Tag Archives: Hawi

Get on your bike and ride

Cyclists make the turn at Hawi in the IRONMAN 70.3 Hawaii race on the Big Island.
A cyclist make the turn at Hawi in the IRONMAN 70.3 Hawaii race on the Big Island.

Yesterday, IRONMAN 70.3 Hawaii took place on the Big Island. It’s a triathlon featuring a 1.2 mile swim followed by a 56 mile bike ride and topped off with a 13.1 mile run. If all this sounds exhausting, as it does to me, bear in mind that the full IRONMAN race is twice as long.

A cyclist approaches the turn at Hawi in the IRONMAN 70.3 Hawaii race on the Big Island.

The world championship for the IRONMAN triathlon also takes place on the Big Island, in October. In both races, the turnaround for the bike leg is at Hawi on the northern tip of the island. For the October race the turnaround is downtown and a decent crowd gathers to cheer on the racers. The 70.3 event makes the turn about a mile out of town. By and large, only race volunteers are there to cheer on the cyclists.

I like to go out to watch both events. They’re colorful and dynamic. Sometimes I get caught up in the euphoria of it all and imagine myself on one of those bikes, leaning into the turn before heading back for the run. But then I go back to my truck and drive home.

For more information about IRONMAN, go to Ironman.com.

The turn at Hawi in the IRONMAN 70.3 Hawaii race on the Big Island.

Must like ladders and have head for heights

A tech works on a wind turbine.
Wind turbine at Hawi Wind Farm


A technician works on one of the wind turbines at Hawi Wind Farm. I believe this was just routine maintenance since on the following days I saw a similar sight at the other turbines.

I haven’t yet seen the operation from start to finish, but I suspect that inside the door at the bottom of the tower there’s a way of lowering a line to hook on the tool bags. Then I assume the technician has to climb a ladder to the top.

It’s pretty high up and there are strong winds, which is why the farm is where it is. So I hope the tech in the photo to the left doesn’t lean out too far. Probably not a job I’d be suited for.