Thursday, June 21, 2018

Molokai, My Last Hawaiian Island

After a nasty rainstorm that caused flooding and mudslides on Kauai, our kayaking trip along the Na Pali Coast was canceled. The park is closed until further notice so the beautiful valley can heal. Since the trip was canceled along with a planned work trip, I booked a little weekend getaway to Molokai, the last island I had to visit. Since it was last-minute, I wasn't able to book the mule tour everyone raves about. However, the weekend ended up being the perfect blend of adventure, relaxation, and ice cream (don't judge). 
Molokai is very old Hawaii. There are no stoplights, chain restaurants, Starbucks, malls, etc. It's known as The Friendly Isle and is full of friendly Hawaiians. This is really only surprising because we've experienced the opposite on all the other islands. As it turns out, most people don't like their islands being overrun with Haole tourists and military beouffs. Go figure. 
Molokai is Southwest of Oahu and North of Maui. It's hot and dry with gorgeous western beaches and a beautiful green mountain on the east end. The first day, we landed and had breakfast before driving up to Kalaupapa Lookout and Phallic Rock (no joke, they call it that). Kalaupapa is the old leper colony. It's this incredibly beautiful green peninsula at the bottom of steep pali (cliffs). The overlook really only gives and idea of what is there. Since a permit is required and strictly enforced, we were unable to go. Maybe I'll go back and hike or ride the mules.
Phallic Rock is a very phallic rock. I think I'm funny. No? Anyway, it is said that if a woman makes an offering and spends the night there, she will leave pregnant. I'm not sure if she is supposed to take the man there with her or not. Either way, it's a short walk in on a pretty little trail. I touched it, barely, but didn't spend the night. So, probably safe? :)
Hawaii, HI Penis Rock So Classy Fertility
Following that, we drove east to Halawa Valley. We stopped to check out a farmer market in the main town. The road out is beautiful and coastal. Then it turns and winds through the valleys to Halawa trailhead. Apparently a permit is required to hike here too. We arrived too late for the hike, but some sites listed $60 for it. That's sixty dollars to move my own legs up a trail.... Sigh. There is a beautiful little beach at the bottom with waves for surfing and a giant pile of marine netting. This makes me sad. Mike found us a cocount and we split it for lunch. 
We stayed at Hotel Molokai which has funny little villas for rooms. Ours was super cozy. We enjoyed a long nap and played in the pool before dinner. The resort has a little oceanside restaurant with live music. Mike was a copy cat and we both had the blackened swordfish salad for dinner. It was fabulous! Afterward, we had to run into town to buy some of the Molokai Hot Bread, which is literally fresh warm bread with cream cheese and jam inside. Everyone raves about this. There is a line and everything. They are open every day! So, this just confuses me. Mike said it was tasty, but nothing mind blowing. It smelled way good.

The next morning we stopped at the town's only coffee shop for breakfast. My acai bowl had zero acai and all strawberry. New concept for me, but it tasted fine. We headed out to the west side to check out the beaches. We chose the longest beach in Hawaii, Papohaku, for a walk. Mike jumped in, and I chickened out. We walked all the way down to the other end and ran intervals back. The sand was so hard to run in! 
We ate at Molokai Pizza Cafe for lunch. I had a chef salad with no dressing (not as bad as you'd think). Mike had a pizza burger which looked awesome (are you seeing a theme yet?). We followed it up with this banana split just to make me feel better. We spent the rest of the afternoon curled up in a hammock at the hotel reading our books. 
The flight out may have been the best part of the trip. I booked us on Mokulele Air, which I've never flown. We were checked off a list to board. The flight left early because everyone was there. Instead of a noisy jet with sterile flight attendants, we were on a 12 seater single prop with big windows. The captain turned around in his seat to breif us. The flight was both stunning and fun. We flew lower because it's a prop plane. So worth it. I don't think I'll be island hopping on Hawaiian anymore. Loved it!
So that's it, a fun little weekend getaway with my man. Nothing insanely adventurous, but perfect for what we needed.

Friday, June 8, 2018

Springtime Adventures in Steamboat Springs, CO

Last fall my dad invited me to a yoga retreat in Steamboat Springs, CO in May. The cost was ridiculously low and I happen to love Colorado. Plus, a darling little ski town in the middle of nowhere with hot springs, um YES PLEASE! So, I was instantly waving my money in the air yelling "I WANT TO GO!!!" My husband is a super patient man. I RSVP'd immediately and Dad put the deposit in for the four of us.
Steamboat springs, Colorado, hiking
Fast forward to May, I'd been beyond excited about this trip for months. The retreat was run by Erin of Oso and Co Adventures out of Heber City, UT. She did an amazing job with planning and execution of every aspect of it. And the best part of all? She has two sweet doggies to snuggle. Westy was less than 4 months old and I couldn't get enough!
The schedule Erin had laid out for the retreat was packed full of amazingness. Each day began with pranayama (breath work) on the deck in the morning sunshine. That was followed immediately by breakfast, a two hour block of yoga, and lunch. Then there was a gap of time for an activity: biking, hiking, visiting town (more on all of that in a min). Then we came back for another 60-90 minute block of yoga, dinner and a lesson on Shamanism from Soaring Eagle Ed. Two nights even included visit to the hot springs.
Steamboat Springs Colorado, bike
Each yoga practice centered around a chakra. We began at the root chakra working on centering ourselves and finally ended with the crown chakra where we danced and did lots of fun inversions. So, seven practices in four days with completely different themes, movements, and poses. I loved each one. For the throat chakra, she had us scream for several rounds. I thought it was freeing and funny. Mike found it emotional. Lorrie was horrified. So, that was an interesting social experiment. 
aspens, steamboat springs, co, colorado, hike, hiking
The meals worked through the chakras as well. Some were a combination of two adjacent chakras. The food was a bounty of color and flavor, mostly vegetarian with a bit of turkey thrown in here and there. 
The activity for the first day was mountain biking. We rented bikes in town and rode Spring Creek Trail. It's about 4 miles each way with 1200 feet of elevation gain. Yikes. The original plan was to drive to the top and bike down. Most of us opted to bike up and down. I made it most of the way. The trail started around 7000 feet of elevation. If you've never lived at sea level then tried to be awesome over a mile higher, know this: you'll struggle. Mike and I felt like our lungs were raw and shredded by the midpoint. I finally turned around before the final push because why trash my body on day 1? Lorrie and I rode down together and I forgot just how joyous cruising downhill on a mountain bike is. The air smelled amazing, there were trees and sun and greenery everywhere, plus it's fun to ride across streams and bridges. This trail was a win. Even my lungs grudgingly agree.
mountain bike, biking, colorado, spring creek trail, co
Day 2's activity was a little bitty hike to Fish Creek Falls. Again, we pushed the distance. The first and bigger falls is only a quarter mile down a paved trail. Ummmm.... So we went to the second falls which is a crazy beautiful five mile round trip. Have I mentioned I love Colorado? BTW I love this picture of Mike. He's not even posing, he woke up like this. :D
waterfall, colorado, steamboat springs, co, hike, hiking, sexy man

hike, hiking, steamboat springs, co, colorado, yoga, waterfall
I visited the hotsprings both nights. They are up in the mountains with no light pollution, amazing stars, and not too many people. However, after dark, there is no lighting and people go nude. So we saw lots of random naked dudes with the flashlight beam while trying to find somewhere to stash my clothes. Luckily, everyone in my group went in swimsuits. 

I would love to do another retreat like this. We met so many great people. Living communally with tons of activities and someone to cook me awesome food is literally the best thing in the whole world!