tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-61205772716363447262024-02-20T19:05:46.641-05:00Hawaii dreamingEver since my first visit to the Big Island, I've felt a pull, a desire to visit again. And again. And...
My first experience biking in Hawaii was on a supported tour (a couple of years prior to this one). This trip was a repeat journey from a roads standpoint, but this time I was on my own, in my usual solo, self-supported style. What a wonderful place to ride, and what a wonderful place to be let loose with a camera.
photography bicycle tourDenise Goldberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08049223586218975704noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6120577271636344726.post-24765654970659760862009-01-23T19:55:00.002-05:002009-01-23T19:56:45.206-05:00Introduction<i>Introduction written on March 24, 2003</i><br />
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<b><i>I'm dreaming of biking. I'm dreaming of touring...</i></b><br />
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It's been a long winter - cold and wet. Boston tends to have relatively mild winters, but this one just wasn't normal. The National Weather Service just posted their statistics for the 2002-2003 winter - through the end of February. For Boston, the average temperatures were 4 degrees (Fahrenheit) colder than normal. The snowfall total for the season was 60.5 inches, which is 27.9 inches more than normal (I know, I know, 60 inches is nothing for those of you who live in real snow country, but it's a lot here. And since Boston proper gets less snow than the surrounding area... Enough!) Of course the big contrast was to last winter (2001-2002), when Boston had a total of 13.4 inches of snow for the entire season. No wonder I'm ready for spring! I usually bike year-round (even though my winter riding is normally pretty light), but this year I have a two+ month gap. I rode outside on New Year's Day, then didn't take a bike out on the road again until March 8th. My bicycles were screaming for some exercise. <i>(What, you don't think bicycles talk? Mine do!)</i> I spent quite a bit of time riding a bike on a trainer in my dining room - going no where fast! I'm ready for a change, and I hope that the weather cooperates.<br />
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I'm working at a start-up company, so long trips are our of the question right now. A couple of short trips will have to do this year - so I've been dreaming about where I should go. Having more places to go than available time to travel is a good problem to have...<br />
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I'm sure that friends and acquaintances think I make my decisions about where to go next very quickly, but the truth is that I tend to mull things over for quite a while, researching different options, and going back and forth between my dreams. Once I finally get to the decision point, it looks like I made a snap decision. That's usually not the case though. <br />
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There are two places that I kept coming back to as I dreamed of my next vacation - Ireland, and Hawaii. I've never been to Ireland before, and I've been to Hawaii a number of times, so for a long time I was leaning towards Ireland as my next destination. But last week I realized that I was longing for sunshine and warmth, and I'm afraid that Ireland just doesn't reliably supply either. <br />
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So the non-snap decision - Hawaii now (in May), and Ireland later (the first two weeks of September)!<br />
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<b><i>I'm dreaming of biking...</i></b>Denise Goldberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08049223586218975704noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6120577271636344726.post-29970719498044482172009-01-23T19:55:00.001-05:002009-01-23T19:55:13.402-05:00Table of Contents<blockquote><blockquote><i><table border="1" cellpadding="20"><tr><td>For now, please use Blogger's list of posts in the sidebar to follow my trip in reverse sequence. I plan to flip this blog on its head so that the posts flow from oldest to newest (like the table of contents in a book), adding a real Table of Contents and a Page by Page sidebar entry, and adding (better) next and previous links at the bottom of each post. <br />
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I probably won't be able to make these changes for the next several weeks. <br />
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...Denise, January 23, 2009</td></tr></table></i></blockquote></blockquote>Denise Goldberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08049223586218975704noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6120577271636344726.post-86587403462452082982003-05-31T09:00:00.001-04:002009-01-24T09:02:08.448-05:00What's next?<b><i>I think Hawaii is in my blood. I'll be going back again someday...</i></b><br />
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I came back from there with the feeling that I could very happily live in Hawaii. But for now, I'm working in Massachusetts, and I'll have to settle for visits.<br />
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I'll be taking another biking trip later this year - to another island, but in the opposite direction from Hawaii. I'll be headed to <b><a href="http://denisegoldberg2003ireland.blogspot.com/">Ireland</a></b> (both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland) for two weeks of cycling in September.Denise Goldberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08049223586218975704noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6120577271636344726.post-25829428557131848132003-05-30T08:59:00.000-04:002009-01-24T09:00:02.217-05:00Some thoughts in riding in HawaiiOK, I'll admit it - I'm addicted to visiting Hawaii. I'm fascinated by the volcanos. And the Big Island is a great place for a bike tour - and it's one that I'm likely to repeat.<br />
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<i>If you're thinking of visiting Hawaii, you may be interested in some of my thoughts on riding there...</i><br />
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I heard the usual objections from people I spoke to there - it's not safe, the roads are too narrow, there's too much traffic, the drivers are crazy. Obviously the folks who voiced these issues weren't cyclists! For the most part, the roads that I used had decent shoulders. Some of the roads were narrow and winding, but the number of cars on those roads was significantly less than on the main highways. The two biggest problems I had with the roads were the reflectors embedded in the white line on the edge of the road and the glass and debris on the shoulders. The reflectors were potentially destabilizing factors - they were quite high, and could easily knock you off balance if you hit them unexpectedly. That wasn't too much of a problem since they were visible and usually avoidable. The debris on the shoulders was occasional, not constant. I just needed (again) to pay attention so I didn't go flying through chunks of broken glass. This was no different than riding on the shoulder at home. And there was a section between Hawi and Kawaihae that the PATH (Peoples Advocacy for Trails Hawaii) web site warned about where there I needed to watch for Keawe branches along the shoulder. The plant has 3 inch thorns, and I did see some. Picking up one of those thorns in a tire would probably have caused a pretty quick flat! I was pretty lucky in sections that were marked as narrow and winding - one of these relatively long sections had been recently repaved and (I believe) widened. Traffic overall was very reasonable. There were many times when I had the road pretty much to myself. The couple of heavy traffic areas - and remember heavy is relative - were as I was leaving Kona, and in Hilo. Neither was exceptionally heavy. The traffic as I was heading south from Kona disappeared after Captain Cook, which is about 15 miles out. And Hilo is a reasonably sized city with normal traffic levels. There were marked bike lanes on the main roads in Hilo - and my first experience with marked, shared bike lane & right turn lane. That took a little getting used to - in a right turn lane situation on a non-marked road I'm usually on the right side of the lane that is going straight. With the shared bike/turn lane, I was on the left side of the right turn lane, just a bit of a different feeling. The traffic in Hilo was really nothing to worry about, and nothing I wasn't accustomed to. Next - the drivers were fine. They were unobtrusive for the most part, and the drivers on Kohala Mountain Road were unbelieveably considerate. This was one of those very narrow and somewhat winding roads. Drivers that came up behind me slowed down to make sure that I knew they were there, then waited for a reasonable place to pass me. I didn't stop because the grade was high enough that I knew I'd have trouble getting started again, but that didn't cause any problems either.<br />
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I remember the last time I was on the Big Island. It was for a supported bicycle tour. There was one day when some of the others in my group were complaining about drivers giving them a hard time. I couldn't understand it because I was in between two groups of complaining cyclists, and no one gave me any trouble. Our guide said that she thought it was because I looked comfortable on my bike and comfortable on the road - where the others were rather tentative. I guess if you behave like you have a right to be on the road that you're treated well.<br />
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The Hawaiian volcanos are classified as shield volcanos. They were described to me as having the shape of a warriors shield. This classification means that the slopes of the mountains are very gentle - as opposed to volcanos on the mainland like Mount Rainier, which has very steep sides. This translated into very reasonable grades for cycling - although the grades leading from the coast up to the highway were not always reasonable. I saw some side streets with grade signs saying 18% - not a grade I'd want to attempt with a loaded bike. In fact, I can almost guarantee that I'd be walking and pushing my bike on a grade that steep!<br />
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No problems with dogs here! I think Hawaiian dogs are either polite or just too laid back to bother cyclists. I had dogs bark at me, but I didn't meet any chasers. That was a pleasant surprise. I hate it when dogs chase me - I was happy to just talk to the dogs as I passed without needing to shout or try to speed up to get past them.<br />
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Hawaii can be very expensive - after all it is an island state where almost everything has to be imported from places far away. It doesn't have to be excessively expensive though - you just need to do some planning. I'd say that all of the places I stayed with the exception of the last night were pretty reasonable (but not cheap). My lodging costs (other than at the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, which was very expensive) ranged from $57 to $91 a night. I could have spent less at Arnott's Lodge if I'd opted for a semi-private instead of private room (or even less for a dorm or tent space). When I arranged my lodging I was focused more on where I wanted to be than on price. There were places where there wasn't much of a choice, but there were others where I could have found a hostel or possibly a less expensive B&B. On all but two nights, breakfast was included in the cost of my lodging. Lunch was usually fruit and snack food that I tried to pick up in grocery stores or small markets, and dinner was usually from restaurants (except for the two nights in Hilo when dinner came from grocery stores). I was very happy with the places I stayed, and I was also happy with the cost of my trip. For what I wanted and what I got, I thought the cost was reasonable. Just know that if you want to ride in Hawaii you can spend less than I did, and you can also spend more than I did - it's all up to you!<br />
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I took two adventure tours at Arnott's lodge. The prices of these tours were very reasonable. There's a discount if you stay at the lodge, but even if you don't their prices are much lower than other commercial tours. When I priced them, they were $48 if you stayed at Arnott's and $70 to $78 if you didn't. Compare the Mauna Kea tour cost with other commercial tours that start at $150, and you know that you got a good deal.<br />
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There are no guarantees on the state of the active lava flows on any given day. Although I hoped to see active flows, I knew when I planned my trip that there was a good chance that I wouldn't. It was quiet when visited, and although I would have been ecstatic to see rivers of molten lava, I was thrilled to see what I did. If I have a chance to visit again I'll be sure to take the time to go to the active flows again.<br />
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I'd also love a chance to get a tour of some of the observatories. Next time I visit I'll try to get to Mauna Kea on a day when one or more of the observatories are open for visitors. I understand that this only happens on the weekends - and probably only during the day. And you need to provide your own transportation to the summit, which means finding someone you can ride up with or renting a 4-wheel-drive vehicle from Harpers, which is the only rental car agency on the island that allows their vehicles to go on the Saddle Road and on the Mauna Kea road. It's also the most expensive rental car agency around.<br />
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There's also some riding that I didn't do on this trip - looks like there's some good riding and good scenery south of Hilo. Next time maybe I'll spend an extra day in that area.<br />
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What do I miss (besides the weather, that is)? Fresh Hawaiian fruit - papayas, pineapples, and apple bananas. Papayas are a favorite of mine, and they just don't seem to travel well. I've learned that I can enjoy Hawaiian papaya in Hawaii, but if I'm buying papaya at home, the Central American varieties seem to travel much better. Pineapples are readily available here, but I have to be satisfied with the Central American variety of bananas. Apple bananas are interesting. I don't know where the name comes from - but apple bananas are a local Hawaii variety, a smaller variety, and they have a slightly different taste. A nice change of pace. I also got into the habit (maybe a bad one) of munching on macadamia nuts. When I compare the nutritional values, peanuts are much healthier (more protein, less fat), but mac nuts really taste good!Denise Goldberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08049223586218975704noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6120577271636344726.post-31084684691032657652003-05-25T11:52:00.000-04:002009-01-24T11:56:32.001-05:00One more day in paradise<b><i>On the Kohala coast</i></b><br />
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Today was a thoroughly relaxing day. I slept well again last night - with the air conditioning turned off and the door to the balcony open to the breeze. This is the only hotel that I stayed in on this trip that even had air conditioning, and with the door open to the outside breezes and the ceiling fan running, I was very comfortable. And because I slept with the door open, I again woke to the sound of the ocean and of the birds. I could get used to this...<br />
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Even with my fantastic dinner last night, I still managed to enjoy the breakfast buffet this morning. It probably would have been cheaper to order off the menu, but the buffet allowed me to have a little of everything, including my favorite papaya. I sat and ate, and watched the birds coming by to check for crumbs. There were little sparrows and cardinals checking out the left-overs, and several somewhat larger birds (but still not big) sitting under the roof and occasionally screeching. And yes, dining was again outside! <br />
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After breakfast I wandered through the hotel for a bit to look at some of the artwork. The Mauna Kea Beach Hotel has quite a collection of Asian and Pacific art. <br />
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Then I went for a walk that started on the beach and continued on a trail along the coast that runs between the Mauna Kea and Hapuna Prince Hotels. Nice walk, except for the bee that I stepped on as I walked down the beach. Ouch! I felt something sharp, but I didn't see any stinging sea creatures (and I don't think there are any who live on this beach). I looked at my foot and saw the bee or whatever type of nasty insect it was. I actually had to pull it out of my foot - and had to pull a little piece of stinger out too. That definitely stung, but I walked into the water and let the salt water help sooth it. As I got to the end of the beach I looked up and saw a flock of turkeys on the edge of the golf course. Those birds are everywhere! There are a bunch of them that hang out by my office, and I know there are quite a few near where my parents live. And now I've seen them in Hawaii!<br />
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I needed to check out by noon, so I headed back to the room a little after eleven to finish getting organized for the flight home. I checked out and had my bags held for the afternoon, then I headed to the beach for the rest of the day. And no, I'm not crazy enough to sit in the sun all day. I have the type of skin that turns as red as a lobster without sunscreen, and even though I've been biking in this sun and I use tons of SPF30 sunscreen, sitting in a bathing suit for hours is probably not a great idea. I stopped to get a beach towel, and was asked if I needed help finding a chair and an umbrella. I knew there was a reason I splurged on a resort for my last day here! So I had a lounge chair, a short beach chair, an umbrella to hide from the sun, and the deliciously warm ocean to play in. What a nice afternoon! I relaxed, read a book, went swimming, sat and read and people-watched some more, went back in the water, and again...<br />
