars and park near the old Japanese field hospital. From there we take the path through a private yard before approaching the trail to the hospital.
Sparky and Spicegirl near the signpost to the hospital cave. Andy and Aaron are getting ready to enter into the cave to get a closer look.
Aaron and Boy at the entrance to the outer cave.
We plan to take a look at the inside of the cave from a different location. This is the narrow opening we will climb up and circle to the backside of the rock wall.
Dora following Sparky up the steep crevice.
Another climb up the rocks for the lookout.
Boy finds himself in a precarious situation of deciding whether he wants to venture down the slippery and steep drop. We are below encouraging him to come down further. He eventually makes it down far enough to be assisted.
The view into the inside of the cave where the prayer sticks are placed. The entrance to the inner cave down below is on the right side.
Sparky shows Spicegirl some of the interesting finds on the rock walls, and take a look down below for a different perspective of the inner chamber.
Andy and Aaron are exploring among the rocks.
Our next move is to climb up to the top of the cliff and begin our trek to find the "grenade farm"
Sparky on the top of the "mountain", carrying a metal detector. We begin to head north into a beautiful forest.
In the middle of the boonies, we notice these banana leaves strung across two trees, very much like a fence. Spicegirl decides to memorialize the occasion.
Boy is getting ready for another steep descend. From here on, we come across several small caves, run into some fierce looking razor wire fence, cross a downed barbed wire fence, in search of the farm. Eventually, Spicegirl, Andy, Aaron, and Boy decide to go down to the road (it being very near) and return to the car. Sparky, Dora and CC continue to traverse the hilly terrain, and finally decide that the farm is no where near where we are. We descend to the road, via an abandoned beetle nut farm, find our way to the main road, and miraculously being picked up by Andy's group. Despite our inability to find the farm, we agree that the hike is great and we will return another day for another try.
9/8/13 Up & Down Banaderu Trail
Banaderu Trail is one of our favorite hikes, even though we have the distinction of getting lost in the beginning of the hike each and every time, until we eventually find the actual trail. Not to be discouraged by it, we decide to not only go up the trail, but also double back down, instead of taking our usual circle route of going down the road.
At 6:15 a.m. gathering at the Last Command Post parking lot are Handy, Cutie, Chops, PT Shelley, Chris, Bruiser, Jane, Wonder Woman, Dora, and CC. As we approach the Korean monument, a little apprehension arises, and Chops is called upon to lead the way. Behind the monument, we notice a very well marked opening, with lots of ribbons. As we follow the ribboned trail to the right, we become somewhat concerned, as we know the official trail is to the left.
The boonies is humid, the ground is damp, and the rocks and tree roots are very slippery.
Chris, ahead and above, waits for Shelley.
Cutie is happy to take a little break with Jane, Chris, Wonder Woman, while Chops catches up.
Another break on the steep slope. The numerous slippery roots are clearly visible everywhere. One avoids stepping on these roots. Chris continues his climb, while Bruiser, Jane, Cutie stops for a breather, and Chops rests on the rock. It is the opinion of Dora and Shelley that the incline is perhaps about 75 degrees. The well-marked trail, although taking a more challenging route, does lead us to the concrete steps, and the beginning of the official trail.
A quick stop for CC to take a photo as we near the top. Dora, Jane, Bruiser, followed by WW, Handy, and Cutie.
At the top of the trail, after Bruiser gets stung by a bee near the rock garden, we come upon this split in the rocks for a view of the field below. Jane and Bruiser closing in toward the edge.
This is the view of Marpi, looks like the old airfield down below.
On the flat top of Suicide Cliff, we walk through a meandering field.
Wonder Woman and Dora looking pretty through the tangan tangan bushes, at the final part of the upward hike.
This is what everyone has been waiting for, a feast.
The benches at the top make for a perfect picnic camp. Chops, Handy, Dora, Cutie, Jane, Wonder Woman, Chris, and PTShelley seem relaxed. After the snack, the group split into two, with Handy, Chops, and Cutie taking the main road down, and the rest going back to the trail for the return hike down the slippery rocks and roots. Lots of butt-walk and backward drops later, we make it to the base.
At the parking lot, two large tour buses disgorge a whole bunch of tourists to see the big guns and the cave. We take the opportunity to pretend like tourists and have our group photo taken. Chops, Bruiser, Jane, Handy, Wonder Woman, Cutie, Dora and CC look too ragged to be tourists! MIA are PTShelley and Chris as they have taken off for their next destination.
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