Sea to Stars 200k - Mike Turek Reports!

 On February 28, Mike Turek rode the Sea to Stars 202 km Permanent on the Big Island of Hawaii. This perm - originally created by RUSA member Scott Taylor - boasts 12,300 ft. of climbing. It starts along the NW coast near sea level, topping out at 3,530 ft. on the beautiful Kohala Mountain Highway, and 9,160 ft. where the pavement ends on the climb up the Mauna Kea volcano.

Here is Mike's story!

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Here is the link to strava results, 12 hrs flat.  Not a perm I’d bet my R12 on!  Lots could go wrong to cost me another 88 minutes...

I’ll update a few things in ridewithgps...but not much...Most important:  With COVID, the only water at rest area on saddle road is handwash water, hard to get a bottle under and it’s a trickle. Army base has a gate...could be used in duress, but recommend stashing at rest area.

Started 5:30, recommend early as possible due to afternoon showers, but minitmart opens at 5a.

Riding in dark from minit mart Kawaihae to Hawi was glorious warmup.  Kohala coffee open when I reached at 6:30a ... but opted for minit mart. Then the fun began.

Fresh legs made the 7% glorious as I inhaled fresh garden flowers ...

Kohala Mtn road is stunning in the morning, green rolling ranches...wow!  Summit was breath taking with views of Mauna Kea...and 40mph gusts!  Wow! 

Descent to Waimea treacherous.  I checked weather.gov again for saddle road forecast and it still said SE 6-10 ... otherwise I would have bailed.

Fuel up good in Waimea.  If you don’t stash, you need 7 hours of water.  Really ... I used 5 bottles up and back ... and I had favorable wind largely.

Ranch on saddle road: 

Goats on saddle after rest area:

And the rain finally arrives: 

Tailwind to saddle from Waimea, rear quarter saddle to Inouye Hwy, which shifted over summit prior to army base, but didn’t really impact me.  Weather cool, rainy up steeps to visitor center.

Onizuke plaque:

Coming back down, I’d planned for all easy, but the 6 miles from saddle to Waimea was horrific 20 - 30 headwind, actually safer than cross wind ... but sucked my life energy out.  (And I’m the club guy who likes headwinds).

Roller coaster back down saddle: 

No stop in Waimea on return, just wanted to descend.  And what a descent! Wow, all she promised and more!  Just warm, humid air greeting me as I ripped back down to Kawaihae!

Thought of following up with a 100k only, my legs are shot.

- Mike Turek