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The hotel has a hospitality room that departing guests can reserve for an hour to shower before heading for the airport. So I was able to get rid of all of that ocean salt, and get ready for my long flight home. I had a late lunch on the beach because I knew that I was leaving the hotel before I could get dinner. Then I picked up some ice cream at the airport. That should work - but I'm carrying energy bars and macadamia nuts in case I suddenly get hungry. And yes, I think I have a new nut addiction. Last summer I went through a lot of Gatorade and a lot of peanuts on my ride - and for this trip I substituted macadamia nuts for the peanuts. Peanuts are better from a protein standpoint, but the macadamia nuts are wonderful. And I did eat peanuts too - I tried to switch off between the two.<br />
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I got to the airport super early. There was a shuttle leaving the hotel about a half hour before I wanted to leave, and there wasn't one later that would allow me to catch my flight. I opted to take it instead of waiting a half an hour and taking a taxi at twice the price. Once I saw the security setup I was happy to be here early. In Boston they are X-ray screening 100% of checked bags. Here in Kona they are hand-checking 100% of checked bags. That meant that they opened (and partially emptied) both of my bags. They did it in front of me, but I wasn't allowed to help the screener repack the bike. He was good though - he only took out the top pieces, not the whole frame, and he did a great job of getting everything back in the case. He told me I was allowed to give him advice on repacking it, but I wasn't allowed to help. There was a half-length Ironman Triathlon in Kona today, and I saw a lot of people arriving with bikes as I was wandering around the airport after checking in. I imagine that might increase the amount of time it takes to check all of the bags. Of course, this isn't an airport where you'd be likely to miss your flight due to security lines. The terminal I'm leaving from serves American Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, and Japan Air Lines. And there's only one American flight leaving - mine. It arrived about a half an hour ago and it's currently being cleaned and fueled for the flight back to LA. I suspect that if the checked baggage security lines were too long that they'd hold the flight... <br />
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Leaving Hawaii is a little more complicated than flying between cities on the mainland. Checking in for a flight involves putting your checked baggage through agricultural inspection, then security screening. Once the bags are screened you can then check in for your flight and actually check the baggage. As usual, the next step is to go through security to get into the gate area. I asked the TSA screener about the rumor I'd heard about setting off the security equipment if you'd been out to the active flows (from leftover pieces of volcanic materials). He said that that does happen some of the time, but not always. It didn't cause any problems for me. Then, the last clearance step - just before boarding time, you go through a second agriculture screening point for your carry-on bags, then wait a bit more before the flight is called. It's all a part of traveling - and I was amazed at the complaints from some of the people who were waiting for the flight with me. Most of us (me included) just went with the flow, no complaints needed! And of course there was quite a pile of fruit left at the 2nd agriculture checkpoint <br />
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Like most little tropical climate airports, the Kona airport is open-air. There's a roof over the waiting area, but no walls, and the plane is sitting right next to us. lt's a climb the stairs to the plane airport too, which shocked some of my fellow passengers when we arrived here. I'm enjoying the last of my tropical weather as I wait for my flight to be called. <br />
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<b><i>5/26 at 5:30 AM, Los Angeles time</i></b> <br />
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I stumbled off the plane at 5:30 in the morning and wandered right into the rest room to wash my face and brush my teeth. That's better! I was only slightly awake, but I was surprised - and happy - to see that the Starbucks in the terminal was already open. Nothing else was open yet, but a cup of coffee was very welcome for the wait until my next flight.<br />
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<b><i>5/26 at 5 PM, Boston time </i></b> <br />
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Back in Boston, to 45 degrees and a cold rain. In one sense it's good to be home, but this weather is hard to accept. What a contrast! I think I could live in Hawaii...Denise Goldberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08049223586218975704noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6120577271636344726.post-86557145365563747782003-05-24T11:42:00.000-04:002009-01-24T11:50:35.393-05:00One last climb, then a swoop to the coast<b><i>Waimea to the Kohala Coast via Kohala Mountain Road</i></b><br />
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Unbelieveable - I've finished my last day of cycling for this trip. I had a choice of routes this morning - a short (12-mile) all downhill ride from Waimea to the Kohala Coast, or a 42-mile option via Kohala Mountain Road that, no surprise, climbed another mountain. For someone who's a slow hill climber, I seem to always choose routes that include hills, and of course I chose the longer, hillier route. <br />
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I slept in a bit this morning, didn't climb out of bed until 7:30. I headed to the restaurant next door to my motel for a french toast breakfast. That's one of my favorites, and although I've had some fabulous breakfasts on this trip I somehow missed the french toast. Then I packed up and went to check out. That was a Citibank adventure. When the woman at the front desk tried to run my card through, it said "please call". She looked a little confused by the message, but she let me use her phone to call Citibank. When I identified myself and told the agent I was having trouble using their card to check out of a hotel in Hawaii, he said "oh, we didn't know you were traveling, and we just wanted to make sure it was you using the card". Interesting, because I used that card to charge stays at both B&Bs, at Arnott's Lodge, and for some grocery store purchases within the last couple of days. I'd love to know the logic they use to trigger their "let's be careful" mode. I was expecting that to happen to me on my cross-country trip last year, and it never did. It wasn't a problem at all since they immediately reactivated the card. I know that they are protecting themselves and ultimately the consumer - if it takes them checking on my credit card use periodically to allow me not to be liable for use of a stolen card - hey, check away!<br />
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I headed out of town on route 19 and immediately started cruising downhill. But wait - I have to climb a mountain - why do I have to go down just to pedal right back up again? The turnoff for the short route was just 2 miles down the road, and as soon as I left route 19 I started a six-mile climb up to 3500 feet. The first 4 miles of the climb were unrelenting, and at about a 4 to 5% grade. Since I have trouble starting from a dead stop on that kind of grade, I just kept pedaling away. No rest stops... I could see the short route down below me as I continued up the mountain. It flattened out for a bit after 4 miles, so I was able to take a break and take some pictures before continuing to climb. The wind was kind this morning - it was quiet. The last time I was on the Kohala Mountain Road I was battling a side wind that was so strong it pushed me from the right side of the road all the way to the left side, and almost off of the road. There wasn't any traffic that day - if there had been probably the only thing I could have done was to lay the bike down (maybe). I was definitely not in control that day! I was glad I didn't have to battle the wind again today. Once I hit the crest of the hill, it was a nice downhill ride into Hawi. At one point I saw a speed limit sign saying 35 miles per hour - and I was going 34. No pedaling, just cruising! Of course that didn't last, and I did have to pedal for quite a few miles today. I had a bit of a push from the tradewinds coming down from Hawi, but that disappeared as the road turned around the edge of the island. There were some more shallow rolling grades, then a little bit of a climb out of Kawaihai Harbor. Well, OK, it wasn't much of a climb but it sure felt like one with the sun beating down. I definitely deserved my food!<br />
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The line between the wet and dry areas of this island is surprisingly just that - a line. It's not a gradual thing. I left Waimea, which is very green, and immediately I was in a very dry area with cactus. When I described the cactus I'd seen earlier this week to someone, he told me it was beavertail cactus. I don't know if that's the right name, but it's definitely descriptive. The cactus I saw today was blooming; very pretty. I thought I was home free, wet side to dry side, I should be able to finish the day without getting wet (except from sweat). Well, I was wrong. I noticed as I started down the mountain that I was again in a very green area. I started noticing some cool blasts of air, and I was starting to wonder where the cool air was coming from. I was getting close to Hawi when I saw a dark gray cloud ahead of me, and that cloud came right down to the road. Oops - time for another ride in the rain! It lasted long enough to get me pretty wet, but I dried out by the end of my ride. I crossed back to the dry side one more time, and the sun came out, stayed out, and heated the air well into the 90s (in the sun, of course). It's pretty likely that it was hot all day on the Kohala Coast, and I was just traveling through the different climate zones.<br />
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Part of today's ride was on the Ironman route. The turnaround point is up near Hawi, with the start point down in Kona. All of that route is on the hot, dry side of the island.<br />
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All in all, it was a fabulous ride today - and one of my favorites on this island. The drivers were really good today too. Kohala Mountain Road is narrow and winding, with no shoulders. As drivers came up behind me, they hung back until they were sure that I saw them, and they passed carefully. I never felt like anyone was upset by my presence on the road - a nice feeling. Overall the drivers have been fine on this entire trip, it's just that today stood out as pretty incredible as bike/car interactions go. <br />
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I discovered today that the cattle in Hawaii aren't quite as friendly as those in Kansas. Actually, I think they're just not used to people. I totally spooked one field full of cattle today just by riding past their fence. Guess they didn't want to stand and chat like their counterparts in Kansas did!<br />
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I arrived at the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel at about 1:45 and had to wait a few minutes at the gate for a shuttle to the hotel. The only thing I don't like about this place is that they don't allow biking on the grounds. I asked my shuttle driver why, and she said the state department of transportation won't allow bicycles here. That seems kind of odd to me, but if you look at the roads on the grounds here, they aren't really roads, more like driveways. They are pretty narrow with no shoulders. (But I really don't get it because the state usually doesn't set rules on private property - although there is a public beach access running through here. Maybe that's why, or maybe it was just a made-up story.) I knew about this strange rule before I made my reservations here, and all I needed was to get to the hotel - no more biking planned. Of course since I arrived so early, my room wasn't ready yet. I was going to just leave my stuff at the bell stand and wander around, but then I decided to use the time to pack my bike. The staff at the hotel is very used to cyclists, perhaps because of the Ironman Triathlon, and one of the bell boys showed me a quiet out-of-the-way spot where I could pack. So I pulled everything out of the trailer, threw it into my duffle bag, and packed the bike. I could have packed it in my room, but sometimes it seems better to deal with the bike outside... Once I was done packing, my room was ready. <br />
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This place is really a treat (and a major splurge) for me. It's a very laid back but classy resort. The hotel was built by Laurence Rockefeller and was originally opened in 1965. It was closed for 18 months in 1994/95 and completely renovated. I'm in the Beach Front wing, so I can again hear the surf crashing outside of my room. It's not as loud as it was at the Kona Tiki, but it's there. I came into my room to find a note directing me to the "chill box" for a welcome gift. When I opened the little refrigerator I found fresh papaya and strawberries. That hit the spot - a great mid-afternoon snack. I immediately took my first shower to rinse off the road crud, then slathered myself with sunscreen and headed out to walk on the beach. Then I just sat out there and read for a while. Nice and relaxing. <br />
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Back to the room for a second shower before dinner. Then I headed for a fabulous dinner. The Mauna Kea has a clambake every Saturday night. I didn't plan my trip around this meal, but it worked out just great. Of course buffets are great for hungry cyclists, and this one was really special. I didn't have everything there, but let's see if I can remember what I ate.... shrimp, caesar salad, artichoke salad, tomatos, clams, more shrimp, lobster, some steamed vegetables, potato salad, lobster... and then a make your own sundae for dessert - vanilla & chocolate ice cream with chocolate sauce, macadamia nuts, little chocolate chips, and shredded coconut. Yum! There was a lot more food there that I didn't even taste. I was trying to eat a reasonable (or should I say comfortable) amount of food, and I knew I wanted lobster, so I skipped the soup (clam chowder) and bread. They also had crab, fresh fish with a mango sauce, roast beef, and other side dishes too. At some point I just had to choose so I wouldn't be uncomfortably stuffed all night. I'm happy! And the tables for the clambake were set up next to the beach, so I could watch the sun sink into the sea as I was eating dinner. Today was a great food day!<br />
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Tomorrow I plan to just relax here. My flight isn't until late, so I'll need to check out of my room and have my stuff held for the day. They have a hospitality suite that can be reserved for a shower so I'll be able to get rid of the salt and sweat before I head for the airport and that long ride back to my everyday reality.Denise Goldberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08049223586218975704noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6120577271636344726.post-42734216202225707112003-05-23T11:38:00.000-04:002009-01-24T11:41:19.490-05:00Hills, hills, and the tradewinds at my back<b><i>Hilo to Waimea</i></b><br />
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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.<br />
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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. <br />
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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. <br />
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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.<br />
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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!<br />
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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!<br />
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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!<br />
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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...<br />
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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!<br />
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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. <br />
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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.<br />
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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!Denise Goldberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08049223586218975704noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6120577271636344726.post-51671927579607102012003-05-22T11:12:00.000-04:002009-01-24T11:25:34.184-05:00Silver in color, smooth as a baby's butt, and still popping<b><i>Hawaii Volcanoes National Park</i></b><br />
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I had a nice leisurely morning waiting for the 11am departure of the lava flow tour. Breakfast was fresh papaya, a blueberry muffin, and coffee. No where near the B&B breakfasts of the last few days, but the amount of food matches the effort for the day! I shared some of my muffin with a little sparrow who kept hopping up on the table looking for crumbs.<br />
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Before I go any further - I have to send my dad his birthday wishes. I tried to connect with him over the phone, but no luck. He did get his cards and two phone messages - so now I'll add some cyber birthday wishes!<br />
