FRANSPACE - FrandStands

From when I was a kid, I've had questionable personal physical safety risk assessment, and I have scars to show for it. But I'm still alive, so it can't be that bad, right?

My first handstand was probably in the kiddie pool, trying to keep my feet above the water for as long as possible. Or was it at home trying my balance against the wall? I don't fully recall (but not because I've banged my head many times, though if I did, would I know it?). But I do know that I have been in love with handstands, headstands, and being upside down for as long as I can remember. At some point I started to want to do it in different places, especially when hiking and traveling. And so I started getting pictures whenever I remember. There came a point when people would remind me "Hey, are you doing your handstand here, or what?"

Why am I in love with handstands? Maybe it's the beauty in imagining that the world is really upside down, and I'm the one seeing it right side up. Maybe it's in Newton's third law; and I am pushing the earth off its axis when I am on my hands. Is it the feeling of power in the balancing of my whole being with only my wrists? Or the excitement in the planning, composing, and trying the timing of the photo–I’m not actually able to hold good form for that long. Then there is the thrill in the making of the contingency plans; if I fall backward, I turn that way and land; if I fall forward I will just have to trust my footing. If I miss that small area for my feet, I might be dead. Then there is the fear and admiration in the gasps and exclamation of bystanders. Maybe, in a handstand I feel like Superman.

As opposed to the other pages in Collections, most of these pictures I did not take since I am in the picture. Some of them I did though, thank you camera timer! And thank you to all my friends who have taken a picture of me on my hands while on a ledge and not declining to take the photo for safety reasons :)

01/18/14 - Though not a handstand, adding this here as it was the first time I've ever done a headstand! Thank you to Anna Claire for teaching me. I can hold this form for a long time. Pictured is me Anna Claire and Jen. PC: Jess

02/12/16 - Oldest handstand picture I've found. I am trying to do a handstand over a side table i made that only had 2 legs. Here I am testing its structural integrity.

06/20/16 - A trip to Korea with the Juguetas. This was at Gyeongbokgung, the main royal palace.

06/20/16 - At Cheonggyecheon, Seoul's famous stream. Love the audience!

07/3/16 - At the strawberry fields in Baguio.

08/13/16 - At a beach in Guam. PC: Diana

09/04/2016 - At a cave in Guam.

09/17/16 - Just got back from traveling for 5 months. Apparently this is my first photo of a handstand on this structure at Koko Head. This structure will be handstanded on plenty of times.

09/18/16 - With the sunset at Waimea. PC: Fidelle

09/29/16 - With the jellyfish at Sherwood Beach.

10/31/16 - Lanikai Pillbox Sunrise.

11/04/16 - An undisclosed hike. Sworn to secrecy, so don't ask. PC: Carly

12/19/16 - Koko Head, with a sliver of the grill structure. and a hazy Hanauma Ridge in the background.

12/19/16 - On the grills at Koko Head. This part of the structure bounces. I miss this part.

12/23/16 - At Kaena Point.

12/23/16 - By Makua beach, practicing my dismounts. Zoom in if you want to laugh.

12/29/16 - Holidays with the family at Lake Tahoe.

01/06/17 - Kuliouou, my second favorite hike. PC: Savanna

01/06/17 - Kuliouou trail bench. PC: Savanna

01/06/17 - Kuliouou, with views of Bellows. PC: Savanna

01/06/17 - Kuliouou, with views of Waimanalo. PC: Savanna

02/05/17 - With the sunset at Sunset beach.

02/21/17 - Wiliwilinui solo hike, taken with camera timer.

02/26/17 - On the way to Pauoa Flats Bench. PC: Katelyn

02/26/17 - At Pauoa Flats Bench. PC: Katelyn

07/19/2017 - At OneSoul Crossfit, Vila do Conde, Portugal. Not a stand, but upside down, so I'm counting it!

08/16/17 - Kuliouou Summit.

08/26/17 - Waimea with copycats (inspired people) in the background. "Honey I want to do that too!"

09/01/17 - Back at Koko Head. Outfit matches the background.

09/03/17 - At top of Diamond Head Hike. PC: Brad

09/06/17 - Koko Head. PC: Kevin

09/23/17 - Hawaii Loa Ridge Summit. This was around when my friends and I decided to try to hike all the hikes on the island, through each ridge and valley starting from Koko Head, heading west.

10/07/17 - Wililinui with the "Around the Island" Hiking group.

10/21/17 - At Mauumae Summit with the "Around the Island" Hiking group.

11/11/17 - At Kaau Crater, the last hike of the "Around the Island" Hiking group. Long story short, we decided to hike during a heavy storm, and someone almost died in my hands (I ended up saving them). This traumatized me so much I did not hike again for more than half a year. Full story another time.

01/02/18 - Family trip to Macau with cousins.

08/04/18 - Back at it at Koko Head. PC: Faye

08/11/18 - Koko Head with Griff and Ricky.

02/15/2020 - Kuliouou, 1 hour 6 minutes bottom to top. Back when they still had the remnants of a sign here.

12/29/20 - At Kuliouou, might be the first time I went westward from the summit. PC: Shelby

06/22/21 - Pauoa Flats thru Puu Ohia Trail with Morgan, Leesa, and Enzo.

09/04/21 - Beachside Swing, North Shore, on a Around the Island Trip .

01/23/22 - Franday at Mokuleia. PC: Frances

03/28/22 - Sunset haze at China Walls with Jackie, Jacky, Will, and Yi Lin.

