Bike Hugger Visits Maui again!
James Boote
The blogger Bike Hugger visited Maui over the new year. Specialized sent over a special colorway silver Tarmac Pro Race SL4 for him to enjoy on our amazing Maui pavement. Check out the "Maui" section of his blog to get the skinny on his two wheeled adventures. His Best of Maui 14 post includes a Google Glass walk through of the West Maui Cycles shop which is where this blurp comes from.
“I was in Maui just to ride after a very long season and didn’t take the bait when this Katusha Pro passed me twice. He said something that I think Pros say to each other in Euro pelotons, but I sat up, and just pedaled. Later I worked out a few scenarios in my head of what would’ve happened if I’d accelerated up to him that all ended badly. The Russian National TT champ, probably wouldn’t half wheeled me…
He wasn’t Upcountry when I was, which is good, cause I get angry after tall, thin dudes pass me on climbs. It’s the pleasure of just riding a bike that I was really trying to reconnect with on Maui and not turning myself inside out. Did plenty of that in 13 and posted about it here.
That’s the thing about Maui and why we enjoy riding there so much. You can ride like a tourist, have an epic day, or with their updated infrastructure, an errand ride to stock the vacation condo fridge for lunch.
Maui has also become a destination for cyclists and every year we see more on the shoulders and the roads we’ve ridden for years. The best of those routes I’ve mapped on Google and include
Haiku Loop
Wailea to Paia and Back
Big Inland Loop
It never gets old riding the same loops, like to the end of Makena and back or from Kihei to Lahaina. We prefer to stay in South Maui and for tourist activities, snorkeling with Maui Snorkel Charters who offers a more personal experience with a highly-qualified crew that cater to all dive levels.”
The rest of his adventures include a ride on Lanai, viscious trade/Kona winds, fruit stands and a whole lot more.
“The story was supposed to continue a season of riding Hydro with a trip to Maui, where we’d ride up and down a volcano, but you all know by now with the recall, that got cut. So Specialized and SRAM rushed out a Tarmac Pro with Force 22, Rovals and Zipp 303s. Traveled with the Tarmac in Thule’s new Transition case and after the flight, and arriving at the vacation condo, set up the Thule stand for a impromptu Lanai bike shop.”