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I was absolutely exhausted when I got back from the Mauna Kea tour last night - so much so that I didn't even finish my journal entry until this morning. I was a bit concerned because right after I got back to my room the folks in the room next door came in. There must have been at least 4 people sharing the room, and while they were talking in normal voices, it sounded like they were right in the room with me. Guess there's no insulation in these walls! Like most backpackers lodges or hostels, this one has quiet hours from 10:30pm to 8am - and I didn't even need to ask. My neighbors must have been as tired as I was, and it was quiet all night except for the occasional downpour.<br />
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The Internet access here consists of 3 computers with high-speed access and supposedly a plug-in for laptops. The folks that work here told me that is high-speed access too. That would surprise me a bit since the plug-in is a phone line. I wasn't able to try it though because someone has been on the phone all morning. I expected to have to wait for a couple of days to upload my Hilo journal entries, not a problem. Maybe I'll be able to squeeze in later, maybe not.<br />
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Time to go pack my supplies for the lava hike. More later...<br />
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I don't know how to describe today other than to say <b>wow</b>. Wow! What an awesome day! <br />
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We drove up to the park in heavy mist and rain. It made me realize how lucky I was to have a dry sunny day for my ride down yesterday. The wet stuff started to clear as we worked our way down Chain of Craters road, although it remained overcast and windy. And we were very happy about both of those conditions. But let me go back to the beginning. Most of us were gathered around the van pickup spot when Ian - our guide - walked up. His first comment was "what are the odds?". He was leading a tour of all women! Well, at least until we got to the start of the hike where 4 more folks joined up with us - two more women and two men. We had a pretty good group of people, and we were from all over the world, so we had a lot of fun chatting and sharing as we hiked out over the very uneven terrain. Ian was fabulous. He's been leading lava hikes for 3 years now, 3 to 5 days a week, and his enthusiasm just bubbles over. That added a special touch to the day. <br />
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Ian asked us if we wanted him to talk about volcanoes during the drive to the coast, or if we just wanted to listen to music. Everyone voted for volcanoes, so we learned a lot of interesting things on our way there. The Hawaiian volcanoes are believed to be formed from a hot spot under the Pacific tectonic plate. The plate is moving to the northwest, so the hot spot has created volcanoes (and the Hawaiian archipelago) running from the northwest to the southeast. The Big Island is the youngest of the islands that have broken the surface of the ocean, and Kauai is the oldest. The age difference is amazing to me - from 5 million years old for Kauai to 800,000 years old for the Big Island. There are currently 3 volcanoes in Hawaii considered to be active - Kilauea, which is currently erupting, Mauna Loa, which is apparently due to erupt, and Loihi to the southeast of the Big Island and which is not expected to break the surface of the Pacific Ocean in our lifetime. If you're as fascinated as I am by these volcanoes, you can read more information on the <a href="http://www.soest.hawaii.edu/GG/HCV/haw_formation.html"> formation of the Hawaiian Islands</a> page on the Hawaii Center for Volcanology web site.<br />
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According to the daily Park Service eruption update, there was some water entry, but no visible red lava flows today. Ian was sure he could find some though, and we struck out searching. He scouted ahead at one point, then came back and said he was just standing next to an active flow. He pointed us in the direction and went to update a few more folks. We started in the direction he indicated, watching for heat shimmering in the air. We stepped over some cracks and felt some pretty hot air billowing up towards up. When we looked down into the cracks we could see thin lines of glowing red lava. So we were all leaning down looking into these cracks - and Ian told us later that he almost started laughing since of course that wasn't what he meant when he said he was standing next to an active flow! Just a bit further, and there it was. How amazing. It's rock, red underneath, but quickly cooling to a smooth silver color. It moves, pulses, and forms rope-like textures. It pops and makes other sounds, and it moves both slowly and surprisingly quickly. (If you want to hear some of the sounds it makes - go to my resources page and click on the link for the USGS Hawaiian Volcanos Observatory - they have some videos on their site that include sound.) The heat coming off of it is intense - 2000 degrees fahrenheit. Now you can see why we were happy for both an overcast sky and a strong wind! When we asked Ian how close it was safe to stand, he had two responses - as close as you feel comfortable, and if it's popping it's too hot! We were close enough to lean down and touch it - although none of us was crazy enough to do that! You really had to watch where you put your feet when you were near the active flows, because in the sun the color of some of the older flows matched that of the new flows. The surface of the new flows was much smoother though, and obviously the red color underneath was a dead giveaway - but the red disappears relatively quickly. The heat coming off of the rock was another clear sign though, and we managed to keep our feet out of the hot stuff. No melted shoes today! <br />
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And my amazement at the lava flows was on a day that Madame Pele wasn't really cooperating - imagine if it had been a day with rivers of lava flowing in easily accessible places! Of course this means that I'm going to have to go back again. You'd think that once I saw a place I could take it off my list of places to visit, but it doesn't work that way for me.<br />
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As we walked across some of the newer - but cooled, not from today - flows, we could hear a crunching beneath our feet. Sometimes the sound was even like breaking glass. And after all, that's what were were walking on. We picked up pieces of lava - some were porous from escaping gases, and some were solid. There were white and yellow sulfer deposits on areas that had been lava tubes, and there were orange spots showing the presence of iron. I have quite a few pictures of the surface of the lava - both active and totally cooled. The shapes and the colors were fascinating. After seeing a number of active flows, we hiked over the top of the flow emptying into the ocean. At the point where we crossed over the top, the flow was far enough below our feet (underground) that we could safely and comfortably walk over it - although we could still feel the presence of some heat. Then we headed toward the coast. By crossing the flow, we were able to get to upwind of the gases (hydrochloric acid!) created by the water entry - no bad smells, sore throats, or danger from inhaling bad gases. The water entry is viewable mostly as steam, although from where we were standing we could still see some traces of red. You have to be very careful around the new flows at the water, because the lava flows form benches that often collapse. That's not a place where you'd want to be. We were actually fairly close today, but we were standing on an old flow (relatively). The safe spot we were standing in is likely not to be safe in a few days once the lava starts to fill in and build a new bench.<br />
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Black sand beaches are formed by the lava flowing into the ocean and cracking into tiny glass particles as the hot lava hits the cooler ocean water. These beaches are gorgeous, but they are quickly destroyed by both bench collapses and by the ocean currents carrying the sand away.<br />
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Many people think the lava tour is a do-it-yourself thing, but all of us in our group felt lucky to be on a guided hike today. The folks who were on their own today were on the downwind side of the ocean entry, right in the path of the noxious volcanic fumes. And they were no where near the active lava flows. I knew when I came here that chances were good that I wouldn't actually see the active lava flows - but I'm really happy that I got to see them. <br />
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We were back at the lodge before sunset. I was so happy that our entire hike was in daylight. A lot of people time their visit to the lava flows so that they're there at sunset. That means walking back in the dark on a black, uneven surface with no trail. That wouldn't have made me happy. My second night at Aloha Junction B&B - two of the couples staying there went to see the lava. The first did their walk in daylight, and it took them 45 minutes to walk in and 45 minutes to walk out. The second walked in with daylight but walked out in the dark. It took them 45 minutes to walk in and 2 hours and 15 minutes to walk out. We actually had to walk much further in today to find the active lava flows - we were out on the lava fields for a total of 4 hours. I can't imagine doing what we did after dark! <br />
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Back to biking in the morning. I'll be heading north and west from here, continuing to follow the coast. At some point - I hope - the trade winds may start to help instead of hindering me.<br />
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I woke to a glorious day. I had pretty much resigned myself to the assumption that I would be biking to Hilo in the mist, but the sun decided to pay us a visit today. It's hard to believe how nice and cool it was last night; I was actually glad to have the down comforter on my bed!<br />
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Today was the last of the wonderful B&B breakfasts - I'm in a backpacker's lodge for the next two nights, and hotels for the last two. But today's breakfast was marvelous again: papaya boats, a wonderful quiche, juice, and kona coffee. A very good start to the day.<br />
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When I spoke to Robert as I was leaving the B&B this morning, he told me to send my friends there - he said that they really like cyclists. If you're traveling in Hawaii and looking for a place to stay in Volcano, Aloha Junction is a real winner. I'd go back there in a heartbeat.<br />
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The biking part of my day was very pleasant, and almost all downhill. I thought about throwing on my rain jacket for the downhill because it was a little cool starting out, but I knew that it would warm up as I reached lower elevations. No jacket needed! There was quite a long stretch of just coasting. It seems like cheating to count the biking miles, but I think it makes up for all of the climbing I did - and I deserved the downhill! <br />
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I got into Hilo pretty early and headed straight to Arnott's Lodge. In hindsight, I should have stopped a a grocery store on the way in because once I was checked in I decided I needed to go get some food. Not to worry, I dropped off the trailer, put a daypack on my back (for carrying groceries), and headed back out again. I asked someone I met on the street where I could find the closest grocery store. She looked a little puzzled, then told me the Safeway was pretty far. I don't think so! It was just a couple miles back out route 11 - I'd already passed it once today - and a couple of miles on a bike definitely isn't far! <br />
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Back to the lodge for a shower and some food, and to pack up my layers for the Mauna Kea tour. I felt pretty silly packing all of those clothes, but as you'll see later I needed them!<br />
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I handwashed my biking clothes as usual, but this time I had access to a clothes dryer, and I used it. The bike shorts I washed out when I was in Volcano took <b>two days</b> to dry. I guess that makes a certain amount of sense - rainforests are wet! While the B&B was nice and cozy, it was still pretty damp up there.<br />
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Arnott's Lodge is low key and very pleasant. There are all different levels of rooms, ranging from tenting on the lawn, to dorm rooms, to private rooms. I opted for a private room with a private bath. It's in a house - all of the bedrooms have locks on the door. I can enter mine from either outside or from the shared living area and kitchen. There is a common area outside - under cover - with tables and chairs, internet access, and a movie tent. They even have clunker bikes that guests can borrow for free. Obviously I didn't need to borrow a bike, but having them there was definitely a nice touch for many of the people staying at Arnott's. There's also a beach park just down the street, although I don't plan to spend any time there. I'll be busy with my two adventure tours. <br />
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The Mauna Kea tour started with a quick stop at a grocery store to pick up food for dinner. Suzanne - our driver - recommended that we eat sugar - 58 grams for a 150 pound person - between when we started and our dinner stop at the 9200 foot level of the mountain. That's about the amount in a 20-ounce bottle of soda (no diet Coke this time!) and a cookie. She said the guests seem to have fewer altitude probelms when they eat sugar. The extra sugar supposedly will help get blood to your brain to carry whatever oxygen is available at elevation. I honestly don't know if there is any scientific support for this theory, but of course we were all happy to oblige - after all how often does someone tell you to eat sweet stuff for your health!<br />
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We made a quick stop at Rainbow Falls here in Hilo - beautiful - before we headed out on the Saddle Road. This is a road that was built by the military (I believe for World War II). It runs in the saddle between Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea - the 2 largest of the 5 volcanos on the island. Mauna Kea is the tallest at 13796 feet, with Mauna Loa following at 13677 feet. Mauna Loa is the more massive of the two. The other volcanos on the island are Kilauea, the most active, Kohala, and Hualalai. Although the road runs between the two mountains, we couldn't see either of them as we were heading up - both were in the clouds. Interesting fact - use of Saddle Road and the road up Mauna Kea is prohibited by the rental car companies. Supposedly driving there voids the rental car insurance, and if you have a breakdown the cost of a tow truck is exorbitant. Plus you really need 4-wheel drive about the visitor center on Mauna Kea. The portion of Saddle Road between Hilo and the Mauna Kea cutoff is decent and two lanes wide, but the part of the road heading from the cutoff into Waimea is supposed to be pretty bad - and a single lane carrying traffic in two directions. It can be foggy (or cloudy) during the day, and obviously there's no lights at night. Fun. There's even a sign at the visitor saying to "watch out for invisible cows".<br />
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We took the Mauna Kea cutoff and headed up the mountain. We stopped at the visitor center at 9200 feet to eat dinner and attempt to get acclimated. It was still pleasant and 60 degrees out. I took a short walk to see some silversword plants, and even saw a pair of (what I think were) nene - the Hawaiian state bird. Back in the van, we headed on up to the top of the mountain. The first 5 miles of the road from that point were unpaved and pretty rough. I was very glad to be riding and not driving, and I was even happier not to be attempting to ride up that steep grade. It's amazing to think about just transporting the mirrors for the telescopes up that road - let alone doing any serious construction or assembling at that altitude.<br />
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We hopped out of the van at the top to very windy and cold conditions. It was beautiful though. As I mentioned earlier, but I was really glad I had lots of layers with me. I started the trip in shorts and a sleeveless Patagonia silkweight shirt. I zipped the legs back onto my pants before we got to the visitor center. And before I got out of the van at the top I added <b>all</b> of my layers. I was wearing a Patagonia silkweight capilene tank, an REI midweight long underwear tank, a Patagonia R.5 fleece shirt, a lightweight fleece vest, and my biking rain jacket - with the hood! Seems silly to be wearing all of that in Hawaii, but I needed it!<br />
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I took a short hike to the top of the cinder cone that is the true summit. I had an occasional bout of light-headedness, but I just stood still for a bit, concentrated on breathing, then started walking again. There's 40% less oxygen where we were than there is at sea level. That's the highest elevation I've been to so far. (No one in our group took advantage of it, but Arnott's had oxygen available in the van in case anyone was feeling ill because of the altitude. A nice security blanket...)<br />
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Of course a combination of the altitude and all the liquid I was drinking caused a need for a bathroom. The only bathroom up there were a pair of outhouses strapped to an old brick building. They were certainly the highest outhouses I've used, and they felt like they were swaying as I used them. It was probably just an altitude hallucination - but it was pretty windy, so they could have been moving!<br />
