Obama enjoys great outdoors

President Barack Obama had an active Monday, starting with a morning workout and a late-morning hike with his family in Lanikai, followed by a golf outing with friends in the afternoon.

Obama’s motorcade left his Kailua beachfront rental at 7:49 a.m., and the president worked out for about an hour at a gym at nearby Marine Corps Base Hawaii at Kaneohe Bay.

At 10 a.m. the president, first lady Michelle Obama and daughters Malia and Sasha went for a one-hour hike on Kaiwa Ridge Trail, also known as the Lanikai pillbox trail, which leads to old military observation bunkers.

Vicky Crowder, 37, a Kaneohe resident, said she and her dog Kai were heading downhill on the trail when they encountered members of Obama’s security detail, then saw the president hiking uphill.

"He said, ‘Good morning,’ and asked what my dog’s name was and greeted me happy holidays," said Crowder, a nurse practitioner at the Queen’s Medical Center.

"After I got back, my brother asked if I got a photo of myself and the president. I said, ‘No, I opted to look into the eye of the most powerful man in the U.S., I shook his hand and said, "Merry Christmas."’ I thought that was more than enough."

At about 11:45 Obama was back on the Marine base for a round of golf at the Kaneohe Klipper course with Hawaii friends Mike Ramos, Greg Orme and Bobby Titcomb, the White House said.

Before starting his round, the president shook hands with about 20 people, said Ala Moana-area resident Natalie Nishida, who had just come off the course when she got to meet Obama.

The president golfed for about 51/2 hours, and the motorcade returned to the vacation home at about 5:25 p.m.