2025-03 Hawaii

Tuesday ¶

Left Eagle airport at 11:30, except for the snowstorm catching up to us and we had to deice on the runway.

Layover in Denver and then a 7h flight to Honolulu. Adrienne bought business class for points and so it was a fancy pancy flight. Our seats could fold down to a short bed. We had two different servings, and even including dessert.

The bike box almost didn’t fit in the Lyft, he ended up folding one seat, and with some creativity he made it all fit.

Finally slept at hotel just after midnight

Wednesday ¶

I woke up first, went out walking around the neighboorhood and the Waikiki beach. Hiking up to a 30’ (10m) waterfall at Manoa Falls

Relaxed in the morning – cloudy – chilled on beach, read a book, ate at Sato’s seafood – poke bowl plus seared salmon as I ate my peanut butter sandwich from MD. Did Manoa Falls hike in afternoon, cameback to hotel and ate more poke at Maguro spot and then came home and slept

Thursday ¶

Hiked up Diamond Crater Lake Walked back to hotel, stopping for Cold brew at Aloah Pinapple cafe and a second stop for Drins shaved ice. Vanilla icream and taro was nice, but the shaved ice itself, not so much. Then over to the Waikiki beach, for a few hours of relaxing and swimming. But we were soon tired of the sun, so went to hotel for some relaxing during the hottest part of the day. Went to Paia Fish market for dinner. I had seafood pasta (yay for something without rice) and adrienne got Snapper on a bed of potatoes she couldn’t finish.

woke up at 6am to eat breakfast and do the Diamond head crater hike before it got too hot. Saw the top – anders says that I have bouncy feet. Had cold brew and Acai bowl at Aloha café, nasty shaved ice at Geecko Girls, got cheap tacos and poke from food trucks. Anders had food poisoning at night.

21/3 Friday ¶

Bike ride up Diamondhead road and then chickening out when supposed to enter the highway to go further east. Instead doing 3 loops around Diamondhead crater on low-traffic streets. The the road above the lighthouse was amazing, beautiful views of the ocean and great fast tarmac.

We gorged ourselves on tasty bakeries from Lilikai bakery, walked to the running shoe store where Drin spent >1h trying shoes before buying a pair just as the shop was closing.

In the evening we intended to go see the fireworks from Hilton. We found a spot along the beach where a bunch of other people were already waiting. As the clock hit 19:45 and we started hearing fireworks, the realization dawned on us that we couldn’t actually see the fireworks from our location :( Fail.

Anders went for road biking, I slept in a little and did pelaton in the gym. We went to the beach before noon – I actually dipped in the ocean. Anders got more poke from Sato place. Went to Lilakoi bakery to try the coco puffs – thought those were disappointing but the passionfruit donut was good, anders didn’t let me eat his apple Danish, we both finished the cold brew coffee;I went to the Running Room and got new shoes and pants. Wished that I bought the Saucony pants as well . hate eczema of the thighs. Dinner was Paia fishhouse – anders loved their pasta

22/3 Saturday ¶

Haunauma bay with Sharon in the morning! Stopped by leonards – li hing mui donut was the best. Devoured the cranberry scone from Lilkoi bakery. Anders ate two Hawaiian donut, Sharon had the original donut. Amazing fish talk at 10am – saw parrotfish, convict fish,trigger fish, favorite fish was a small fish with white polka dots. First time we went snorkling, anders forgot about me. Didn’t get the reservation tickets, but got walk-in tickets with Sharon. Finally met Terry for lunch at Pearl Harbour – walked around and read a lot of signs. Then did a local’s hike at Aeia trailhead to get to the lookout point. We had dinner at Matsumoto’s udon downstairs. Then went back to Sharon’s place to unpack and do laundry again.

Sunday ¶

Anders smacked me in the face with his helmet. We woke up early to do the Koko trail head hike. Got too many onigiri at 7/11 – 2 sandwiches too many. Trail was total worth it. Then did a secondhike to M point to see the lighthouse. Then went to shower, do more laundry and eat Korean food at this amazing place. Then had dessert at HoMa – museum of modern art.  Dinner at Jade Dynasty at the mall. Picked up squid from Costco. Picked up li hing mui mango and lycheegummies.

Going to airport, bike box in Sharons SUV. Says goodbye to to Drin and Sharon at the Hawaii airlines terminal. Regular blue luggage bought in Sweden many years ago finally breaks, the main carry handle breaks. No seat assigned at first. When picking up luggage in Maui, the blue bag has a new large doink. Time to retire that bag. First rental car can’t fit the bike box. Have to upgrade to a Kia Sportage. Arrives to apt hotel after nine. Reception closed for the day, no lockbox keycode. Texting the staff and finally got into room. Very hot. Found AC after a while.

Monday ¶

Weary legs from all the hiking last two days. Picks up baguette and poke bowl from grocery store. Explores nearby beaches. First beach just 1 minute walk. Continues on a Kapalua Coastal Trail to 2 other beaches and a bird sancuary area. Bathing at last beach with huge waves. Back to apt for lunch, rest and assembling of bike. Goes for a shake-down and warmup ride in afternoon. Very warm at 16 still, 80+. Planning to go biking on the north road tomorrow. Got seafood pasta for dinner, picked up beer in grocery store.

Mon Mar 24th: Dropped off postcards, went to Chinatown for dimsum with Sharon, got HK style milk tea from HK café- it is VERYgood. Got some heattrans. Preparing for our 9 hr and 30 min flight tmrw. Need to go work out again today.

Tuesday ¶

Biked the north side of West Maui in the morning. It was really beautiful and relatively few cars. Biked to the Nakahele blowhole which didn’t seem to do anything when I was there. Views and roads were perfect. There was a short section called The Wall which maxed out at 16% inclination. That one was tough.

Wednesday ¶

Rest day with just swimming and walking between beaches.

Found Tom the Turtle when snorkling in Kapalua. I was hailed by another snorkler who asked if I wanted to see a shark. Turned out it was a turtle, not a shark. He lived under a rock and came out to go to surface for some air before head back to the rock.

Thursday ¶

Haleakala!

Woke up at 6, planning to head out just after sunset. Arrived in Kahului for food-trucks at 7.30, only to find them still closed. Continues to Kula Bistro for breakfast and fried-rice takeaway instead of the planned burrito.

Continues to Haleakala National park, park at the Headquarter visitor center at 7000 feet. Bikes from there to the summit at 10 000 feet. Perfect weather on the climb, few cars and such beautiful views. Eats banana and chocolate bar at summit. 20 miles and 3000 feet was a good 2 hour excercise. I would not have been able to finish the next option which was 50 miles and 7000 feet, that’s for sure.

On the way down, cold fog comes in, and it gets chilly and wet. Brakes start squealing from the wet. I had planned to walk Hosmer Grove Trail with zoom lens after biking to spot birds but I gave up on that. No visibility with the fog.

Friday ¶

Biking north side again in morning before checkout.

Went to see turtles in Kaulahao Bay. Also Costco, Walmart, Coffee shop, trying to stay cool before checkin at airport.