Our First Hike: the Hanalei 'Okolehao Trail

One of our missions while on Kauai is to take advantage of the many outstanding hikes here. Our goal is to try one new hike every weekend. We got the first one under our belt last Sunday. The Hanalei ‘Okolehao Trail is only a 10 minute drive from our house.

Although at only about 2 miles each way, this is not a long hike. But the steep grade kept our heart rates up as the trail gained 1,200 feet in less than 2 miles. Here is Conor showing off the guns near the beginning of the trail. He'll be drenched in sweat shortly.

Along the way, we ran into this small frog. Conor caught the little guy hopping away. When he pointed him out, it took me awhile to notice him camouflaged against the leaves and branches. Cleary shook by our intrusion, he sat perfectly still until we were safely on our way.

At the top of the trail, we were rewarded with sweeping views of the north shore. The plateau at the top allowed us to turn 360 degrees and see the coastline from every angle. All in all, a great first hike.

Snapshots from Paradise

If you're in the Northeast and getting tired of the Arctic-like surroundings, here are some photos to warm you up. We've taken these at various nearby beaches the past couple weeks. Click here and enjoy!

A Salute to Mission Control

This post is long overdue. Team Nicholson wouldn't have made their 3 day cross-country trek without the expert assistance and guidance of Mission Control. This elite unit is comprised of Derek (aka DK, aka Captain Cambodia) and Christine (aka C-tine, aka The Black Widow). We were in contact with these two virtually the entire trip. Jessica sent a text at 4:10AM Friday morning to say that we had departed and she received a text wishing us the best by 4:12AM.

If it were not for DK, we might not have known about the severe ice storm that was hitting the Great Plains on Saturday. We received urgent text messages and calls warning us of our impending doom. We were offered alternate routes as well as words of encouragement including "Way to go!" and "We're so proud of you!". We had some dark moments while we were slipping all over the road in Texas and Mission Control was sending us constant updates about the improving weather conditions 100 miles ahead.

The Black Widow was kind enough to look up information on hotels in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area and let us know that if we needed anything, we could all anytime. When I was driving, Jessica and C-tine were trading text messages every 25.4 seconds.

Captain Cambodia's finest moment came when Conor was having technical difficulties while watching the Bears game on his portable TV that he bought for the sole purpose of watching the Bears game. He got the entire first half and none of the second. Conor started spazzing out and searching every frequency on both the FM and AM dial. He felt the beginnings of a panic attack and immediately called DK. Captain Cambodia used his MacGyver like mind to come up with a quick solution.

He said that he would put the phone next to the TV so I could hear the play by play by Troy Aikman and Joe Buck. Once again, Captain Cambodia had saved the day. For his heroic efforts, he was awarded the Shiny Medal of Honor for Helping Conor Catch the Bears Game While on a Cross Country Trek, or as it is more commonly known, the SMHHCCBGWCCT.

When we finally arrived to smoggy LA, C-tine remarked that she felt like she was in the car with us the entire time. Jessica remarked that we couldn't have done it without her so she is being given the annual Medal of Valor for Providing Emotional Support via Text Message and Cell Phone Conversation to Team Nicholson, also known as the MVPSTMCPCTN.

Mission Control, we salute you and can't wait till you stay with us in March!

Pinch Me, I'm Dreaming

Is this a joke? Am I really popping champagne into Hanalei Bay after watching one of the most important wins in my lifetime? Honestly, I don't know what to say. As most of you know, I am a die-hard, maniacal and at certain times annoying, Chicago Bears fan. I have been following them since I was a skinny, dorky first grader in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. I fell in love with Walter Payton the second I saw him play and have been an addict ever since.

I watched the first half at our house because the 3PM game started at 10AM our time and the bars don't open until 11AM. I was jumping around like a caged wildebeest and the second the half came, we jumped into my boy Tony's convertible and raced our way to a bar in Hanalei called Calypso Cafe. You can see the pure joy in my face and the pure agony in Jessica's for being pulled on such an absurd road-trip.


