Day 10, 19 Nov 2010

...9.91 miles from Aiea to the Hawai`i State Capitol.

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This/these temporary 'bookmarks', as stated before on other days' posts, should eventually be replaced to show a substantial content of context and pix...but for the time being, this one will only show the "final assault" from A`ala Park to the capitol.  However, it is and will be the most developed post of the walk till the 'bookmarks' get replaced.

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 ..pix and story to follow as this week and the post event moratorium allows...

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At the last moment yesterday, we found out that we WOULD be spending the night as guests of Aiea United Methodist Church and not have to deal with the logistics of finding a place to stay for the night....getting there and back in time for this morning's kick-off of the last day of walking.

What a relief!

As last year, today we still go through the final day of a week and a half of seeing old friends and making new friendships...and a new awareness of the culture of homelessness that has drawn us all together...and now prepare to say goodbye to these old and new friends as we return to the daily grind....and hope to see some positive results from our effort that include...

(...items to be detailed later...)

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The final day's group from our Day 9 encampment @ Ai`ea United Methodist Church included Utu, Mac, Darlene, Matt, Tom, Pastor Luke, Desiree, Curtis, Lisa, Roz's Malani(sp?), the Pastor(name?) and his wife(name?) from the Peal City church(name?) that occasionally provides meals at "The Next Step" shelter, and (¿who else?).....

...were met at A`ala Park by a large group from the only major corporate WtT sponsor for this year's walk, "The Locations Foundations", "Prudential Locations LLC."

 

It looks like the Prudential group has somewhere from tripled to quadrupled our 'green-shirted brigade' for the final approach to the capitol where we will then be a part of the "Partners in Care" consortium celebration that is the annual gathering of about a dozen local non-profits who at this event for almost 10 years(?) now are the most recognized local presence of the annual national "Homelessness Awareness Month."

Utu gave special recognition to certain participants of this year's walk...

...and we were off to the state capitol!

...where we arrive....

...to witness, for the 2nd time during this year's walk, incredible entertainment.

 This guy played 40-year-old rock and roll that I could almost sing along with...

...'n this guy said that Israel Kamakawiwo'ole was his cousin...'n then played and sang Iz's duology "Somewhere, Over the Rainbow/It's a Wonderful World" classic.

There was a third act of 3 gals who did a strong Na Leo Pilimehana presentation that I failed to have the forsight to snap a pix of them I was so transfixed by their singing/playing.......but these guy's and the female trio gave mind-numbing entertainment.

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130.71 total miles once again culminate the walk this year after today's portion is factored in...'n there's still a hundred more pix to choose from...'n story to write before this day's post is complete.

Day 9, 18 Nov 2010

...17.95 miles from Nanakuli to Aiea United Methodist Church...

...pix and story to follow as this week and the post event moratorium allows...

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Two days ago, "Day 7" was the most enjoyable day because of the "far from the maddening crowd" aspect of hiking through a nature preserve...and along the Pacific Ocean.

Today, "Day 9" was the most physically and psychologically challenging day because of the longest distance of the 10 days, almost 18 miles; and the heaviest vehicular traffic encounter day with Farrington and Kamehameha Highways being the major venues.  Add to that the wear and tear of the 120 miles in 9 days...and you begin to understand why the feeling of fatigue is so overwhelming.

Today we had these five, left to right...Mac, Utu, Curtis, Desiree, and Pastor Luke from Hau`ula's "Church Without Walls." They are seen here coming through Kapolei...

...and these two, Matt and Darlene...

...who got such an early start today, I didn't see them till they were passing through Pearl City.

These 7 comprised our walkers for today.

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A day ago, we started seeing weather predictions that a storm to include lightning and thunder, a rare treat in Hawai`i, and flash flooding was moving in out of the west to hit Kauai first but then to continue moving across the state.  The prediction was that the first symptoms would start to appear late today and that the possible "worst" would occur tomorrow.  At almost midnight right now, we have been having very heavy drizzle for about an hour and even heard some thunder too.

