Wesley - Globe Experience

Mardi Gras and Lanai Wedding

2010-02-22T19:52:00.000-08:00

I know, I'm late with the Mardi Gras pics. I just got back from a phenomenal wedding on Lanai. My good friends, the bride and groom, won a wedding worth $150,000! And I got to go! The wedding was held at the Four Seasons Resort at Manele Bay, on the 12th hole of the golf course. The golf course you say?! Check out the pics and you'll see why. Bill and Melinda Gates got married at the same place. They rented the WHOLE ISLAND for their wedding! The whole island!!! As for MardiGras, it was my first downtown Honolulu Mardi Gras I've been too and it was nuts. Probably not as nuts as a city like New Orleans, but for Honolulu, it was crazy. Streets were blocked off, people were out and about, a few costumes here and there. I didn't see too many other people riding or that rode to the festivities though.

Through the eyes of some by the time I got there.

Plenty of good food!

Gimme some beeeeeeaaaads!

My parking spot

Clearing out...

Now that the festivities are over with, everyone moved to the bars.

Clean up

Amidst the chaos

Honolulu's Finest

Leaving HNL

12th hole at Four Seasons Manele Bay

Picture says it all

Paparazzi

Tanya and Brett

Manele Bay

Lover's Rock

Solo Sesh via AlohaFixed

2010-01-26T00:23:00.000-08:00

The local fixed gear scene AlohaFixed...

down time from dylan boto on Vimeo.

Island Ride

2010-01-26T00:06:00.000-08:00

I've been meaning to feature this since it went down...

A bunch of guys and girls came together and organized an island ride. Unfortunately there's not a road that takes you around the whole island. Don't know why. After their ride they had an afterparty/bbq at Manifest:

island unstoppable from Seth Goodnight on Vimeo.

Overdue (Night ride and Sony Open)

2010-01-24T12:46:00.000-08:00

I apologize for being m.i.a! Last week two awesome events: 1) night ride through downtown. 2) Sony Open.

I met up with my friends Ryan and Jon. We've been talking about doing a night ride downtown and we finally did it. Ryan custom built his own fixed gear and brought that out, while Jon brought out his mountain bike. He's in the process of picking up/building his own fixed gear also. All that mattered was we got to ride. Meeting point was Fresh Cafe, previously featured in past blogs. (I really have to do a blog just on them). We rammed around the streets of Honolulu for a bit and decided to head downtown to a place called Manifest to grab a few beers before heading back. It was an awesome time with temperatures in the mid 60s and not too many cars on the streets. Ryan and Jon were also stoked about how free we could roam the streets. I'm still working up the skills to take some video while riding. Though it was the first ride, it definitely won't be the last.

Directions

Lock it up!

Ryan

One of the many "characters" downtown that make riding at night fun.

Jon

Parking spot

@ Fresh

Saddle

Tension

Badge

Post ride snack:

Bagel, chocolate chip cookies, steamed pork bun

Over the weekend was the PGA Sony Open. My first one and it was super fun to watch. It was definitely an experience being able to follow the pros from hole to hole while holding a cold beer in your hand. No cameras or phones were allowed into the course so I could only snap some pics of what was going on outside. I didn't realize how much pressure these guys are under with huge crowds watching every move they make! They were damn good! I don't golf, but I definitely admired the skill and patience you need to be good at the game. Overall, it was a great experience. I did have thoughts about how It would've been awesome to be able to jet through the course on my bike.

9th Hole

The weather was pretty nice I'd say...

The beach park right outside of the course. (Why-ah-lie)

A Failed Beach Day Attempt

2010-01-10T19:39:00.000-08:00

For the past couple of days it's been "Voggy" here. A.k.a "volcanic smog." This happens when the wind comes out of the south instead of the East or North. The Vog comes from the erupting Kilauea Volcano on the Big Island. Basically the gases from the volcano react with the oxygen in the air, and in the sunlight it looks like smog blanketing the island.

