Aloha Intruder Family and Friends
WELCOME TO INTRUDER SUNDAY MARCH 15, 2020
When I looked at the weather forecast on Saturday night, I prepared myself for a rain out on Sunday’s ride. Yet, when I woke up Sunday, I was pleasantly surprised by the blue skies and dry roads outside. I received a text from Kimo, saying that he would meet up with me at the “same Bat place, at the same Bat time”. For those of you old enough to remember the old Batman series on TV, starring Adam West, Alan Napier, and Cesar Romero to name a few of the cast members, this was a regular part of the spiel you heard throughout the show. Anyway, I had my one cup of coffee, got dressed and made my way down to the garage. I started my Harley and waved goodbye to my newest and youngest neighbor, 18 months old Na Hoku, and her mum. Off to the gas station to fill up my tank, already on reserve and wait for Kimo to arrive. The ride into town went fine until we reached the Dillingham exit, where the road construction continues to worsen, basically forcing us to ride in single file. We got to Zippy’s in one piece, knowing that this was probably going to get worse, before it got better. Henry and Marc were already there, and as it went, no one else showed up. Ray our club president sent a text, that Kaneohe was rained out, and that he and Sparky were opting out today. So, that left Kimo, Marc, Henry and myself to decide on where we would ride. To keep things simple, we decided that we would head to Waikiki, then Diamondhead, and stop at Sandy Beach Park for our first break. From there we would decide which way to go. Now as I have noted in earlier rides, and even today, our ability to go from one place to another has been determined by the construction that seems to be engulfing our island. But, we finally got ourselves going in the right direction, after some unexpected road closures. If anything, this whole deconstruction / reconstruction is giving me a whole new perspective on roads I have rarely if ever ridden on before. Thanks! With just four of us riding today, we moved in and out of traffic and did not get separated at any given time. Waikiki was busy with pedestrians walking down Kalakaua Avenue, occasionally giving us a welcome “shaka”. The beaches were filled as usual, with visitors and eager surfers, hoping to make the most of the day. We rode past Diamond Head Lookout, and ended up detouring at Wai’alae Beach Park, where Henry determined that his bike was acting up. We decided that we would follow him home to Kaimuki, making sure he got there safely. Then Kimo, Marc, and I hopped on the H1 and headed home. Up to that point the weather had been pretty good, but you could see the clouds building into something that demanded a bit of respect. Within a few minutes of Marc taking the Pali exit, Kimo and I hit the first of three separate down pours. Each one seemed to be more adamant then the previous, but as seasoned riders, we took our time, flashers on, and made it back to Mililani in one piece. I accepted Kimo’s offer of a hot coffee, since we weren’t going to be doing lunch, and called it a day. Since the ride ended shorter than usual, I wanted to take this opportunity to share a few personal thoughts. Living on an island took me some time to adapt to, yet adapt I have. I have been in Hawaii for over thirty years, I got married to a local man, gave birth to five children and have come to love and respect the islands and its people. Yet, I find myself praying to any and all “Gods” that we all survive this new virus, without shedding our humanity. Being on an island at this time may have its benefits, by limiting our exposure to others around the world that has been more greatly affected, and then we have been. But, it may also test our capacity to work peacefully together, and not panic. Even though I am just one person, I hope that I can lead by example and help those around me. Until next week, may you and your Ohana remain safe and healthy. Aloha and Mahalo, Kanuk

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