Circumnavigating Hawaii Big Island by Bicycle

The Circumnavigator

Part 4:
Hollow Mountains

"Spend some time in these parts, there's a lot to see."
--The elderly man in the cafe

The ancient Hawaiians placed the bodies of their deceased royalty deep within the caverns which permeate the island. Many of these sacred tombs lie undisturbed even today.

I had some information that a cave near the shore had flooded creating an underground lake that stretched on, winding deep below the island. I had determined what I believed to be the exact coordinates of the cave's entrance, but as I approached the surrounding region I realized I had no way of knowing how to access the area without running afoul of the island's notoriously enforced trespassing laws. Determined however, to pursue the mystery I pulled my bike into a space by a small cafe at the edge of town. Purchasing a few pieces of the local fruit I carefully inquired about shoreline access nearby.

After some discussion I was lead to an elderly man in the rear of the cafe. After describing the general area the object of my interest lay in he asked to see my map. After producing this document he noted a dozen or so places around the island that I should visit, secret beaches that could only be accessed at the right time of day, hidden campsites, and shortcuts, all leaving out the place I had described. Cautiously I broached the topic a second time.

We went back and forth and I was forced to get more specific about the area I was interested in to entice him to reveal clues. Finally as I was considering giving up and cursing once again my lack of preparation he leaned back and stared at me through thick lenses and watery eyes.

"[withheld] road used to go out there, barely a path left anymore. You'll never make it on that bike."
I thanked him and hurried out. I had what I needed!

The road he mentioned had at one time gone all the way from town to the shore, several miles away. In the last two decades the county had decided to cease maintenance over a large portion of the path and allowed the vegetation to take back the pavement. I rode my back to the dead end street he had mentioned. After a moment of searching I found evidence that the pavement had once penetrated further into the thick brush than it now appeared to. Carefully hiding my bicycle in the tall grass and packing a bag I set off down another lost but not quite forgotten pathway.