Lahaina Family Farms

While in my hammock... finally! So i made it to the farm. I have been here about 3 weeks. People constantly have been coming and going but im one of 15 wwoofers at the most. Big community and lots of afternoon adventures to the beach or into town or just taking it easy on the farm. As far as the work, i do a lot of work on the driveway that keeps getting washed out by the big rains (im on the dry side of the island now). Also some trail building and invasive plant with thorn removal. Waking up before the sun and getting a hard days work in so we can play in the afternoon. Here are some good adventure memories so far on the farm:

• Hiking into the valley and through the jungle and waterfalls
• Going to the beach and jumping off black rock (30 foot jump into the pacific)
• Little beach drum circle and fire dancing sunday nights (at the nude beach)
• Sunrise at the summit of haleakala (10.000ft) 
• Full moon hike to the top of the farm property
• Getting around by hitchhiking 
• Lots of beach and sun
• Surfed my first wave! 
• and more... (pictures on facebook)

The farm has been a great venue to get settled and explore the island. Now i have done everything i want to do on this island. So im going to spend the next month island hopping. Im going to the Big Island in the next week to see the Volcano National Park and maybe find a farm but mostly just bumming it for a couple weeks. Then Kauai for a couple weeks to hike the Na pali Coast. Then back Maui for another farm gig at a permaculture farm before heading to Oregon to see John and Tracy! 

Thats the plan but who knows. For now im just going to do some backpack traveling around the islands. 

Aloha

First Week of Hawaii

While in my hammock, which I still have not been in yet because I have had a comfy bed and it is actually quite chilly up here at 4000 feet, I look back at my adventures of the week with Kiva...

One of the first days we went to a series of waterfalls (a spot where water is falling in mid-air). Each waterfall was just off the trail that went through a bamboo forest except for the last one. We had to swim in this little pool and climb up the little waterfall to make it around the corner to the biggest and the best. Sorry, no picture of that one, it was just for me.

Possibly my favorite or at least one of the most unique places I have been this week is the middle of enormous bamboo forests. It is so dense and dark and completely invasive not allowing anything else to live there, which is part of the reason it is so cool. It would be more cool if there were pandas though.

Every evening has been a nice and relaxing time 4000 feet in the upcountry at Kiva's beautiful bamboo house. Evenings mostly consist of making dinner by a wood stove, (say What? yes its winter here) watching the sunset over west Maui, and settling down watching Tv or reading or having guests over and chatting. 

 We went on a hike on the leeward side of the island after snorkeling and trying to swim with dolphins. A completely different environment then the rainforest on the other side. Only 20 inches of rain here compared to the 400 inches. Here is a picture of the lava flow from 300 hundred years ago. We hiked over sharp rocky rubble for miles along the coast.

  One of our last adventures was an overnight road trip on Hana Highway; one of the most beautiful roads in the world (look it up). Hours of driving along the steep northern side of the island with 70 some one-lane bridges that cross over countless beautiful waterfalls. Along the way we stopped at Red Sand Beach, a really cool hidden spot.

An amazing hike through the rainforest ending in a 150-200 foot waterfall where I re-discovered that rainbows are full circles. 

 The road trip ended with going around the upcountry of the leeward side which is mostly just cattle ranches. A beautiful juxtaposition to the jungle and a complete circle around the island to finish the day.

The week ended with a Beach Day where I got to swim with a couple of enormous sea turtles and listen underwater to the whales that were splashing in the distance.

The week at Kiva's has almost come to an end and on monday I head out to Lahaina on the west side to  start my next adventure... Farming.

My Bag is Packed

While in my hammock.. I thought of all the reasons 2014 is going to be so amazing! During a nice afternoon with Pat on new years day, we sat down and wrote our resolutions and plans for the year.
Some of the lists look like these:

• finish paying off college loans
• sell car
• one-way ticket to hawaii
• no watch
• Co-director of nature camp
• living outside all year
• 3/4 of the year in my hammock
• waking up with the sunrise
• Wilderness First Resoponder

and...

• Drink water
• Meditate
• Yoga/stretch
• brush teeth
• sunrise/sunset

and...

• farming
• hiking
• outdoor ed
• boating
• trip leading

My bag is packed and I leave for Hawaii tomorrow hopefully, (snow might delay flights). My room is packed up with the minimal amount of things that i need to come back for. but if i have everything in one bag that weighs 20 pounds, and that is all i need for the next 5-8 months what do i need to come back for...

While in my hammock i created a blog! Its the first day of 2014; its going to be a great year. Follow along and see where i go in my hammock for this amazing journey called life. More posts to come.