Tomorrow may be a challenge......

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120.8 total miles walked after today's portion is factored in...have almost a hundred more pix to choose from...and story to add later.

Day 8, 17 Nov 2010

...15.72 miles from Yokohama Bay to St Rita's Catholic Church in Nanakuli...

...pix and story to follow as this week and the post event moratorium allows...

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This is Phil and Mike visiting from California.  I caught them with Yokohama Bay Beach over their right shoulders, and across the road from Makua Cave there in the first mile after departing the Bay this morning.  I had a nice conversation with them...and like the tour guide I am, tried to interest them in exploring the Cave.  

One of these two is a Viet Nam era serving former GI, like me.  But what separates him from me is that.......he fought in the '68 VC Tet Offensive, the highest loss of life of American fighting men in the history of the Viet Nam era......and the turning point in the politics that until then was effectively masquerading the achievement, or lack thereof, of our fighting forces there.

Having been raised by a WWII Bronze Star/Purple Heart decorated, combat-inflicted double amputee; I never cease to be amazed when I encounter others, at any age in their lives, who have transcended what they have been through.  Let's call it "Hell-On-Earth"......; and now they find a way to vacation in Hawai`i, with smiles to share with strangers.

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102.85 total miles walked after today's portion is factored in...and still have 80 some pix/video to edit/comment and add to today's post...

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Day 7, 16 Nov 2010

...9.21 miles from Camp Mokule`ia to Yokohama Bay Beach Park...

...pix and story to follow as this week and the post event moratorium allows...

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Here's just a sample of the 119 pix/video I have to choose from to finish the Day 7 post....

1st 2

2nd 2

3rd 2

4th 2

9th pix

Because of my former backpacking/hiking/camping days; the "Ka`ena Point Shuffle" remains my favorite day of the 10-day "Walk the Talk" event.  These 9 shots just give you a hint of what the passage entails.

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87.13 total miles walked after today's portion is factored in...will have another 100+ pix and lots of story telling to write and add later to this post.

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Day 6, 15 Nov 2010

...11.16 miles from Waimea Bay to Camp Mokule`ia...

...pix and story to follow as this week and the post event moratorium allows...

only got 60 some shots to choose from today...
...creative juices are coagulating.

Here, Utu is portraying the classic study of a surfer who stands at the water's edge moments before doing his Jesus thing....you know, 'walking on water'....and then when 'He' has figured out how the wave is breaking that day, whether he wants to ride it to the left or right knowing where the reef is hiding ready to take his life....and having his 'stick' all "sex-waxed" up...he,...'He'..., paddles out to start his day of creating memories that a film producer/writer will one day turn into the next "North Shore."

One thing, Utu....., where's ur stick?

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77.92 total miles walked after today's portion....still got gobs of pix to consider adding to today's post.

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Day 5, 14 Nov 2010

...15.29 miles from Hau`ula to Sts Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Waimea...

...pix and story to follow as this week and the post event moratorium allows...

 

This is Pastor Luke...

...he's the head of the "Church Without Walls" ministry that housed us and the incredible concert we experienced yesterday.  Here he is, 'standing' watch at the opposite end of the 'shelter' where 'church', and the 'concert', and the meals and where I slept last night is/was all housed...only in paradise.

66.76 total miles walked after today's portion....still got almost a hunded more pix to consider adding to today's post.




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Day 4, 13 Nov 2010

...15.07 miles from Kahalu`u to Hau`ula Beach Park...

...pix and story to follow as this week and the post event moratorium allows...

...and...a big shenanigan hapnen' at Hau`ula Beach Park beginning about Noon today....6 to 7 acts including but not limited to...

The Royal Hawaiian Band at Noon I'm told...

Makana at 1pm...

Professor Ericson and his 'group' are one of the remaining 4 or 5 acts.

Most of this will be missed by the walkers...but I hope to be able to present some photographic evidence of this Hau`ula extravaganza.

