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Going to Kona! ...
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....In March.... :)

So a couple of things, I'm not too keen on dragging my bike over 1/2 an ocean just to do a few training rides. Is anyone familiar with the bike rental places around Kona? Also would love to do 'the swim' is there anything stopping that from happening? And because I'll be a tourist, what are the must see's?
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Re: Going to Kona! ... [racin_rusty] [ In reply to ]
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Re: Going to Kona! ... [MTL] [ In reply to ]
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I googled this last night and found that shop, just wondering if there's something I'm missing.
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Re: Going to Kona! ... [racin_rusty] [ In reply to ]
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Bike Works is the place to go to. It's right off Queen K. They have lots of different rental bikes to choose from. Tri and road. Go ahead and rent something you were always curious about but never got a chance to try. I have a Shiv. I rented a Scott Plasma from them last year.

Where are you staying? We rented a cabin on a coffee plantation up in Holualoa. Only 3-4 miles from Kailua and about 7 degrees cooler up there.

Edit: you can swim in Kailua bay. Everyone does. Don't cross the pier though. Boat traffic. Start to the left of the pier and remain behind the buoy line until the line disappears. Must see? Everything. Every part of that island is unique. Kona is a volcanic desert. Area around Hilo is a tropical rain forest. North are farms and cattle grazing on grassy rolling hills. Northeast even looks a little like PNW with pine-like (they are not) forests and ferns. South reminded me of cliffs of Dover. And then there's the Kilauea national park. Etc.... Highly recommend circumnavigating the island on the Belt Road, and to Hilo over the Saddle Road.
Last edited by: Dilbert: Dec 19, 14 16:32
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Re: Going to Kona! ... [Dilbert] [ In reply to ]
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The tour dude is saying the Sheraton. Comes with buffet breakfast but no meals after that. Any good places to grab lunches & suppers? Also, is the ride to Hawi and back a safe training ride?
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Re: Going to Kona! ... [racin_rusty] [ In reply to ]
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From Kona to Hawi you start on Queen K new road wide shoulders. It's as safe as a rural highway can be. Then you turn onto 270 for the last bit to Hawi. Not as nice but it has shoulders too.

I'd also recommend the Saddle Road but not all the way to Hilo. The road climbs very high over a saddle between Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea. It is a brand new highway with wide shoulders and spectacular scenery until you get to within 15 or so miles of Hilo then it turns into an old scary highway with chip seal, blind corners, and zero shoulder. I'd suggest climbing it then turning around and going back to Kona. There's a little gravel parking lot at the bottom where Saddle Road (200) meets the 190. The 190 has no shoulder. It may be safer to park there (19.935883, -155.687478) and then ride the Saddle Road.

Edit: Sheraton? That must be at the fancy pants resort and golf course area at Keauhou Bay. It's a little ways outside of Kailua.
Last edited by: Dilbert: Dec 19, 14 16:49
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Re: Going to Kona! ... [racin_rusty] [ In reply to ]
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The ride to Hawi is very safe. Wide shoulder the entire way. The ice cream shop in Hawi is worth the ride.
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Re: Going to Kona! ... [racin_rusty] [ In reply to ]
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Sheraton is just down the road from where we stayed. Convenient if you want to do a boat/snorkel tour (hint - you want to). Also, from the outdoor bar at the Sheraton you can see the manta rays feeding at night.

Get a car & drive. The state park just north of Kona is pretty cool. Volcano national park is neat. We drove Saddle Road at night. Couldn't go to the observatory (kid is too young), but even stopping to look from the road was AMAZING.
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Re: Going to Kona! ... [racin_rusty] [ In reply to ]
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I've rented really good road bikes from both Bike Works locations for $30-$35 a day. Can't go wrong there.


racin_rusty wrote:
The tour dude is saying the Sheraton. Comes with buffet breakfast but no meals after that. Any good places to grab lunches & suppers?
Da Poke Shack, Umeke's Poke and Big Daddy's Pupus and Beers.

racin_rusty wrote:
Also, is the ride to Hawi and back a safe training ride?
Yes. If you want to do a climb do Hina Lani St, plus Kaloko if you're really fit and/or looking for a giant challenge. You can go all the way to Waimea on the upper highway from the top of Hina Lani. Awesome ride. Or you can do Kawaihae Rd. up to Waimea. That's a solid climb, too. I've climbed and descended Waikoloa Rd. and won't do either again - too narrow with nasty crosswinds. Kawaihae is way better. Kohala Mountain Rd. on the return trip from Hawi makes for an epic all-day ride. There's a good hilly loop down Captain Cook way. You can stop to fill bottles at the grocery stores down Waikoloa Beach Drive or Mauna Lani Drive (can get good pokE there too), at the little stores in Kawaihae just after the turn to Hawi, Hawi itself, Waimea - you can usually plan it so you don't go more than about 75 minutes between refills. If you do the upper highway to Waimea or Kawaihae to Hawi you'll probably get a headwind for the last 10 miles so don't leave Kawaihae or Matsuyama store (top of Kaiminani) without two full bottles or you'll be roadkill.

Sylvan Smyth | http://www.sportstats.asia | sylvan@sportstats.asia | Starvas
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Re: Going to Kona! ... [racin_rusty] [ In reply to ]
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racin_rusty wrote:
....In March.... :)

So a couple of things, I'm not too keen on dragging my bike over 1/2 an ocean just to do a few training rides. Is anyone familiar with the bike rental places around Kona? Also would love to do 'the swim' is there anything stopping that from happening? And because I'll be a tourist, what are the must see's?


Bikeworks and Cyclestation are your bike rental options.

Sheraton Keahou is a nice hotel, good luau. Swim from there to Kona pier if you want to replicate the Ultraman swim (in reverse). The Sheraton was the hub for the Kona Marathon/Half Marathon, some Lavamans, and a Half Ironman back in the day. There are some great hills around Keahou.

Must See: Volcano, Mauna Kea Summit, Manta Snorkel, Queen K ride from Kona>Hawi and return, run in the Energy Lab, hike down into Pololu valley, Makalawena (between four seasons and airport on Kona side)

Must Eat: Big Island Brewhaus (Waimea), Kona Brewpub, Merriman's (Waimea), Bamboo (Hawi), Sushi Rock (Kapa'au), Roy's (Waikoloa)
Last edited by: 808nation: Dec 19, 14 23:26
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Re: Going to Kona! ... [808nation] [ In reply to ]
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Great advice above.

Also make sure to do a swim up at Hapuna Bay (out front of the Prince Hotel but public access as well) - site of the 70.3 swim and an amazing bay.

There is a great public outdoor pool in Kona and it is free!

Hopefully you get some humpback activity - tail end of the season but should still be some there!

Heli tour is a great way to see this island.

Finally, and maybe most important, there is a beer festival in early March - the Kona Brewfest Mar 11-Mar 14...tickets sell out quick so check online soon. There is a 5k and 10k run on the Sat am which is fun and the free beer at the end makes all other race swag pale in comparison lol!

Enjoy!
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