This is the fourth and final story of my Ring around Hawaii bike tour. The others can be found here:
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Leaving Hilo, I turn back to look at the bay. We’ve packed up the bikes, and ready to ride. I’ll be back soon, can’t wait.
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First stop? Food for dinner tonight at camp. Welcome to the local KTA market. Never mind the biker invasion. Even though they’re a non-native species, they’ll eventually self-eradicate.
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Phil is subjected to a spot check by a local while shopping. All good, continue on. The natives are easy going.
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Post shopping, our bikes are once again stuffed to the brim. No matter, we’re itching to carry on.
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On the road. We rack up the miles. For the time being, I’m following Todd.
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A few of us peel away from the main group to take a side road that heads down towards the botanical gardens. It’s my first jungle.
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For Rosalita, she's donning all the covers. The rain blasted us all afternoon. I was drenched, but not cold. The green covers are actually home-made from plastic shopping bags.
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We regroup and pause for calorie intake. Todd, Erik and Jeff. Trying to redistribute as much food as we can from our panniers to our stomachs. It quickly became a laughing matter.
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We arrive at our camp for the night: Laupahoehoe Beach Park. Not gorgeous enough. Will be filing for a refund.
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Final light. I am late starting dinner while glued to these rays of sun.
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On the road again, the next morning. Life is good, with a tail wind and lovely scenery. Oh, to spend a month on this bluff just watching clouds. No, I would not get bored!
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For many miles, you’re often riding alone. Sometimes all day. Then you come upon a shop where a few comrades are hanging out. I stopped to check in with Todd and Henry.
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Another market stop for dinner groceries. All bikes stuffed! Luckily our destination for the day wasn’t far. Nothing spilled out.
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Have arrived: Waipi'o Lodge.
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Set high on the bluff, we have an outdoor kitchen, sleeping platform-tents and an outdoor shower. I love this place.
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Glamping? Guilty as charged. Fight me.
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I sat for a while and just . . . sat.
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Our outdoor kitchen.
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My usual while on the island. (One life, right?)
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Banana anyone? I picked up one off the side of the road the day before. It was fine. I know that because, yes, I ate it.
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We walked up the road to the valley overlook. Stunning! A very important historical site, down in that valley. Too much to write here, but a bloody battle occurred that was the turning point in the effort to have all Hawaiian islands under the control of one king.
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After dinner, there is waving sugar cane (left) and quiet sounds of crickets and the rumble of distant waves breaking below the bluff.
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Next morning, breakfast, coffee, coffee, coffee then packing the bike. A routine we perform without much thought at this point. I love this little spot on the island and hope to visit again.
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Passing through town . . .
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. . . then out of town. Give me days living and riding by bike, and all is right with me.
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Hawaiian horses are the happiest horses.
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We end our day in Waimea. In town there is a large, colorful boot dedicated to a few local cowboys (paniolos).
No camping in Waimea, so a motel for us – and made use of their outdoor grill for dinner. The wind kicked up and it got a little nasty out. Waimea is known for its wind.
But I was elated when Virginia and Lyz showed up to join me in a very-happy happy-hour! Sorry to say I don’t have any photos! Yes, I knew they were on their way – and was on my mind all day.
Funny what can happen while you’re out biking. Wife touched down at Hilo airport just after I had left a few days ago. She and Lyz apparently have been having quite a time.
Our encounter was so great yet short, but we’ll all be reunited again in a few more days after I roll up to the Holiday-Inn in Kailua-Kona, the final mile on the final day. No more biking at that point. (Sad face.) No!
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Next morning, on the road again, starting the day with a long uphill climb. But Hawaii magic strikes again with a rainbow sitting just on the horizon to mesmerize and distract the hard-working cyclists from their windy, up-hill battle.
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Somewhere over the rainbow, a volcano appeared which - as we know, is Mauna Loa. This is Mauna Kea’s big sister. A little taller, and - at the time of this photo – was racking up earthquakes as a precursor to a big eruption that happened just after Virginia and I left the Island 10 days later.
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Mauna Loa is greeted by morning clouds. This is Hawaii’s ranching mecca, a huge swath of interior land with many cattle.
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I rode alone today, often my preference. Therefore, there was no protest when I decided to stop in a little village called Hawi for lunch and some on-foot exploration. A lovely afternoon indeed.
I stumbled into a shop with a little bell attached to the door (remember those?) - part Post Office, part art gallery, part gift shop, part café. I had fun talking with the proprietor, the guy who painted all the fish on the set of cards I purchased. Try having that much fun shopping at Walmart.
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There is much more riding to be done today. After Hawi, I continue on, and on and on – and sometime later - spied another compadre ahead. It’s Erik. I can tell.
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I stopped to observe that I’ve fully moved beyond the lusher, greener part of the island (i.e. Hilo) as this beautiful tree rooted in the dry lava scape confirms.
This is the dry Kailua-Kona side, and the end is getting closer. Gah! I don’t want it to end. Anyone want to go around once more?
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After many miles and smiles - I eventually found my crew invading a mini mall. I pulled over to join in on the chaos – partaking of shaved ice (red "flavor" added) and water refill.
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I continued on. I came upon Stu, who is always inspirational and always leaves you in a good mood. At 80 years old, he has done this Ring-Around-Hawaii five times. Yes, five.
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Then came upon Jeff, also inspirational in that he has untold miles while touring on his bike. He’s on a quest to bike across ever state.
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A long day in the saddle. Finally arrive our destination, Spencer Beach Park. Time to start the routine: set up tent, wash & hang bike clothes, check bike for any potential mechanical problems, then – of course - snorkeling.
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Our nightly moment of silence. We love this pavilion right on the water.
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Breakfast the next morning at the Mauna Kea hotel – and this was strangely enough - a “Plan B” for our breakfast.
“Plan A” was to visit a local café, but on this section of the coast, there were many eateries that closed during covid then never were able to reopen.
The ultra-luxurious Mauna Kea Resort [ https://www.maunakearesort.com/ ] happened to be just down the road from our campsite – and after a few calls – was suddenly the breakfast of last resort. And what a resort it is.
Take another look at those photos above. And the website link.
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And in the final miles to Kailua-Kona was done while a rare rainstorm pounded us for the entire afternoon. I followed Phil and his new floosy [found roadside] all the way to town.
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But the days in Hawaii continued for me and Virginia here – at this nice B&B in Hilo just next door to our pal Lyz. We settled into Hilo and loved it.
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If you've been to this island, I'd love to hear all about it. Comments are encouraged, just use the form below. The comment password is life is good .
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