Big Island Rides?

[Steve Juniper]

Any suggestions about especially nice rides on the Hawaiin big island - preferably around 30-50
miles. My wife and I are going to be there Dec 9-16 and I'd like to find a bike and get in at least
a couple of rides. Would be nice to borrow a bike and join a club ride but suppose that a long
shot... (Too much hassle to try to bring a bike with us.)
--
Steve Juniper

"The people can always be brought to do the bidding of the leaders... All you have to do is tell
them they are being attacked, and denounce the peacemakers for lack of patriotism and exposing the
country to danger. It works the same in any country." Hermann Goering before being sentenced to
death at Nuremberg.

 

[Dan Birchall]

[email protected] (Steve Juniper) wrote:
> Any suggestions about especially nice rides on the Hawaiin big island - preferably around 30-50
> miles. My wife and I are going to be there Dec 9-16 and I'd like to find a bike and get in at
> least a couple of rides. Would be nice to borrow a bike and join a club ride but suppose that a
> long shot... (Too much hassle to try to bring a bike with us.)

It's really going to depend on where you're based. And in most cases, it's pretty much guaranteed to
involve hills.

If you're staying Kona side, you could go up the highway and do part of the Ironman route. If you're
in Kamuela, you could do something involving North Kohala, maybe, but you'd have some hills to deal
with. If you're in Hilo, hmm. North along the coast isn't too awful, there are some scenic detours
(Onomea Bay comes to mind) and you can get up to a 100-mile round-trip (go to Waipio Valley
overlook) while staying under 1200' elevation. Also south and east into lower Puna (Pahoa etc) isn't
too hilly.

Volcano Village is at 4000' and it's uphill from anywhere. Kamuela is around 3000' I think, also
uphill coming into town from most directions.

Over here in Hilo, my favorite ride is currently out to Pepeekeo (~10 miles out), taking scenic
routes (Honoli'i/Pauka'a, Papaikou, Onomea Bay) on the way out (thus spending only about 0.6 miles
total on the highway in that direction) and then doing the downhill run into town at least _mostly_
on the highway.

If you let me know where you're going to be, I can try to think of better rides.

-Dan

--
Perfer et obdura; dolor hic tibi proderit olim. | http://dan.birchalls.net/