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There are 13 observatories on top of Mauna Kea. Apparently it's the premier spot for astronomy in the world. We weren't able to go into any of them since they were preparing for the night's viewing, but we were able to see them opening for telescope use before we left. Charlene (at Macadamia Meadows B&B) told me that on Saturday and Sunday some of the astronomers give tours for free. Of course you have to get up to the summit on your own. That would be interesting, but not possible for this trip. Maybe next time. If you'd like more information, check out the <a href="http://www.ifa.hawaii.edu/mko/maunakea.htm">Mauna Kea</a> page on the University of Hawaii Institute for Astronomy web site. <br />
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We hung around on the top for about an hour and a half - until sunset. I'm sure I have a lot of identical pictures since I kept shooting as the light kept changing. I was glad I was carrying an extra battery for my camera, because I got a low battery indicator towards the end of our stay at the summit. I did take a lot of pictures, but I also suspect the temperature had something to do with it. I did a bit of walking around up there, but then I joined most of my small group in using one of the buildings as a wind block!<br />
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I learned something that surprised me on the way up. We passed through some areas of old lava (gray in color with stuff growing on it), newer lava flows (from Mauna Loa in the 1980's), and areas of brown rocks that were transported by water. Water? Well, it turns out that there was a period of glaciation on Mauna Kea, and what we were seeing was the terminal moraine from the glacier. Fascinating. I'm going to have to do some reading on that when I get back. <br />
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Did you know that the lunar lander was tested on Mauna Kea? They say it some sections of it looks like the surface of the moon...<br />
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Another thing I noticed is that all of the road signs have holes in them. These holes were deliberately placed - definitely not bullet holes. They are there to allow the wind to flow through the signs instead of knocking them over! <br />
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We stopped at 9000 foot level again to stargaze for a bit, then headed back to the lodge.<br />
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I got a first-hand view of the reflectors embedded in the pavement in a vehicle's headlights on the way back. They are very effective - just annoying to have to continuously be watching out for them while biking. They definitely can cause a loss of balance when you unexpectedly hit them!<br />
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No biking today, but another wonderful day.<br />
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It continued to rain and mist all night, and it was very wet when I woke up this morning. It was more a mist than a steady downpour, but it was heavy enough that you could see it, and you definitely knew that you were walking through water!<br />
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I started the day with a fabulous breakfast - again. I could get used to having someone cook my breakfast every day! We had papaya boats - papaya with sliced banana and a little (optional) lime juice - pancakes, sausage, and Kona coffee with a little added cinnamon and macadamia nuts. I'm not much of a meat eater, but I do occasionally like the particularly evil stuff like sausage and bacon... I chatted with the other folks staying here along with our host and cook. There were 5 of us here last night, and another couple actually arrived before breakfast. Their flight into Honolulu was delayed, so they missed the last interisland flight last night. That happened to Mom & me too when we vacationed in Hawaii together many years ago.<br />
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I was feeling pretty lazy after breakfast, so I just continued to sit and enjoy my coffee. It was so wet out that I was going to just relax in the morning and then hope for dryer weather for a ride around Crater Rim Drive in the afternoon. Sandy and 'Ton (sorry, I know I've spelled your name wrong!) went out to their car and then popped back in to ask me if I'd like to join them in a drive around the crater rim. I took them up on their offer, and we spent a nice morning wandering around the park. We started at the visitor center so we could see a video on the current eruption. We arrived in mid-stream, so we asked the ranger when the next showing would start. His answer - "this one started late, we'll start the next showing when this one ends". Guess that was a laid back Hawaiian answer. We only had to wait about 20 minutes, and it was well worth the wait. Then we took off to explore Crater Rim Drive, stopping at all of the viewpoints along the way. I was pretty glad that I wasn't on my bike - it was very wet and very windy. The temperatures really weren't bad - probably in the 60s - but it felt pretty raw. (And you remember that long-sleeved shirt I wasn't going to bring? I wore it today!)<br />
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Hawaii Volcanos National Park is just awesome. It's really a study in contrasts. It's in a rain forest, so there are incredible green plants in parts of the park - including a fern and ohi'a lehua forest. Beautiful. Then contrast the green with the massive amount of black and shades of gray of the lava, the crater and caldera, the yellow sulphur deposits, and the white of steam rising from vents. Of course we stopped at Halema'uma'u which is rumored to be the home of Pele, the Hawaiian Volcano goddess. We also saw rock piles placed by humans as a sign of respect for Pele. And all this is before I get to see (I hope) the active lava flows. This is the third time I've visited this park, and I don't think it's my last! I took quite a few pictures today considering the wet and gray weather conditions, but I'm sure that the spectacular shots are in my head and not in my camera. It always seems to work that way, doesn't it?<br />
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When we finished the drive we were all starving, so we stopped at a cafe in Volcano Village before returning to the B&B. My morning driving buddies are headed out to see the active lava flow at sunset. They asked me to join them again, but I opted to stay here and relax since I'm already planning to do the Arnott's Lodge lava flow tour - I'll be back in the park in just two more days. <br />
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But - before relaxing came bike cleaning and re-lubing. Given that I finished the day in the rain yesterday, it really wasn't in bad shape. But the bike and I are both happier when it has fresh lube on the chain! <br />
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The sun finally peeked out around 3, and I thought about going for a walk, but I decided just being lazy wasn't a bad thing. I spent some time sitting in the jacuzzi out back. Nice. By the time I hopped out of the jacuzzi it was misting again. And it stopped again a short time later. Guess that what happens when you're hanging out in a rain forest.<br />
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When I was walking around the property earlier I noticed a tree house out in front of the house. It's pretty high up - looks like about 3 flights up - and there is a rope (or something of the sort) hanging down from it. I asked Robert if they used it, and he said that there are two twin beds up there and that people actually stay there. He told me if I'd sign a release I could climb up the ladder that is attached to the tree and check it out. I declined - I can climb up ladders, but coming back down is a problem for me. It kind of freaks me out when I Iook down and see nothing beneath my feet. Funny that planes don't have that effect on me. I think it may have something to do with the feeling of exposure.<br />
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I called Arnott's this afternoon to check on the start time for my Mauna Kea tour tomorrow. When I told the woman who answered the phone that I'd be coming down to Hilo from Volcano by bike, she seemed concerned about my making it in time, telling me that it takes about 45 minutes in a car. No problem - it's only 30 miles, it's all downhill (maybe a bit of flat at the end) and the tour doesn't start until 3. I shouldn't have any problem getting there and getting checked in and changed into non-biking clothes with plenty of time to spare.<br />
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Six o'clock rolled around and I was starving again. It still amazes me how much bike touring kicks up your calorie-burning metabolism. I guess I'm eating to refuel from the last few days and to fuel up for the next rides. The food from Thai Thai was so good last night that I decided to get takeout from there again. And yes, I know I could have eaten there, but it's nice to have a place to call home for a night where I can relax and eat and read and brew a cup of hot tea, and... Tonight's feast was Thai Sweet & Sour (a new one for me) with shrimp, tons of vegetables, and a very light sauce. And rice, of course. An excellent meal again. As Ruthie pointed out in her guestbook entry, I guess I do talk about food alot. Let's see, do I ride to eat, or eat to ride? Both, I think!<br />
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Yesterday morning I woke to the sound of crashing waves, and today I woke to roosters crowing. There's a resident flock of wild chickens (& roosters, of course) that live at Macadamia Meadows Farms. Charlene said that the birds subsist by eating all of the bugs in the orchard - and all of the bugs around the house. No pesticides needed, all natural bug-eating fowl! <br />
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Breakfast today was waffles with fresh macadamia nuts, honey, and a little whipped cream. Plus fruit, juice, and coffee. Yum! <br />
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My riding day started with a wonderful downhill, which unfortunately didn't last too long. The first 10 miles of the day were the downhill followed by some flat to rolling miles, all with the same headwind that was my friend yesterday. I turned off to visit Punuluu Black Sand Beach, which of course was about a mile downhill. How could it be anything but downhill? So I had to climb back up to join the highway again - but it's such a beautiful place that it was worth the extra elevation gain. <br />
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Today was definitely a long, slow day. Only 42 miles, but an elevation gain of 4300 feet. The grade wasn't bad - sections of 3 to 4%, sections of 1 to 2%, along with the occasional 5 or 6. It just didn't stop going up - about 25 miles worth of up. It probably didn't help that my legs were pretty burnt from yesterday... It's very helpful that there were signs marking each 500 feet of elevation gain. I rode from sea level to a high of 4024 feet. (The extra couple hundred feet of elevation gain were from the rollers earlier in the day.) There were times when I thought I should have arranged for someone to deliver my gear to tonight's B&B, but of course I made it under my own power. I feel really good about the day, but I was really glad to be finished. The hill would have been much easier on an unloaded bike. But then again, what hill wouldn't be? No surprises; I knew what the terrain would be like going into this trip! <br />
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My friend the headwind continued as I started up the mountain. Then it disappeared for quite a while. It turned into a tailwind for a couple of miles, then a headwind again as I continued up and up. About 6 miles from the end it started misting. I was still too hot to even think about grabbing my rain jacket. The mist got heavier, and by the time I finished I was pretty wet. The temperature was still in the 60s - it had been in the 90s, in the sun probably 80s for real earlier - so while I was starting to get chilled, I wasn't there yet. My hot shower at the end of the day definitely felt good today!<br />
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And didn't I say I wasn't going to forget the lip sunscreen on my eyebrows to create a sunscreen-stopping dam? I forgot again - sunscreen sliding into my eyes again today. Three riding days so far, and I only remembered once. I've got to get better at that!<br />
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The scenery just continues to change. Today I saw green at the start, an awesome black sand beach, big trees, lava with sparse trees, and green hills. I even saw a cactus that looked like Mickey Mouse! Sorry I didn't get a picture... <br />
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So far all of the Hawaiian dogs I've met have been pretty well-behaved. They bark, but no one has chased me yet. That's a nice change of pace, hope it stays that way.<br />
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I wonder if there are wild pigs on this island. At one point I saw an animals butt and back legs, and heard it snorting and thrashing around. There was a fence between me and whatever it was, but it didn't look like farm land.<br />
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I arrived at Aloha Junction B&B - my home for the next two nights - to find a closed gate with a sign that says "please honk". Oops. I don't have a horn on my bike! (and if I did it would likely be a kid's horn, and that wouldn't have worked either). I tried yelling "Hello" and "Aloha", but that didn't work. So I pulled out my cell phone and called the house. I knew there was a reason for carrying my cell phone. That worked. My bike is living in a sheltered spot underneath the house, and I have a very comfy room. The hosts actually live in a separate house, so the guests pretty much have the run of this one. There's a fully equiped kitchen that we can use, a comfortable living room with a gas fireplace, and a jacuzzi outside. They also have a computer that we can use, and a phone line. Looks like I can finally get some journal entries uploaded. The pictures are going to have to wait though, since it's only a dial-up connection. <br />
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It's cool and somewhat rainy out tonight - sometimes rain, sometimes just mist - and the house is nice and cozy. It feels very comfortable here, and right now I'm feeling pretty lazy - another good choice of a place to stay! I could see just hanging out for part of tomorrow. I'm planning to ride around the crater, and I was thinking of doing a hike too. I'll see what tomorrow brings from a weather standpoint, and from an energy or laziness standpoint.<br />
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For dinner tonight I ordered takeout from local Thai restaurant - spring rolls, and masaman curry with tofu. That probably wasn't the smartest move because I was fighting with a queasy stomach for part of the day (glad I had Pepto Bismal with me) - but it tasted great, and so far my stomach is still behaving. I'm glad I opted for medium spice - it was just right. I'm used to spice on the East Coast being too mild, and I've ordered stuff hot when I've been on the West Coast and had it be almost too spicy. This time I asked. He said medium was about a 5 on a heat scale (who knows what scale...) and hot was an eleven. Medium was perfect, glad I asked for a change.<br />
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As I walked out to pick up my dinner, the gaggle of geese that appears to live here started running across the lawn and then across the driveway. I started to laugh as I listened to their feet slapping against the pavement! I'll have to try to get a picture of them tomorrow - they were pretty funny looking.Denise Goldberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08049223586218975704noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6120577271636344726.post-84239499879804661172003-05-18T08:14:00.000-04:002009-01-24T08:21:44.268-05:00An amazing day<b><i>From Kona to Na'alehu</i></b><br />
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What an amazing day! <br />
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Let's see now - where to start... <br />
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I have to admit, it is somewhat demoralizing to start the first bike tour of the year - in fact the first bike tour in over 8 months - with a long pull uphill. It took me 2 hours to go the first 10 miles. I expected the uphill, but as I was crawling uphill (riding very slowly) with the sweat just pouring off of me, I wondered if I'd misjudged how far I would get today. Those bad thoughts didn't last very long since I knew that the beginning of the day held the steepest climbs. There was climbing all day - starting with that first 10 miles and continuing as the terrain became rolling. Lots of ups and downs. The surprise for me was that I climbed 3800 feet today! I expected the 4000 foot elevation gain tomorrow, but today I thought my high point would be between 1500 and 2000 feet - and it was - but I kept going down hills and then climbing back up again. <br />
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Looking back - it's amazing how fast I gained elevation this morning (even though I felt like I was crawling up the hills)<br />
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I found it very helpful that every 500 feet of elevation gain or loss was noted by a sign on the road.</center><br />
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<hr/><br/>It was amazing how many different climate and vegetation zones I passed through today. I started on the ocean, and immediately started climbing. From black lava rock to an immediate climb up to 1500+ feet of elevation where there were trees. I rode through an area of coffee plantations, and through areas with big trees. And then all of a sudden I'd be crossing an area of just black lava fields. Then I'd see ferns growing from the lava. Amazing. Back to trees, then back to lava. I ended the day in a beautiful, lush, green place. Charlene said that they get an average of 40 inches of rain a year here - a good place to grow macadamia nuts!<br />
