Monday, October 3, 2016

Hawaii Travel Diary - Day 3 - On people and bikes

What the hell time zones?  I don't like waking up at 4 and not being able to fall back asleep.  Unfortunately for me, my body thinks it is 7am and - given Tucson weather - should have been up for a couple of hours already.  I would like my body to shut the hell up, but apparently "not listening" is a quirk it has.  Luckily, the bed is super comfortable here at the Kona Reef Condos so as I lay there mad at my own inner clock I at least do it with a sense of bliss.


I felt a little out of place today as I hadn't shaved my legs in a couple of days.  If you are in Kona this week, there are some requirements by which you must abide (at least according to all the people I see out and about):

1) Have absolutely no body hair
2) The only hair you do have must be on your head and must be styled to look like a soccer player (especially if you are European)
3) Be wearing tall socks at all times (if you're a guy); preferably a pair with a logo that represents how badass you are
4) Muscles that are chiseled AF
5) Wearing an sense of self-importance that is visible to the naked eye
6) Be riding your bike 30mph through town on Ali'i because you're just that amazing
7) Maintain the "terminator" expression behind your mirrored sport sunglasses at all times


Those are just a few of the things I could come up with off the top of my head. If you have more, please feel free to contribute ;)

Interestingly, the big upcoming news this week is some new bike debuts.  Cervelo is introducing their new tri bike to the world on October 4th, the Diamondback Andean will presumably be available to see in person, BMC is introducing a new Tri/TT bike, potentially Dimond has an updated frame, many companies have specific Kona special apparel/equipment that they'll be selling (heavily discounted? nah, probs not), and probably many more new things that I don't know about. The biggest is definitely Cervelo.  They've actually managed to keep almost all information about this bike a secret until the past 5-7 days when some stuff has been leaked to the internets.  I feel bad for them, because of how good of a job they've done keeping it on the DL, but I do like seeing new stuff and speculating! Some of their athletes will be riding this bike in Kona (and have been riding it for a few weeks it sounds like) so I hope to get some pictures.


This is a picture that is bigger than life size posterized onto the wall of Lava Java. It's Michael Weiss (that's a pandora's box right there) on the Diamondback Andean.  This bike is touted as being completely UCI illegal and very, very fast.  It is ... striking, to say the least. Ironically, for a bike that is supposedly the top of the heap, that is sure a hack job of Di2 wiring seen under the stem.


Like I said: "striking."

Today I ran, swam, and biked my way around the little parts of Kailua Kona that were easily accessible.  I ran 5:00/mi pace up and down Ali'i drive, I swam at 1:00/100m pace out off Dig Me beach and back onto Dig Me beach, and I biked (on my mountain bike) at 30mph all along the Queen K.







I actually put slick tires (700x35) on my mountain bike's 29" wheels as I figured with trails basically inaccessible (or not easily accessible is perhaps better) it might be easier to draft off triathletes on the Queen K with smooth, shaved tires.  Unfortunately, my bike looks a little funny. But hey, this week is all about looking funny.  That's why everyone else is here, right?



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