Old Walua Road Volksmarch in Kona, Hawaii - Tuesday, March 19, 2024

One of our goals on this trip was to walk the Old Walua Road Toni Fortin Blair Memorial Bicycle and Pedestrian Scenic Path. Whew! That's a mouthful. We only have a few days left in Hawaii. Bob did not want to walk yesterday because he did the Hilo Marathon the day before. He needed another day to recuperate. I don't blame him!

We took it easy this morning and left our timeshare to walk at 12:15 pm. A chance of showers was in the forecast and it was supposed to be pretty warm. 

When we arrived at the trailhead, it was cloudy, and there was a cool breeze. As we started walking, dozens of yellow finches flew up from the grasses along the trail. There were also tiny brown birds with red beaks, but I couldn't photograph them. They flitted around a lot and blended into the tall grass. 

This is at the start of the Old
Walua Road Bike Path.

The bike path is wide. This is where we saw
birds flitting around the grasses.

Dueling photo taking. 

This walk is a nice mix of natural landscapes, ocean vistas, and beautiful homes. It's springtime and local flowers provide added color. 

"High-end homes" take on a dual 
meaning in this neighborhood. 

 

Beach Hibiscus, Sea Hibiscus, or Hau
 [Hawaiian] (Hibiscus tiliaceus) 

Stunning views of the Pacific Ocean from 
these hillside homes.

I love this tropical front door!

Bismark Palm (Bismarckia nobilis).

This front yard landscaping is crazy beautiful!

More ocean views.

Roadkill Cactus (Opuntia rubescens)?

Another pretty view!

We found a stray cat. There was a food and water station nearby. I call this cat a stray because it allowed me to pet it. A feral cat, however, wants nothing to do with humans except receive food and water.

We continued on our way, going slightly uphill most of the way. We barely noticed we were going up, but when we turned around we could see it was downhill most of the way back!

Here are more interesting photos, mainly of flowers.

Flame vine (Pyrostegia venusta).

Orange day-lily.

Arabian jasmine (Jasminum sambac).

Butterfly Light Lavender Starflower
(Pentas lanceolata).

Ivy Gourd (Coccinia grandis).

This tree trunk is confusing!

The Hawaiian Pink Hibiscus below is stunning. The colors are so rich and the texture looks like velvet!

 Hawaiian Pink Hibiscus.

Spider Hibiscus
(Hibiscus schizopetalus).

Here's a fun mailbox.

Pink and white plumeria trees 
intertwining.

Bitter Melon plant (Mormordica charantia).

Bitter Melon plant (Mormordica charantia).

Schefflera actinophylla or 
Trumpet Tree (Cecropia adenopus - 
a Big Island invasive)??

This walk was an out-and-back, so we saw the same scenery on the return. We were amazed that the weather was perfect for a walk in the early afternoon. Cloud cover and a cool breeze saved the day!

Thank you to Carol and Dennis Romig for putting together the lovely Hawaiian walks. Mahalo!