10/7/22 - Started Koko Head Fridays with friends.

10/21/22 - Koko Head Fridays. Shorts kinda matches the graffiti.

10/21/22 - Koko Head Fridays.

10/30/22 - Posing with Pohaku on a hike in an extinct volcano. PC: Ange

10/30/22 - My first handstand on film, in Hilo. PC: Ange

11/06/22 - At the Luís I Bridge in Porto with the Khans.

11/08/2022 - At the Chapel Bridge in Lucerne, Switzerland. Oldest covered bridge in Europe. PC: Diana

11/10/22 - At a rest stop on one of the most beautiful train rides ever, Poschiavo, Switzerland. PC: Diana

11/11/22 - Gotta do it at Lake Como, you know. PC. Diana

11/14/22 - On rocks at one of the towns at Cinque Terre. PC: Diana

11/15/2022 - At another one of the towns at Cinque Terre. PC: Diana

02/05/2023 - On the long road to Antelope Island, Salt Lake, Utah.

03/11/23 - At Kuliouou with Fran. PC: Frances

03/25/23 - At Bixby Bridge. PC: Jocelyn

08/10/23 - Koko Head, great timing for the sunset. PC: Jocelyn

11/05/23 - Wiliwilinui with a hat. PC: Ariane

11/19/23 - Kuliouou with Arlette and Einny. My first one-hander captured.

12/02/23 - Wiliwilinui, typical, no views.

12/08/23 - Is Koko Head Fridays back?

12/08/23 - Is Koko Head Fridays back? but on film.

12/25/23 - Koko Kristmas morning.

01/04/24 - Leaning with the Leaning Tower of Pisa, on an Italy trip with friends.

03/10/24 - On a block outside Osaka Castle, during a Japan trip with friends.

03/11/24 - At Fushimi Inari Taisha.

03/13/24 - At the Bamboo Forrest in Kyoto. PC: Einny

03/21/24 - Elephant Mountain Trail overlooking Taipei 101 on my Taiwan trip. Practicing since there's tourists at the better rock. PC: Yi-Hsuan

03/21/24 - Okay they're gone, my turn! PC: Yi-Hsuan

03/22/24 - At Wangyhou park in Keelung, Taiwan. PC: Yi-Hsuan

03/22/24 - At the famed rainbow crossing in Ximen, Taipei, Taiwan.

03/25/24 - At a park in Yokohama. PC: Jacky

03/30/2024 - At Kilauea Iki again, this time with rain.

05/10/24 - At Haleakala Summit.

06/16/24 - Puu o Kona, first time doing Kuliouou Loop. PC: Einny

06/30/24 - Another Koko Sunset.

06/30/24 - Can't miss the thingy. Can't believe I haven't come up with a nickname for this thing. The Thingy?

08/09/24 - Koko Head Fridays at the Thingy. First handstand on the Canon R8. PC: Will

08/16/24 - At Arlettes Surprise Divorce Party. PC: Arlette

09/20/24 - Koko Head at the Thingy. PC: Jackie M.

11/01/24 - At Mooney Falls, Havasupai. Stress fracture on the left ankle. PC. Einny

11/05/24 - Outside the Chapel of the Holy Cross in Sedona, Arizona. PC: Einny

11/27/24 - At a Kaimuki overpass. Got a boot for my stress fracture. PC: Felicia

12/28/24 - First hike after being allowed to take the boot off. PC: Davey

01/12/25 - By Kaena Point, North Shore side. PC: Davey

01/26/25 - Swam to Mokolii during camping at Kualoa Park. PC: Morgan

02/23/25 - Kuliouou, total time bottom to top to bottom: 1 hour 34 minutes.

08/25/25 - At the top of Innsbruck, Austria, before meeting up with friends for the Berlin High Trail.

08/27/25 - On the Berlin High Trail. Probably one of the sketchiest handstands I've done. The rock was about a two feet wide. PC: Einny

08/27/25 - At the Wesendlkarsee, on the way to Freisenberghaus on the Berlin High Trail.

08/27/25 - With Einny on the way to Freisenberghaus on the Berlin High Trail.

08/28/25 - At the famous suspension bridge outside Oleperhutte, on the Berlin High Trail.

08/31/25 - Lunch break while hiking from Berlinhutte to Greizerhutte, on the Berlin High Trail. PC: Einny

11/09/2025 - Somewhere in the pseudo-wild, North Shore, Oahu. PC: Grace

03/06/26 - At Zachel's wedding at Kualoa Ranch.

04/19/26 - After finishing my first triathlon (sprint).

04/19/26 - After finishing my first triathlon (sprint) with Einny.

04/19/26 - After finishing my first triathlon (sprint) with the rest of the gang.

05/10/26 - The Thingy is now The Mushroom Thingy!

05/25/26 - On the new wooden platform at Koko Head. PC: Einny

05/25/26 - Einny and I at Koko Head. PC: Urgyen

05/25/26 - At the Mushroom Thingy yet again. PC: Einny

06/13/26 - At the First Peak of Olomana Three peaks. PC: Einny

06/13/26 - At the First Peak of Olomana Three peaks. Rachel got it on her disposable. PC: Rachel

08/01/26 - Almost 10 years after my first Hawaii Loa Ridge Hike, I am back wearing green again. And blessed by the fog.

08/06/26 - Ala Moana Handstand with the amazing sunset! PC: Amanda

08/06/26 - After Amanda took a pic, she wanted to do headstands with me! PC: Caroline