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I totally lucked out in a 7-mile stretch that was marked as a construction zone. It looked like the work was just about complete, so I had a new smooth road surface, perfect for riding. They must have widened the road too, because the warning sign on the road saying "narrow and winding road next 25 miles" didn't really seem to be needed. The road was definitely winding, but it didn't seem too narrow to me. There were actually shoulders a good part of the way. The biggest problem I had with the road was that they embed reflectors in the pavement along the white line on the right edge of the road. These reflectors aren't flat, so I was trying not to hit them with my tires - they could easily knock you off balance if you weren't paying attention. If the shoulder was wide enough (and smooth enough) for me to be happy, I'd use it. Otherwise I was on the right side of the driving lane, and I'd just pull over if the traffic got too heavy. When I started riding this morning I was afraid I'd be in heavy traffic all day, but that didn't happen. It's Sunday, but tourism knows no weekends... I think a lot of people were headed to a prime snorkeling bay or were headed up to Volcano. But folks seemed to head out early, and once I got past the town of Captain Cook the traffic really thinned out. I had the road to myself a lot of the time.<br />
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Just loved this sign! Traffic was pretty busy up to this point, but it thinned out considerably for the rest of the day.<br />
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I had a really wicked headwind for the last 14 miles of my ride. It's funny, I had just been thinking that South Point is always windy and that I was soon coming up on the turn-off for South Point. Just after I had that thought, the wind started. I still had about 10 miles of a slight uphill grade to ride before I came to the downhill stretch at the end of the day. And the downhill stretch was pretty slow to start. At first I thought I was going to have to pedal all the way downhill - that's how strong the wind was - but once the downhill grade kicked to 4 to 6% I started flying. I can't really complain too much about the wind. It made it hard to ride at times, but it kept me dry!<br />
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I knew about the downhill section from the Hawaii biking web site (see my resources page for the link), but a man I was chatting with at a store told me about it too. I stopped to pick up some Gatorade for tomorrow, and started talking with the guy behind me in line. He said that the downhill section frequently has mist (very light rain) on it. I wouldn't have minded that today either! I went through 70 ounces of water and about 80 ounces of Gatorade on my ride today - trying my best not to get dehydrated!<br />
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I'm staying at Macadamia Meadows Farms B&B. When I made my reservation, Charlene asked if she could move me to a different room if a reservation came in for the room I'd reserved for a longer period of time. Of course I said yes - I'd never seen any of the rooms, and I figured any room would be fine. Someone else wanted the room I was originally assigned, so my room was upgraded to the Honeymoon Suite. It's a gorgeous room with a queen bed and seating area, and private bathroom inside, and a table and chairs out on a lanai. I get to my room by walking along the lanai that wraps around the house. My bike is sitting out on the lanai by the front door, nicely protected. Another fabulous choice for a place to stay! When I checked in Courtney told me that Charlene would drive me into town (2+ miles) for dinner. I asked if there was anyplace to pick up a sandwich and bring it back here, and it turned out there was a fruit stand and bakery just a little past town. So I opted for that instead of the restaurant. Charlene drove, and I was glad she did when I realized the my end of the day downhill continued for a few more miles. I was glad I didn't bike into town to pick up dinner since it would have been uphill all the way back. <br />
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We were almost back to the house when Charlene asked if I'd like to go down to South Point. That was treat! South Point is the southernmost point in the United States. I thought about riding there, but it's 12 miles off the main road - downhill there, and uphill all the way back - and adding 24 miles to my 56 mile day would have been way too long for me. And when I say I thought about it, I mean way back when I was planning my trip. It didn't enter my mind at all today. But I was happy to take Charlene up on her offer. It was a beautiful drive down a somewhat roughly paved one-lane two-way road. We went by a windmill farm, and saw cattle and horses ( a surprise for me since I thought the cattle were only in the Waimea section of the island, wrong on that count!). South Point is a very windy place - so much so that the trees were growing sideways. As we got close to the end of the road, it looked like we were coming to the edge of the earth. There were sheer cliffs leading to the ocean, just amazing. <i>Some thoughts after returning home: Spending 2 nights at Macadamia Meadows B&B would leave a full day to ride to South Point and to hike to the green sand beach that is accessible from there. That would be a really nice extra day to add on to this trip. Maybe next time... </i><br />
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Courtney and Charlene make their B&B a special place. It's a beautiful house, but beyond that their hospitality is wonderful. It was a really nice touch to drive me into town to get dinner considering my only transportation is my bike, and it was very cool to get to South Point too. I'd definitely stay there again...<br />
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I ate dinner in my private dining area on the balcony - a sandwich (a sub really, with provolone, avocados, hot peppers, tomatos, and sprouts - and yes, it was <b>big</b>. I had some fresh fruit and an outrageous piece of macadamia nut shortbread for desert. That was shortbread with a topping that reminds me of pecan pie, but the nuts are macadamias. I was pretty stuffed after all that. I've continued to sit on my balcony writing my journal entry and enjoying the sunset and the sound of wind in the trees. There's actually a little chill in the air tonight (but a comfortable one) - probably a result of the elevation (still about 1000 feet) and the wind. Tomorrow night I'l be at 4000 feet, so it will be cooler yet.<br />
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I'll relax for a little longer, then try to get to sleep early. I had a great night's sleep last night, and I'm hoping for another one tonight in preparation to my climbing day.<br />
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When woke up at 5:45 I decided it was time to get up. So I put the bike together, had it all ready to go before breakfast. Then I took a shower and managed to get all of the grease off of my hands. I don't know about you, but I can't seem to keep away from the chain when I'm reassembling the bike. Maybe I should start carrying some surgical gloves for bike assembly. I don't mind so much at home because I have good handcleaner stuff, but somehow that never comes with me on trips! <br />
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I had a nice leisurely breakfast - fruit, breads, pastries, juice, and coffee supplied by the hotel on the lanai by the pool. Good for today's level of activity, maybe a bit short for tomorrow's - so I picked up some cottage cheese when I was out today for a little protein supplement for tomorrow's breakfast. (Lucky for me that there is a refrigerator in the room.) I sat and chatted with some of the other guests for a while - the woman from Oregon who I was talking with last night, and Lance and Cheryl from California. Lance really reminds me of my friend Harvey. Hey Harvey, do you have a twin that I don't know about? And Shirley told me that the resident managers here work on a rotating basis - on a 4-month cycle. She & Jim are here until August, then the next manager rotates in. There are 3 sets of managers that cover the year. That's an interesting approach. Seems like it would keep folks fresh - a way not to get burned out dealing with - and sharing time with - guests on a constant basis.<br />
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As I was headed out on my bike, Lance said wait, you can't go yet! When I asked him why, he said that he and Cheryl were about to feed the eels - so of course I had to go watch. They were throwing cut-up chicken parts (yuck!) into the water over the seawall, and the eels were just swarming up to grab the food. Feeding eels, not your ordinary pastime - but fascinating creatures.<br />
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I took off on the bike for what was supposed to be a short warmup ride, but I somehow managed to turn that into a 28 mile ride. I was taking it easy, stopping to take pictures and just enjoy being here. I'm constantly amazed at the vibrant colors of the flowers - especially in contrast to the black rock. I biked south along Alii drive, then took route 11 back through Kona and out to the Natural Energy Lab, just south of the airport. I loved the sign I saw on the beach there: "Low flying aircraft, No kites allowed". I parked the bike and walked through some sand and over old lava rocks to some tide pools. No wonder my cleats wear out! Of course I didn't have any other shoes with me, so it was walk in my cycling shoes, or don't walk at all! <br />
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Back to the hotel after stopping at a grocery store to pick up some Gatorade, peanuts, fruit, and cottage cheese for tomorrow, and some lunch for today. I'm in my second room here - when I made the reservation the only way I could get in here was to agree to switch rooms after the first night. This place only has 15 rooms, and if you've stayed here before and you have a room preference they try to give it to you. Not a problem - I left everything packed in the trailer and the managers moved it to my new room. The waves are still crashing into the seawall outside of my room, so I'm happy. <br />
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I thought I was just going for a warmup ride, no sweating allowed. Yeah, right! The temperature is in the mid-80s, in the 90s in the sun. It's definitely warm, but I think it feels good. That is, other than the fact that I forgot to put that waxy lip sunscreen on my eyebrows to stop my regular sunscreen from dripping into my eyes. Ouch! I won't forget that tomorrow. There are gray clouds hanging over the mountains, but it's pretty bright here by the ocean. My shorts have salt lines on them, and I went through a couple of bottles of Gatorade. The biking clothes definitely need to be washed. I'm already in my normal touring clean clothes mode. Wear them, and wash them!<br />
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We saw some really pretty birds this morning with bright red caps. Lance said he thought they might be Java finches, but he wasn't sure. Maybe I'll find a bird book in my wanderings. <i>(Update on 5/19 - there's a bird book at my B&B, but no sign of a Java Finch. The only bird with a bright red head was a red-crested cardinal which apparently only hangs out on Oahu. I think what I saw may have been a house finch - the description said the male's head ranges from yellow to rosy red. I may never know for sure... Another update on 5/20 - just found another bird book in my wanderings today, and it looks like that pretty bird is a yellow-billed cardinal. It's a small bird, doesn't look like a classic cardinal - but it does have a red head and black and white on it. After seeing the picture in the book, I'm sure that's what I saw!)</i> <br />
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I sat still long enough for lunch, then grabbed a quick shower, slathered more sunscreen all over, and took off on foot to wander through Kona. It's a touristy little town center, worth a quick stroll - but I'm not in shopping mode so it didn't take me too long! Now I'm relaxing before heading out to find some dinner. Definitely a good first day. <br />
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<b><i>Later...</i></b> I just had an outrageous red curry at Thai Rin for dinner. Tofu, lettuce, green beans, and bamboo shoots in a positively evil red curry sauce (evil because it was loaded with coconut milk)! If you're in Kona and you likeThai food, I highly recommend eating at Thai Rin.<br />
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I got back to the Kona Tiki just in time for the nightly ceremonial blowing of the conch shell and lighting of the tiki torches. Fun. <br />
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Then I asked Jim about a chain hanging down from the building. He told me it's a Chinese gutter. The chain hangs from the gutter - which in this case is 3 stories up - and in a downpour the water cascades down the chain. Jim said you can't even see the chain with the water cascading down it. And the chain somehow lessens the impact of the water on the ground, so you don't end up with a big hole below the gutter. You learn something new every day... just don't always know what to do with that new knowledge.<br />
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Wow - it's finally here. It seems like the last several weeks have just flown by, and ready or not, I'm on my way to Hawaii. I had a nice calm evening last night, mostly due to my slightly insane ahead of time packing job. Last Sunday I thought it was a bit wacky to pack that far in advance, but I really liked having that last evening at home without any worries. I just charged up my electronic gadgets and packed them in my carryon bag, all ready to go! <br />
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I thought I'd be up later than I was last night because I'd hoped to watch the lunar eclipse. It was a cloudy night though, so the moon (full or hidden) wasn't easily viewable. Now that would have been a good time to be on the top of Mauna Kea! <br />
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I'll be covering a lot of miles today, thousands in fact. Too bad I can't count them as biking miles. I had the thought yesterday that it would be nice if I could set my bike up on a trainer on the plane to get rid of that trapped in a seat for hours and hours feeling. Two flights today - Boston to Los Angeles, scheduled for 6 hours of flying time, and Los Angeles to Kona, for 5 hours of flying time. But it's worth it to get to one of my favorite states! <br />
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I'm off to the airport soon. Check back later for updates!<br />
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A word of warning - today is a travel day, not a biking day - so if you're only interested in biking days you can skip the rest of today's ramblings...<br />
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First plane of the day. The flight is pretty full, but I lucked out and have an empty seat next to me. That helps. I got to the airport super-early, checked in quickly with no lines at all. So I went wandering through the airport for a while, I thought that getting a little walking in would be helpful, There was an article about the new International terminal at Logan Airport in the paper this morning, so I thought I'd go check it out. No luck though, they're going to start using it tomorrow, and right now you still enter into the old part of the terminal. Do you think that's a little desperate - killing a bit of time by going sight-seeing in the airport? It was something to do - I just wasn't quite ready to sit still!<br />
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Well, I was organized enough to pack ahead of time, but I didn't try to get cash for the trip until Wednesday. That's not really last minute, but it felt like it for a bit. I popped my ATM card in the machine, and it popped right back out again. The message on the screen said "this card is no longer valid, contact your financial institution". Hmm... what could be wrong? It wasn't time to panic since I knew I could walk into a branch and get cash, but I really like to have my ATM card with me when I travel. The days of carrying traveler's checks are pretty much over for me. When I got to the office I called the bank to confirm there wasn't anything wrong with my account, and of course there wasn't. It was either a bad mag stripe on the card or a bad machine. I did learn something interesting though. I figured if it was a bad mag stripe that I would have to travel without an ATM card, but it turns out that the bank will issue a temporary card in circumstances like these. That's good to know, and I didn't need to go that route since the machine I tried on the way home from work operated successfully. One more problem avoided...<br />
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One small packing list update. I left one pair of socks out to wear today. 3 packed, one to wear... oops! My hiking shoes (which are also my traveling shoes on this trip) need either 2 pairs of thin socks or one of thick. I knew that! And I'd made the decision to go with the light socks since that's what I need for my biking shoes. Rather than go searching through my duffle bag this morning for the 2nd pair that I needed, I grabbed another pair of socks to keep my feet comfy.So now I have 5 pairs of socks with me,. At least they're small. Honestly, if I'd needed something big I would have found the missing item in my duffle bag instead of grabbing an extra!<br />
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I called the Kona Tiki - my hotel for the first two nights - earlier this week to arrange a late check-in. The front desk closes at 7pm, and my flight lands at 7:30pm. I was given the super-secret location of my room key, so I'm all set! The person who answered the phone told me that they live onsite, and gave me his room number in case I have any problems. Nice. And no, I'm not going to splash the super-secret key location on the web - you'll have to stay there yourself to find out how to check in after the front desk closes!<br />
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As I wandered through Logan Airport, I kept my eye open for Internet access. Ever since I started carrying my electronic toys with me on trips, I've started paying more attention to that. There were a couple of Internet kiosks, web access with a credit card. No way to hook up any external devices like my Zio card reader to upload pictures. But of all the pay phones I saw, only one had a data port and that was already in use by someone with a laptop! Not to worry, I didn't have anything to upload yet! ^T <br />
