Metric century on the Hamakua Coast

Here's a photo from my bike ride on February 20, 2004. I had initially hoped to do a 100-mile (imperial) "century" but due to time constraints and headwinds on the return leg, completed only 67-70 miles. Of course, that's more than a 100-km "metric century" so I'm... content.

Elevation marker near Pepeekeo, Hawaii

I rode up the Hawaii Belt Highway (19) from Hilo through Papaikou, Pepeekeo, stopped in Honomu for food, continued through Hakalau and Ninole, stopped in Laupahoehoe for food, continued through Ookala, stopped in Paauilo for food, then turned off the highway at Honoka'a and took the road from there out to the Waipio Valley overlook. On the way back, I stopped riding in Paauilo and was retrieved by my family.

I might have gone further had I actually practiced, eaten a good breakfast, gotten enough sleep, remembered to grease my bike's chain, and lost the extra 40 pounds I'm lugging around first... and had someone not wanted me to get home faster so they could go to a dance class. :)

I took this photo with my Nokia 3650 smartphone's camera, held at arm's length. Unfortunately, the 3650 is a 900/1800/1900Mhz "world" phone, and after selling it to me for quite a lot of money, AT&T chose to upgrade all the towers in my area except the one nearest Hilo to... 850MHz. It's not very "mobile" when going more than 10-15 miles from that one cell tower results in a total lack of service coverage. When I finally got coverage again in Honoka'a and called home, I learned that they'd been calling hospitals to see if I'd been brought in injured or dead.