TORTURECHAMBERS Posted December 17, 2004 What started out to be a scouting mission for a gas drop turned into a 94 mile ride and a sore body. Next week we are gonna do a 2 day loooong ride so all I wanted to do was scout. One thing led to another and I actually rode till I ran out of gas which luckily was when I made it home... Mauna Loa is getting ready to erupt so I thought I'd check it out... The road going up Mauna Loa cuts thru years of Lava flows of various types. This one is smooth Lava called Pahoehoe... Around 1/2 way up the mountain I stopped and snapped this pic of Mauna Kea As I got to the 12500 ft elevation patches of snow were still around... I put the timer for this shot. The road turned really gnarly the farther up I went. At one point I could barely tell which way to go. It was all Lava rocks... At one point I found a trail that was awesome! This was a really cool section... I was at 56 miles on a stock tank and I burned a lot of gas climbing, falling etc. From here I coasted over 5 miles then rode every drop of gas out of the bike to make it back. In fact I just made it back to the vacation house and made my flight home to Oahu... 😢 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kawidual Posted December 17, 2004 You got it all man, barren moonlike volcano trails, and lush green forest. I need to move... 😢 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
yamafreek_hawaii Posted December 17, 2004 Cool ride! Will need to go from a 12 to a 14 and ship my bike over soon. That looks like some cool exploring. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Indy_WR450 Posted December 17, 2004 Man that must be torture on the tires! That stuff looks like it slices and dices tires! The Moulinex ride! 😢😢 Oh Yeah it is another Torture Chambers adventure ride! 😢 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ob1quixote Posted December 17, 2004 Sweet! I think you'd die of boredom if you rode my local trails {Note the lovely pine tree, look at that one.......} Now everyone will want to make it a 2 day trip, 1 for jungle, 1 for volcano! Better top off that front brake reservoir!! Nice pix you lucky dog! Robert Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hammerofthor Posted December 17, 2004 tortures: i love the big island, but like the other guy said you must get tire discounts, that lava rock is vicious....after living there 10yrs i still say hawaii has some of the best trail riders, every kind of terrain you can think of... hammer Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PumpkinHumper Posted December 17, 2004 TC You sure that is Hawaii???? That looks more like Mars. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RyanK Posted December 17, 2004 WOW!!! 😢😢😢 I wanna go! How beautiful, and with fun terrain to boot! That's gotta hurt if you fall on that lava though? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TORTURECHAMBERS Posted December 17, 2004 Man that must be torture on the tires! That stuff looks like it slices and dices tires! The Moulinex ride! 😢😢 Tires just get ruined on this side of the Big Island but the traction is outstanding so it doesn't matter if you knobs are all hash. Even in the jungles of the Big Island your tires get ripped up. After next weeks 2 day ride we will have photos of epic proportions!!!! We will be riding the Mauna Kea side and I have 2 killer 150 mile loops planned.... 😢😢 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TORTURECHAMBERS Posted December 17, 2004 WOW!!! 😢😢😢 I wanna go! How beautiful, and with fun terrain to boot! That's gotta hurt if you fall on that lava though? One year while racing the Mauna Kea 200 we went thru a series of brutal Lava fields. At the end of the first day as soon as I got in my friend Alan Pflueger said, "Someone died today..." From the look on his face I knew he was serious. His name was Tom Judge and he was from the Big Island. I didn't know him but from what I heard he was a good man. He left his family behind. On the way down the mountain I stopped and took a picture of this in the spot of Lava that killed him... Lava is gnarly brah.... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Throttlejockey Posted December 17, 2004 As usual, you always have the best pics. Looks like you had a good ride but be careful riding alone. 😢 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
vbp6us Posted December 17, 2004 Beautiful pics. Be careful. 😢 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kelsow Posted December 18, 2004 Great pic, especially the moon scape ones. Do you have a gallery on line so we can see all of your pictures you take? Somethimg like smugmug etc? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DirtDaddy Posted December 18, 2004 And to think my brother sold his bike and moved from Oahu just yesterday to Tarpon Springs, Florida. to be with and marry his long-distance-relationship girl. At least the weather is similar. . Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
12Many Posted December 19, 2004 Finally a place with less vegitation that where I ride. That is great. I bet that lava can eat up the tires. Thanks for posting. 😢 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TORTURECHAMBERS Posted December 19, 2004 Great pic, especially the moon scape ones. Do you have a gallery on line so we can see all of your pictures you take? Somethimg like smugmug etc? Try this link to my picks... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ride 404 Blue Posted December 19, 2004 torture u guys are nuts i wouldnt be caught dead there that scenery is awesome Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TORTURECHAMBERS Posted December 19, 2004 The Mauna Loa ride is very dangerous. Not only is the Lava treacherous but the altitude is bad. I turned around at 13000 ft and I was getting altitude sickness from ascending to fast. This is 3 days later and only now am I getting rid of the headaches! 😢 My right eye was drooping a little too... On the way down I crashed 3 times just from making poor choices from light headedness and being very winded. The heavy XR is not the right bike for the place.... 😢 Fun stuff though.... 😢 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Vultan Posted December 19, 2004 Be careful riding by yourself, Master Chambers! I don't want to see a story about you on the national news! "This just in...man rides motorcycle into lava flow...surfs bike for a while...until incineration occurred." How was the 650 at altitude, was it feeling like a 250 at 13,000'? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
