Bike ride UP a volcano.

[JasoninDenver]

I was able to knock off another item on my bucket list this past Saturday by riding the 2018 Maui Cycle to the Sun.

It is a 36 mile ride, all uphill (okay, there is one 200 yard downhill section) from sea level in Paia to the top of the Haleakala volcano at 10,000 feet. Average grade is a manageable 5.1%, but is it a long grind no matter what.

I previously had done rides over 10,000 feet in elevation gain, but over 120 miles - not 36! I started training in mid-March on the indoor trainer which was painfully boring. I knew I would be at a disadvantage to those who can cycle year round, but hoped the Colorado altitude would even things out for me.

As usual, I had insomnia the night before and started the event with 2 hours sleep. The start was painful and it took me nearly 1.5 hours to settle into my cadence and heart rate. By then I knew I was not going to set any records so I just settled in to enjoy the views on the way up.

I began feeling good at 5000 feet into the ride (halfway) and actually enjoyed the hard climbing sections tremendously. A small 2 mile section is rated HC or “haute categorie” which means as tough as they come in cycling race terms. I sure didn't think so.

I finished at the back of the pack, but finished nonetheless, in 5:22. Slower than Christmas, but I had a blast doing it whereas the rider who won in 2:40 probably just suffered the whole way. Where is the fun in that?

After the race the family unit headed down to Mama’s Fish House for a lunch celebrating my daughter’s 10th birthday. Multiple Mai Tais helped my recovery greatly as did plate after plate of sashimi.

[tudorbaja27]

Congrats! Pictures look great as well !

[indexmatch]

now that's impressive, congrats! No way I would've gotten close. Mama's also a nice spot to wrap things up, glad you had a great time and congrats again on an impressive accomplishment!

[ashbaug2]

Awesome! I've done the sunrise at Haleakala twice now, and I've seen the riders bombing down the hill afterward, but I'd never heard of the ride up! Good for you, that's quite an accomplishment. I ride a Peloton trainer and used to ride some road (got sick of stupid drivers and other stupid bikers in my area), but I couldn't imagine riding up that hill, having driven it a couple of times now!

Mama's is great, We also really like Paia Fish Market and Da Kitchen in Kahului (best Loco Mocos on the island, fo sho!)

Congrats again!

[RW16610]

Incredible! Congrats, Jason!

[teqp]

Very cool, congrats. Wife and I did the sunrise and bike down. It took s us nearly as long since the wife kept wanting to stop to take pictures.

Mama’s is good food. Thanks for sharing.

[emersm]

Wow!! Big congrats, Jason! Hoping we can meet up in Maui again in the near future. My best to the Mrs and the girls.

[Rolex addict]

Very cool!! I love climbing!!! It’s a fun kind of suffering.

[stockae92]

thats awesome effort!! got strava to share?

[Burlington]

Brilliant achievement !! Congratulations.

Must have been quite the view on the way up.

The thread title reminded me of the time we went up Mt. Vesuvius and there was a car parked up there. A mystery equal to the great pyramids of how they actually got it there, as the road stops a good few hundred metres short of the summit.

[SearChart]

Nice!!

[Abdullah71601]

Originally Posted by Burlington

Brilliant achievement !! Congratulations.

Must have been quite the view on the way up.

The thread title reminded me of the time we went up Mt. Vesuvius and there was a car parked up there. A mystery equal to the great pyramids of how they actually got it there, as the road stops a good few hundred metres short of the summit.

Maybe that's why the car is still there?

[Burlington]

Originally Posted by Abdullah71601

Maybe that's why the car is still there?

Brilliant :) haha

[codecow]

Good for you! I always wanted to do the up and take a car down.

[JasoninDenver]

Originally Posted by emersm

Wow!! Big congrats, Jason! Hoping we can meet up in Maui again in the near future. My best to the Mrs and the girls.

Sounds good Elmer. The girls actually asked if ya’ll were going to be here again!

[JasoninDenver]

Originally Posted by ashbaug2

Awesome! I've done the sunrise at Haleakala twice now, and I've seen the riders bombing down the hill afterward, but I'd never heard of the ride up! Good for you, that's quite an accomplishment. I ride a Peloton trainer and used to ride some road (got sick of stupid drivers and other stupid bikers in my area), but I couldn't imagine riding up that hill, having driven it a couple of times now!

Mama's is great, We also really like Paia Fish Market and Da Kitchen in Kahului (best Loco Mocos on the island, fo sho!)

Congrats again!

Love Paia Fish Market as well. Doing Da Kitchen Saturday before the flea market!

[rouxeny]

Oh, you rode right by the entrance to my house. Hope you have a good time here on Maui!

[kulak]

We were there on our honeymoon and saw a couple people biking up. I though they were crazy!

[cop414]

What an accomplishment, congrats!

[brandrea]

Very cool Jason, congratulations on your bucket list adventure

[Dan Pierce]

Well done, Jason!! Good for you for tackling a volcano.

Did the same ride back in 2006. Beat ya' by 18 minutes. Certainly a ride of a lifetime. A lifetime I almost shortened by nearly going over a switchback on the way down.
dP

[gettocard]

Originally Posted by Abdullah71601

Maybe that's why the car is still there?

That's a Fiat Panda 4x4. Glue a couple of rockets on it and it'll fly to the moon...

[Art 1]

Cool stuff Jason. We would like that.

[SemperFi]

Great achievement Jason. Congratulations!
You wouldn’t happen to be in France starting tomorrow?

[Ferdelious]

Wonderful accomplishment, congratulations!

I did the same ride although it was in the opposite direction. When gravity is on your side it doesn't take long to get to the bottom. Never broke a sweat, ha!

[JasoninDenver]

Originally Posted by rouxeny

Oh, you rode right by the entrance to my house. Hope you have a good time here on Maui!

Nice! Where are you located?

I really enjoyed checking out some people’s spreads up around Kula. I would be tempted to Live up there for sure.

[JasoninDenver]

Originally Posted by Dan Pierce

Well done, Jason!! Good for you for tackling a volcano.

Did the same ride back in 2006. Beat ya' by 18 minutes. Certainly a ride of a lifetime. A lifetime I almost shortened by nearly going over a switchback on the way down.
dP

I remember you discussing that previously. Damn, now I am going to have to shave off 18 minutes.

The race permit doesnt let you ride down, so I missed the fun descent.

[Dan Pierce]

Originally Posted by JasoninDenver

I remember you discussing that previously. Damn, now I am going to have to shave off 18 minutes.

The race permit doesnt let you ride down, so I missed the fun descent.

There was a 6 hour cutoff for our ride and just glad I came in under that.

One of the thrills of climbing up for me was riding down. But it was painful since it was difficult to change positions, so fingers and toes would go numb. With speeds topping 45mph those switchbacks could get tricky and one damn near had me soiling my Lycra. Descending got a lot slower after that!

Congrats again, for conquering an epic climb. Mama's Fish House was a proper reward.
dP

[pallindrome]

Did you bring your own bike or rented? How did you transport it there?

[JasoninDenver]

Originally Posted by pallindrome

Did you bring your own bike or rented? How did you transport it there?

Rented from Maui Cyclery in Paia. They have great bikes geared for the climb and, at $65 for the day, I could not justify spending $300 to put mine on a plane and anothe $400 for a big enough rental to haul it back and forth.

I did miss my custom Eriksen about three hours into the ride though.