Ugh.
Well, it is possible – Chris and I proved it. We followed the trail that Jeff and I saw last time that leads from the fenceline on the third ridge. After cresting a small knoll, the trail gently ascended a wide ferny ridgetop between two ravines. The course was very evident ahead, and the trail was wide and clear here. Climbing the first hill as a contour along the left, the ferns began closing in. The initial euphoria and giddyness of finding new territory slowly eroded as the trail narrowed, but was bouyed when the trail became clear again.
After climbing for a while and winding in and out of little valleys and finger ridges, the trail turned makai along a contour on the side of a ridge. There, the trail ascended by a few steps cut into the earth to the ridgetop. Here was a junction with a ridge trail. It was not clear which was the correct direction, so we tried downhill first. The trail began as clear and obvious, but after a rise into a thicket of trees, it became more indistinct and grown in. There were several log-overs that were not worn which was a bad sign traffic-wise. Coming out into the light after the trees, I could see across to the next ridge and immediately spotted windy trees on the next ridge over. After reaching a powerline tower and seeing the trail growing fainter ahead, we returned to the junction and tried the upward direction. The trail was more distinct this way. At the summit of the ridgeline, there was a helipad clearing. I could see where this ridge would intersect the Waimano ridge ahead, and saw an odd tree that I remembered from the Waimano mystery ride. Dropping through a moonscape, we made our way over toward the next ridge. The trail dropped into some introduced trees, then climbed steeply upward, swithcbacking over on a open ferny knob.
Back in familiar surroundings, we quickly descended through the off-camber ridgetop trail to windy trees and tree tunnel to the Upper Waimano trailhead on the dirt road. I figured it would be nicer and more ridable if we went down the trail rather than the road and suffering through the suck Waimano Home upper fenceline trail. I figured wrong. Somewhere we either missed a turn, turned too early or something, because the swithcback descent became worse and worse. The well-groomed, heavily-traveled trail turned to loose cobbles and deadfall. When we came out at the valley bottom, we discovered a sign pointing toward a stream crossing and a trail which wasn’t the way we came down. We therefore must have turned early somewhere…
Back on groomed trail was a relief. It was rooty and rocky at points, but being a water flume trail, it was generally level and mid-ring compatible. This brief happiness was soon dashed by sketchy portages up rocky knobs overhanging sheer drops into the ravine below. One had sad little ropes and cables, but it was little comfort while trying to wrangle bikes up 6-foot cliffs while wearing SPD shoes. At each obstacle, Chris kept reiterating that “this is the most extreme trail” he’s ridden in Hawaii, referring to the danger level and not the technical riding extreme.
Passing the junction between Upper and Lower Waimano trails, the end was in sight. The vegetation had changed almost exclusively to Hawaiian Holly. We ascended to the ridgetop where the trail from the Waimano Home fenceline junctions, then descended through the strawberry guava forest. In the failing light of late afternoon, Chris misjudged the span of the old concrete divert across the trail. He launched it and cleared it. Flying over it, he realized it was about the size of a wheel, and not the sub-1-foot he imagined it to be. Adrenaline jitters aside, he cleared it, so all was good.
Out into the light, we descended along the guardrail and fence to the street. Trying to stay out of the gravel-filled rut, I was riding the outside berm. My front wheel met a 4″ Haole-Koa stump and I went down. All I could think of was not hitting the guardrail or guardrail pickets! I dirtsurfed a bit, my left knee finding the only rock on the packed red dirt. My momentum was quickly converted into noise, heat, and pain, so I stopped short of hitting any sharp-cornered metal objects. I shook the dirt and rocks out of my gloves, rinsed off the gash on my knee and rode out to meet Chris waiting at the trailhead.
I would not do this again. Knowing where the trail connects is advantageous though – we could do the “traditional” Wailuna climb, take the left at the top and descend Waimano mystery trail to the weird tree, then take this trail back to Wailuna through the mystery hills. Now that would be a good ride (shinguards required for the ferns though).
Pictures are up on the gallery here.
Approximately 10.75-miles, about 2-hours riding time, Vavr = 5.2 mph.
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