The surf forecast called for increasing waves, possibly reaching 30 ft. Only thing is...the swell is supposed to come in tonight. Found that out this morning when I called the forecast. Oh well, I thought I'd enjoy a day at the beach anyway. The Haleiwa Farmer's Market was first on the list. Open from 9am-1pm on Sundays. I saw the signs for the farmer's market the last time I came up to check out the Pipeline Masters and vowed to make it back up to check it out. And boy am I glad I did. This farmer's market was awesome! It's a small one, but the vendors definitely made this farmer's market what it is. I'm a big fan of eating, buying, and supporting local, and this farmer's market encompasses a genuine aloha spirit and each vendor exemplified a passion for their products. Coffee, breakfast burritos, crepes, fruits, vegetables, honey, sea asparagus, tomatoes, jewelry, summer rolls, and more were available at this farmer's market. I'll definitely be back next weekend!

Next on the agenda was a relaxing day at Pipeline...but the weather turned sour really quick and the rains came. The waves were mush, it was cold, windy, and rainy. I had to bust out my rain jacket! It was probably 73 degrees and with the wind and rain,...a couple degrees less! I know, I know, I'm being sarcastic. We're spoiled here weather wise. I've been watching the news and seeing the midwest being smashed with temps I can't even wrap my mind around. When I lived in Omaha, NE I experienced single digit temperatures and windchill, and I am grateful for the weather we have here. If I could I would love to give those of you freezing on the mainland some of our weather, even if it were for a couple hours. But when you live with 80 degrees and sunny everyday, 70 degrees actually feels "chilly." Funny huh!

Amidst the rain and a failed beach day, I also found a small bike shop (that I will feature on my blog in the near future) that rents out bikes to people on the north shore for $10/24 hours! This is a hidden gem. The best way to explore the north shore is by bike! I've seen and experienced so many things I've never knew existed on my last bike ride! I can't wait to feature these guys on a future blog. Stay tuned.

Coming up this weekend is the Sony Open. Golf. I'm not a golfer AT ALL, but I got tickets and have never been to a professional event like this so I thought I'd take this opportunity. Unfortunately Tiger will NOT be attending. Cameras and phones are prohibited in some areas but I'll try to cover as much as I can. So stay tuned for this also. Shoots!

Haleiwa Farmer's Market

Waialua Coffee

Fresh Acai bowl

Honey

"Keiki Korner" Keiki(kay-key)=child/children

Eggs and Bacon hand crafted glass jewelry

Entertainment

Fresh Made Neopolitan pizza!

Smoked Marlin and smoked Ahi were the two faves

Crepes

Me sampling freshly made boiled peanuts

(check out the sign lower left)

Thinking about the environment at the farmer's market

Mushy surf, gray skies, rainy...thumbs down

Felt bad for the tourists not getting a picture perfect "Hawaiian day"

Fix Me Up

2010-01-08T20:06:00.000-08:00

It's been a C-Razy holiday and with great ambitions as the new year starts, I look forward to 2010. My friend Ryan has just built his own fixed gear bike. He was the guy who joined me the day after Christmas on a ride around town. So now I have someone to ride with that's about the same skill level as me. Here's a picture of his whip...Stay tuned.

Mele Kalikimaka...Say it

2009-12-29T01:04:00.000-08:00

Christmas here was merry, but it wasn't very bright. Skies were overcast with a few drizzles here and there. I took my longboard and my bike and headed to the beach. Waves were small, but I was grateful there was something to ride. After a short surf sesh, I traded the board for the bike. A took a short ride around Ala Moana beach park and snapped some pics of what it looked like at the beach on Christmas day. A little overcast, but we're grateful, and as Marilyn said "lucky we live Hawaii."

