Fix-ated

First, here's the pictures that I promised of the hallways in which my first ride took place.

Friday was the first day I got to really take my bike out and hit the pavement. I headed to a trail that goes along Pearl Harbor. The bike is just so smooth...simply put. Once I hit the trail I just took off. I automatically felt a simple, yet close connection to the drive train and the pavement. I thought to myself: "This is awesome..."

After riding for a while I began to notice the lag you get when running freewheel and increasing cadence. I decided to stop by The Bike Shop (the same guys that put the bike together), which is conveniently located along the bike trail and ask them about going fixed. Stu, who helped me out when I first got the bike and who just returned from Specialized for some training a little while ago, flipped the hub for me and pointed out some things if I wanted to do it myself later. And so I went fixed. And I don't think I'm turning back. And I'm loving it.

Here are some pics:

On Monday I decided to check University of Hawaii's Lyon Arboretum located in Manoa Valley (Ma-no-ah) before a joy ride around town. They have a trail system set up that allows you to check out some cool plants and flowers. Shame on me I didn't prepare well for this excursion and did not bring proper trail shoes and bug spray. Due to rain from the previous day the trail was a little wet and the mosquitos had a feast courtesy of me. I don't even know how many bites I have on my arms and legs. I made it only so far and turned back swearing to arrive more prepared the next time. Dammit. I managed to snap a few pics.

After checking out part of the arboretum I went for a joyride "recon mission"around town. I wanted to let my bike roam free in its natural environment. I went from Kakaako (Ka-ka-ah-ko) Waterfront Park to downtown. It was about 3 miles round trip. A short ride, but I wanted to familiarize myself with the streets. I'll be heading back multiple times in the future to explore more in depth. Here's an approximate route I took:

(By the way, Oahu streets are now on Google's Street View!)

View Larger Map

I took a small water break at Fresh Cafe on Queen St. A cool little place that opened a little while ago. Here's a short article on Fresh. I plan to frequent this place during my rides around town as it is centrally located. They have good food and a great atmosphere day or night. Support the local coffee shop!

Here are my pics:

Herb Garden

Taro and Ti leaves.

Taro is a staple on the menu for many polynesian cultures. If you've ever been to a luau it's the purple-ish/grey-ish gooey stuff on your plate that tastes a little sour. I grew up eating it with a little sugar. But I eat it straight up once in a while.

The Ti leaf has had and still has many uses ranging from clothes to food preparation to lei to charms at sports games.