Photos by Bonnie

Hawaii: around the Big Island on two wheels

Backroads: 8 days and 200+ miles of biking

Think Hawaii is all sand and swaying palm trees? Think again. The island known as the Big Island is the largest and most varied of the Hawaiian Islands. Hawaii is the orchid island and the nene has the honor of official bird. Population is approximately 121,000. The big island boasts a variety of scenery and has 10 climatic zones; there are 15 in the world. Hawaii has 5 volcanoes (2 are still active - Mauna Loa and Kilauea). Loihi is the new island in the making. Mauna Kea is the largest mountain in the world, rising to 13,796 feet. South Point or Kalae is the southern most point in the United States. Twenty-five percent of electicity comes from geothermal energy. As you circle this exciting island, you will encounter verdant jungles and dusty deserts, majestic mountains and turquoise seas. It has white sand beaches and black volcanic beaches. It has black lava fields baked by the sun and mountains as dry as the desert. It has volcano craters and cowboys in the hills.