Christmas day @ Ala Moana beach park

Low tide

Checking out the reef at low tide and some stand up paddle boarding on Christmas @ the beach

Canoes

The Hilton Hawaiian Village lagoon

Waikiki

Getting ready for the friday night fireworks put on by the Hilton

Ala Wai canal

That's where the canal empties

The weather the day after Christmas would have been picture perfect ON Christmas. I met some friends at the same beach park for a potluck style gathering. Surf was small but the weather couldn't have been better. What always makes these gatherings nothing less than awesome are the good food and the good people. "Just bring whatever" is the motto to follow with food. "Just bring whoever" is the motto to follow with friends. The menu that day included (just to name a few I remember): Costco pizza, grilled steak, smoked meat, pork rinds, pulled pork, salad, chinese noodles, grilled chicken, cubed raw Ahi called "Poke" (po-kay), potato chips, hummus, oh and of course some adult beverages. So as you can see, it's a free for all that makes for good times. After I conquered my appetite I met my friend Ryan, who is currently building his own fixed gear bike. He had to bring out the road bike this time. We met up at the beach park and rode around town. We were going to mash it down the main road that goes through Waikiki, but there was too much traffic. Headed to a local bike shop to pick up some lights for Ryan's bike. Next to the bike shop is a Porsche dealership that we walked around to admire the $80,000+ cars. Stopped by Fresh Cafe for a snack and found out there was an art show that night. The guy who does Linkin Park's artwork was showcasing his work. Unfortunately I didn't make it back for the show. I hope everyone had a nice Christmas and I wish everyone a happy new year coming up.

Day after Christmas potluck

This Porsche is $120,000. That bike is Bad Ass

Porsche back lot

Back of Fresh Cafe

Getting ready for the art show

Movie Premiers and Christmas Lights

2009-12-25T01:04:00.000-08:00

Last Thursday AlohaFixed premiered two movies at Fresh Cafe. One was "London to Paris" and the other was "The Revival." Fresh Cafe cleared out their parking lot and set up a projector and speakers, premiering both movies on the side of the neighboring building. It was cool to see so many riders (fixed) come out. I snapped some pics and captured some video. After the movie premiers I decided to check out the Honolulu City Christmas Lights. By this time it was about 11:30 pm. Not too many people were on the streets, the temperature was comfortable in the mid to high 60s, it was quiet, and over all a nice time to ride actually. Just like Dan was saying in his blog "Night Ride" (12/15/09). On the way home I got a little hungry from all that riding so I stopped at a little hole-in-the-wall called "Miki's." It's a popular with the late night crowd. Their operation is simple: plate lunches are $5.75 and you have about 5 choices to chose from. Canned drinks are .75 cents and they also have smaller fares like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. I chose to get the Beef Stew and a can of Passion Orange juice. I have to make sure to bring my camera when I get food so I can share it with you folks! Anyway, hope you folks like the footage.

Merry Christmas everyone. Hope your Christmas is Merry and Bright!

LONDON TO PARIS from Amazing Grace on Vimeo.

The Revival from morehartfilms on Vimeo.

Movie premiere @ Fresh Cafe and Honolulu City Lights from two2fournglassy on Vimeo.

Sweet cruiser outside of Fresh Cafe. Check out the seat and the handle bars!

Some of the guys that showed up for the premiere.

Fresh Cafe wall art.

More Fresh Cafe artwork

This is coolest Ramsey I know who works at Fresh.

The Fresh Menu

mmmm...bagels...

This guy rides with ONE leg! And can wheelie! Amazing...Inspirational!

To top it off, late night grindage from Miki's...Beef Stew plate: one scoop of rice, macaroni salad, pickled onions, and a can of Hawaiian Sun Passion Orange

North Shore Fixation

2009-12-19T01:49:00.000-08:00

Sorry this is a little late, but I've been kinda busy during the holidays along with adding on some extra days with work. Anyway, last weekend I took a trip up to the North Shore to tread a bike path that is located a few feet away from the beach along some world class surf spots. I was hoping the Billabong Pipeline Masters, the last of three jewels of the Vans Triple Crown of surfing, would be running that day, but unfortunately the contest was not running. The last day of the contest was that Monday. Here's some pics of my adventure. For some of you that have been to the North Shore you may recognize some of the photos.

