Kona Calling

October 3, 2012

Kona, here I come!

The flight over was relatively uneventful with the execption of my having to run thru LAX in flip flops to catch my plane to Kona.  Probably should have prepared better for that and wore a pair on my zoot kiave's!  I was probably up for 24 hours by the time I got to the condo, so sleep was on the agenda...

The first few days have been awesome! I have still not been running (other than that test running last week followed by the Girl Power's 2 miles after which I was advised NOT to run anymore since the hip fired up again), and my bike will not arrive until Saturday - so my training was limited to swimming.  so it was off to the pier first thing Thursday morning for a long swim.

The buoys were already lined up about 1k from the shoreline and out about 2k.  There were a few folks out swimming when I went out, but not too many and it was absolutely beautiful.   As soon as you push off from the tiny little beach (the one we will enter the swim for the race on) there are rocks and coral, sea urchins, and tropical fish everywhere.  Its easy to get a little lost in the view while you swim out there...but the buoys and kayakers are lined up to keep us in line and out of the boat traffic.

At about 1.5k out from the shore, I saw a spinner dolphin about 10m deep and was mezmorized...then I saw a few more, then the next thing I knew, I was swimming in a pod of hundreds of them, some only an arms length distance from me - it was amazing!! They were playing around, flipping over showing their white bellies and shooting out of the water in spinner fashion.  I will never forget that swim, it was soo cool.

That day, I went out and bought a waterproof camera.  Surely now I will not see any more dolphins.  lol...but just in case, I was gonna stuff this camera somewhere in my bikini (?) and get a shot next time!

After my swim, I met my swiss friend Gilbert at Lava Java for breakfast and coffee at Lava Java which seems to be a popular hangout.  I can see why, but it gets old spending 20.00 for an couple of eggs, pancakes, and coffee!  The food is good, but oh boy it adds up quick!

Friday was much of the same.  The swim was much less eventful but awesome and beautiful nonetheless. 

Saturday started with yet another swim, but this time, a friend Ryan Porche came down from Waimea to join me!  I went out early for 40 minutes or so before he arrived, and when I get back to the pier, there he was ready to go...with about 500 other swimmers!  The triathlon world was descending on Kona now, and the mass quantities of people swimming was beginning to get pretty treacherous!  I ran into Della Irby later that day and she was sporting a black eye from her swim that morning...

After my swim, it was time for coffee and pancakes at Lava Java with Ryan before heading over to pick up my bike from Tribike Transport and take her out for a nice ride.  The ride along the Queen K was magnificent.   No tunes, all mind leading the way and loving every minute.  I rode up to (NW) Waikoloa and rode through the resort area there and stopped to refill water before heading back.  I was just so glad to be on my bike - OH how I have missed riding my bike the past week!

Saturday night eneded up with dinner and drinks at Huggo's on the Rocks right on the water in Kona.

Sunday was a no swim day - so I took the bike out for another awesome ride.   It is so cool being out  here as long as I have been.  No pressure to get things done - just go when you feel like it.  I love that.  Welcome to Hawaii...