"Santa Claus" Lane

It seems only appropriate to take our hike on Sunday before Christmas to Santa Claus Lane in Marpi. It will be nice and easy to welcome Cutie and HandyRedEye back. We will miss several of our regulars who are off island, and hope that they continue to hike at wherever they are to maintain the traditional Sunday activity. 
At 6:15 a.m. HandyRedEye, Cutie, Chops, CB, and CC arrive at the big Taotaomona tree. After a while, Spicegirl, Scout, Marine (friend from France), and Boy rush down the road to meet us, as they have been waiting at the other taotaomona tree further up the road. 
We begin by walking up the Suicide Cliff way just so we can finish the road walk first.

A brilliant colored plumeria bush bring instant joy to us.

The first hill is over, CB checks out Cutie, Marine, Chops and RedEye to make sure they are ready for the second climb. As we head up the hill toward Grotto, the turnoff to Santa Claus soon appears.

A forest of strange looking cacti greets us on the Santa Claus Lane. 

This trail remains quite open and unmolested by wild growth of sword grass and tall bushes like what happens in so many of the other trails we have hiked recently. It is cool and pleasant as Chops and Cutie enjoy their morning chats.

At the end of Santa Claus we turn right onward to CowTown trail. RedEye, Marine, and Cutie accompanied by Boy.

RedEye and Scout stop to look at the now barely visible "Cow Town" sign. After more than 20 years, the sign is finally fading. 

From Cow Town we turn down toward the beach. Here Boy finds new friends.

Dried branches from the pandanus trees cover the ground. 

CB, Chops, and Cutie making a brief stop on the way down to the beach, standing under a big Kafu about to drop down on them!

According to CB, this flower with only one half of its petals is named the same as boughanville, it is called "Puti Tai Nobio" or "It's sad not to have love"

Rainy weather brings out another brilliant growth of these beach flowers, as CB calls them "Halaihai Tasi"

Cutie, Scout, Marine, and CB take a moment to watch the surfs. The water appears to be quite rough and the tides are high.

Spicegirl and Boy near the big waves crashing against the rocks. We decide to move to higher grounds for our snack time rest.

A perfect spot for snacks. RedEye, Scout, Spicegirl, Chops, CB, and Cutie gobbling up the goodies.

CB showing off "Bite My Tongue" cracker. From the beach, we retrace the Cow Town trail and then through the dump road back to our cars.

Under the big Taotaomona Tree, an original shot of our group photo and a cropped version for a closer look. Marine, Scout, Boy, Spicegirl, RedEye, Cutie, CC, Chops and CB. We say goodbye to Marine who is returning to France.

An exact recording of our hike on RunKeepers.