Dole Pineapple fields on the way to the North Shore

Red Dirt

There's the ocean right down there.

Coffee trees

This bike path starts right after the infamous Waimea Bay where the Eddie Aikau big wave contest takes place.

Pit stop

Shark's Cove tide pools

It was a perfect day for the beach and the surf was a fun size

One of the best ways to get to all the surf spots is by bike. Whether you carry your board on a rack or under your arm.

On the bike path right in front of Pipeline

The Pipe Masters

Ehukai beach

Everyone's doing it...

There was actually a rescue that took place. A tourist had a difficult time getting back to shore.

Because the waves were so huge that week before, it moved the sand and created a sand bar

Another example of what the waves can do. This is at Sunset beach. You can usually walk straight down to the beach from the sidewalk/bike path.

Sunset Beach

Found a small hidden beach I wouldn't have known existed if it weren't for my bike!

A small tide pool and sand bar that I got to enjoy created from the huge waves the week before.

Waimea Valley

Waimea Bay

Bikes in Waiks!

2009-12-15T02:25:00.001-08:00

After a Christmas Dinner in Waikiki the other night I took a stroll around Waikiki and was delighted to see the bike racks absolutely PACKED with two wheelers and the overflow locking up to street signs. Even better, the first rack I came upon had a Black Roll 1! Globe representing!

Dolphins, Orchids, and a Seminar?!

2009-12-14T02:27:00.000-08:00

This past week I went to a three day seminar at the Kahala Hotel and Resort from Wednesday to Friday. The Kahala is one of THE premier hotels on Oahu. It is located at the South-East end of the island, past Diamond Head in an semi-secluded area that's tucked away at the end of a neighborhood, right on the beach. Every January the Sony Open of golf is held at the golf course they are associated with, Waialae (Why-ah-lie) Golf Course. They are known for of course their luxury and prestige, but also for the opportunity to swim with the dolphins, the orchids that are displayed throughout the hotel, and their exclusivity. Stars such as Kanye West, Jay-Z, Rhianna, Young Jeezy, Eminem, Dr. Dre, and Rush Limbaugh have stayed at the Kahala recently from what I've heard. I went for a seminar, but was fortunate enough to enjoy what the Kahala has to offer. I couldn't quite afford to stay there, but being able to go there for seminar was lucky enough. The sting ray and turtles were cool too.

One of the activities the hotel offers, which I've always thought was awesome, is they rent out beach cruisers to their guests so they can explore the beach neighborhood around the hotel. I think some Globe Lives, Viennas, and Carmels would be perfect for their guests!

Honolulu Farmer's Market and Stress Relief

2009-12-07T09:12:00.000-08:00

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.

Bread from Bale Sandwich shop

Honolulu Farmer's Market

They provide mats for you to sit on the grass and enjoy your meal or just hang out.

Herbs, basil, mint, bananas, flowers

MINT

7 types of mint?!

French bread, two types of tomatoes, butter lettuce, baby romaine, Thai basil, mint, and thyme.

My Black Friday

2009-11-29T00:38:00.000-08:00

Instead of waking up before dawn and waiting in a line to grab some deals, I woke up at 10, had some breakfast, lounged around for a while, and then went for a bike ride. I decided to check out the "waterfront" area. I checked out some piers where some fishing boats come in and where the fish auction is held. The area was pretty quiet, due to most of the people being off that day. I started off at Kakaako Park (the first two pictures) and then headed west towards the piers. I stopped off at Aloha Tower Marketplace where a huge cruise ship called the Golden Princess and some kind of Japanese ship had docked. Snapped a couple pics of Honolulu harbor. You can see the docks where a lot, and I mean A LOT of our resources come in. I wish I could have gotten a closer look, but safety and security reasons prohibited me from doing so. Headed down a little more to visit the "fishing" section, then u-turned it back toward the park. A short ride, but a fun one. Saw some cool things, got some new ideas, and didn't have to fight crowds or lines.

