And another great riding day is behind me... I started the day with a good breakfast, thanks to my grocery store stop when I got to Hilo two days ago. Oatmeal, banana, and papaya along with a good cup of coffee, and some shared plans with some of the other folks at the lodge. I spoke with the 2 women from Japan - a mother and daughter - who I met on the Mauna Kea tour, and with a family from somewhere south of Eugene, Oregon. It's always fun to hear how other people are spending their time here. Arnott's Lodge was another good choice of a place to stay. There were always people around to talk to, probably due at least partly to the fact that it caters to foreign travelers and backpackers. I think when people stay at a backpacker's lodge they seem more likely to talk with strangers. Plus, there were people who were alone, in couples, in families and groups. There were quite a few twenty-somethings, but there were also people who appeared to be older than me - a nice mix.
As soon as I got rolling, the heavy mist started again. It misted for a bit, then changed to a light rain. I stashed my camera in the trailer fairly quickly since I didn't really want to destroy it! One interesting thing about riding in the rain here is that I never considered putting my rain jacket on - it would be just to hot, and I'd end up getting wet from the inside out. Better to be wet from the rain and cool than to be sweating up a storm in my rain jacket. I needed the jacket for the trip up Mauna Kea, so it was carried for a good purpose - just one slightly different than it's intended purpose. I probably rode in the rain for a good solid hour. Things dried out for a bit, but it never totally cleared. Every time I thought my clothes were just about dry it would start spitting again. But by the end of the day, the mist finally cleared.
It was another climbing day - over 3000 feet of elevation gain. I came from Hilo at sea level to Waimea at 2700 feet, and of course there was the usual set of rolling hills thrown in for fun. The riding was definitely easier in the morning. It started with some very gradual elevation gain, then rollers, then 3 gulches that were big downs and big ups, with each one getting progressively bigger. Then a long hill to get to the final elevation. When I started this morning there didn't seem to be any wind, but that changed in the afternoon. The trade winds are blowing, and they were at my back at the end of the day. I didn't feel the push on the uphills, but I definitely felt it during the last five flat miles into Waimea. It seems like the wind speed has continued to increase since I arrived here - I just walked back from dinner, and the clouds are just flying across the sky. It will be interesting to see what I'll be dealing with in the morning.
I'm still on the rainy side of the island, but I'll cross back to the desert side fairly early tomorrow. This is Parker Ranch country. Someone told me today that Parker Ranch is the 10th largest ranch in the country, which is pretty amazing given where it is. I'd think that ranches in states like Texas would tend to be much larger! When I looked at the terrain today, it was easy to imagine that I was someplace other than Hawaii. I know that the Big Island is not most people's image of Hawaii - it's not known as a beach island - but upland ranches certainly don't fit the Hawaii image either! I saw cattle (of course), goats, and sheep in fields along the road. I wonder if the sheep are taking over the weather forecasting duties of the cows. You know, the one that says the percentage probability of rain is the same as the percentage of cows that are sitting down. Today, it was the sheep that were sitting. I had to stop and watch some baby goats prancing around their field, and (seemingly) being ordered around by the mama and papa goats.
When I stopped for a snack at a local hangout outside of Honokaa, a couple came up to talk with me. They had seen me in Hilo this morning, riding in the rain. They drove to Kona and were on their way back to Hilo. Hmm... it's taking me a whole week to cover the miles they did in one day! But I wouldn't give up any of my long days here. It's been a fabulous ride!
I rode into Waimea and decided I'd better stop and ask how to find my hotel. When I got to town I realized I didn't know which road held my home for the night. Not a problem, I was half a block away when I stopped to ask. I'm staying at the Waimea Country Lodge, which looks pretty much like a truck stop from the outside. The rooms are really nice though, with a wood-covered cathedral ceiling. And the shower has the strongest water pressure I've ever felt in a shower - almost a water massage!
When I walked into my room my initial thought was "oh no, it's really hot in here". No air conditioning here, but all I had to do to get the room cooled down was to open the window. The winds are so strong here that they quickly blew cooler air into the room. It was a perfect temperature within 5 minutes. I like this natural kind of air-conditioning!
I noticed when I checked in that the lost key charge here is $75! I asked if they have many lost keys, and the desk clerk said "not anymore"! Apparently with a lower lost key charge, many people managed to lose there keys...
First task when I got here was to clean the bike. It was dry, so I was able to just brush off most of the dirt, but I still did a good clean and re-lube job on the chain. Am I a clean bike maniac? Maybe, but I just can't stand all that grit!
There are two high-end and highly recommended restaurants here in Waimea - Merriman's, and Daniel Thiebaut. I thought about going to one of them, but I've been in a pretty low-key dining mood on this trip. I'm sure if my sister or my father were here with me we'd have gone to one of these restaurants. Sorry guys, but one of my housemates from Arnott's this morning told me he'd had a good tostada at Tako Taco, so I've been thinking about Mexican food all day. I had a huge veggie burrito, with rice, black beans, guacamole, salsa, and of course shredded lettuce and tomatos. It definitely hit the spot.
After dinner I went over to Starbucks to get a decaf Americano. I know, I know, I'm in the home of marvelous Kona coffee and I go to Starbucks! But I've never seen decaf Kona coffee, and I definitely don't need any caffeine right now. The Starbucks is in Parker Ranch Center (not the ranch, a shopping center containing a grocery store, restaurants, etc.). I noticed as I was walking out that all of the stop signs in the center said "Whoa", not "Stop". I always seem to see these odd signs when I'm not carrying my camera.
I'm having a hard time believing that I only have one day of riding left on this trip. The time has just been flying by. I suppose that's a good thing though - it's a sign of how much I've been enjoying myself. So here's to another good riding day tomorrow!
