# West Oahu



## bigbill (Feb 15, 2005)

I usually don't ride on Saturday, but entering my final week of commuting on Oahu, I decided to get the road bike out and take the camera. I got my new set of wheels from Joe Young this week. I bought them for commuting, but I put an American Classic ten cassette on and gave them a try on the Pegoretti. Here is a shot of the impressive stays on the Emma. The next three shots are the shoulder on Ft Weaver that I use for my commute at 0445 each morning. The last shot is the exit onto Farrington Hwy into Waipahu.


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## bigbill (Feb 15, 2005)

*Waipahu*

Waipahu is a predominately Filipino area west of Pearl City. These are shots of Farrington Highway through Waipahu. The road is not that bike friendly, but at 5am, most roads are ok for bikes with lights. I love my new bike.


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## bigbill (Feb 15, 2005)

*Filipino section*

This area of Waipahu has the old mill from the sugar cane days. The Filipino community has a strong identity in this area. The uphill section requires quite a bit of momentum. The Waipahu bike shop mostly sells fishing gear, but they have 700c tubes and that is comforting. The apartment building is a frequent backdrop the "Dog, The Bounty Hunter" episodes.


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## bigbill (Feb 15, 2005)

*Barber's Point*

This is the old naval air station. Many years ago, the navy closed the base and turned it over to the state. The Hawaiian National Guard uses it as well as an active Coast Guard base. The rest has fallen into ruin and vandalization. Pickled mango anyone? I am saddened each time I see the old base. When this was a base, it was populated by families and sailors who maintained the grounds. Children played on these streets and families had cookouts in these yards. Now squatters move in and set fires.


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## bigbill (Feb 15, 2005)

*Random bike*

This is my current road bike collection. 

Last shot is of a baseball field near where I ride. I have seen many beautiful little league fields, but this one produced world champions two years ago.


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

I predict that you are going to have mixed feelings about Hawaii and Oahu for the rest of your life.

BTW it is always sad to see what happens to old bases.


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## bigbill (Feb 15, 2005)

MB1 said:


> I predict that you are going to have mixed feelings about Hawaii and Oahu for the rest of your life.
> 
> BTW it is always sad to see what happens to old bases.



I am going to miss my cycling friends and the weather. I am not going to miss some of my neighbors. With houses so close together, one or two rude families on a street is a huge impact. I am not going to miss parents who don't watch what their kids do. The neighborhood will miss us when we leave. Their kids bikes won't get fixed, they won't have a place to go after school to get help with their homework, and the little ones won't get any extra cool gifts at the holidays. 

If I do come back, it will 7-8 years from now and I will be a senior officer living in the good base housing at Makalapa. They may have giant rats, but they have a fence and guards around the place. My neighbors will be Admirals and Captains.


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

bigbill said:


> ...... They may have giant rats, but they have a fence and guards around the place. My neighbors will be Admirals and Captains.


Do the Admirals and Captains know what you think of them?


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## bigbill (Feb 15, 2005)

MB1 said:


> Do the Admirals and Captains know what you think of them?



Actually, I had my wardroom farewell on Friday. I think that I had 7 or 8 beers in a two hour span. They pretty much know where I stand. I have my one on one checkout interviews this week, that should be interesting. Tomorrow I ship the Gunnar with my express shipment to Sardinia. I will also ship an extra set of wheels for my road bike. I put 80 miles on my new PW wheelset today, not that crazy about the freehub, I hope it loosens up a little.


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## mynamesrob (Jul 13, 2006)

bigbill said:


> I am going to miss my cycling friends and the weather. I am not going to miss some of my neighbors. With houses so close together, one or two rude families on a street is a huge impact. I am not going to miss parents who don't watch what their kids do.


I don't have to explain what I miss and don't miss about Hawaii as you just summed it up.

Thanks for the memories!