Honolulu and Diamond Head from the end of Kakaako Park

The Golden Princess cruise ship

Honolulu Harbor

Aloha Tower

The Fire Boat

Piers Ride from two2fournglassy on Vimeo.

Update

2009-11-26T00:41:00.000-08:00

Got back late Sunday night from St. Louis, MO for a classmate's wedding over the weekend. Nothing like a mini reunion with some close classmates and friends and meeting new ones. It was nice to be back in the midwest to see and feel "Fall." The leaves and the chilly air (temps were in the 40s/50s). Anheuser-Busch tour and two free beers was definitely one of the highlights.

The Arch...

Gonna try to get back on the saddle before devouring turkey tomorrow. North shore had a massive swell roll in today, but it may taper off. I may head up North this weekend for a ride on the trail that parallels some world class surfing to bring you some pics and vids. Here are a couple pics from Alii (Ah-lee-ee) beach in Haleiwa (Ha-lay-ee-vah) courtesy ofHawaiianswell.com

Weekend-O-Fun (and many more to come)

2009-11-17T02:29:00.000-08:00

The weekend started on Friday the 13th with a hike up Diamond head crater, a short bike ride around the end of Waikiki, and another bike ride later that afternoon with fellow "fixators." Saturday was a day off, and topped off Sunday with a "solo mish" (solo mission) through waikiki with my first flat (with the bike) on the way back. Check it...

Diamond Head crater is a dormant volcano located at the South Eastern part of the island. It is a state monument and commonly recognizable landmark. It's named Diamond Head because early British sailors mistook crystals in the soil as diamonds. There is a trail that is about .75 miles from the bottom of the crater to the rim of the crater which takes 1.5-2 hours on average to traverse. During WWII bunkers were built into the south facing side of the crater. These bunkers were used as look-out posts and gunner stations. Check out the pictures to see the layout within the crater's side and the views.

I haven't been back to Diamond Head probably since I was in elementary school! The state had made a lot of improvements over the years to ease access to and from the crater rim. I was glad to see many tourists making the trek to the top. Young, old, in designer jeans, shorts, t-shirt, slippers (flip flops), dresses, and skirts made it to the top and back down. Total round trip was about 1.5 hours. I hung out at the top for about 30 mins to take in the view and shoot a 360 degree view for you folks to see what it looks like at the top of the crater...

Diamond Head Crater 360 degrees from two2fournglassy on Vimeo.

Trail Head

Reeeeeecycle

Switchbacks leading to the top

Closer view of the switchbacks

Stairs, stairs, stairs

View to the East. Foreground is the inside of the crater.

The Elev. at the top of the stairs

Spiral staircase that leads to the next picture.

Bunker

The inner workings of Diamond Head

"You are here" Orient yourself.

View to the West

View to the North

Something special was waiting so patiently for me at the bottom.

Queen Kapiolani Statue at Kapiolani Park

Now here is the most exciting part of the weekend. On Friday evening I met up with three guys I met through AlohaFixed, a forum for riders here in Hawaii. I warned these guys I'm a beginner: track stand tally=0, still running front brake, and skid skills=none. I had hiked diamond head earlier and my legs were a little tired, but I wanted to meet up with the guys and ride. The turn out for the 5:30 pm ride was 4 including me. Seth, Sau, Michael, and myself. We met up at a grocery store parking lot, introduced myself to the three others, talked about our bikes, and headed out. It would be my first experience riding on the street with traffic. I trusted these guys I was riding with and they helped me out a lot with pointers, didn't leave me in the dust, and just wanted to show me a good time on two wheels. We weaved through traffic (cautiously, not recklessly), I got my first "honk" of anger to get on the side, f-word, s-word, and everything in between from another guy. They prepped me on mashing down the main street that runs along Wakiki beach called Kalakaua Ave. (Ka-la-cow-ah) as we rode, and when we finally hit it, it was awesome. Plain and simple. Green lights all the way, lights of Waikiki a blur, the hustle and bustle of the tourists turned into mumbling and all I could hear was my breathing and my tires on the road...It was by far THE most fun I've had on my bike. Here's a map of the route we took.

