Ugh.<\/p>\n
Well, it is possible – Chris and I proved it.\u00c2\u00a0 We followed the trail that Jeff and I saw last time that leads from the fenceline on the third ridge<\/em>.\u00c2\u00a0 After cresting a small knoll, the trail\u00c2\u00a0gently ascended a wide\u00c2\u00a0ferny ridgetop between two ravines.\u00c2\u00a0 The course was very evident ahead, and the trail was wide and clear here.\u00c2\u00a0 Climbing the first hill\u00c2\u00a0as a contour along the left, the ferns began closing in.\u00c2\u00a0 The initial euphoria and giddyness of finding new territory slowly eroded as the trail narrowed, but was bouyed when the trail became clear again.<\/p>\n 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.\u00c2\u00a0 There, the trail ascended by a few steps cut into the earth to the ridgetop.\u00c2\u00a0 Here was a junction with a ridge trail.\u00c2\u00a0 It was not clear which was the correct direction, so we tried downhill first.\u00c2\u00a0 The trail began as clear and obvious, but after a rise into a thicket of trees, it became more indistinct and grown in.\u00c2\u00a0 There were several log-overs\u00c2\u00a0that were not worn which was a bad sign traffic-wise.\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0Coming out into the light after the trees, I could see across to the next ridge and immediately spotted windy trees<\/em> on the next ridge over.\u00c2\u00a0 After reaching a powerline tower and seeing the trail growing fainter ahead, we returned to the junction and tried the upward direction.\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0The trail was more distinct\u00c2\u00a0 this way.\u00c2\u00a0 At the summit of the ridgeline, there was a helipad clearing.\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0I could see\u00c2\u00a0where this ridge would\u00c2\u00a0intersect the\u00c2\u00a0Waimano ridge ahead, and saw an odd tree that\u00c2\u00a0I remembered from the Waimano mystery ride.\u00c2\u00a0 Dropping through a moonscape, we made our way over toward the next ridge.\u00c2\u00a0 The trail dropped into some introduced trees, then climbed steeply upward, swithcbacking over\u00c2\u00a0on a open ferny knob.\u00c2\u00a0<\/p>\n Back in familiar\u00c2\u00a0surroundings, we quickly descended through the off-camber ridgetop trail to windy trees<\/em> and tree tunnel<\/em> to the Upper Waimano\u00c2\u00a0trailhead\u00c2\u00a0on the dirt road.\u00c2\u00a0 I figured it would be nicer and more ridable if we went down the trail rather than the road and suffering through\u00c2\u00a0the suck Waimano Home upper fenceline trail.\u00c2\u00a0 I figured wrong.\u00c2\u00a0 Somewhere we either missed a turn, turned too early or something, because the swithcback descent became worse and worse.\u00c2\u00a0 The well-groomed, heavily-traveled trail turned to loose cobbles and deadfall.\u00c2\u00a0 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.\u00c2\u00a0 We therefore must have turned early somewhere…<\/p>\n Back on groomed trail was a relief.\u00c2\u00a0 It was rooty and rocky at points, but being a water flume trail, it was generally level and mid-ring compatible.\u00c2\u00a0 This brief happiness was soon dashed by sketchy portages up rocky knobs overhanging sheer drops into the ravine below.\u00c2\u00a0 One had sad little ropes and cables, but it was little comfort while trying to wrangle bikes up\u00c2\u00a06-foot cliffs\u00c2\u00a0while wearing SPD shoes.\u00c2\u00a0 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.<\/p>\n Passing the junction between Upper and Lower Waimano trails, the end was in sight.\u00c2\u00a0 The vegetation had changed almost exclusively to Hawaiian Holly.\u00c2\u00a0 We ascended to the ridgetop where the trail from the Waimano Home fenceline junctions, then descended through the strawberry guava forest.\u00c2\u00a0 In the failing light of late afternoon, Chris misjudged the span of the old concrete divert across the trail.\u00c2\u00a0 He launched it and cleared it.\u00c2\u00a0 Flying over it, he realized it was about the size of a wheel, and not the sub-1-foot he imagined it to be.\u00c2\u00a0 Adrenaline jitters aside, he cleared it, so all was good.<\/p>\n Out into the light, we descended along the guardrail and fence to the street.\u00c2\u00a0 Trying to stay out of the gravel-filled rut, I was riding the outside berm.\u00c2\u00a0 My front wheel met a 4″ Haole-Koa stump and I went down.\u00c2\u00a0 All I could think of was not hitting the guardrail\u00c2\u00a0or guardrail pickets!\u00c2\u00a0 I dirtsurfed a bit, my left knee finding the only rock on the packed red dirt.\u00c2\u00a0 My momentum was quickly converted into noise, heat, and pain, so I stopped short of hitting any sharp-cornered metal objects.\u00c2\u00a0 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.<\/p>\n I would not<\/strong> do this again.\u00c2\u00a0 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<\/em> to the weird tree<\/em>, then take this trail back to Wailuna through the mystery hills<\/em>.\u00c2\u00a0 Now that would be a good ride (shinguards required for the ferns though).<\/p>\n