.....almost pau:

...once again, I have almost a hundred more photos to chose from for today's post....and 10 videos...., but I will suffice tonight to merely get a shot or two up....the old "foot-in-the-door" routine, and prepare for tomorrow.

The lineup today was, indeed, The Royal Hawaiian Band first, followed by Makana with his incredible slack key styling.

Next was a guy named "Boogie" who's blues guitar and singing was fabulous.

The HPU anthropology professor with his "Poverty & Culture" class students in attendance today is apparently a closeted musician as well as he was next on stage with a Patrick Armitage as his drummer.  Going by the monicker, "Topher," he spent most of the next hour playing his guitar in what he later described as ..."acoustic folk/rock with jazz and blues.  You had to be there.

Finally, finishing up the afternoon's performances, a couple of youngsters, compared to me; Jeff and Shay, going by "TTYM" standing for "Talk To You Music," played a set of mostly personally written popular style rock music...but also played a little early Michael Jackson too.

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I'll eventually be filtering audio/video taken of all of them but tonight only have the energy to shove a building wall art piece at you that really caught my eye...

In the first hour on the road today, we passed an art gallery, "Sunshine Arts Gallery," still in Kahalu`u that had it's south wall artistically presenting a coastal view familiar to all of us who live here.

On the right end of the painting is the familiar part, "Chinaman's Hat;" the knob of an island a few hundred yards off our east coast we saw earlier today, again, on the walk.

The artistic license this artist took with his/her rendering was......he/she feintly placed a chinaman's(?) head under the 'hat.'

 Like Larry "The Cable Guy" would say, "That thar is funny!"....and well conceived.

  

Guhnit folkszzzzzzzzzzzzz.......................

(51.47 total miles walked after today's portion....still got gobs of pix to look at for today's post. )

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Day 3, 12 Nov 2010

...13.09 miles from Waimanalo to Kahalu`u United Methodist Church...

...pix and story to follow as this week and the post event moratorium allows...

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One of the challenges this year since 4 of the 10 nights have us with no accommodations in the neighborhood we walked into that day...we have to find our way back to our regular hole-in-a-ground for our night's recovery...and then...back the next morning for the 8am start of the next day's walk.

That had me up by 5am today to find my way to Alakea and Hotel to catch a #57 headed to Waimanalo by way of Kailua...for a 5:55am p/u!

I passed this sleeper on the Hotel Street side of the Hawai`i State Art Museum...

 ...and was looking down Alakea for the next #57 a good 10 minutes before it's scheduled arrival at 5:55am.

And there it was!

An hour later, I was at the corner of Saddle Road and Kalanianaole Highway....looking at the stated starting point along side Weinberg Village Transitional Housing complex...with a whole hour to kill!

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36.4 total miles walked after today's portion....still  over 70 photo's left to consider for today's post.





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Day 2, 11 Nov 2010

...10.8 miles from Aina Haina to Weinberg Village in Waimanalo...

...pix and story to follow as this week and the post event moratorium allows...

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4 pix panorama of Makapu`u Beach from just after passing the Makapu`u Beach overlook before it from the south shore approach.

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A group of Punahou HS students, members of the "Luke Center for Public Service" group on campus, accompanied us today.  Faculty overseeing this group and accompanying them today include Director Carrie Morgan with Chandra Peters and Cathy Kawahara-Ching.

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HPU Professor Erickson's "Poverty & Culture" class students have been doing some weekly feeding at the "Next Step Shelter" and 5 of the days of this year's walk.

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23.31 total miles walked after today's portion....still have over a hundred photo's to look at to consider for today's finished product...




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Day 1, 10 Nov 2010

...12.51 miles to the Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Aina Haina.

...pix and story to follow as this week and the post event moratorium allows...

 At 7am, Beretania is still lit by car lights....

...and Damien is looking wet.

Today, we're going to start the 6th annual "Walk the Talk" to bring an alternative view to how homelessness should be viewed...with over a hundred photos yet to consider...