View Larger Map

I had to stop right before Diamond Head, as I was running low on fuel, and the other three headed up Diamond Head. It was just as exhilarating on the way back!

Since I didn't ride on Saturday, I was determined to ride again on Sunday night. Guess the route I took...The only thing that threw it off was my first flat with no spare tube. My fault. I only had to walk 2 miles back to my car, but It was such a good ride until the flat.

I was not able to hold the camera on the rides because I needed both hands on my bar, but have no fear, once I get comfortable with the route I'll shoot some footage of the ride and fellow riders. So you can say the fire has been stoked this past weekend for sure. I start to get angry if a chance to ride ever becomes questionable! Chee hee!

2009-11-13T02:09:00.000-08:00

This was a nice way to start off the day. Sunrise. Approximately 630 AM.

I started work in the afternoon today so I decided to go for a ride in Manoa (Ma-no-ah) this morning. On my agenda was: pick up some produce from the small farmers market that takes place every Tuesday and Thursday; and ride around University of Hawaii's campus. For the past day or two rain has been in the forecast, but if you take a look at the pictures, there's not a rain cloud in site (at least in this part of the island). Lucky. A little lightning tonight, but no real down pours here in Aiea (eye-ay-ah) yet. Flash flood watches are in effect till tomorrow though.

Due to Hawaii's nice weather, which I am very grateful for, farmers are able to grow year-round and farmer's markets are able to be held year-round. I've been fed up with the wimpy stuff that some super markets put out for their produce. I was getting a little but paying a lot. It was also attributed to the fact that I was lazy and wanted the convenience and location of the "supermarket." I'm a big fan of sustainability and supporting the local economy. I took a step back and applied the saying "if it is to be, it is up to me." I got my lazy butt in gear and have been putting forth an effort to do my part. The results have been: fresh produce, a lot for a little, a great experience, great conversations with the growers and sellers of their produce and products, and piece of mind.

Here are photos of the farmer's market at Manoa Market Place. I ended up getting the following (all for $19): Roma tomatoes, Jalapeno peppers, a bag of grape tomatoes, a bag of lettuce, basil, cilantro, mushrooms, japanese cucumber, corn, and onions.

Rode through the Manoa campus of UH. It was more of a recon mission to see the who's, what's, where's, and how's of the campus.

I didn't get many pics, but I took a short time-lapse video of the "mall" on campus. Check it out:

Manoa/UH ride from two2fournglassy on Vimeo.

It was nice to see bikes, and a lot of them all around campus. A lot!
Riding around Manoa I found some ducks just cruising in the stream...
The Roll taking a rest in Manoa Valley without a cloud in the sky...
Here's the view I had riding around the Manoa neighborhood.

The weekend is coming up so stay tuned for adventures...

Fix-ated

2009-11-11T01:29:00.000-08:00

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.

Taro

Chili peppers!

Papaya

HUGE Bamboo

I felt like I was in Jurassic Park sometimes.

The Arboretum had these cool benches made out of wood along the trail.

Caught a pretty mean trackstand at the stop light on the way to town.

Fresh Cafe

Stay tuned for more good stuff...Van's Triple Crown of surfing, Farmer's Market, more town rides, North Shore bike trail...

My Roll2 has arrived!

2009-11-05T01:30:00.000-08:00

On Monday evening at 5:00 P.M. Hawaii time I got a call from "The Bike Shop" letting me know that my bike was ready! Bad thing was that I was heading away from the bike shop at the time and wouldn't be back before they closed at 7:00 P.M. But have no fear. On my way to work on Tuesday I stopped by the shop and picked it up. All morning and part of the afternoon the bike sat in my car while I had to work till 7:00 P.M. Enough was enough. I couldn't take the agony and and went out to get my bike during a short break and brought it in to the office! I couldn't wait to get home and try it out. But to my disappointment...rain. So after I closed up the office I took the bike for a spin in the hallways of the building at 7:15 P.M. I will get some pictures of what it all looked like. Just picture me, new bike, huge smile, rain outside, riding through carpeted hallways of an office building. I could have done that all night but I had to get home because I was huuuungry. But all that mattered was that I got to ride my bike...

