Aloha Intruder Family and Friends
WELCOME TO INTRUDER SUNDAY MAY 10, 2020
Mother’s Day today, and this mother wants to ride. The weather is perfect, not too hot, not too cold, and just right like the mama bear in the nursery rhyme. I arrived at the gas station first, and then Ben, Henry and Kimo were our riders today. At first we were going to do the same route, as we had for the last couple of weeks, but then Henry’s bike was acting up, bad bike! So we decided to follow him back to his place, making sure he got there okay.
We headed south on the H2, then took the exit for Waikiki, weaving around the pot holes, and road craters that seem to get bigger and bigger each week. Kimo and Henry were out front leading, with me next, and Ben bringing up the rear. We rode through Waikiki, where there was little traffic and even less people. As we passed the beach area, we began to see more people around. The surf was looking good, and there were plenty of people enjoying the waves, in one form or another, we continued on, up through Diamond Head, and stopped for a quick break at the look-out. I took a look at the beach below, and saw what most of us take for granted, the incredible aqua blue Pacific Ocean, with clear skies and perfect waves that seemed to flow back and forth so effortlessly. There were plenty of people around, walking, jogging, riding bicycles, and doing what you normally expect. I wondered if the people around forgot that there is a pandemic going on, but then again, I was out there too. Henry’s bike seemed to be running better, so we continued on to Sand Beach, where once again there were lots of people out enjoying the day, We ran into a few friends, Jack and Martha, and spent a few minutes catching up, Even though Henry’s bike was running better, he decided to call it a day, and took off for home. Our next stop was in Waimanalo, where we just stayed long enough to quench our thirst, and Ben decided to cut out when we passed through Kaneohe. That left just Kimo and I to finish the ride, and we continued around the back side of the island. We stopped in Kahuku for a water break and planned to make one more stop at Green World, for a quick cup of coffee. That didn’t happen, too many people there. But we completed our ride, and got home safe and sound. This pandemic has forced all of us to make changes in our lives and how we do things, and yet we still have the freedom to decide how far we venture out. As I enter the store each week to shop for my family, and see everyone donning their masks and gloves, I feel as though I am living in some parallel universe. Mind you, in spite of the seriousness of the situation, I can’t help but laugh at the sight of so many people entering the bank with masks on, which are now mandatory. I am not making fun of this, but am trying to balance out the temporary insanity of what we are now calling normal. I suppose that it will take quite a long time before most of us feel comfortable, safe and able to return to our prior lives. I am lucky, because I can still put food on the table, feed my family and pay my bills. I will end this in my usual way, praying that you and your families remain safe and free from harm, to watch out for each other, and lastly be respectful of each other. Aloha and Mahalo, Leslie aka Kanuk

31