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The pilot just announced we're about 45 miles east of Syracuse, NY - so we must be just over (or just past) where my parents live. What a contrast from last year's trip when it took me about a week to get from Boston to Utica - this time it took less than an hour. I suppose comparing travel by bicycle with travel by plane is a little odd! It's my mom's birthday today, so I'm sending my birthday wishes to her through the air. And yes, I did talk with her before I left! So - everyone should send their good birthday thoughts to Sherry!<br />
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It appears that there are quite a few people on this plane who are continuing onto Hawai. While I waited to board I was chatting with two other women who were traveling to Hawaii. We're all on separate planse from LA - one to Oahu, one to Maui, and me to Hawaii. It makes sense though - this is probably the flight of choice if you're flying from Boston (or nearby places since one of the other women was from Bangor, Maine) and headed to Hawaii!<br />
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I had a run of bad luck with plane trips and checked baggage a couple of years ago - my bags never managed to arrive on the same plane with me. Hopefully I'm past that problem and my Air Glide and I will arrive in Kona together. I did have a little worry about baggage screening and the bike though. This is the first time I've traveled with a bike since the new checked baggage screening procedures were put into place. Logan Airport in Boston does 100% xray screens. I wonder what the screeners will think when they see a folded bike frame, a couple of wheels, and all sorts of other metal parts. I put an extra luggage tag on my bike case with a note to the TSA screeners telling them that everything really does fit back in the case without forcing it - in case they decide to open it - and giving them my cell phone number - in case they need advice on fitting everything back into the case. (OK, if you didn't already know it, you now realize that I sojmetimes have a tendency to worry. My friend Steve always reminds me of the concept of "just in time worry". I just have to remember that!) I guess I just have to believe that the bike and I will arrive together (or close to together) and that all the bike parts are where they belong! I just tell myself that everything will be fine, and remember that on all those trips where my luggage (including the bike several times) and I didn't arrive together, that the airline always knew where my stuff was - it wasn't lost, just late!<br />
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<b><i>3:30 Pacific time</i></b> Los Angeles - halfway there from a flying time standpoint, not a clue about the mileage. I think I'll see if I can upload this journal entry from a pay phone with a data port. If you're reading this then I was successful!<br />
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<b><i>9:40 Hawaii time</i></b> Kona - here at last! The flight from LA was uneventful, and I managed to get a couple of hours of cat naps. I was talking to one of the flight attendents on the flight, and she said it's a turnaround flight for them. They leave LA at 5pm Pacific time, fly to Kona, have a 2-hour turnaround time, fly to LA and land at around 5am Pacific time. That's a <b>really</b> long day. I didn't ask if the pilots fly the same turnaround - I'm not sure I want to know since that's the same flight I'll be taking home at the end of my trip!<br />
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As we were coming in to land we could see the top of Haleakala (on Maui) popping up through the clouds in a beautiful wash of color, a nice tropical sunset. What a beautiful sight!<br />
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I had a little bit of a sinking feeling as I was waiting for my luggage. The bike came out fairly quickly, but the bag containing my clothes and including my helmet, cycling shoes, and trailer wheels seemed to take forever. It finally arrived though, and I was off to the Kona TIki for two nights. The reviews I read were right - it's a very laid back and low key place, the managers are very nice, and there's the soothing sound of waves beneath my window since the place is perched on a sea wall. That's a good start - excellent hotel choice for my 2003 entry to a Hawaiian paradise!Denise Goldberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08049223586218975704noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6120577271636344726.post-77176957989186765642003-05-11T20:35:00.000-04:002009-01-23T20:37:18.834-05:00All packed & ready to go...<b><i>...well, almost!</i></b><br />
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I may be a bit of a nut, but I always pack my bike ahead of time for these trips (just in case something needs to be fixed, and to keep me calm...), and this time I packed everything else early too. Well, almost everything - I'll pack my electronic toys at the last minute because I want them to be fully charged when I leave. And I'm not trusting those to checked baggage; they'll go in my carryon bag.<br />
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It's been a while since I packed a bike - actually close to a year. That's hard to believe! It almost looks like a joke when I open the case and sit the (fully assembled) bike and trailer components next too it. It just doesn't look like everything will fit in the case, but of course it does. OK, I'll admit that I didn't even try to fit the trailer wheels in the trailer - they are in my duffle bag - but everything fit into the case with no fighting. I cleaned and re-lubed the bike before I packed it, so it should be all ready to ride when I arrive.<br />
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I did have a bit of adventure packing the bike (can things ever be totally smooth?). I stripped everything off of the bike - beam, seatpost, handlebars, stem, pedals, and tires - unscrewed the bolt that holds the frame straight, and picked up the bike expecting it to behave itself and fold. Nope. OK, this happened once before when the hinge bolt was too tight. So I loosened the bolt. My Air Glide said again, nope, I'm not folding. Come on you crazy bike, you and I traveled across the country last summer - don't you want to go to Hawaii? (All right, I'll admit it - I do talk to inanimate objects sometimes!) I was a bit perplexed, so I asked my neighbor to come help me solve my puzzle. He looked at the bike and agreed that I'd loosened everything that should be loosened, then asked me if I'd tried whacking the frame with a piece of wood. My response was no - I don't have a piece of wood, and I never considered it anyway. Paul went off to fetch his rubber mallet, we picked up the bike, and he gave it a gentle tap. Voila - the bike decided to behave. It folded and packed itself in the case, no problem. And I re-tightened the hinge bolts so I won't have a problem later. The funny thing is though, I told this story to a couple of guys at work, and they said their initial reaction would have been to take a hammer to the frame. I never thought of that. Do you think it's a guy thing? If something's stuck, pound on it with a hammer! I guess I tend to have a softer approach...<br />
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It's a good feeling to be pretty much packed. I have a few things to throw in later - like my bike shoes and helmet - and I have a big note on top of my bag to remind me. I'd like to get a couple of short rides in this week, although it looks like the weather may not cooperate. But I do need my shoes and helmet for any rides I do before I leave... <br />
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Rover didn't want to be closed in yet either, so the silly red dog is watching over the electronic gadgets before he jumps into the carryon bag. <br />
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Wait, is that really the whole bike? Yup, folded and packed! I've packed it before, and even I was having trouble believing it would fit in the case when I looked at the bike and all of the trailer parts before I started... <br />
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Wow - the time is just flying by. I have less than two weeks to go before I fly to Hawaii. I've continued to ride, and continued to commute to work by bike 2 to 3 days a week. In doing so, I've broken the usual training recommendation that you increase your riding 10 percent a week as you're building to a goal. Hmm... I was riding 20 to 40 miles a week before I added the commuting and before I started lengthening my weekend rides. The last three weeks have been in the 120 to 150 mile range. That's way more than 10 percent a week! I think what's really on my side though is that although I didn't ride outside through the winter, I never stopped exercising. I tried to keep my aerobic exercise base at 6 to 9 hours a week throughout the winter. So my jumping from a 30 mile week to a 130 mile week didn't cause any problems for me other than being tired. Not too bad. My plans are to have another decent mileage week this coming week, then the week of my trip (I leave on a Friday) I'll try to be a bit more laid back - I'll probably try to do a couple of short rides. Even though I wanted to have more mileage under my tires before I leave, I think I'm really in decent shape for the trip. <br />
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I've found that I really enjoy commuting to work by bike. Now why didn't I try this years ago? Right now 2 to 3 days a week is fine. Maybe someday I'll graduate to more, but for now I'm OK with 2 to 3 times. I've noticed on the days that I ride to work that I'm eating all day. I have breakfast before I leave home, then usually have some cottage cheese or yogurt (from the stash I keep in the refrigerator at the office) plus a homemade muffin (oatmeal raisin was my choice for this week - yum!). I have lunch and some fruit at lunch time, a mid-afternoon fruit break, and grab an energy bar before I leave on my bike to head home. Another shower at home, then dinner. I just have to remember that it's ok to eat like a crazy cyclist on the days that I'm riding, but I need to keep a little control on the days that I'm not riding. I bought the book <i>Optimal Muscle Recovery and Performance</i> by Ed Burke from www.roadbikerider.com, and I just loved the quote from the book that they included in their newsletter on April 24th. The topic was <i>recovery for the masters athlete</i>, talking about nutrition for those of us who are over 40: "The bottom line on nutrition for the mature athlete is very simple: Pause a moment before eating anything and objectively analyze what the end result will be. Will it enhance your training or contribute to good health? Will it help maintain muscle mass? Or will it leave behind empty calories looking for a thigh on which to take up residence?" I love it - now I'll just have to keep that in mind. So what does this mean? I think it means that I can eat all the ice cream I want as long as I keep riding!<br />
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This is the first weekend in ages where we've had two good days. It seems like either Saturday or Sunday have been total washouts with serious rainfall over the last few weeks. I definitely enjoyed this one with two good rides. Yesterday I started out with the intent to ride to Ipswich, but somehow ended up following bike club arrows instead. All of the clubs around here paint arrows on the pavement for their weekly rides - the only danger in following them after the fact is that I might end up riding more mileage than I originally planned. Luckly the century rides are usually tagged with the mileage next to the arrow, so at least it's not an inadvertant 100 miles when I follow the mystery arrows! I had a nice ride wandering around back roads yesterday, so today I stayed on route 133 to start out, and really did ride to Ipswich and back again. Both rides were nice spring rides - the first time I'd been on these particular roads this season. <br />
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I've been switching off between my two touring bikes - but I decided today that as a sign of spring I really should get my skinny-tired road bike out. What a nice change of pace!<br />
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Had a bit of a strange cyclist encounter yesterday. I saw another cyclist at an intersection in Boxford Center. I waved as I passed - and we each continued on our way. I guess we ended up riding different loops that put us back in the same spot later, because I rode past him again. As I rode by, he said "at least I'm not riding a funny-looking bike". Odd comment - and yes, I was riding my Air Glide yesterday (little wheels make me fly... seat post on titanium beam, and it's purple!), not an ordinary looking bike. I waited for him to catch up so we could chat, but he never caught me. When I stopped to take a picture he finally caught up with me and said "you ride pretty fast, for a girl". I wonder if that made him feel better. The fact is, I was riding slowly yesterday, not pushing it, smelling the roses, taking pictures. If I was slow, he was slower! Weird. Guess it takes all types. And of course, I really don't take offense at odd comments about my bikes or about me - I just thought this was a little strange.<br />
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I saw a lot of other cyclists today - some just in passing (going the other way) and others with a quick conversation. I guess everyone is finally coming out now that the sun is shining. I also had a chance to chat with a couple of Harley riders as we were waiting for a light to change. They asked me how far I'd ridden today, and when I responded "42 miles", one of them said that riding that distance on his Harley sometimes makes him tired! Yeah, but I bet I get to eat more than he does after my ride...<br />
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Had an interesting dog encounter today too. I was riding along minding my own business when a dog came racing at me out of no where. The funny thing was, he kept racing and barking, but after my first view of him he ran behind a wooden fence (I guess he was defending his property) and continued to chase along on the other side of the fence. Don't get me wrong - I was happy he stayed on the other side of the fence. And he did make me laugh!<br />
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I think I'll follow <a href="http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/journal/author/index.html?doc_id=185">Kati's </a> example and include some pictures here of the sights I saw on my rides over the past couple of days. It will be fun to compare these with the pictures from Hawaii in a couple of weeks!<br />
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<b><i>Saturday, May 3rd</i></b> - a little chill in the air, but a beautiful spring day with a clear blue sky. The grass is green, the perennials are flowering, and some of the trees are starting to show some green - that early season very light green. It's beautiful!<br />
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<b><i>Sunday, May 4th</i></b> - another beauty of a day. It was supposed to be warmer than yesterday, but it really didn't feel that way as I was riding. I think the temperature was about the same - in the high 50s while I was riding - but there was a wind out of the east, and I was heading towards the ocean. So I think the perceived temperature difference was from a wind blowing cool air in from the ocean. Still a nice day... <br />
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<b><i>Sunday, May 11th</i></b> - it was another good week of biking. I managed to get in 145 miles this week in spite of the fact that it wasn't a good week for commuting by bike. I rode 3 evenings after work, plus had two good rides this weekend. It was in the 50s and low 60s yesterday and today, with some wind, and a nice blue sky. I rode without the camera and of course missed some good pictures because of it - but the riding was good! The longest ride I've done so far this season is 48 miles - and the first traveling day in Hawaii will be 65 miles long (I think) and hilly. I'm sure I'll be fine - and I'm looking forward to some warm weather riding!<br />
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This should be a resting week (as opposed to a training week). I'm going to try to get in a couple of short and easy rides, nothing too intense.<br />
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Only 5 more days...Denise Goldberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08049223586218975704noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6120577271636344726.post-66721408719665686302003-04-18T20:47:00.000-04:002009-01-23T20:49:19.959-05:00Success - the first hurdle is behind me...<b><i>...two days of commuting to work by bike</i></b><br />
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Spring really is here, and the weather is sometimes cooperating. I didn't think it was ever going to get here, and the temperature drop on Wednesday afternoon made me doubt it's here, but it is!<br />
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I managed to get in my first two days of commuting by bike this week, so I'm feeling much better about my training progress. That allowed me to ride 4 days in a row, which, I'm sad to say, is the most I've done since last fall. But now I can focus on consistency.<br />
