Cycling around Oahu, Hawaii 2 | Laie to Waikiki
Breakfast was just fruit and yoghurt at the Airbnb, packed up my overnight stuff and hit the road fairly early, for me, on a holiday, about nine...
I'd planned to follow the coast to Waialua, then the more minor roads south and skirt Pearl Harbour on a cycle path seen on Google Maps. The last part would be a mix of cycle path and riding industrial/city roads back to Waikiki.
This was as close as I got to the Laie Hawaii (Mormon) Temple, as passed by leaving town. Apparently it is a big tourist attraction, but not for me. I have been in the Hamilton, NZ, Temple years ago. I was a kid and it was some sort of public open day, Christmas?
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There was a few kilometres, or miles I guess, of dedicated cycle path, the most I saw on this side of the island.
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Most of the ride was on highway like this. Usually a reasonable verge to ride on and not a great volume of traffic. There are several 'famous' food trucks along the coast between Laie and Kawela Bay but I was too early in the day for them. It wasn't that early, but most didn't open until 10-11:00am.
Was passed by lots of tour buses and vans, including several 'Turtle Experience' ones, but after my Pearl Harbour day of 'organised touring' was so glad to be on a bike choosing my own path.
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Farming and right wing politics, a common combination around the world...
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The calm surf beach!
Arrived at the famous 'Sunset Beach' (Pupukea), home of many surf competitions, but it was a pretty tame day.
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There was some surf, but hardly world class!
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Donuts with a stranger | Haleiwa & Waialua Bay
Earlier at Sunset Beach I'd stopped at the 'World Famous' (in Oahu?) Ted's Bakery. It was packed but at least I had no trouble parking! All the tables were full, with people waiting, so got something to take with me. Decided their pies, meaning sweet because this is the U.S., were a bit delicate to survive a trip in the backpack but got some pastries and a donut for later.
Diverted off the main highway to check out Waialua, a small coastal settlement which reminded me of many in NZ. Very different feel to the commercial side of the island.
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Looking for somewhere quiet to consume my sweet payload I went down a public path between some houses on Waialua Beach road. The reward was a deserted, but obviously not always from the footprints, beach with a lovely outlook. As I munched pastries and donuts, bike fuel!, a turtle popped its head out of the shore break and gazed at me, perhaps it wanted some. Although brief, not even a minute, I think this was a better 'turtle experience' than any of the tourists packed in vans and buses got.
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On the 803/750
The inland highways were not the most thrilling cycling but had some nice views.
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Once again my earlier helicopter recce had prepared me for this!
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Pineapple fields forever? (sorry John)
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Around Pearl Harbour
Although the start took a bit of finding, tucked between a factory and some scruffy industrial wasteland, the Google Map promised bike path did exist!
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It runs around the perimeter of Pearl Harbour, between the industrial area and harbour below, most of the way back towards the tanks in the distance
Although flat this part of the ride was quite slow. It was a shared path so, although not many pedestrians, I wasn't racing and because, as the day went on, I'd got a sore knee. It was painful to the point where I was mostly riding 'one leg power' to rest it. I think it was a combination of unfamiliar bike, different saddle/reach (I have a shorter than usual handlebar stem length on my bikes) and perhaps not spending long enough adjusting things. I've never had it before, nor since!
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Parking lot at Pearl Harbour.
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I didn't photograph the last part of the ride, the path and industrial areas along the Kamehameha Hwy (mid frame in the aerial shot below), as it wasn't particularly scenic, in places quite tragic. Sections of the path were lined with lots of 'semi-permanent dwellings' occupied by homeless people who are chased out of the tourist areas.
As it was warm, mid-afternoon on a hot sunny day, many of them were sitting outside. I never felt threatened as passed by, even had several friendly greetings, but most appeared just totally disinterested in whatever universe they were experiencing.
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Last Evening in Waikiki
Dropped off the bike and walked a few blocks 'home', below. It was my last evening in Waikiki and it was a stunner.
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Evening on the beach.
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The sun sets, on its way to New Zealand?
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I had dinner in the International Marketplace Japanese food hall, a huge bowl of ramen noodles, at shared bar style tables. I don't really remember the meal, but do remember one other patron. A couple of seats away an extremely elegant immaculately dressed Japanese woman, probably from one of the high end cosmetic stores upstairs, demolished her ramen bowl in about half the time I took and, unlike me, didn't end up wearing half of it!
Dessert was, of course, the by now routine Gelato.
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And Home...
Last look at the view, not beachfront but good enough considering I was rarely in the room.
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Evidence Honolulu Airport runs, or doesn't, on Windows.
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A 747 peeking in the window... but not mine.
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I must have been a bit bored waiting at the gate, made some trip travel notes...
- If you need a luggage cart for carry-on, it ain't carry-on...
- Why do people sit in boarding lounges ahead of 9 hours of sitting in an aircraft?
- Why are no two TSA checks the same? Had every combination of belt on/off, shoes on/off, computer in/out...
- Why does everyone act like they've never flown before?
- Yes the agent who's been announcing: "Have your boarding pass and passport available" for the last 30 minutes is going to ask to see them when you board?
- How can no two public bathrooms (in airports, malls, hotels or Vegas conference venue) have the same mix of sensor/manual toilet flush or taps, hand dryers or paper towel dispensers? Every one is a control deciphering adventure...
The ride home, I liked flying on Hawaian's Airbus A330: Hawaii, Seattle, Las Vegas, Hawaii, done!
If I go to the U.S. again would go via Hawaii. it was much nicer to split the flight and would like to see Hawaiʻi, 'the big island', and cycle there too. Although heading home it won't be for long. I have Friday at home, then an early flight on Saturday to the NZ Skeptics Conference in Wellington.
