The Three Coconuts

Every morning I have been up by 5:00 am and tried to get in either a bike ride, a run, or swim. I finish up whatever I am doing by 9 and the rest of the day is about having fun with the Diesel and the Genius. Grant at Bike Works gave me a list of some of the local favorite rides, and with this came no warnings............note to self, drive by car any route suggested by bike shop people, most of which have a sick sense of humor.

Monday morning I left the condo and headed south on my bike for what was going to be a simple 3 hour ride. An hour and 1/2 out, then back. I new there was going to be some nice climbs because the route was the same as when we drove over to Kealakekua Bay to swim over to the Captain Cook Monument. Funny how things seem easier when going by motorized vehicle. The first 3 miles along Ali'i Drive was a warmup, get the blood moving to the legs because at the end of Ali'i there is a nasty little grade that is about 100 yards long and will bring you to an abrupt stop without some serious effort. Then its a right turn then a quick left on to Kam III up to Hwy. 11, right on Hwy. 11 to Napo'opo'o Rd. From condo to Napo'opo'o is about 12.6 miles. In Florida this would take about 30 minutes. This took almost an hour. The elevation change is 1534 ft. and a temperature drop of 10 degrees. The temp drop was nice because by that time I was sweating my a$$ off. 12 miles of climbing with no break for the legs, nice. When I got to Napo'opo'o I was supposed to descend down to the bay (approx 5 miles) then loop back up and head home. I remembered from the day before, that road was very narrow, and winding, and steep (downhill), and little to no guard rails for your safety. I stopped at the top of the road, thought better of the descent down Napo'opo'o Road and headed back towards Kialua. The trip back was FAST. It took about 1/2 the time to get back down off the mountain. There was several times I found myself riding the break. Speeds in excess of 40 on a bike scare the living $--t out of me. However during one of my screaming downhills I was in the middle of a blind right hand curve, a rock wall on my right and no bike lane. There was shrubs at the base of this rock wall and low and behold under the shrubs was a small flock of chickens. That's right chickens, roosting, laying eggs or something. About the time I came roaring past they all squalled and flew violently upward into the scrubs. I thought I had been got.

I wound up riding thru town and then looped back to the condo. The ride was shorter than anticipated but a great workout none-the-less.

Wednesday mornings ride was the one I think the bike shop guys were probably laughing their a$$es off when they suggested this ride. I set out early and decided to ride out to the energy lab to find the entrance to Pine Trees, a local surf spot accessable by 4WD only. I looped back out to the Queen K Hwy. and back towards town to Hina Lani St. Any locals including Bree that read this just raised an eyebrow. I was to ride up this street and continue on up a switchback road that Lance Armstrong did some training on prior to the Tour de France. Cool, I'm thinking. By the time I reached to top of Hina Lani St. my heartrate was pegged and my quads where screaming. At one point near the top I know I was only doing 3 to 4 miles per hour. I was worried if I stopped I would fall over and roll back down this grade that was I know 20+ percent. So I stood up in the pedals and grinded it out. Pain and all I got to the top and I was able to get this pic about 150 yards from the top.......notice the roof top in the forefront of the pic.

The problem with these types of climbs is the steeper the climb the faster your a$$ is coming down. I stopped at the top and contemplated this delima. Don't get me wrong, I love to climb. It's hard and intense. Most people whine about riding the hills and climbing. Not me. However, I have not mastered nor gained the necessary confidence to go screaming back down these hills at what I know today wound have been in excess of 50 mph. I have hit the asphalt at 23 mph. I have no interest in doing so at twice the speed. So I rode the brakes to a point of cramps in my hands back down Hina Lani St., hit the Queen K and headed back to the condo, legs totally used up, a good day on the bike.

Got to go.........it's late here and I have one last ride to do in paradise tomorrow morning.

Aloha!

The Three Coconuts.