The Bicycle Adventure Club - Come Ride With Us!

Hawaii 2019 - Circumnavigate The Big Island #2

January 21st to February 5th

Ride Director: Warner Griswold
Ride Co-Director: Sue Bunten
Ride Driver: John McCoy
Report by: Ernie Coose

Hawaii 2019 – Circumnavigate the Big Island #2

Leaders: Warner Griswold, Sue Bunten, John McCoy (with honorable mention to Linda Stewart)

Reported by: Ernie Coose

Thanks to our leaders, we enjoyed a scenic, exciting, and safe loop around the big island of Hawaii.

Routes were well planned to take advantage of the most scenic and safe roads available. We were frequently up high, looking down on dramatic panoramas of the coastline and valleys below. We cycled through leafy forest where roadside tables offered tropical fruits for sale on the shoebox honor system. On the dry side of the island, we cycled past lava fields that reminded us of how Hawaii came to be there. On our last day, we returned to our starting point in Kona via the route of the Hawaii Ironman. The rides were a good mix of hard days and rest days. Climbs were sometimes tough, but the downhill rides that followed were on smooth pavement with swooping curves where we could really let the bike fly.

That said, there’s often only one way to get from here to there on the big island. The way of the day could sometimes be a busy two-lane road with shoulders varying from some to none. The route out of Waimea was a beautiful ride, but with extreme, gusty crosswinds. We knew all that from the ride description. Many Hawaiian drivers seemed to stick strictly in their lane when passing us on two-lane roads, rather than drift over to give us a little space. We weren’t accustomed to cars often passing so closely that we could have reached over and touched them.

The tour description included an offer to truck us and our bikes up the major mountains. However, our leaders were extremely supportive about offering a lift whenever needed or preferred. The big island has some climbs that go on for miles and a stretch with scary crosswinds, so their willingness to help really made a difference. They helped keep our rides in the pleasure zone! Coincidentally, both tandems had major derailleur failures. In both cases, Warner found a bike shop, confirmed availability of parts, and brought us in for repairs.

Our leaders offered us a wide range of extracurricular activities:

·         We snorkeled at night with manta rays weighing hundreds of pounds. They swooped up from the depths, so close that our guides pre-warned us not to touch them.

·         There were whale-watching and other ocean-going trips of all kinds available in the towns. One couple even went down in a submarine!

·         We biked to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, just down the road from our hotel. The month-long government shutdown ended the day before our visit, so our timing was lucky. We got to see the roads broken by the 2018 Kilauea eruption and the giant black caldera that remains.  Glowing hot lava is no longer visible (for now!) because it all flowed down to the ocean last year and buried people’s homes along the way.

·         On an off-day, John McCoy drove a group of us all over Hilo to see various waterfalls and to hike through a pitch-black lava tube a half mile long.

·         We stopped at a black sand beach and watched large sea turtles sunbathe.

·         We also had the chance to visit an orchid farm and a zoo.

Our hotels were unique and luxurious, all but one right at oceanside or in the rainforest. Many of the group snorkeled or body-surfed right in front of our hotels. Poolside umbrella drinks were also popular. Most breakfasts were included and were wide-ranging buffets. Now that we’re home, we’re missing our daily papaya and pineapple at breakfast.

Food is very expensive in Hawaii. Our leaders went to great effort to pre-purchase two weeks of lunch supplies and snacks at Costco, then set up a highly-organized sandwich-making station each day after breakfast. Assisted by a rotating team of assistants, we were able to pack our lunches and keep costs within reason. We had mashed avocado for our sandwiches most days, thanks to sharp-eyed riders who picked up strays along roads where they grow wild. Most dinners were on our own, so we had the option to feast or eat light, to manage our costs and/or calories. Local fish was on the menu in all Hawaiian restaurants, but there were also pizza places and of course, there are cheeseburgers in paradise.