Honolulu Farmer's Market and Stress Relief

Last Wednesday after work I rode to the Honolulu Farmer's Market that is held every Wednesday from 4-7 pm. I ended work about 5 and got there about 6 so I didn't have much time to see what's all there and talk to the vendors about their products. The sun starts to set about 6 this time of year so it was dark when I was walking around. It's a small farmer's market, but there are some great products. With time constraints I wasted no time looking for what I wanted to get, mainly some produce. I met one of the vendors who had a bunch of herbs for $1.00 a baggy (pictures below). The thing that caught my attention was a variety of mint that I never knew existed. She explained to me the differences with each one. It could've been an iron chef "secret ingredient." "The secret ingredient is...MINT!"

Another vendor I stopped at was the Bale (Bah-leh) bread table. They had all kinds of bread and samples to grind on. These are the guys who supply the Whole Foods here. Their sandwiches are amazing also. My favorite is the chicken sandwich. I picked up two bags of their french bread they use for their sandwiches for $2.00 a bag.

When I pulled up to the bike rack, I was happy to see about 5 other bikes there and one person walking their bike through the market! Two bikes were folding bikes with the small tires. I actually paused for a while to analyze how everything was put together. I had to lock my bike to the end of the rack, which I was glad to do and see that a bunch of other people biked to the market that night. I was in such a rush I forgot to snap a pic of the rack.

This Wed. the market continues, but unfortunately I won't be able to make it. But I will definitely be back and post a more detailed report.

The holidays can bring on a little more stress than normal and I've definitely fell victim. Christmas parties here, dinners there, gotta get this, gotta get that, getting together with these people, got together with those people, you get the idea. For me at least, I need something to

balance it all out once in a while. For that, I've turned to my Roll. When needing a break from the hustle and bustle I find myself looking forward to a ride. I appreciate the simplicity and the beauty of the bike. I notice my cadence when cruising along watching the pattern that the spokes make as you look down at the front wheel. It all comes together to bring my blood pressure back down and put me at ease.

Just last night I took advantage of one of these moments at 1130pm. It was only 10 minutes of riding up and down the street, but it was a great 10 minutes. A "revitalization" if you would. The 70 degree night air (which is considered "chilly" over here) was refreshing. I found it nice after experiencing midwest winters with temps in the single digits to teens and windchill.

As Marilyn mentioned in her blog, the waves on the North shore are way up. We're talking small mountains these guys are riding. The spot Jaws on Maui is famous for tow-in surfing. I read in the paper today that 25 jet skis were shipped to Maui for this swell! The news reported 20 teams at that spot today. The Eddie Aikau contest held at Waimea Bay will probably run tomorrow. Waves are required to be AT LEAST 20ft hawaiian scale (20 ft measuring from the back of the wave to the crest). The face of the wave may reach 40-50ft from trough to crest. The last time it ran was in 2004. That's how rare and elite this contest is. I'm pretty pissed I won't be able to make it up there tomorrow to check it out. It's an awesome sight to see. If you want to see a smaller version check out HawaiianSwell.com's photos. They are from 12/5/09, and it's still BIG.