-Rob


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## BelaySlave (Mar 3, 2005)

Man who is gonna takeover for bigbill when he leaves Oahu??? I don't visit RBR for a couple of reasons, but I do come by every week or so to check out bigbill's pix. We have alot of family over there and go every year so alot of the stuff he shoots, I know. 

*sigh* Sometimes his pix make me home-away-from-home homesick.


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## Guest (Apr 16, 2007)

I will miss BigBill's Hi posts greatly.

There was a time when my wife and I took our little girls to Hawaii every year for a vacation and we got to know the place pretty well.

Bill's posts alwats remind me of it and I almost always have one of those "hey, I remember that place" moments.

I'll miss those.

Having said that, it will sure be interesting to see his ride reports from Italy and Sardinia.

Keep up the good work BigBill.


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## daveIT (Mar 12, 2004)

bigbill - I was just there for a weeklong vacation visiting my sister (she lives in a nice development outside of Wainaie) and another friend stationed at Pearl Harbor. We stayed in Waikiki a few days and drove around the island. I'm back in Alaska now where it's 40 degrees cooler. I think I'll take my bike next time and ride the other side over by Kaneohe. It looked nicer with wider shoulders and less traffic.

Enjoy Italy...I was at Aviano (1 hour north of Venice) for 4 years.

The Phils will loosen up. I've had the same problem with Chris Kings.


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## il sogno (Jul 15, 2002)

I love pickled mangoes.


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## bigbill (Feb 15, 2005)

il sogno said:


> I love pickled mangoes.



Have you had the pickled mangoes with onion? I was at a potluck yesterday and tried it as a garnish for a teri burger. So ono.


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## bigbill (Feb 15, 2005)

Yoohoo got it's first confirmed kill today (yoohoo is the name of my Pegoretti - note the color). A mongoose ran under my rear wheel. You would think an animal that can chew the head off a cobra would be smarter than that.


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## il sogno (Jul 15, 2002)

bigbill said:


> Have you had the pickled mangoes with onion? I was at a potluck yesterday and tried it as a garnish for a teri burger. So ono.


I have not had them that way. They're the vinegary tasting ones, right? And the mango slices are either reddish or greenish?


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## bigbill (Feb 15, 2005)

il sogno said:


> I have not had them that way. They're the vinegary tasting ones, right? And the mango slices are either reddish or greenish?



That's the one. Next time you see it, try it on a burger instead of lettuce and tomato. Sadly, I will probably never see it again. Even if I visit the islands on vacation, I doubt the tourist places will have pickled mango.


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## NShore (Oct 13, 2005)

bigbill said:


> That's the one. Next time you see it, try it on a burger instead of lettuce and tomato. Sadly, I will probably never see it again. Even if I visit the islands on vacation, I doubt the tourist places will have pickled mango.


At least you'll know where to go instead of the tourist places. Or time your visit close to mango season and hit up your friends.


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## bigbill (Feb 15, 2005)

NShore said:


> At least you'll know where to go instead of the tourist places. Or time your visit close to mango season and hit up your friends.



I figure on hitting the tourist places for future visits. I live out in the "working class" end of Oahu, so there is nothing out here that I want to see again. A winter season rental on the North Shore near Ka'a'awa will be the extent of my Oahu visits. For Maui, the western end near Ka'anapali Beach, and the big island will be Hilo. Kona doesn't really do anything for me. Anyway, my kid likes volcanoes.


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## Guest (Apr 18, 2007)

Bill,

I was looking at the pics again. That shot on Farrington Highway, is there an equipment dealer along there or did someone just drive their D10 home and park it in the front lawn?


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## bigbill (Feb 15, 2005)

toomanybikes said:


> Bill,
> 
> I was looking at the pics again. That shot on Farrington Highway, is there an equipment dealer along there or did someone just drive their D10 home and park it in the front lawn?


That is a Caterpillar dealer. There are several big pieces of equipment parked there. It probably would come in handy when you need to do some landscaping. I will buy a small tractor for my new house when I get to Wa State this fall.


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