Today (Wed.) I thought after work I can finally take my bike to the streets where it belongs! Nope........Rain....again. Just as I finished up work it started to rain and it didn't stop. But that didn't stop me from going to a park on the way home and doing a couple laps in between intermittent showers till it got dark. I couldn't take any pictures due to a constant drizzle but when I go back with nice weather I'll be sure to take plenty.

Anyway, just wanted to update everyone that I got my Roll and will be getting some pics/video of my adventures very soon. If you haven't already noticed, one of my fellow bloggers, Robert, is battling cancer. If you have some time, please check out Robert's site and show him some support. Here's his fundraising website as well. He has a great story to tell and an even greater spirit to go along with it. So stop by and say hello.

Let The Experience Begin...

2009-11-01T23:23:00.000-08:00

Whaaaaaat's happening people!

Alright, here's the deal: The Globe Experience project has launched, but I'm still waiting on my bike to be built. But that doesn't mean I'm going to put the "Will be back at..." sign up and have you check back later. So while I'm waiting for my local bike shop, appropriately called "The Bike Shop" to contact me, I'll begin with an introduction and a preview of what's to come.

My name is Wesley Sato, like Sato from Karate Kid 2, but my friends call me Wes. Unlike Sato from Karate Kid 2 and his ability to call people "coward" and chop a block of wood with his bare hand; I'm a 27 year old dentist from Aiea, Hawaii. I was born and raised on Oahu; attended Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska for undergrad and dental school; and currently practice dentistry in a city called Kaimuki (Kai-moo-key) (towards the mountains if you're laying on Waikiki beach). Check it out here on a map. I live in a city 12 miles to the west called Aiea (Eye-ay-ah) (towards the mountains if you're at the USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor). Check it out here on a map. Some of these Hawaiian words can get a person a little tongue twisted so I'll do my best to include a phonetic spelling.

I've been very fortunate to have been given the opportunity by the folks at Globe to participate in their Experience Project. Hawaii is one of the most expensive places in the United States to live. Gas prices as of right now average $3.27 for a gallon of regular!!! The population and number of cars on the road are growing, but we live on an island! It takes me 45 minutes to an hour to drive 12 miles (Aiea to Kaimuki) in rush hour traffic. Not only does that hurt financially, but the environment takes a BIG hit also. Right about the time I looked into investing in a commuter bike to enable me to at the least, use my car sparingly/become car minimalist, I came across the Experience Project. I was looking to incorporate a bike into my lifestyle, and why not share my experiences and a little bit of Hawaii with the blog world is what I thought. Now here I am willing and ready to bring you folks Hawaii; and its people, places, food, culture, and lifestyle.

The folks at Globe hooked me up with a Roll2. I'm still thinking of a picture for my badge. Any suggestions? I've been mapping out/planning routes to go here and go there... Unfortunately, some of Oahu's roads are not very bike friendly and for some of my excursions I will need to use my car sparingly. With the help of pictures and video, I will be bringing you a glimpse of Hawaii, it's people, places, food, culture, and lifestyle.

Stay tuned for my experiences on my Roll! I'm going to "roll" out of here and leave you folks with this...

BOO!

Fixed

Underground parking structures that charge you by the hour...

Scary guy on stilts

H1N1 "you don't want it..."

Where The Wild Things Are

Ken and Barbie

Body paint and Airbrush

Even the dogs came out for the block party!

The "full effect" in a dark alley.

Balloon Boy. His sign reads: "Have you seen my Falcon? ...I've already looked in the closet."

Bunnies

Jellyfish and Octopus

Mario Kart!

Bearded lady

Hula Hooping in the streets of Chinatown.

Smurfs!

Dressed the part and doing his part to Recycle.