It was considered one of the most dangerous paved roads in the state, a 52.7-mile one-lane road stretching from downtown Hilo to its junction at Mamalahoa Highway (Route 190), ending 5 miles north of Waikoloa road.
It was considered one of the most dangerous paved roads in the state, a 52.7-mile one-lane road stretching from downtown Hilo to its junction at Mamalahoa Highway (Route 190), ending 5 miles north of Waikoloa road.
Originally constructed by the U.S. Department of Army in 1942, the road provided access to military training facilities located in the “saddle” between two magnificent volcanoes, Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea. The road would later serve as a vital connector for the East and West Hawaii communities.
Known islandwide as “Saddle Road,” significant wear and tear over the years and lack of proper maintenance resulted in a long, windy, hilly strip of crumbling asphalt. With the highway reaching a maximum elevation of 6,632 feet, drivers commuting between Kona and Hilo were often subjected to dense fog, rainy weather and low visibility conditions.
If you thought driving this road was rather stressful, riding this road on a bike was downright scary. Lack of shoulders, several one-lane bridges and marginally maintained pavement made even the most seasoned athlete a nervous wreck.
Fortunately, the old Saddle Road is now a thing of the past. With the newly realigned and paved highway named in honor of the late Sen. Daniel K. Inouye, Big Island drivers and cycling enthusiasts have much to be excited about.
Endless views of expansive ranchlands dotted with cattle and old volcanic cinder cones now covered with yellow-green prairie grass welcome those entering from the Kona side. Not to mention miles and miles of smooth asphalt and widened shoulders that make for an unbelievably mellow ride. Continue on, and one is instantly transported to another world as the lush green grasslands morph into massive ancient brown and black lava flows.
Hovering over the lunar-like landscape is the world’s largest volcano, Mauna Loa, and her sister, Mauna Kea. Nearing the eastside is a dense tropical forest marking the end of a whirlwind cross-island adventure and the beginning of quaint Hilo town.
With such a picturesque canvas at one’s fingertips, it’s clear why race director Leonard Bisel of Hilo wasted no time in testing out the new blacktop with Saturday’s Saddle Road 40K individual training time trial.
“What attracted me to this race course was the new pavement, new road surface and the beautiful setting,” Bisel said. “We wanted a neutral geography that was centrally located to attract athletes from both sides, Hilo and Kona.”
Bisel, who is a competitive cyclist himself, said he began hosting time trials in Hilo six years ago to encourage friendly competition. Bisel’s struggles to increase participation levels and a general lack of volunteers led him to partner with the Hawaii Cycling Club, a cycling organization based in Kona.
“The idea is to have one unified organization hosting these events,” Bisel said. “With the Hawaii Cycling Club’s support, it would help to get the word out and increase participation for all of the events we have to offer.”
Saturday’s cycling race began with sub 50-degree temperatures, brisk headwinds, a stunning sunrise from the east and an oxygen-deprived elevation of 6,500 feet. Twenty cyclists readied themselves to tackle 24.8-miles of some hard-core racing that began at Mauna Kea State Park, out to the 22 mile marker and back.
Kona’s Penn Henderson, who has been on a winning streak for the year, once again crossed the line as the fastest of the day, winning with a blazing time of 56 minutes and 20 seconds, averaging a speed of 26.51 mph.
“It was by far the most challenging time trial so far this year,” Henderson said. “It was a tricky race to properly pace due to the varying winds, hilly terrain and altitude. My lungs hadn’t burned like that since my ski racing days in Colorado.”
Next to cross the line was Waikoloa’s Maxfield LaFortune with a strong finish of 58:03. Coming in third overall in a time of 1:01:10 was Hawaii pro triathlete Ben Williams, who used the race as a final tune-up for this weekend’s Hawaii Ironman 70.3.
Hilo’s Robert Patey was fourth in a great time of 1:04:05, followed by elite triathlete Paul Duncan of Michigan in 1:06:36.
Duncan’s wife, Canadian pro triathlete Angela Naeth, was next to power through the finish line in sixth overall and first for the ladies with an amazing time of 1:08:25. Naeth, who has been training in Kona with her husband for the past month, is one of the podium favorites heading into this weekend’s half ironman.
Kona’s Janet Miller was the next female in with her time of 1:22:43, followed by Jill Weber in 1:47:58.
With an overall increase in islandwide participation, three professionals in the field and one of the most beautiful venues to host a cycling event, Bisel’s Saddle Road 40K individual time trial race certainly turned out to be a success.
Many can thank the late Sen. Inouye’s vision in physically bringing East and West Hawaii closer together and along with it, bridging the bonds between those from Hilo and Kona — as evident in Saturday’s unified riding of the Saddle.
Coming up
Saturday: Ironman 70.3 Hawaii will begin at the Hapuna Beach State Recreation Area featuring a 1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike, and 13.1 run. Professional athletes will start the swim segment at 6:50 a.m., followed by age-group male start at 6:53 a.m., and female age groups to follow at 7 a.m. Registration is closed for the Ironman World Championship qualifier. For more information, visit www.ironman.com.