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I had planned to ride to work on Monday, but the 30 degree (Fahrenheit) temperature in the morning stopped me. You may call me a baby, but I think I'm just a fair weather bicycle commuter. I was able to catch a ride when I got home from work that night, and I was able to ride to work on Tuesday. It was cool in the morning, but by the time I rode home again it was shorts and sleeveless jersey weather. Fabulous! Wednesday morning I woke to an iffy weather forecast (remember since I'm still at home and not on tour I can still choose whether to ride my bike or use my car!). It was pretty warm in the morning, but the temperature was supposed to drop in the afternoon with possible accompanying rain showers or thunderstorms. Hmmm... I rode my bike anyhow, and I'm glad I did. Two days starts a pattern... The temperature drop was interesting though. It was in the low 80's at about 3 in the afternoon, and it dropped to 60 degrees during that hour. It was 60 when I left the office. Silly me, I thought the temperature was done dropping, so I dressed in shorts and a short-sleeved jersey and stashed my rain jacket and tights in my pannier. I should have stopped to pull out my extra clothes along the way, but once I was rolling I didn't want to stop. I felt and watched the temperature continute to drop as I pedaled home. It was 47 degrees by the time I was finished with my ride. A bit chilly, but a warm shower fixed me right up. <br />
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I had pretty much figured out the back roads to work before I started. I wanted to avoid route 3A, which is really a wide 2-lane road but is driven as if it's a 4-lane road. That means it's difficult to carve out room for a bicycle, especially during the homeward commute. I've noticed that the traffic seems to be crazier in the evening. Everyone seems to be very eager to get home very quickly, and people seem to drive like they are a bit cranky in the evening. My route to work includes a small stretch of 3A, less than 1/2 mile, not too bad. The section that's really tight is right before an intersection, and there's a sidewalk there that is usually empty, so I can hop up there if need be. I've been pretty happy with my inbound route since the first day. I had to do some playing with my homeward route though. My first attempt had a very nasty intersection in it - too much traffic, and I think probably too close to the exit from route 128/95. I won't do that again. The second day I headed west first even though my home is north and east of the office. That turned out to be the right way to go. I had a really pleasant ride home (in spite of the temperature drop) and discovered a very pretty road in the process. It was only the first 5 miles or so of my homeward commute that differed on the first 2 days. So my route is now 16 miles to the office, and 18 miles home. Not bad. I may do some more playing with the homeward route as the sun continues to set later - with more daylight I can add a little more mileage. I know, I know, there are good bicycle lights out there, but I really like to be off the road before dusk. Guess I'm both a fair weather and a daylight commuter.<br />
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I know I feel good after I ride. I think I had a big grin on my face when I got into the office after my bicycle commute. And I definitely appreciated having access to showers (and clean towels) at the Marriott health club. What a nice feeling - I'll definitely continue this practice. I'm hoping for 2 to 3 days a week, weather and work schedule permitting. (What - letting work get in the way of cycling? Sometimes I have to visit a customer or prospect site, so I need my car... and sometimes I need my computer for those off-site visits so I have to carry my computer home the night before. I wonder how my laptop will react to getting bounced around in a pannier on the way home - does anyone out there know? I know I can cinch the pannier in so it's not bouncing inside the pannier, but I'm a little concerned about bouncing due to rough roads...) I want to keep riding on the weekends, and I'm afraid that if I shoot for commuting 4 to 5 days a week that my weekend riding will suffer.<br />
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My ride home on Wednesday really surprised me at one point. I turned onto a road that I drive all of the time and found an uphill grade that I didn't expect. Not really a hill, just not a flat road. How funny - I never trusted drivers when they told me that a road was flat, and now I can see that even as a cyclist I see the road differently when I drive it. I also saw a little park and playground on the side of the road that I had never noticed before, even though I've driven by it many times before. It's amazing what you see when you remove step out of your car and remove that shell of metal... I've always felt that you see more from a bike, and this small experience just cemented that feeling. The wonders of the world surround me when I ride my bike - the smells, the sounds, and the sights. Of course it's nice to see the flowers in bloom, a bit of green and bright color after a long stretch without them. <br />
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I'm happy to be riding again. I feel like I'm emerging from the long tunnel of winter into a happy riding season. <br />
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Just four more weeks till my trip!<br />
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<center><img src="http://denise.smugmug.com/photos/460385430_rBpUX-500x500.jpg"><br />
One more picture for focusing my goals, dreaming of sights of Hawaii. Photo of active lava entering the ocean courtesy of the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, taken on April 18, 2003.<br />
</center>Denise Goldberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08049223586218975704noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6120577271636344726.post-60393237288101213552003-04-07T20:45:00.000-04:002009-01-23T20:46:28.330-05:00Training... but I only have 7 weeks!Panic? Yes and no... I've done minimal riding over the winter, but I've never stopped exercising. I've been riding a bike in my dining room, and running on an elliptical trainer. That should give me a decent starting point to get in good riding shape for this trip. <br />
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Although I'm sitting comfortably in my house, listening to the rain and wondering if the snow forecast for tonight will happen, I really believe that the weather is going to change. The calendar says it's spring - so it must be, right? Whatever happened to the old saying that March will come in like a lion, out like a lamb? Or the opposite? I'd say that this year March came in like a lion, and it's on the way out like a lion too!<br />
<br />
We're starting to have more good weather (riding) days than bad. I actually got my first two <b>dry</b> rides in last week - Thursday was the first ride of the season where I didn't come home absolutely covered in salt and road grit, and Saturday was finally warm enough to venture out in shorts and a short-sleeved jersey. Yay!<br />
<br />
I'm hoping for dry riding weather, but thinking back to my first tour back in 1998 - I did a lot of training in the rain. I'll do it again if I have to.<br />
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All I'm waiting for now is daylight savings time. Then I hope to start commuting to work several days a week - by bike. I joined the health club at the Marriott that's across the street from my office. That gives me a place to work out at lunch time - but more importantly it gives me a place to take a shower after I ride to work. Now all I need to do is get started. And now that I've placed my commuting plans in my journal, I'm really going to have to do it!<br />
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<i>April 6, 2003</i> <br>My plans of kicking up my riding miles (outside) have been stymied so far by weather. We may think it's spring, but Mother Nature seems to disagree. We had icy snow overnight Friday into Saturday, with sleet, snow and rain continuing during the day Saturday. Not too much - just enough to screw up the roads! And there is a possible winter storm forecast for Monday night. Hmmm... <br />
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In the meantime, I've increased the intensity and time of my indoor workouts, and I'm sending good thoughts for clear roads!Denise Goldberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08049223586218975704noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6120577271636344726.post-90287045687859189402003-04-06T20:32:00.001-04:002009-01-23T20:34:52.054-05:00Weather extremes & the Big IslandI keep hearing different quotes about the climate zones found on the Big Island of Hawaii - and they couldn't possibly all be correct. I've heard that Hawaii has 10 of the 15 climate zones in the world. I've also heard 10 out of 13, 13 out of 15, and 21 of 22. I believed the statement that there were a lot of climate zones on the island, and I didn't want to perpetuate more false statements, so I went looking to see if I could determine how many climate zones there really are. <br />
<br />
The climate zones that are referenced are Koppen Climate Classifications. I finally found what appears to be a full list of zones on a <a href="http://www.utexas.edu/depts/grg/kimmel/GRG301K/grg301kkoppen.html"> University of Texas lecturer's web page</a>. Then I found an article written by 3 individuals in the Department of Geography at the University of Hawaii showing the climate zones on the Big Island on NOAA's Mauna Loa Observatory page. (NOAA is the National Oceanic and Atmmospheric Administration.) I'm hoping these are better sources than some of the odd-ball quotes that I've heard!<br />
<br />
According to a combination of these two sources, Hawaii has 10 different climate zones out of 25 world-wide climate zones, varying from tropical/hot climates to periglacial or tundra climates. <b><i>And you wondered why I think I need such variations in clothing for my trip to the tropics! </i></b><br />
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For anyone who is curious - and for me, in case I go looking for this information again, here's a summary of the climate zones: <center><table cellspacing=5, border=1><tr><th>Zone</th><th>Climate Description</th><th>On the Big Island?</th></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td><b><i>A Climates - Tropical / Hot</i></b></td></td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Af</td><td>Tropical rainforest</td><td>yes</td></tr>
<tr><td>Aw</td><td>Tropical wet-dry (low sun dry), savanna</td><td>yes</td> </tr>
<tr><td>As</td><td>Tropical wet-dry (high sun dry),savanna</td><td>yes</td></tr>
<tr><td>Am</td><td>Tropical monsoon</td><td>yes</td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td><b><i>B Climates - Arid / semiarid</i></b></td></tr>
<tr><td>BWh</td><td>Dry/arid (hot) - low latitude deserts</td><td>yes</td></tr>
<tr><td>BWk</td><td>Dry/arid (cool) - middle latitude deserts</td><td>no</td></tr>
<tr><td>BSh</td><td>Semi-arid, steppe (hot)</td><td>yes</td></tr>
<tr><td>BSk</td><td>Semi-arid, Steppe (cool)</td><td>no</td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td><b><i>C Climates - Subtropical</i></b></td></tr>
<tr><td>Cwa</td><td>Humid subtropical - warm with distinctly dry winter</td><td>no</td></tr>
<tr><td>Cfa</td><td>Humid subtropical - East coasts</td><td>no</td></tr>
<tr><td>Csa</td><td>Humid subtropical (Mediterranean) - warm w/ dry hot summer</td><td>no</td></tr>
<tr><td>Csb</td><td>Humid subtropical (Mediterranean) - cool w/ dry cool summer</td><td>yes</td></tr>
<tr><td>Cfb</td><td>Marine West Coast - Mild</td><td>yes</td></tr>
<tr><td>Cfc</td><td>Marine West Coast - Cool</td><td>yes</td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td><b><i>D Climates - Temperate (Continental)</i></b></td></tr>
<tr><td>Dfa</td><td>Humid continental hot summers w/ year around precipitation</td><td>no</td></tr>
<tr><td>Dwa</td><td>Humid continental hot summers w/ dry winters</td><td>no</td></tr>
<tr><td>Dfb</td><td>Humid continental mild summer with year around rainfall</td><td>no</td></tr>
<tr><td>Dwb</td><td>Humid continental mild summer with dry winters</td><td>no</td></tr>
<tr><td>Dfc</td><td>Subarctic with cool summers and year around rainfall</td><td>no</td></tr>
<tr><td>Dfd</td><td>Subarctic with cold winters and year around rainfall</td><td>no</td></tr>
<tr><td>Dwc</td><td>Subarctic with cool summers and dry winters</td><td>no</td></tr>
<tr><td>Dwd</td><td>Subarctic with cold winters and dry winters</td><td>no</td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td><b><i>E Climates - Polar (Ice)</i></b></td></tr>
<tr><td>ET</td><td>Tundra climate</td><td>yes</td></tr>
<tr><td>EF</td><td>Icecap climate</td><td>no</td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td><b><i>H Climates - Highland areas</i></b></td></tr>
<tr><td>H</td><td>Highland climate</td><td>no</td> </table></center>Denise Goldberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08049223586218975704noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6120577271636344726.post-27984406816617289822003-04-01T20:25:00.001-05:002009-01-23T20:30:24.756-05:00Resources: maps, books, linksHere are some of the resources I've used in researching my trip. I'll add to this page as I continue to read in preparation for my trip. <br /><br />The People's Advocacy for Trails Hawai'i has published a <a href="http://www.pathhawaii.org/bikeguide.htm"> biking guide</a> that describes the roads around the island. The text includes mileage, % grade, elevation gain or loss, and points of interest.<br /><br />A good map of the island is published by the University of Hawai'i Press. <a href="http://www.uhpress.hawaii.edu/cart/shopcore/?db_name=uhpress&page=shop/flypage&product_id=33&category_id=81616bd4f1e6397ca8c3f191bcb3b104&PHPSESSID=b585200f27bf21ff057e61f6be79fa1a"> Map of Hawai'i The Big Island</a> is a full color topographic map of the island. They also publish a map of Maui if you plan to visit there. <br /><br />I picked up a great guide book for the island. "Hawaii The Big Island Revealed" is published by <a href="http://www.wizardpub.com"> Wizard Publications</a>. The authors currently live in Hawaii - they moved there after visiting and falling in love with the place. Their love of Hawaii comes through in their writing. This is absolutely the best guidebook I've used. It's organized in a very logical fashion, and includes what appear to be very honest reviews and comments. (As an example, one review of one inn stated that you could find a better place to stay as the people that run that inn tend to be grouchy!) The publisher's web site includes updates and a password-protected area (sorry, you have to buy the book to get the password) of up-to-date reviews of places to stay. If you can't find the book in a local bookstore, the Wizard Publications web site lists <a href="http://www.wizardpub.com/main/ordering.html">online sources</a> based on where you live (what country, that is). They also have books about Maui and Kauai. <br /><br />The National Park Service web site provides information on <a href="http://www.nps.gov/havo/">Hawaii Volcanoes National Park</a>. This is a good place to start if you're looking for information on the park, the volcano, and pictures.<br /><br />The USGS (US Geological Survey) site contains detailed information from the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory on <a href="http://wwwhvo.wr.usgs.gov/kilauea/">Kilauea</a>, which they list as "perhaps the world's most active volcano". The site includes <a href="http://volcano.wr.usgs.gov/kilaueastatus.php"> regular eruption updates</a>. The current eruption of this volcano started in 1983! And of course I'm hoping it continues so I have a chance to see it. The eruption update on the site today started with "0725 March 30, 2003 Lava has spilled the breakout site popular with visitors just above the end of the Chain of Craters Road and made a run for the road itself. This morning the front of the rapidly moving breakout was within 4 m of the pullout at the end of the road, but it had stagnated. It won't take much to push it onto the roadway." And then it continues with even more details...<br /><br />Additional information on the history of the Kilauea eruption can be found at the <a href="http://www.soest.hawaii.edu/GG/HCV/kilauea.html"> Hawaii Center for Volcanology</a>. Some fascinating reading - that is, if you're interested in volcanos!<br /><br />Information on the <a href="http://www.ifa.hawaii.edu/mko/"> Mauna Kea observatories </a> can be found on the web site of the Institute For Astonomy at the University of Hawaii.<br /><br />As I mentioned earlier, I'm looking forward to getting to 2 places on the Big Island that I haven't managed to see before. I'll be getting to the top of Mauna Kea and to the active lava flows (I hope!) on an <a href="http://www.arnottslodge.com/activity.html">Arnott's Adventure Tour</a>. I'll add a note here at the end of my trip to give you my opinion of the tours. <blockquote><blockquote><i><b>After participating in Arnott's tours:</b> These tours are excellent, and well worth the money. Since it was a quiet volcano day the day I went to see the lava flows - I believe that if I had been on my own I would have seen the ocean entry, but not the active lava flows. I was able to see both with our marvelous lava guide Ian. And I would not have made it to the summit of Mauna Kea on my own. In addition, Arnott's tour prices are <b>much</b> lower than anyone else's!</i></blockquote></blockquote>Denise Goldberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08049223586218975704noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6120577271636344726.post-73335579273982522532003-03-30T20:17:00.001-05:002009-01-23T20:23:54.616-05:00Lodging... where I plan to spend the nightHere's a list of the places where I plan to stay. I'm amazed that I did my research, made a first choice for each location, called, and got my first choice every time. Now here's hoping that my first choice was the right one. <br />
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When I'm traveling by bike, I like to be able to walk to dinner. Most of these accomodations fit this criteria - the only one that is slightly off is my night in Na'alehu where the B&B web site states that there are 5 restaurants within 2 miles. Assuming the worst case - a 2-mile walk to dinner and a 2-mile walk back isn't too bad (ok, ok, I know I can ride my bike!) - I just don't know how I'll feel about that after riding 60+ miles! <br />
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<i><b>Update on May 27th: </b>I've added some notes about each of my lodging choices. I was very happy with all of these places, and I will happily stay in them again when I return to Hawaii!</i><br />