The Bears were up 16-0 at one point and then the Saints did what they do best; to score and score quickly. At one point it was 16-14 and I was growing weary. By the grace of God (or potentially, the Bears players), my team had an amazing second half and won by 25 points. I was on cloud nine and immediately announced that we had to go to the store and buy champagne. I hope this isn't the last time that I pop champagne for the Bears, but if it is, this was our view.

Our New Home

We're finally getting settled into our new home in Kilauea. We're staying in a two-bedroom home with an attached one bedroom apartment. We stayed in the apartment on our first night, and then moved into the house yesterday.

The beach is about a 10 minute walk, faster if you run. On the way, you pass by estates perched on top of a luscious green cliff overlooking the Pacific ocean. Did we mention Ben Stiller lives on our street?? We haven't met him yet but we're sure we'll become fast friends soon enough.

To see lots of photos of the house, property, and nearby beaches, click here.

Wanted: Dead or Severely Maimed

I have come face to face with my mortal enemy, and his name is Mr. Pecker. This ravenous beast is threatening the very livelihood of Team Nicholson. His disdain for our mere existence is immense and I have pledged to eradicate our estate of Mr. Pecker and his fellow evil-doers.

For some reason, this maniacal beast thinks that it's perfectly acceptable to begin cackling and cawing at 4:30 in the morning, a full 3 hours before the sun rises. Where on earth did this rooster learn this avant-garde method? Has he seen the movies? Doesn’t he know that roosters aren't supposed to start cawing until sunrise? I forgot my alarm clock but I thought it was cool since I saw a number of Mother Nature's version walking over the property. Boy was I wrong.

At the current time, I am weighing my options as far as how to rid this mutant rooster from my life. Given the fact that I am in Hawaii, I immediately contacted Dog the Bounty Hunter. Unfortunately, he was too busy organizing a full SWAT team in an attempt to take down a teenage Taco Bell employee who missed a DUI court appearance. Dog sure is a hero.

I hired a software imagery programmer and he is working on a groundbreaking technology called Anti-Rooster Positioning Technology (ARPT) that is able to track the creature's every move. What makes this technology innovative is that it is interactive and friends at home can join in on the fun. We plan to install laser guns around the perimeter and friends will be able to aim and shoot at the roosters while Jessica and I are fast asleep. My dream is to wake up, look outside, and see four dead roosters with huge, gaping laser gun wounds.

Day Three: Victory is Ours

With 505 miles to go, Day Three was like a gift from above. We woke up to sunny skies in Tucson, and even sat down for breakfast before we got on the road. The big drama of the day was the Bears playoff game against the Seahawks. Conor, a huge Bears fan, was so intent on not missing the game that we bought a 9’’ portable TV on Craigslist the day before we left.

The TV worked for the first half of the game, but once we pulled away from Phoenix, the signal was lost as we rode through the desert. Eventually, we couldn’t get the game on TV or radio. In times of crisis, our first line of defense is a call into headquarters – our friends Derek and Christine are on call round-the-clock, ready with a text message of vital info or internet research at the push of a button. So we called it in, and they immediately put their phone next to the TV. So Conor listened to the third quarter through the cell phone, and relayed the highlights to Jessica, at the wheel.

The game is a close one. At some point, while driving through the mountains, we drop the call. We’re now approaching the Arizona/California border, and Conor wants to stop and watch the game. But there really is nothing for miles. Finally, we see a truck stop with a Best Western hotel. We pull off the road, and head to the lobby.

The game went into overtime, and stress ran high. Jessica knew if the Bears lost, the rest of the trip would not be a fun one. Things were not going well, but our luck came through once again. At third and ten, the Bears threw an amazing 35 yard pass. They kick a 50 yard field goal to win the game in overtime. Hotel patrons seem confused at the strange couple cheering and jumping up and down in the lobby. After the victory, we ran to the car and hit the road yet again. The hour we lost on the game is immediately made up a mile down the road, as we cross over to Pacific time.


The rest of the evening was uneventful and relaxing. We checked into our hotel in LA around 6pm, and relaxed a bit before going for dinner in Santa Monica. The next morning, we were able to sleep in before heading 20 miles south to Long Beach to drop of the old Civic and head to LAX to catch our flight.

To view all of our photos from the road, click here.