Here’s what we’re looking at from left to right: Kahana Valley, Pu’u Manamana, Ka’a'awa Valley, then Pu’u Kanehoalani. So how do you see this view? Hike up to Pu’u Ohulehule.

Pu’u Ohulehule is the pyramid shaped mountain that sits in the back of Kahana Valley. (The word “pu’u” can be translated “hill” or “mountain” by the way.) There’s a trail that starts at Ahupua’a ‘O Kahana State Park (formerly Kahana Valley State Park) that takes you through the valley and up to the very top of the mountain. You’ll hike 8 miles round trip and including breaks, it takes about 8 hours to complete.

The trail up Pu’u Ohulehule is known as one of the most difficult on Oahu but don’t let it’s reputation deter you. It’s advanced but doable. You’ll have different types of terrain to explore including stream crossings, rain forests, narrow ridgelines and vertical climbs. The trail will take a lot out of you but the experience is worth it.

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Last month Justin sent me an invite to his “Epic Scooter Adventure.” I’ve always wanted to do this but I couldn’t make it out that day. He’s still letting me share his pics though. (By the way, you should check out Justin’s Hawaii lifestyle videos on Vimeo.)

The premise is this: gather a group of friends, rent mopeds in Waikiki and cruise through Downtown, Ala Moana, Waikiki, Diamondhead, Kahala, Hawaii Kai, Sandys, Waimanalo, and so on. You can’t do this safely in too many places besides Hawaii. Although to be honest, it’s not all that safe here either, but it sure looked like a lot of fun.

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Here’s a tip: If  you’re going to hike up the 1,048 steps to the top of Koko Head Crater, don’t eat fish that day. Or if you do eat fish, don’t burp multiple times while hiking. I learned that lesson today. This hike is a workout. You’re huffing and puffing and sweating profusely the whole way up. It’s tiring but when you get to the top you’re rewarded with this view and all the pain goes away. This is why some people (myself included) do this every week or so.

See also:

• A full description of the Koko Head Crater trail.

The Kaneohe Bay Sandbar is a unique place. It’s a strip of land a few hundred yards off shore that’s almost at sea level. At low tide you could be standing in just a few inches of water. When you’re out there and stop to think about it, it’s pretty surreal.

But here’s the catch: you need a boat to get there. If you’re in the military you’re with someone in the military, you can rent a boat off the base. Or, you can get some exercise and paddle a kayak out there. We did that last weekend.

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When you go rock climbing up at Mokulē’ia, remember to turn around and soak in the view. Especially when the sun starts to go down. To be able to climb a 90 foot rock face in front of this stunning scenery is truly a blessing.

Dan, Kim, Jack and I climbed the Moke (the name of the rock wall) over the weekend. Here are some views of this amazing place.

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I surfed Diamond Head last weekend. When I got out of the water I realized it was “golden hour.” I ran up the trail to my car and was able to grab my camera in time to snap this. It’s pretty over here at dusk.

There are a couple lookouts around the lighthouse that you can drive to. It’s worth checking out even if you’re not going for the surf.

See also:

• Diamond Head Lookout on a map