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<dl><dt> <b>Kailua-Kona --- <a href="http://www.konatiki.com/">Kona Tiki Hotel</a> </b> <br />
<i>Nights 1 and 2</i> </dt>
<dd> Don't be too surprised if you click on the link for the Kona Tiki and get a "cannot find server" message. I don't know where this server is hosted, but it's not always there! This hotel is rated "Solid Gold Value" in the <a href="http://www.wizardpub.com">Wizard Publications </a> "Hawaii The Big Island Revealed" guidebook. Based on my reading - and on the reaction I got when I called for a reservation - I expect it to be on the funky side. It's supposed to be an old-style and basic hotel with only 15 rooms located right on the ocean about a mile south of Kailua town. The hotel has no telephones and no air conditioning, but all of the rooms face the ocean. And one review I read said not to stay there if the sound of crashing waves disturbs you. That's not a problem for me - I love the sound of waves. When I called for the reservation, the woman who answered the phone said that they have a 3-night minimum. I asked if it was possible to waive that requirement figuring that the worst that would happen is that she would say no. And she did say no - but immediately proceeded to offer me a 2-night stay if I was willing to change rooms for the second night. Of course I said yes! They don't take credit cards and requested payment in full by check within 10 days. So my check was winging its way to Hawaii by priority mail the very next day. <b><i>After staying at the Kona Tiki...</i></b> This place is a real winner. It's laid back and friendly, a great place to stay. I arrived after the official front desk close time, and although I was given the super-secret location of my room key ahead of time, I didn't need to use it. The resident managers were sitting on the lanai chatting with other guests - Shirley came in to give me my key, and Jim hauled my bike case up the stairs for me! The continental breakfast in the morning was a good place to meet other guests, the rooms were more than acceptable, and the setting was unbelieveable. The hotel sits just behind a seawall, so the sound of waves crashing against the wall was constant. And since the swimming pool was also on the edge of the sea wall, it often had salt water added to it by the crashing surf. <br/><br/> <center><img src="http://denise.smugmug.com/photos/460366320_3XN3x-500x500.jpg"></center>
<br/><dt> <b>Na'alehu --- <a href="http://www.macadamiameadows.com/"> Macadamia Meadows Farm B&B</a></b> <br />
<i>Night 3</i> </dt>
<dd> The pictures of this B&B look lovely, and Charlene Cowan graciously waived her 2-night minimum stay for me since I'm traveling by bicycle. She asked if I had any food allergies before we ended our conversation, told me that she'd keep an eye out for me since I'm traveling alone, and promptly sent me a confirmation and directions by email. In her email she mentioned that she was baking Portugese sweet bread that she was going to use in the next morning's french toast - yum! Sounds like I should expect a good breakfast here. <b><i>After staying at Macadamia Meadows...</i></b> Very bike friendly with excellent hosts. This is another great choice of a place to stay. The rooms are beautiful, I was given a sheltered and safe home for my bicycle, and the breakfast was wonderful. We had fruit, juice, coffee, and waffles with fresh macadamia nuts from their farm. But more than that - special treatment was provided for me as a cyclist. When I checked in, Courtney told me that Charlene would drive me into town for dinner. I really didn't want anything fancy and asked if there was any place where I could pick up a sandwich and other goodies. Since it was Sunday, Courtney called in to the Na'alehu Fruit Stand (also a store and bakery) - about 3 miles away - to get their closing time, then checked with Charlene and told me that she could drive me in to get my dinner in an hour. That gave me time to clean up first. On the way back Charlene asked if I'd like to see South Point, and then drove me there for a peek. To me that was really special, and I definitely appreciated the unsolicited transportation. <center><img src="http://denise.smugmug.com/photos/460366406_uEotT-500x500.jpg"></center>
<dt> <b>Volcano --- <a href="http://www.bbvolcano.com/">Aloha Junction B&B</a></b> <br />
<i>Nights 4 and 5</i> </dt>
<dd> Another B&B with a good web site - I'm always happy to see actual pictures to give me a warm feeling about the property. When I called to make the reservation and Susan asked how many people there would be I told her there would be one person and one bicycle. She responded by telling me that they'd just repaired their backyard jacuzzi - and that she thought I'd enjoy it after biking. That sounds good to me - bike from sea level to 4000 feet of elevation, then hop into a hot tub! I chose the room with at pillow-top queen bed, and was told that was the best choice in the house. I received a prompt confirmation and directions by email. <b><i>After staying at Aloha Junction...</i></b> Another fabulous B&B. The hosts own two houses on the grounds. They live in one, and use the second as the Bed & Breakfast - so the guests have access to the entire house. My room was lovely, and shared a bath with two other guest rooms. There was a wonderful living room with comfortable couches and a gas fireplace, a nice dining room, and a full kitchen which the guests were welcome to use. And there is a tree house out front that houses two twin beds - an interesting place to stay if you don't mind heights! There was a computer with internet access (free), and a jacuzzi in the back yard. Again, I was given a sheltered spot for my bike. The breakfasts here were out of this world. My first morning's breakfast was papaya, bananas, coffee, pancakes, and sausage. My second morning's breakfast was papaya, bananas, coffee, and a marvelous quiche. Aloha Junction is in Volcano Village, so it is walking distance to both a store and to several cafes and restaurants. I was on a Thai food kick while I was here, so I actually picked up take-out from the local Thai restaurant Thai Thai on both nights that I was here (great food, by the way). Both the host and the woman who did the cooking were wonderful. And as I was leaving, Robert told me to make sure to tell my friends about Aloha Junction, saying that they like to have cyclists stay there. I definitely recommend this one! <center><img src="http://denise.smugmug.com/photos/460366612_itDHZ-500x500.jpg"> <img src="http://denise.smugmug.com/photos/460366637_ehaBy-500x500.jpg"></center>
<dt><b>Hilo --- <a href="http://www.arnottslodge.com/">Arnott's Lodge</a></b> <br />
<i>Nights 6 and 7</i></dt>
<dd> This lodge has tenting space, bunk rooms, private rooms with shared baths, and private rooms with private baths. I've decided to splurge on a private/private room (of course this splurge will still cost me less than any other night on this trip) - but I'm sure I'll be using the shared kitchen facilities and their Internet access. It sounds like a great place to meet other travelers. One of the things that attracted me is that Arnott's runs adventure tours since as they say, most of their guests don't have cars. I've signed up for two of their tours - the first to see the sunset and stars at the top of Mauna Kea, and the second a van trip and hike to the active lava flows. These tours are the reason I'm spending 2 days in Hilo - now I just have to hope that both Pele and the weather cooperate. <b><i>After staying at Arnott's Lodge...</i></b> This is my 4th place to stay on the Big Island, and my 4th good choice. A backpacker's lodge with a variety of types of lodging - make your choice to match your desired price point! The rooms were basic, clean, and comfortable. I chose a private room, but I was sharing a kitchen so I still had ample chance to meet other people. And I think because of the variety of room types, I met people of all different ages. And as a typical backpacker's lodge/hostel, there were people there from all over the world. In addition to the shared kitchen in the house, there was a general (outdoor but under cover) lounge and meeting area by the office. Internet access was available. I went on two of Arnott's adventure tours and they were both great. See my journal entries for more details on the <a href="http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/journal/page/?page_id=5087">Mauna Kea</a> tour and the <a href="http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/journal/page/?page_id=5088"> lava hike</a>.
<dt><b>Waimea --- <a href="http://www.castleresorts.com/WCL/">Waimea Country Lodge</a></b> <br />
<i>Night 8</i></dt>
<dd> Searching on the web for a place to stay in Waimea was interesting, to say the least. It turns out that there are at least two cities called Waimea in the state of Hawaii - one on the island of Kauai, and one on the island of Hawaii. I did a bit of reading about some B&Bs before I realized that they were on the wrong island for this trip! The postal service in its infinite wisdom lists the Waimea on the Big Island as Kamuela. Hmm... are you confused yet? I've opted for a hotel here - there were a couple, but the one I chose is in easy walking distance of restaurants. I stayed here before when I did a supported tour of Hawaii with Backroads (I notice on their current trip that they appear to skip the night of lodging in Waimea), and I remember that it had decent rooms. <b><i>After staying at Waimea Country Lodge...</i></b> Another good place to stay. This one is really a regular motel. It looks like a strip motel from the outside, but the rooms are really quite nice and airy with a cathedral ceiling. They provide coffee and pastries in the morning, but I opted for a full breakfast at the restaurant next door.
<dt><b>Kohala Coast --- <a href="http://www.maunakeabeachhotel.com/">Mauna Kea Beach Hotel</a></b><br />
<i>Night 9</i></dt>
<dd> Another interesting place for Internet searches. I wanted to stay in a resort on the Kohala Coast - but if you're searching in one of the travel web sites (Orbitz, Expedia, etc.) you need to specify a city, not a region. The closest one here is Waikoloa. My last night in Hawaii is really a night and a full day since my flight home doesn't leave until 9:20 at night. I decided I wanted to stay at a resort overnight, and I plan to spend the day lounging and enjoying the beach. I've really splurged this time. I stayed at the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel once before - on the supported tour of Hawaii that I took with <a href="http://www.backroads.com">Backroads</a> 3 years ago. I liked the hotel - it's very laid back, in a great location. I'm looking forward to a relaxing day here. I figure that I'll check out of the hotel, have them hold my luggage for the day, and then use their health club to grab a shower before I head out for my long flight home (overnight, and the entire next day!). <b><i>After staying at the Mauna Kea...</i></b> This place is really over the top. I loved it - but keep in mind that it's not the place to stay if you're trying to save money. The Mauna Kea Beach Hotel is a 5-star resort that is very classy and very laid back. The building I stayed in is the Beach Front wing, and - no surprise - all of the rooms face the beach. The room was beautiful, the setting was wonderful, and the service was superb. If you want to treat yourself - stay at the Mauna Kea! <center><img src="http://denise.smugmug.com/photos/460366744_ciw86-500x500.jpg"></center> </dl>Denise Goldberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08049223586218975704noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6120577271636344726.post-78477357058096133732003-03-30T20:09:00.000-05:002009-01-23T20:12:29.420-05:00Where? Around the island!Once I made the decision to go to Hawaii, my plans came together very quickly. I've ridden the island before, so I have a good sense of distances and terrain. I found a biking guide on the <a href="http://www.pathhawaii.org/index.htm">PATH (People's Advocacy for Trails Hawai'i)</a> web site that helped too. <br /><br />I will be riding around the island, but as you look at my plans you'll see that this isn't a pure biking trip. I'll be biking, hiking, and doing a little relaxing too. It should be a well-rounded vacation.<br /><br /><hr/><br /><b>Day by day...</b><br /><br />This is a first for me. On my other solo trips, I've just gone with the flow, trusting that I'd find a place to stay when I decided the biking day was over. This time I have some specific things I want to see and do, and there are a couple of locations where there appear to be very few places to stay. I have no idea when high season is in Hawaii, but I suspect it's not the middle of May - so it's probably possible to just trust that I can find a place to stay at the end of the day. But even so, I planned this trip out, and made reservations for places to stay. Once I get to the Big Island, I'll just follow my plan. For anyone who wants a peek at it ahead of time, here's a view of my day to day plans.<br /><br /><table cellspacing=5, border=1><tr> <th>Day</th> <th>From - To</th> <th>Transportation</th> <th>Activity</th> </tr> <tr> <td>1</td> <td>Boston to Kona</td> <td>plane</td> <td>travel, travel, travel </td> </tr> <tr> <td>2</td> <td>Kailua-Kona</td> <td>bike & by foot</td> <td>wander around by bike & on foot, get acclimated</td> </tr> <td>3</td> <td>Kailua to Na'alehu</td> <td>bike</td> <td>bike, what else!</td> <tr> <td>4</td><td>Na'alehu to Volcano</td> <td>bike</td><td>bike</td> <tr> <td>5</td> <td>Volcano</td> <td>bike & by foot</td><td>wander & hike</td> <tr> <td>6</td> <td>Volcano to Hilo</td><td>bike & by van</td><td>bike + go to the top of Mauna Kea</td> <tr><td>7</td><td>Hilo</td><td>van & hike</td><td>hike to active lava flows (I hope!)</td> <tr> <td>8</td><td>Hilo to Waimea</td><td>bike</td><td>bike</td> <tr> <td>9</td><td>Waimea to the Kohala Coast</td><td>bike</td><td>bike</td> <tr> <td>10</td><td>Kohala Coast</td><td>stay still!</td><td>relax on the beach</td> <tr> <td>10 & 11</td><td>Kona to Boston</td><td>plane</td><td>travel home</td></table>Denise Goldberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08049223586218975704noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6120577271636344726.post-70740426036796720602003-03-27T20:00:00.003-05:002009-01-23T20:08:49.242-05:00The decision... circumnavigating the Big IslandOnce I opted for warmth and sunshine, the Big Island (also known as the island of Hawaii) was an obvious choice for me. I fell in love with the Big Island the first time I visited there, and it's always high on my list of places that I'd like to visit again. I've been there twice before - once back in the early 1980's for a hiking trip, and again just 3 years ago for a supported biking trip. Ever since, I've wanted to return for a self-supported tour. <br />
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What, you say, returning to a place where I've biked before? Why? <blockquote><br/>> because it's beautiful...<br />
<br/>> because everytime I go someplace, I see it through different eyes...<br />
<br/>> because I haven't had enough of the Big Island...<br />
<br/>> because there are places there that I haven't seen yet...<br />
<br/>> because I want to!</blockquote>This trip will be a ride around the island counterclockwise, starting and ending on the west coast. I've always been fascinated by the Hawaiian volcanos. My first trip to Hawaii was to the Big Island. Much to the dismay of my travel agent, who thought I should take a traditional Hawaii beach vacation, I spent most of my time in Hawaii Volcanos National Park. It was my first, but not my last, visit to the home of Pele. Pele is the Hawaiian goddess of volcanos. It is said that she makes her home in Halema'uma'u Crater within the Kilauea caldera. Even though I've been to the Big Island twice before, I've never been to see the active lava flows. On my first trip, the active flows weren't easily accessible. On my biking trip back in 2000, I could have gone, but... we had a rest day in the park. We stayed at Volcano House, the National Park lodge perched on the rim of the crater. To get there, we rode from sea level to the lodge at 4000 feet of elevation. For me to get to the active lava flows, I would have needed to ride downhill about 20 miles - almost back to sea level - and then back up again. Somehow that extra ride uphill didn't appeal to me at the time, so I went hiking instead. Laziness? I don't really think so! But I did need a rest (if you can call hiking resting!). This time I'm hoping to finally see the active lava flows. So I'm sending a big wish off to Madame Pele, and hoping that she provides a show! And I'm also planning to get to the top of Mauna Kea, another place that is somewhat hard to reach. For that I'm hoping for clear skies for our summit hike, sunset, and star viewing. My transportation to both of these wonders is via the van tours that Arnott's Lodge runs. Actually, the discovery of Arnott's adventure tours helped push me over the edge in my vacation decision. I always enjoy Hawaii, and the ability to get to two new places is a huge plus for me. <br />
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No parking? No kidding! And no biking either --- this stuff will melt bicycle tires. I'm hoping to see some interesting views like this one. Photo taken on April 1, 2003 (no, it's not an April Fool's joke), courtesy of the USGS Hawaii Volcano Observatory. <br />
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<hr/>Now that I've made my decision, I'm really excited about my trip to Hawaii. It's still 7 weeks off. It seems like a long time away, but I know the time will fly by. My departure date will be here before I know it. <i>As an aside - there's one more reason I need to visit Hawaii again with my bike. As I was looking for biking journals from folks who have traveled there, I noticed that Hawaii was the only state in the USA with zero journals on crazyguyonabike.com - I felt a need to fill in that spot. Not really - but I was pretty surprised that there wasn't a Hawaii journal on the site!</i> The pictures below were taken on my previous biking trip to the Big Island. Seeing pictures helps me dream... <br />
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</center>Denise Goldberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08049223586218975704noreply@blogger.com