Hawaii: The Big Island

Get ready for a fantastic ride today, as we head northwest along the wild Hamakua Coast. This side of the Big Island is lush and tropical, and our scenic route takes us through a landscape of dramatic cliffs, lava-rock beaches, briliantly colored flowers and fragrant guava trees. Reaching the main road, we pass fields of sugar cane and mountain slopes. As we head inland, we follow the lightly trafficked Mamalohoa Highway through forests and pastures. This is paniolo (cowboy) country, home of Parker Ranch, one of the largest private cattle rances in the US. Today's route concludes with a 10-mile climb. Dinner tonight is at Merriman's, one of the best restaurants on the Big Island.