Smooooth
12-02-07, 03:16 AM
Here is a little write up of our unique riding experience in Maui:
If you don't know, you may be asking yourself what is this? Well let me just try to describe this ride.
The statistics: 37 miles, 10,000 feet. Average 5.4% grade approximately. Completely manageable...
Where? - Maui, Hawaii.
Gear: Rented road bikes- I had a specialized allez comp, 105/tiagra and Michelle had a Dolce with same groupo
We both used camelbacks and I carried the jackets, leg warmers, extra gloves and food - lots of food + 100 oz of water. There are a few places to get water and food on the way. Here is a great site for info on how to prepare for the ride if you are interested (it helped us):
http://www.chainreactionbicycles.com/haleakala.htm
Michelle and I started in Kihei at 7:00 a.m. This adds about 12 miles to the ride, 49 total. It was raining lightly, temperature in the low 70's. We got to the base of the mountain easily. This part of the ride had very little climbing and was a great warm up. We stopped and stretched to get ready for a steady 10k foot climb.
The hill is not steep, it just does not stop. The other element which comes into play is the ever increasing altitude.
We were in overcast conditions until we got into the clouds themselves. At 6,500 feet. we broke through to the sun and the beauty of this ride revealed itself. We were tired and learned quickly that you must pace yourself. It is easy to go a little too hard and really bonk. We were careful to stop enough times to recover as well as eat and drink plenty.
Because of the length of this ride- in total about 6 hours for us from Kihei, there is plenty of time to wonder:
- if you will have enough energy to make it
- how much longer will it take
- is it really worth it? (of course it is)
As our energy reserves got lower and the air got thinner, these questions and more crept in to the back of our minds.
6,500 feet - only 3,500 more to go (only a Mt. Diablo left to the top : )
8,000 feet - only 2,000 more to go, energy running low, air thin (just to mid mountain on Diablo)
9,000 feet - only 1,000 left, I am whooped, but only 1k left, must continue
9,800 feet - yes, the visitor center, we made Oh &*^%!! 200 more feet to climb to the observation area, and about 11% grade. This was a killer. Thin air, steeper hill.
Yes we made it!! What an experience. Luckily for us my brother drove up and gave us a ride down. It would have been getting dark on the descent.
Overview: It is just a long hill, no real steep parts, just unrelenting. Eat, drink and pace yourself. You can do it.
Here are some pics:
http://gallery.mac.com/gordonreese#100061
Take care
Gordon and Michelle
If you don't know, you may be asking yourself what is this? Well let me just try to describe this ride.
The statistics: 37 miles, 10,000 feet. Average 5.4% grade approximately. Completely manageable...
Where? - Maui, Hawaii.
Gear: Rented road bikes- I had a specialized allez comp, 105/tiagra and Michelle had a Dolce with same groupo
We both used camelbacks and I carried the jackets, leg warmers, extra gloves and food - lots of food + 100 oz of water. There are a few places to get water and food on the way. Here is a great site for info on how to prepare for the ride if you are interested (it helped us):
http://www.chainreactionbicycles.com/haleakala.htm
Michelle and I started in Kihei at 7:00 a.m. This adds about 12 miles to the ride, 49 total. It was raining lightly, temperature in the low 70's. We got to the base of the mountain easily. This part of the ride had very little climbing and was a great warm up. We stopped and stretched to get ready for a steady 10k foot climb.
The hill is not steep, it just does not stop. The other element which comes into play is the ever increasing altitude.
We were in overcast conditions until we got into the clouds themselves. At 6,500 feet. we broke through to the sun and the beauty of this ride revealed itself. We were tired and learned quickly that you must pace yourself. It is easy to go a little too hard and really bonk. We were careful to stop enough times to recover as well as eat and drink plenty.
Because of the length of this ride- in total about 6 hours for us from Kihei, there is plenty of time to wonder:
- if you will have enough energy to make it
- how much longer will it take
- is it really worth it? (of course it is)
As our energy reserves got lower and the air got thinner, these questions and more crept in to the back of our minds.
6,500 feet - only 3,500 more to go (only a Mt. Diablo left to the top : )
8,000 feet - only 2,000 more to go, energy running low, air thin (just to mid mountain on Diablo)
9,000 feet - only 1,000 left, I am whooped, but only 1k left, must continue
9,800 feet - yes, the visitor center, we made Oh &*^%!! 200 more feet to climb to the observation area, and about 11% grade. This was a killer. Thin air, steeper hill.
Yes we made it!! What an experience. Luckily for us my brother drove up and gave us a ride down. It would have been getting dark on the descent.
Overview: It is just a long hill, no real steep parts, just unrelenting. Eat, drink and pace yourself. You can do it.
Here are some pics:
http://gallery.mac.com/gordonreese#100061
Take care
Gordon and Michelle