West Maui Loop Bike Ride

I have a lot of people to thank, who all played a role in making this ride happen:

• The boy's family, for hosting a delightful Maui vacation and keeping the eye rollers in place while I ran off on the bike for the morning.

• West Maui Cycles, for renting me a light and snappy Ruby for the ride.

• mcmahobn (who I don't know) who published their open-sourced code for a 3D printed backpack strap for a GoPro so I could capture the below video.

• The Maui Cycling Group (on Facebook and Strava) for being an awesome and helpful bunch when I was pretty sure the loop would be too long for my current condition and I was looking to alternate options (it's amazing how many ride options these guys can come up with on a small island with limited roads!).

Video highlights of the ride

I wanted to capture some video of this ride because I knew I'd want to share the beauty. I've tried a few different mounts on the handlebars, but the view was obscured by cables and vibration made the video nearly unwatchable. I can't handle the look of a helmet mounted GoPro. That's where I draw the line when it comes to dorky cycling fashion. I made a few videos where I held the GoPro in my hands, and these were the best so far. But one can't one-arm a 60-mile ride. So the boy 3D printed me a backpack mount for the GoPro. I'm intrigued by a front fork mount, but since I rented a bike for this trip I couldn't confirm the shape of the folk for printing. I didn't really want to wear a hot backpack for the ride, but that turned out to be a good idea as I used all 3 liters of water from the Camelback in the first 40 miles.  

I'm disappointed with the camera angle. I wish I could have tested it out before the ride. I had to discard lots of beautiful footage because the view was too low to the ground. As I watched the footage for the first time, I kept lifting my head up. The instinctual need to look above the view couldn't be stopped. Some turned out OK and that's what I have below. I will definately use this mount again, and with better angling, home to improve my footage even more. 

I started the ride anxious. A lot of people worried me about the wind (narrow road with a cliff dropping off to the crashing ocean waves below!), the blind corners, the unknown terrain, the potentially spotty cell service, the traffic, the heat, the humidity, you name it. I focused on riding as far over to the curb as possible more than I focused on enjoying myself. I felt hot. It was 7 in the morning for crying out loud! I took refuge in knowing that the temperature would got up another 10 degrees at most by noon. Then. Cars melted away into nothingness. I saw birds lollygaging on the street. I inhaled the thick, floral air. I saw spots I remembered from the time I rode this loop in a car years ago. In a car, you see all the amazing sights. But on a bike, you fully experience what you see. Every view is coupled with a smell, a sound, a taste, and a feeling. It is such a rich and complex way to enjoy a beautiful place. I ran into several other cyclists on the road. I chatted with a few others who were visiting like me, as well as a local. I should add that the local kindly escorted me through the only section of the ride with turns, rendering my taped-on cue sheet totally unnecessary. 

While the first part of the ride was the most scenic, the last part was the most invigorating. The southwest corner of the island was flat, hot, and sunny. But it also came with a tail wind to beat all tail winds. I pedaled at half the effort and went twice as fast. What a rush! Literally! 

I got to ride a Specialized Ruby, the girl version of my own bike, the Roubaix. The frame felt small, too small. I felt numbness and soreness in strange areas I don't normally feel; clearly a result of the strange fit. I definitely noticed the light and nimble feel of the upgraded, newer components. I shifted inefficiently, not familiar with the gearing of compact bikes. I loved the bike though, and I loved the seamless experience of the rental. 

Who wants to ride with me next time?

THE ROAD CYCLING ENTHUSIAST DEFINED

I thought the following description from intheknowcycling was fascinating. I am not alone! It pretty much describes me perfectly, with a few exceptions. Pace-wise, I average in the mid teens instead of the high teens. While the amount I've spent on my bike, including upgrades and gear reaches the low-end of what enthusiasts pay for their bikes, my bike itself doesn't come to that amount. Perhaps this implies if I upgraded I'd go faster, but I doubt it. Obviously, I am in the "growing women" category, but I probably even out my majority status as I'm of the 1/3 who's been hit by a car. I'm surprised about half of the enthusiasts ride on trainers. Maybe I should get one?

Check it out:

Road cycling enthusiasts are serious, committed and regular riders who rack up between 2,000 to 5,000 miles (3,000-7,000 kilometers) a year. We ride on flat, rolling and mountainous terrain and do interval, strength and endurance training. We will generally be on our bikes 4-6 days a week outdoors in decent weather. In lousy weather, about half of us will ride on a trainer. Some will still ride outside and the rest will sleep in. We ride on our own, with regular partners, and in group rides.

During the year, we’ll normally ride for the pure love of it and for the way it energizes us (and reduces stress). Some of us will also add in a few races, club rides, centuries, gran fondos, sportives or charity events to motivate our riding and measure ourselves. As a road cycling enthusiast, we average speeds in the high teens to low twenties (mph) or 28 to 35kph over the course of a typical 35 to 50 mile or 50 to 80km ride, depending on terrain, conditions, fitness and training objectives.

About a third of us have been hit by a car and one in eight have broken a collarbone riding. (Yes and yes). And, of course, we enjoy a beer or two every now and then.

Most cycling enthusiasts will have modern composite bikes or high-end alloy or titanium ones that cost us typically between $2500/£2000/€2500 and $5000/£4000/€5000 to buy or build. Some of us spend more, some much, much more. We use electronics and apps that allow us to track and analyze distance, speed, cadence, heart rate, and for many, power.

Most of us are men though a growing number are women. We weigh between 150 and 200lbs (68 to 90kgs), are pretty fit and use cycling to help stay or get there. Yes, we’re probably a little vain and selfish with the clothing we wear and the time (and money) we spend on cycling.

We’re also dedicated to our cycling to the point where most of our family and friends know that riding is something we do and for some, do a lot of. When it comes to cycling and buying bike gear, many of us do a lot of research and are analytical, often overly so and that’s part of the fun of it.